The Power of LARP
by Martine Svanevik
How Larp Can Transform Audiences into Participants
When Martine Svanevik joined Expology in April this year, she brought with her 20 years of experience from playing and creating live action role-playing games (larps). She is passionate about bringing larp into the design of experiences in museums, galleries, and educational games.
But first — What is LARP?
LARPing is short for “Live Action Role-Playing.” A live action role-playing game is a form of role-playing game where the participants physically act out their characters’ actions. The players pursue their characters’ goals within a fictional setting represented in the real world, while interacting with one another in character. The outcome of player actions may be mediated by game rules, or determined by consensus between players. When larp is run for educational purposes, it is often called Edularp.
Edularp and designing for empathy
Edularp enables truly immersive and engaging experiences to be created. By enabling participants to take on a different societal role and embody that role over a period of time, they can increase their understanding and empathy. Edularp uses the larp format as a tool for social change and understanding. Expology believes that EduLarp truly facilitates the adage — “to walk a mile in someone else’s shoes means before judging someone, you must understand her experiences, challenges, thought processes, etc”
Similar to a real world simulation, an Edularp offers the narrative to be experienced through a physical world, built or chosen for a particular pedagogic and artistic purpose. The participants co-create the story with the designers by improvisational drama similar to audience-free improvisational theatre. Through a common backstory — created and facilitated by the designer — it is possible to create a web of incentives for player to player interaction, based both on character motivations in the story and player motivation to succeed and “win” the game.
By using tools from larp — like giving people a simple costume, a fictional name and a goal — you give visitors the alibi to be more open, more active, and more curious in their interactions with content, and in doing so, you transform them from audience to participants. This lets them engage with an exhibit in surprising and new ways — and they learn more.
Larp is making its way into galleries, exhibits and experience design all over Europe these days. Expology is excited to be part of this development. Have you used tools for participatory engagement in your exhibits? Share your thoughts in the comments!
