If you were any kind of fan at all, watching the re-imagined Battlestar Galactica on television was a transcending experience. It was easy to immerse oneself into the story of Cylons, family and survival. Although the ending to the series didn't live up to my own expectations, the journey was amazing television I'll be happy to relive again and again on DVD.
Some Swedes elevated that experience into its next evolutionary plane of existence: Reality (or at least, physicality). The Monitor Celestra is a BSG LARP (live-action role-playing game) set on an old Cold War battleship. For three days, participants will look and act the part of a Galactica-era crew of refugees, soldiers and suits trying to overcome obstacles engineered into the game. The event repeats itself for three weekends in March, creating 420 spots for a great sci-fi weekend.
Frak yeah.
The LARP is run as a "pay and play," which means participants are handed a detailed character backstory and costume to go with the lodging for the weekend (Fire safety regulations do not permit sleeping on the ship, so the crew will spend nights at a nearby hostel). There are many opportunities to engage in the dramatic action, but it isn't required to move the narrative along. The price of admission also comes with access to developers before stepping aboard the ship, to help answer questions and prepare the role. While not everyone can play an officer, the organizers promise that it will be just as fulfilling to play a refugee as a captain.
One of the more interesting aspects of The Monitor Celestra is the presence of phantom cylons, of the Caprica Six variety. Dressed in red, they will interact exclusively with specific individuals in that delightful hearing-voices way that was a signature of the series.
Celestra will take place in Gothenburg, Sweden, on board "Småland," a destroyer built in 1952. The interior will be tricked out to convert the four-story cramped space into something resembling a spaceship, with interactive technology that will impact the way the story unfolds. According to the briefing, there are a number of tensions that will surface, including Capricans vs. Taurons, classism, and morality.
The LARP is set in the 130 hours between the end of the miniseries and the beginning of the first season, just before another FTL jump into deep space to begin the search for Ancient Earth. Something goes wrong, and the Celestra jumps to the wrong place, disconnected from the rest of the rag-tag fleet. On board are members of the science team at the Vergis Corporation, a Tauron tech company carrying with them a secret project. Resources are limited and will change hands often, creating meaningful choices that impact the narrative. Hilarity may not ensue, but for the 140 lucky people on board, full immersion into the BSG universe is assured.
The characters are cast by signing up for one of three different classes. The higher your class, the more power you hold, and the fancier your costuming. The A class (Refugees, Civilians, Suits, Politicians) will run about $375 USD. B class (Celestra Crew, Scientists, Colonial Military ensigns) bumps up to $435, and the elite C class (Officers, Marines, Security forces, Pilots) top out at $530 for the weekend. Throw in $1,000 for airfare to Sweden, and it is a pricey path to full immersion. Organizers recommend that you watch the miniseries and "33" from the BSG series before embarking.
The 32 hours of game play are broken into four dramatic episodes of a maximum of 8 hours each. The first two days will have a game stop, a border between the role playing interaction and the reality of a bunch of people trapped on an old battleship. On the final day, the game will play out to its conclusion.
In game, the Nordic LARP tradition expects participants to play their characters to the hilt, right up to things that might get them into trouble with the Swedish police, if they weren't simulated. Words are important. Use of "Frak!" will escalate drama. "Cut!" is the safe word to immediately pause the game. Because of the subject matter, participants have to be age 18 or older.
If Celestra can achieve half of the coolness oozing from its description, those lucky enough to make the jump will emerge humming "All Along the Watchtower."
