How is the role-playing game in the real world for guests of Armenia with trips in half of the country arranged?

Imagine that you came not just like that, but with a very important mission. In a sense, you know that everything will be further for you by a specially staged theatrical performance, but in the course of it you will drive around half the country.

Igromechanically it looks like this:
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1. There are 10 points: attractions and places to spend the night.
2. At each point a theatrical-gaming unit is added: conditionally, the place is prepared for a mini-performance, the actors show you something, you make a couple of choices by action or inaction.
3. Then you get a quest-type puzzle, to solve which you have to run, for example, pick up pieces of tiles through a labyrinth of caves or decipher the coordinates and drive (preferably on a horse) to a point.
4. At the exit you are waiting for the second story block, most often - a meeting with the actor who gives new information, a video message or something else.
5. Plus, "random encounters" on the road, as in the classic RPG.

To turn the whole trip into a performance - the dudes did a really cool job. Especially awesome moments of the start of the next move, when something like: “we know where they are - this is a cave city!” - and you get into the cars to go to attack someone else's base after 200 kilometers.

Now I will tell you how it was with us, and how it happens with adequate people. Plus I add rommehanichesky analysis. Looking ahead: this is a very good wrapper around classical tourism, and it is repeated in any region. In theory.

So, it all started with the fact that we were built in the courtyard of the hotel and were told that we are a special task force designed to investigate the global conspiracy that encroaches on the magic relic of Armenia.


^{Judging by the appearance of the captain, this is not Deus Ex, and not Dragon Age. Later, without an image, he was almost a hipster, but in the image was stern.}

We are some neophytes who join the Order of the Guardians - the secret organization behind everything important in Armenia. Our task is to guard the weapons of last chance, a certain heart of Aramazd. This is all thickly smeared with the mystical layer, which is designed to acquaint us with the culture of Armenia, but so far we have been beating it. Because cap drew us his special forces Ponte about the fact that we are a team and everything. And at once he gave everyone an army knapsack with a first-aid kit, wet wipes, a white cloak of the Guardians, two Armenian shirts, wind protection, a bottle of water, a string, matches and all sorts of useful trifles. I found out the most important thing: the girls could not worry about the cleanliness of their clothes, because in the issued one can (and should) roll through the bushes and run through all the mud.

Most of the first day we traveled by car, where we received some introductory.



Actually, such: the Illuminati united with the Freemasons and founded the Teutonic Order. They dominate throughout Europe, and continue to expand eastward. And then Armenia met on their way. Now they have stolen a fragment of the heart of Aramazd, and are hunting for the rest. Fragments are from the worthy members of our order. Our task right now is to pass the entrance tests into the order, join the slim ranks of the Guardians and help with the protection of something, or take part in a retaliatory strike. How to go. In general, to whistle everyone up, so even such curves are clumsy as we approach.



Then we go through the rituals (swim in a sacred source, to which the horse-radish you reach without an off-road jeep, wild jumping over bumps and swimming a couple of rivers on the same jeep), drink local superchay, shoot from bows, wave at the timbars, go through intellectual puzzles. In the course of the play, we meet a couple of actors right on the way (I will not particularly spoil, but it’s important that the interaction on the game starts) and then, when we are completely relaxed, we find ourselves under the attack of the Order’s battle group. We retreat to the reserve base, where we discuss the action plan, smoke legends and myths in the library, and at the same time go through basic training in night and mountain operations - horses, archery, piercing with a dummy spear (from a horse). In the evening, another theater track happens, which takes us deeper into the plot.



The next day, the base is under attack, and the core of the game begins. In the core we go to the sights because of the peculiarities of the plot, we do different tasks on the spot and we feel like special forces. The problem is in logic, because it is assumed that we are just passing the game, and we assumed that it was necessary to dunk the order. Let me now spoil and sort out one of the tasks of the second day.

So, we have a tower-jammer, which the Order has deployed near our base. First we search for it from the air, using the drone to search for this art object. Then we come to her to disable. There is a captcha tablet on whether you are from the Order.



In this place is a logical discrepancy. Instead of passing the quiz, I tear off the tower from the ground and am going to chuck in small pieces. What the cap says that you can not do this, because you need to turn off. Ooook. Leaving her zone of action is also impossible. Therefore, we are looking for clues around and further we get three points on the ground, to which we have to go, complete the tasks there, find the cryptex capsules and then compose answers for the tower from them.


