LARP: The Child of Game and Theater (Part 2)

For the game to be performed, it’s important to consider three things:

1) The most important aspect of LARP is always its rules. In combat scenarios, everything is discussed: from the type of weapon to the scheme of game damages and the way characters die. For fantasy worlds, magic spells algorithms, sets of skills and its development, the possibility of resurrecting for characters, basic abilities, where and how to cook and so on must be determined. Listen carefully to the masters and carefully read information about your characters.

2) The player and the character exist in different worlds, their actions must be divided. The same applies to information you know and the character you play. You can’t invent gunpowder in any century be guided by modern knowledge. A Renaissance girl can’t teach a man how to fight. And it is better not to show engineering savvy if according to the introductory, such skills are open only to selected players.

3) If you accidentally heard something important about the plot in a break between sessions and realized that you ran into a terrible spoiler, there is only one way out — to remain silent out of solidarity with the remaining players.

What kind of people are involved in LARP?

Age and sex do not matter, the main thing is the desire to participate and the imagination of the player. Ironically, but the role-players are mostly introverts, it’s not easy for them to communicate with the “muggles”, but when it comes to like-minded people, they feel comfortable.

LARPers can be divided into three categories:

• Dramatists are all about interesting stories, they will never go to the game with a boring or non-existent script (for example, on a thematic ball).
• Activists like to gather information, analyze facts, unravel crimes, solve mysteries, participate in battles and simply move.
• Artists come to the games in order to become another person and merge with the given character.

These types rarely exist in the pure form. Usually, artist, dramatist, and activist are mixed in each of a player in different proportions.

By the way, this same typology is applicable to the organizers of LARPs. Dramatists prefer to prescribe scenarios, activists — to come up with tasks, and artists — to recreate worlds.

It is worth noting that in LARPs are played worldwide, but in Russia this type of activity is much more diverse and interesting than abroad, where similar events resemble usual historical reconstructions. Still, there are exceptions! For example, a German group of guys called Wasteland Warriors, formed by free artists who are fans of Mad Max series. They literally brought the atmosphere and characters from the screen to life: high-quality costumes, canonical weapons, and transport, along with complete transformation into the characters prove it.

Well, did you want to take part in something like that? Then the “Events” section on thefandome.com was created especially for you! Look for games to your taste, participate and do not forget to post photo and text reports on THEFANDOME.