Streetwise is a Live-Action Roleplaying Game of Criminal Economics. I'll spare you my own hype, and let Wes give you the rundown:
"My first LARP was at DragonCon in 2004. There was a game called Streetwise that was all about "Urban Economics." The characters came in five types: Dealers, Pimps, Hos, Cops, and Street Preachers. All of the characters were addicted to some "vice" - sex, pastries, or drugs. I picked a cop, and rolled for my addiction - fittingly, it was pastries. All vices, weapons, and cash were represented by paper cards, and combat was resolved through a game of "pencil break," where your weapon determined how many strikes you got at the other guys pencil. Over the course of the day, I became increasingly corrupt, making underhanded, back-alley deals and letting the others off the hook for their illegal possessions and activities in return for protection - I was the only cop for most of the game, and when I got a deputy, he ended up shot dead. I made sure to keep on the preachers good sides. I had a great time."
We're planning another major game at this year's (2007) Dragoncon. We're also looking for playtesters in the cities of Portland, OR and Atlanta, GA. Check out the Streetwise Blog for more details, and drop us a line if you wanna get some beers. First round's always on us!