^{Those same cryptexes}

Is it logical Not really. Imagine the enemy at night decided to attack our base and deploy a jammer. To do this, they put on it a shutdown system (instead of a remote control), supplied it with a quiz, then hid the map next to the objects in the area where there are clues. And they brought the objects themselves, and also hid them. As though motives are not very clear. In a normal game, you expect the logic of the enemy to be calculated, to predict its next steps and to take countermeasures. In this place, the logic is frayed, but there remains pure pleasure from the quest.

Further, with the plot it becomes all more evenly, but still the “rails” are felt. That is, he came to the point, watched a theatrical performance, did something to his intellect and sportiness, watched a regular plot (or rather, theatrical block), moved to the next point.

Here I must say that the theatrical level is very cool. The director's work is awesome without question. For example, how to make such a landmark as a circle of stones steep? You can just go there, popyritsya, leave. And you can come there at night, arrange a ritual of initiation there, show the coolest fire show as part of this ritual, and then drag a theatrical character there with whom there will be a conflict - so that the players can decide what to do.



What can be done on the menhirs, where are you going to pick up one of the pieces of the artifact? Not only let the actors go there, but also put a field on the wrong side of the field, release the drone from there and follow our actions. When you wait for an ambush on the way back - this is very cool.

What can be done in the cave city? Yes, anything from a shootout, a full assault on the reserve base, night searches with a lantern, shaking caves, stealing enemy food, and so on. There are very cool little things - for example, enemies store the key to the chest in a jar with cockroaches. It is necessary to climb there to take it.



Multiply all this by constantly moving the plot, a bunch of new places, stories about the place, surprised local views on us (and we walk in a group in white raincoats and national shirts), and you will get some impression about how cool this is.







Now one of the coolest moments of the game, which just breaks those who have experience of such productions.

Logistics

Groups of players - from 4 to 30 people, the optimal composition of 8 digs. Three actors travel with the band: cap, who plays the leader; the technician responsible for the group's equipment and the cap keeper; the cameraman who makes a film about your game and takes all the important photos is for the players to grab their weapons when attacking, and not to herai self with smoke explosions.


<sup>Entourage at the level


The good old exercise "Lunokhod-1", it is also "lead a man on the radio blindly", it has an analog camera with a rado channel.</sup>

The cost of the game for 3 days coincides with the cost of the guide for 3 days, staying for these 3 days in normal places, renting vehicles with a driver, meals (it’s just gorgeous here - except for the situation when Moscow resident Tanya took big cucumbers for zucchini and baked them on coals). The price does not include air tickets, but includes all transfers and insurance of the “extreme” level, that is, for a fall from a horse, you will also be treated with a coverage of 2 million rubles. Plus SIM cards with the Internet for communication. Plus all that you order, here is a calculator of special effects for different objects.


^{Increments of the case end of the numerals indicate that the native language is still Armenian}

All items of the program are beautiful, give a bunch of photographic material for boasting in instagram, and everything is organically written into the plot.

That is, a game with a more or less rational calculation becomes quite advantageous in comparison with a regular trip through Armenia. At least, these are the impressions that the hell you will ever get somewhere and at least somehow, if you are not a role player. If you are a role player, you will also show your intellectual superiority.

Pyrotechnics for the game supplies the Ministry of Defense (it seems, unofficially). This, of course, is not a simulation of a nuclear explosion with a bucket of gasoline or something more complicated, but our girls hid themselves under the beds for a firefight, and the shooting scene following the machine gun retreating to us could be compared with the scene of the underground city in Moscow 2048 "On the level of fear being pushed in."


<sup>The first temporary base, something like a collective farm "Red Communard"


Entourage like in "Stalker" or ATOM RPG


Here inside


Course tactical planning


The third temporary base, caves in the cave city</sup>

Three groups: a car of players in the middle (we had a Honda Odyssey for 7 passengers, if there is more - there will be a minibus or bus), followed by a car with soldiers of the order, in front of us a car of igrotechs and other actors. Conventionally, each place is prepared for the scene in an hour or two, then the players go through this story, then the players interact with the enemies.


^{Video message}

At each point there is an agreement with the local main and responsible about the fact that there will be a game. As I have already said, the operator walks with the group, and the players in the national shirts, so all the randomly met people clearly decide that this is a film about Armenia. We are not touched and do not ask stupid questions, which is very nice. All people at sites such as bridge keepers, owners of a base house, cafe chefs and so on are up to date on the game and sometimes even play along - they have already seen about 30 runs and know what is possible and what is not. The militia in public places looks with interest and does not interfere, but everything loud happens far from civilization - both we and the Order have an installation to go to crowded places without weapons. True, once we frightened a shootout of a whole bus of Americans, which should not have been there at that time. The camp site (our reserve base on the plain) completely covers the territory for players during the game. The fields in which we run in search of enemy objects - something grows on them - and now the farmers-owners know what will be there, and allow it explicitly.



