So you want to write a game. You fire up your favorite word-smithing tool and stare at the blank screen. As you glance around the room to draw inspiration there are questions you may be asking yourself. What makes a fun game? How are my players going to react? Why am I sitting here in my underwear?

Yes, I have been there. I have written three live action role playing games (LARPs) and collaborated on a few more. I have also drawn inspiration from others, such as Tom Javoroski of BYOV and Ron Faltus of SLUGS, both of whom have generously discussed their writing with me. All of this experience has given me insight into some great ideas that you can use to make your game great.

BREAK THE GAME INTO ACTS. Start your game with a introduction. Typically this includes reviewing the rules and giving safety instructions. Then, set the narrative. Prepare and read a statement that describes the setting. Here’s an excerpt from Kobolds on a Plane:

Rival Kobolds disguised as the famous Kobold chef Emerald and his kitchen staff visit your cave. The sneaky bastards arrange a cooking demonstration where they take your entire clan by surprise capturing you in a huge wooden cage. While dining on your clan leader in an epic-level BBQ and contemplating tasty new recipes for their Torg Foreman Grilles(tm), a strange Gnome arrives. He is Phil T. Olaf, an entertainer and entrepreneur. In exchange for two pairs of shiny boots, a bag of cheesy doodles, three Atomic Squash T-Shirts and a yummy Human baby, he acquires all of you! His plan is to transport you to a human zoo where you will be caged and put on exhibit as a rare type of prairie dog.

You are prisoners aboard Olaf’s Gnomish airship, the Pike Maiden. Most of you have managed to claw through your crates and chew your way through the dunnage. You are ravenous and angry (well, that’s normal). Find a way to escape your captivity while managing to live.

Next, consider breaking your game into three acts. The first act is set up. Players are learning their characters and discovering the sandbox which you created. The second act introduces conflict and raises the game to its climax. Players have overlapping and conflicting goals. Throw in some plot twists but make sure they make sense in the universe you have created. The third act resolves the story and the player’s story arcs. Make players aware of time constraints to allow them time to complete their goals.

End the game with a wrap-up. Players enjoy discussing their characters and exploits. Ask them to give a post-mortem but not to give away other character’s secrets. Sometimes the character’s perception and the game’s “reality” are different. Here is an opportunity to reveal character’s true motives. Characters may not know the truth about the story until the wrap-up.

LARPS ARE SOCIAL. When I wrote Kobolds on a Plane, most characters belonged to a tribe. But I gave characters selfish goals. I expected players to work alone and socialize with others when it helped meet their goals. That is not what happened at all. I watched as players united as a tribe to find common tasks to accomplish and then split off occasionally for their specific goals.

I have learned that humans are social animals. That is why we live in cities and towns and not in hovels equally spaced apart jealously protecting them like red-winged blackbirds. Great games group players into clans, tribes, organizations, classes, agencies, allies and opponents. Give the group a reason to exist and explain their shared goals. Whether the player chooses to betray them is their choice.

For the next game, Tabriz School of Magick, I gave the school four houses into which the players were assigned. The houses entered three different competitions for the house cup. Some of the funniest moments of that game took place when the players creatively collaborated.

HAVE A BOX. The author Kurt Vonnegut does not like suspense, but your players will thrill at a mystery. Unlike a written story where the author gives you a guided tour of his fantasy, LARPs exist for players to explore and change. Introduce a mystery box or a strange artifact into the game. Maybe the character who possesses it does not know its true nature. Let the players puzzle over it. What’s in the box?! Then wait until the third act to let them find out.

USE THE PAWNS. How boring would chess be if every piece was a queen? Do not make every character in your game a super spy or an über bad vampire lord. Provide a variety of different characters and strive for balance.

Chess pieces are a good metaphor for types of characters. Consider that there are six different chess pieces:

• Pawn – Pawns are expendable foot soldiers who may, if her actions are brave, be promoted to a Queen. They are the soul of the game and defend each other against more powerful enemies.
• Rook – Rooks move in straight lines. They are governed by systems of rules and laws. Although they may be predictable, they pack enough muscle to survive getting into trouble.
• Knight – The knight’s unique movement makes them the least predictable. They are sneaky and capable of balancing out deficiencies of their group.
• Bishop – Bishops are the smart ones. They most often end up where they are least expected. But it is impossible to win a chess game with only two bishops.
• Queen – Queens are the most powerful and versatile type of character in the game. They hold great potential to sway friends and enemies alike.
• King – Kings are leaders who encourage loyalty and teamwork. They are capable of bringing people together and coaxing the best out of them.