Looking for Specific Type of Live-Action Role-Playing Game Combination

by Hawke Robinson — published 2019/03/17 13:07:00 GMT-7, last modified 2022-11-12T08:45:04-08:00
A lot of larps are either more combat oriented or more freeform oriented. We're looking for something that is as close to a heroic, "good guys only", tabletop role-playing game, but includes moving around physically, but does not allow any physical contact, and isn't overly focused on combat. Anyone know of something actually published, with adventures, that fits these criteria? This is for atrisk and incarcerated populations.
Greetings!
Looking for recommendations on published live-action role-playing games (LRPGs) that fit some very specific criteria.
  • Cooperative not competitive
  • Heroic-only
  • No physical contact
  • De-emphasis on combat
  • Rich rules with actual character sheet
  • Published with adventures providing all the above
Generally larps are either more improvisational "rules light" or combat focused. We are looking for live-action role-playing games that are heavier on the written rules side, have actual formal character sheets, defined success and failure capabilities of the PC beyond the physical and mental abilities of the player (closer to an active TRPG than most larps), but not overly focused on combat, equipment, or costumes.
Anybody know of something published? We need something published that can be handed off to the population after we introduce them, so the adventures need to exist that are already heroic and don't need heavy modification for these populations to follow and use "out of the box".
Basically we're for a good bridge for existing tabletop role-playing gamers (RPGers) that are part of atrisk and incarcerated populations, and so need the much more structured rules of tabletop RPG (TRPG) over the more free form approach of most larps. But needs to be somewhat physically active to a degree it raises heart rate and such for at least some aerobic benefit, rather than sitting at a table.
Especially for the incarcerated populations all rules need to be completely non-physical contact!
Yes we have in the past adapted some tabletop RPGs accordingly, but we're trying to find if anything more formally exists in print that we could hand off, rather than always have to run for them.
For example, it can't be Vampire/World of Darkness, Amtgard, Nero, etc. as written.
With these at-risk and incarcerated populations the rules need to stress optimal "good behavior" and provides adventures that are "good guys only" heroic, cooperative non-competitive play.
Appreciate any suggestions. Any genre is fine.
Thanks!

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Hawke Robinson
Hawke Robinson says:
Mar 17, 2019 01:47 PM
FYI, We are 100% volunteers, 501(3) non-profit. We don't have the funds to hire anyone. Also we want less of a Parlor LARP, and more a physically active non-contact TRPG. More of a fully engaging rules rich non-contact Adventure LRPG than a parlor larp, but not just a glorified treasure hunt/puzzler. Want full rich role-play, well developed cahracters with statistics so the PC can achieve far beyond the player's own real abilities,, and non-contact full combat rules (but with combat discouraged because of "Deadliness" to the PC like Rolemaster). We've been in larps on and off since the 80s. And we've designed a few as recreational therapists for specific clients. But were hoping to find something published to make it easier for people to spread what they learn, rather than us having to spend more time in publishing process. For example, we introduce people to TRPG every week as per http://dropinandrpg.com at different locations each week. We already have done TRPGs with atrisk and incarcerated populations, but we want something that has a more physical outlet than the sedentary part of TRPG. We've made a few of our own modifications over the years drawing on TRPGs (the larps we've found so far are either too much contact, or too rules-light for appropriate in-game behavior conformity/modification). The TRPGs with the more clearly defined parameters of well structured rules are great for some of those that really struggle with self-regulation, so we're trying to find something along those lines, but without having to stay seated at the table. I'm not sure it exists, and don't want to reinvent the wheel if it does, but if it truly doesn't exist in printed form, then we'll do what we can. Appreciate suggestions. We've been looking at various larp sources, rpgnow, etc. but they don't really provide enough information, and as a non-profit group of 50+ volunteers, and almost no money from so few donations, we can't afford to buy a ton of them, so we're hoping folks who have already tried them out can help guide us. We help hundreds (thousands?) of people per year through our research, music and RPG community programs on a tiny shoestring budget since 2004. For example we only raised $900 2 years ago, and just $3200 last year. So you can see we don't have much cash to work with. But if we can find the right games, we have the dedicated volunteers to make it happen! :-)
Hawke Robinson
Hawke Robinson says:
Mar 17, 2019 02:10 PM
My first assumption is that I do not have any original ideas, and that surely someone out there has already done this.

So I am researching trying to find anything existing, in a published format, out of print or otherwise.

I am also posting on larp and rpg social networks, and the website, hoping to garner feedback from people to point me in the right directions.

My assumption and hope is that we will find something that is either currently in print, or was in print and can still be found and used.

If there is nothing close enough, then I will resort to trying to create something. Based on the scaffolding of something existing, but tweaked to meet our needs. But may need to create something from scratch to make it publishable if the license of the scaffold is too restrictive.