The team consists of theater students, directors, actors, one student programmer, artists, former tour guides and, in fact, organizers. Each has its own role and functions, there are 3-4 substitutions on the key roles (one inside the team, the rest from the outside for the other games).



Information is transmitted to all by voice. As soon as one of the actors receives information about the players, it is transmitted to the common radio channel (without players and characters around the players). Plus, the actors listen to the radio players, of course. In our case, the cap realized that we are ready for the final fight with full contact, which is why I lightly got in the face and thought that I had suffered on the glasses, Timur scratched his shoulder and knee, a couple of actors were so good with throws and kicks. After that, Timur took the stun gun away from the main reptile and, during the struggle, prodded himself out of his back pocket. We were happy. Actors, too, they have long wanted someone to pitch. They say this is the first time there has been full contact. The last composition was all girlish, there was enough pyrotechnics and pretentious conversations.

Already arrived home, I realized that in addition to all of the above, there are a lot of cool little things that need to continue to do. We are taught to tie a knapsack and make the right Armenian shish kebab, light a bonfire, collect tea from field herbs, shave with a lighter , distinguish plants, stick to the saddle on a horse and a whole lot more, and half have a use in real life.



The script is evolving. There are both understandable weak points for the organizers, where something can go wrong, and changes for players. Sometimes new show items are introduced. The first tests were to synchronize all the players and people in the field. In total, it is about 40 people across the country (including actors and orgov on machines). The rehearsals were like this: we drove around the objects, ran the scenes first among themselves (each in turn played key roles), then with friends, then with beta players. They took artists, properties - they all had to look at nature.

The first game was a year ago. Only about 30 runs, including tests.

Now, about the fact, in fact, how can I help the project and what would I do as a fairly experienced specialist in games and scenarios. Actually, I like this adventure and got.


^{In the story this guy runs away, but here the story has changed}

List of amendments and analysis of the mechanics of the game

We played with a team from our friends from Tutu. Adventures and journalists (it was a press tour). With our group, the game went hard, because there were people who went through several hundred live action field games (and I put it somewhere under a hundred freeform LARP). As a result, my experience has been useful for the possible improvement of the game. Then I rely on my experience and, in part, data on past games from the organizers.

The first obvious problem is with the motivation of the players. When they build you in the yard and say that you are obliged, the natural reaction is to send a military fuck. What, in fact, happened in our composition a little later. Cool for kids, they don't ask questions. Therefore, you need to give role-based motivation and a little more data.

The solution is possible the following: register a short story for each player, why he is here. And change the introductory from “you are proud to join the Guardians” to “you are a special detachment called to Armenia to assist the Guardians in the operation.” One player finds out that his grandfather was in this organization, the second secret service of his native country was sent to investigate the issue, the third is hunting for the main reptile of the game and so on.

Wikipedia is needed as a database of custodians - now there are only books at the end of the first day, and there are few of them. And you need well-known data about the Order, their bases, comments to each object in Armenia from our headquarters and so on. That on-site players were already with a tactical analysis of the situation. Recall the loads of Jagged Alliance 2: intelligence report for geek explorer, dialogues for socializers, scenes with Deidran for killers and achivers (players classification according to Verbakh) and generally a map interface for everyone at once.

Next you need to string all the game actions on the plot logic. Weaknesses are the logic of the storyline and quests. As I have already said about the tower - why should we play questions and answers if we can chop it up with an ax? But in fact, the questions started earlier with mine: “Why do we have to fight the Order? Come, we will agree! ”.

Here, another weak spot comes to the rescue - the lack of information flow on the road. When you go 2 hours, you need to take time completely, and not 15 minutes to talk a piece of the legend, and then go "in life."

First, we will have a radio game. In the players' channel, there will always be reports of attacks on Guardian cells throughout the country, the sounds of shootings and the recording of negotiations. It always works very hard and loads into the plot. According to the experience of games, those who missed part of the loading about Armenia and the mystical layer often become stupid - it influences the plot. But the players just do not need it, they are not local. And with this change, we have three layers of load: Wikipedia about the game for those who like to read. Cap stories like this. And the radio, where in the course of the action important information such as: “Do not let them go to the fragment at any cost! We swore to protect him! Haman! Run, we will delay them! ”

Secondly, we will have detailed characters. Now the same cap is an actor who plays the military and just tells important things about the plot. It is necessary to make each person. The cap may suffer from post-traumatic syndrome and yell in the hallway at night, and players will calm him down. A techie can drop by for breakfast with his hands stained with blood and say how he likes to cut pigs in the morning. The operator can ask all military bikes with a terrible Croatian accent. And so on. Here is an example of the beginning of the development of the character of the cap, many things start at the moments when the players are inactive (and not needed if the game is “tight”):



