[Cam Stuffs] On Joining

[atolnon]

I was talking with some fellow roleplayers as I went to see Narnia the other night, while we waited for the rest of the group to show up. Personally, if I didn't see some value in the organization I would, not being partial to joining formal organizations in the past, simple allow my membership to lapse feeling that I would, hopefully, at least have the friends I've made to show for my time. So, besides the friendships I've made, which I consider to be very important to me, the group has a lot going for it. I've enjoyed my time spent playing games in the Camarilla thus far.

I may have mentioned in the past, though, that not all my friends hold the same view. Besides the fact that they already have gaming groups and a healthy social lives/networks*, one of the things I keep hearing generally revolves around exp. I'm asked how experience is handled and how characters interact (and occasionally about system issues), and I generally inform them that there's an MC system plus a series of long-term characters that have been accumulating experience for a few years. Even my mage character, whos sheet is getting a little dusty in its binder, has a substantial amount of experience sitting on it, and I'm one of the weaker characters in the chronicle. 

The amount of exp in the setting is a little hard for the gaming  vets to swallow. Now, I'm not really sure it's a bad thing, because honestly, even a tough bugger of a character will go down under a hail of enough bullets/teeth/knives/whatever. Generally, I've seen a lot of that exp go to very reasonable things to flesh out character concepts, which is probably how it should be. 

It think it's a perceptual hurdle, though. There are a lot of players who don't distinguish between table top and LARP when it comes to rules, for example, and only a long term role-playing session under an exceptionally generous Storyteller is going to aquire the kind of exp that a Cam larper can expect to see on even a year-old character whose player has moderate MC. The proportions between player characters is totally different, too, because NPCs are harder to field, a lot of the smaller or more peripheral characters (though they should have their chances to shine) are just going to come from newer players. 

It's the proportions between newer and older players that create the different play experience when it comes to power, though. Not only is exp granted for MC, but it's also the standard reward for good play, for showing up to events, et al. I don't think I have a problem with it (in a lot of ways, because I haven't seen a lot of negative fallout from this effect, meaning I'm not even sure how profound it is), but it's certainly in the mind of certain savvy prospective members. 

So, like I said. I'm not sure if it's a problem, and if it is, what the solution would be. It's just come up a lot when I query people I know about joining, or am asked about the organizations play.

*not the same thing, I know. 

In other news, the new schedule seems to give me not only this weekend, but also a real possibility of the 6th, the 7th, and the 21st off. For no other reasons then those, it might be well worth just shutting up and rolling with it, because I'm basically getting everything I want without expending any effort at all. I'm a little cranky on principle, but I'm also potentially very excited. I know better then to be pleased about scheduling without reservation. Keep your fingers crossed!

Comments

[drbuzzkill.livejournal.com]

Have you actually managed to drag any of these folks to a game yet? I understand that scheduling such could be a problem, but that's the first step in procuring converts.

Also, you might mention that while we do tend to ladle on the xp, the vast majority of our player base is 25 or older and thus theoretically more mature than most LARPers.

Also, *crosses fingers*

[atolnon.livejournal.com]

One friend signed up, but he's a restaurant manager, so he's busy during just about every game. Otherwise, it's a hard sell. They just don't see the need.
I have to admit that until I went with a friend, I felt the same way. I came with Brent once because he didn't want to go alone. The rest unfolded like so.