LARPing

[Robeatics]

So, I'm seriously itching for a good LARP where I live, because I'm a huge nerd and I want to hit people. Hunting around for different settings and locations, this got me thinking.

What do you guys think of LARPing? I'm curious to see different RPers' takes on it, seeing as some people might consider our communities linked. Personally, I think it's a great way to be active socially and physically, and encourages all sorts of people to band together and make their own fun. But if you see it another way, or don't, tell me about it!

 

[Alan]

I LARPed for eight years (between the years of 2000 through 2008) in a Vampire: The Masquerade setting. It was, hands down, the most fun I ever had in a roleplay. Unlike some of the othe V:tM LARPs you may have heard about, these girls guys were some of the most awesome and well-mannered people I've ever come across.

 

[Dervish]

I don't really have any strong opinions about it because I've literally never even heard of an event anywhere near where I live. I think if that's what people like doing, it's probably a great way to meet people and it can be a lot of fun, but about the extent of my knowledge and experience of LARPing is that movie Role Models.

 

[Sidhe]

I've always wanted to try it, but I'm way too shy to try and find a group.

 

[Rain of the Night]

LARPing used to be my life before I moved. The social aspect, the 'getting into a character' aspect, the choices, the battles, the rush, the nights of tales (There is a pretty big demon story I can't share here because it's a mature subject, but holy shit, we laughed for like 2 hours in the morning.) I highly suggest it for anyone who wants to try it. The communities are very good and inviting.

THIS IS MY SHIT MAN! I have a full suit of leather armor and a chainmail, along with latex and foam swords and other items made for LARPing.

 

[Cpt Toellner]

There were two groups that did this at least every weekend at my school. One day me and my friends, (think video game and D&D nerds, not larping nerds,) dressed up in some makeshift costumes. One friend had an old monk's robe, one had a refurbished Jedi costume, one had a squire's outfit, and the other guy wore a ninja suit. We all used belts and ropes to tie random shit like cafeteria trays to our shoulders, chest, and legs. And at last, I made an outfit out of burlap sacks, a bunch of fur hides, and a helmet with fake buffalo horns on top, it was decided I would be the "Chief".

So one summer day, they are all out in the football field, doing their thing. Me, and the 4 other "bandits", snuck around the back of some buildings, dressed in full garb and eyeing up the snacks that the Larpers had left unattended on the bleachers. Upon getting close enough, we belted out a fearsome warrior's cry and rushed the Gatorade and cookies, brandishing our cheap Nerf swords we had bought at WalMart.

At first, they just kinda seemed to be put off by us, Greg even ate like, 5 cookies before some of the guys decided to play along and come after us. Soon the whole group ganged up on the "fearsome," raiding party. All of us died these really dramatic deaths, me, being the cheif, had this epic final battle with some guy before being slain.

We stayed for hours after, all of them saying how much fun that was but asking us to just join them next time. We never did, but I would always get "hellos," from them afterwards.

One guy I talked to years after said that they always told their newer members of "The descendants of a ruthless warrior chieftain , still haunting the forests, waiting for revenge."

 

[Diana]

I WOULD LOVE TO LARP.

Sadly, I am not so great at playing pretend in person. O___O I am way too self conscious and socially awkward.

I would have a ball sitting and watching everyone play though. D:

 

[Windsong]

I'm with Diana.

Would love to, but can't. A friend was super big into LARPing up in North Florida as some weird-ass priest. I've tried looking. There really isn't much in my area unless I want to drive a few hours north or south to try and join one of the groups.

 

[Ser K+]

Never done it, the closest I've gotten to it was fooling around in one of those wooden sword training things I went to when I was like 8.

Don't think I'd do fullscale larping, but I may roleplay irl just for fun.
In the snow, because snow makes you fall when you try to do so much as adjust your posture or change stances making it more fun.

 

[Hellis]

I HEARD LARPING. SO I CAME RUNNING.

I've been larping for 10+ years. Larping, I kid you not, is the reason I can handle social events and have any semblence of social skills. That and conventions. nerdy. incredibly insecure younger me found that people weren't as bad as I thought through LARPING. Then in later years, It also made me realize that even within nerdy hobbies, the machismo bullshit can crop up but that's for another time. The LARP hobby is pretty widespread in sweden, and I've been to larp that had 2000 people in it. These days the larps here have gotten more diverse and common, but also smaller as people move away from the few big ones as those are more general and had some serius leadership problems.

But man. Larps when done with a modicum of effort and embracing the theatrical side over the campy DnDstyled mechanics? Amazing. It helps that the nerdstigma isn't quite as severe here in Sweden. And that LARP attracts all manners of people. It is quite common for entire families to come to the more Noob friendly larps. The kids are adorable, staring at all the monsters and knights and shit, not comprehending its not real. <3

This is some of the stuff from my group. We mainly attend Medieval Fantasy Larps

My human stuff;

Stuff

 

[Shiri]

I used to LARP, but online roleplaying became more convenient and easier to do on the fly. I totally recommend anyone to try it. <3

 

[K3l]

Every time it's brought up I think, "I'll never make a fool of myself by dressing up and acting as someone I'm not." and then I remember I'm an actor.

 

[Robeatics]

I HEARD LARPING. SO I CAME RUNNING.

I've been larping for 10+ years. Larping, I kid you not, is the reason I can handle social events and have any semblence of social skills. That and conventions. nerdy. incredibly insecure younger me found that people weren't as bad as I thought through LARPING. Then in later years, It also made me realize that even within nerdy hobbies, the machismo bullshit can crop up but that's for another time. The LARP hobby is pretty widespread in sweden, and I've been to larp that had 2000 people in it. These days the larps here have gotten more diverse and common, but also smaller as people move away from the few big ones as those are more general and had some serius leadership problems.

But man. Larps when done with a modicum of effort and embracing the theatrical side over the campy DnDstyled mechanics? Amazing. It helps that the nerdstigma isn't quite as severe here in Sweden. And that LARP attracts all manners of people. It is quite common for entire families to come to the more Noob friendly larps. The kids are adorable, staring at all the monsters and knights and shit, not comprehending its not real. <3

This is some of the stuff from my group. We mainly attend Medieval Fantasy Larps

My human stuff;

Stuff

Oh man, Swedish LARPs are awesome. I'd love to roam around Europe, scoping out different LARPs. That huge Drachenfest one in Germany (I think?) looks amazing.

Every time it's brought up I think, "I'll never make a fool of myself by dressing up and acting as someone I'm not." and then I remember I'm an actor.

I'll be the first to admit that LARPing is really silly and sort of awkward when you do it for the first time, because it's hard to step out of yourself and interact with someone face to face--writing is totally different from acting and improvising. If you're an actor, I think you'll find it's a great way to really get into the mind of a character, right down to their gait, mannerisms and tics, and if you find it's hard to find the right way to say things on the fly, LARPing will let you practice often and extensively.