Massively multiplayer...run around the park!

What do you call a group of people that come together to participate in massively multiplayer live action strategy games. (I'm not sure what you call it.....think massive scavenger hunt, not live action role-playing (LARPing) for Dungeons and Dragons)

Apparently they've gotten some press. And here.

The games come from a book written by Leigh Anderson and published by Workman Publishing called the Games Bible, which has been on store shelves for about a month.

I love it.

This is game design unashamed. And its got to be tricky stuff!

Imagine designing a game for 350 people (as in their game "Ministry of Silence") . It can be hard enough to play test a game for 4 people! That is what I love most, and why it relates to APPLYING BOARD GAME MECHANICS.

Most of the time, any game mechanics that are applied to real life will involve an above average number of "players," which makes play testing tedious (impossible really), and increases the risk that ANY ONE player could really screw everything up!

Increase the number of players and you increase the level of uncertainty that the game system will NOT FALL APART. (Refer to a much earlier post I made about the economy...)

I haven't played Ministry of Silence, or any other game from the Games Bible, but props to Leigh Anderson and Co. for applying some game mechanics to 300+ people (and they at least seem to enjoy the games). This is one book that might have to go on my HOLIDAY WISH LIST.

Now, to link Holiday Wish List to an actual wish list...