Third, we will have a layer of constant, very strange things to discuss. All of them should be done cheaply - the estimate decides here. They will play suspense. For example, the car of the Order on the first day should not go for half an hour for the players, but meet at the first gas station and then sit on the tail of the players. And so they stopped at the parking lot 200 meters away and looked at the players from binoculars. The dervish must first beg for alms near the toilet, and then after 10 kilometers stop the car right in the middle of the road and write “Stop” on the windshield. And let the players guess how the same dude (they don’t know for the first time that he is an actor) was on foot ahead of them. The player may have a note in the bag: “We can reach you at any time” - there are many discussions, the sea of ​​emotions, and the cost is near zero according to estimates.

Now, about the logic. When we have a suspense, the characters come to life, the radio game is on, the players know with their hands what to do (for example, they barricade the base themselves, blocking the windows with furniture) - you can remove all logical inconsistencies such as quests. Not “turn off the antenna”, but “crack the antenna in order to gain access to the enemy database via the control channel” - and now the tablet on it becomes a hacker game. Not to “find 3 objects on the map that the enemies have left”, but to activate three Guardian radio stations for trilateration of the object. And so on. These are cosmetic changes that greatly change the attitude of players to immersion in the character.



One more thing - I was constantly thinking about the game not about what to do to us, but about why the enemies did this or that thing. And analyzed their motives (as long as they were incomprehensible), the preferred nature of the actions, the management style and the solution of the tasks of their leader, calculated the following steps. But they did not give in to logic. For example, why take us by surprise, be able to instantly interrupt - and retreat, leaving the bomb to which you need to pick up the code? If I were the main reptile, I would never tell my plan, and instead of a detailed answer to the question from the cap, I would say “No” and shoot at him. Even a shot at first, and then say no. So, this logic is also easy to correct, if there is more information about the world. And it could not be given more, since the players had previously incorrectly entered.Now they will be able to enter the game correctly - and receive duplicate information in the form of tales from the cap, if they have not understood from the first three times from the wiki, the radio game and the direct story in the car - and act on the plot.

The next step - sometimes the game misfires. For example, during our final line, tourists simply stole a piece of props that moved the plot. In another place, we had two extra hours of enchanting performance. For all such cases, you need three plans: a way out of the situation on a timer, plan B for an alternative solution and a basic plan.

Example.The priestess leads us to the source and says that the water will give the answer. And the answer was just stolen by tourists. Therefore, water can only give us water, an hour of delay and a sense of intellectual inferiority. Plan B: the priestess has the same object with him, and when he is stupid, he comes to the source, throws him there and say - well, I feel he is here! The exit plan - the actor resorts and moves us to the next block like: “I saw one of them out there, run faster there!”. The detour plan: an actor from the village appears who says he has found something strange in the source. And so on.Players break everything. Anything that can go wrong will go wrong. It is necessary to discuss plans B not on the fly, but to prescribe in the script, so that the players do not even feel that something is going wrong. And they had more choices than the quest rails — there would be an open world illusion.

By the way, the game has several endings, so the choice of players still affects. I would suggest at the end to make more choices - after the final battle, the final “movie” with a theatrical stage can be given a bit of freedom to the players to decide the fate of the world without departing from the ticket office. It will be epic like Fallout 2 endings if done correctly.

Now let's go back to the meta level. In this whole story I did not understand where the orgs earn. More precisely, like this: they obviously underestimate the possible margin from the ticket for all of this, since the calculation of how much the trip to the same places with the guide and elements of the show cost was just made from my presentation. Now, I quote: "The actor can get more from the game than we do." I think a little cunning, and so it was once or twice.

The most important moment of why all this is possible is because Armenia is a very cheap country. As a local resident said: “We have everything. Clear mountain water. Factories for 30 years, no one works, ecology. Beauty.300 sunny days a year. Only there is no work ... ”- hence the ice cream for 14 rubles, and an incredibly expensive cafe with a score of 500 rubles per person, and so on. Metro about 12-15 rubles, by the way. Taxi from the airport in Yerevan - from 150 to 300 rubles (20-40 minutes). So, on this "temperature difference" and earn.


^{Tea, which we collected in the mountains}

It is strange that no one else is doing just that. More precisely, there are either quests in cities like “Fights”, or semi-theater tours like “Farolero”, or separate games, or an immersive theater at some fixed points. But not the whole journey with immersion. So with some small probability we are now seeing something new in tourism and games.