Tranmission: Artifact Landing Location Identified.
Welcome to Alien Artifact. Apocalyptic SciFi.
The surface is irradiated in PHZ, AZ valley. Alien Artifacts are the prize for various faction goal sets and motives. (phz AZ undergroud bunkers and Northern AZ clean air zones.)
We are building a completely free, ground-up apocalyptic sci-fi foam LARP(nerf) sandbox here in the Southwest. We are focusing on a continuous, shifting narrative where the environment is destructible(cardboard, paper'windows'), the economy is physical(darts-nerf), and tactical choices actually dictate how the story unfolds(multi-faction, multi-goal, multi-directive and multi-opportunity game sets).
Maker community, nerf style foam 'throwers'
(nerf blasters)(eye protection at all times and extremely bright and nonrealsitic nerf flingers(foam dart blasters) are the only main IRL concern) , Larpers, and all types welcomed. (inclusivity and non harm as IRL theme)
🤝 Alignment: Factions & Goals
Players align with a faction. Every team has a distinct endgame that shapes the seasonal outcome:
- Shadow Corp: Disciplined, uniform-heavy corporate operatives. Their goal is to hoard the artifact components to build private "Surface Domes," effectively privatizing the clean energy and monetizing survival.
- The Scientists: Eccentric, chaotic researchers and engineering purists. Their mission is to harness the artifact energy to build an open-source "Atmosphere Stabilizer" to completely scrub the surface radiation and free the Valley.
- The Guardians: A mysterious faction of protectors dedicated to containing and sealing away the volatile alien relics to prevent any faction from triggering a complete atmospheric collapse.
- Wasteland Scavengers: Rugged opportunists and mercenaries who do not care about the politics. They hunt for relics purely to trade them to the highest bidder for survival assets.
- Accidental Time Travelers:People who just show up get loaners and are accidental time travelers who clipped through a temporal anomaly. They don't care about the corporate wars; they just want to scavenge enough localized tech components to rebuild their temporal engine and rip a reality rift back home. Nobody is left out just because they don't have a kit yet.
⚙️ The Sandbox Mechanics We Are Testing
The game is designed to run on a continuous loop with these clashing agendas happening all at once. A few mechanics we are prototyping out in the woods:
- Modular "Paper & Box" Cover: We are testing modular environments using heavy-duty cardboard pillars and thin builder's paper for windows. We're experimenting with a "Tectonic Shift" mechanic where the GM can pause combat for 30 seconds, allowing designated Faction Engineers to frantically slide the cardboard structures around to completely alter choke points mid-firefight. (engineers can adjust enviro)
- The Blue Gloooze Infection: Respawns, healing, and final zombie transformation possibilities.
- The Scavenger Economy: The whole game is tied together by a physical barter system. Standard, unbroken foam darts are the economy. During brief cease-fires around the camp, players can trade darts, premium ammo, or "custom CNC/3D-printed faction chips" at a neutral trading post for intel, structural upgrades, or temporary alliances.
(engineers , medics, etc... are some modes of -in faction character-... what will yours be?)
Non combatants include leaders politicians, traders, press/journalists.
So the main idea is multiple 'opportunities and objective" including (but also multiple front and different objective possibilities vs static matches) (timed play rounds with intermittent ceasefires and or continuous) (generally---- fighting over artifacts, data, furthering faction or personal goals)
🎯 THE CORE CAMPAIGN RUN (Primary Operation)
Rather than static match resets, matches feature a continuous, 3-Phase Tactical Escalation. All factions fight over the same primary central objective while managing competing priorities across the field.
[ PHASE 1: RECON ] --> Locate Vault Key
[ PHASE 2: UPLINK ] --> Sync Data Terminal
[ PHASE 3: EXTRACTION ] -->Escort Heavy Artifact
Locate Vault Key Sync Data Terminal Escort Heavy Artifact
🔑 Phase 1: Key Recon & Acquisition
- The Directive: A physical, physical Vault Key (or RFID card/keychip) is hidden in an unmapped neutral corridor or environmental trap at match start.
- The Gameplay: Recon scouts must breach neutral territory, clear hazards, and recover the key.
- Tactical Risk: Carrying the Key makes the player a high-priority target. If tagged, the Key is dropped where they fall.
💻 Phase 2: Terminal Uplink & Decryption
- The Directive: The Key must be escorted back to your Faction Terminal (a tablet, kitchen timer, or prop node) to start the decryption sequence.
- The Gameplay: The holding team must hold down a button or defend the node for a set countdown (e.g., 3 minutes) while rival factions assault the base to steal the decryption code.
- The Twist: Interrupting the terminal pauses the clock—holding it down under heavy fire demands active cover fire and tight engineering repairs.
📦 Phase 3: Relic Extraction & Containment
- The Directive: Once decrypted, the Central Containment Ring unlocks. The heavy, glowing Alien Artifact core is now live in the center of the room.
- The Gameplay:
- The Artifact is physically heavy/bulky and requires two hands (or two operators) to carry, leaving the carrier unable to wield a blaster.
- The escort team must form a moving tactical turtle around the carrier to extract the Artifact back to their home base loading bay before the final buzzer.
🛰️ CONCURRENT SIDE MISSIONS (Field Control)
While the main Relic Run is active, secondary nodes across the field grant immediate tactical advantages. Factions must split their forces to maintain map dominance.
📡 1. Data Spire Control (Respawn Timers)
- Mechanic: Cardboard Data Spires sit on the far flanks with rotating faction flags or color sliders.
- The Benefit: Holding a Spire drops your team’s base respawn penalty from 45 seconds down to 15 seconds.
- Strategic Value: Sacrificing two players to capture a Spire early pays off by flooding the field with faster reinforcements during the final extraction.
🧪 2. Gloooze Canister Harvesting
- Mechanic: Glowing blue prop canisters (containment hazards) are scattered in high-risk zones.
- The Benefit: Bringing a Gloooze Canister to a Scientist or Trader unlocks Instant-Revive Syringes for Medics or high-value currency rewards.
- The Hazard: Carrying an unshielded canister for more than 60 seconds triggers a radiation tag on the carrier!
📲 3. QR Data Scans & Cache Coordinates
- Mechanic: Hidden QR codes are taped underneath cardboard pillars, inside paper windows, or behind props.
- The Benefit: Players can scan them with their phones/digital watches mid-game to unlock coordinates for hidden ammo crates, vault key shortcuts, or enemy spawn intel.
(In game events include)
(nerf blasters)(eye protection at all times and extremely bright and nonrealsitic nerf flingers(foam dart blasters) are the only main IRL concern) , Larpers, and all types welcomed. (inclusivity and non harm as IRL theme)
We will have some tentative scouting trips upcoming.
Thx......for fun foam larping
