LARP Today

06/12/2017

"Where ignorance is bliss, 'tis folly to be wise."

"The disappearances have continued. Over a dozen lost in under 8 weeks. Thames Valley Police have set up an incident room at a local Scout Camp, and due to the strange circumstances, have asked the MET for specialist assistance from their magical department, the Special Assessment Unit, aka The Folly. As the regular officers are busy on an investigation of their own, a number of officers and civilian staff from around the UK have been seconded to Thames Valley for the duration of the investigation. All those involved have shown themselves to have a rudimentary ability to sense Vestigia, but have had no formal training in Newtonian Magic as yet..."

[ A LARP set in the Rivers of London universe (books by Ben Aaronovitch). What more needs to be said. ]

13/11/2017

Recently I've had some people ask me if LARP.Today would take articles from others. The answer is, of course, yes. So, if you have an idea for a LARP based article then feel free to send it my way below...

When push comes to shove most LARPers have their own view about LARP. Why we play, how we play or how to run a game. There’s no right or wrong when it comes to LARP.

If you have something you want to say on LARP.today, whether it’s your opinions on running a game or how you created your favorite characters tunic, then let the site know and if we like it we’ll publish it on the website. Don’t worry if you’ve never written before we’ll help edit the article to make sure your point comes across...

[Submit an article below]
http://www.larp.today/2017/11/12/whats-on-your-mind/

When push comes to shove most LARPers have their own view about LARP. Why we play, how we play or how to run a game.…

27/10/2017

If I asked you the question of “why do you LARP” what would you say?

It’s a question most people in the hobby will ask themselves at least once and it’s one that can’t be summed up in a sentence. The consensus will vary from the “I don’t know’s” and the “to see my friends” to the “to hit people with sticks” and “to do things I can’t normally do”. We all have our own reasons and none of them are intrinsically wrong.

There is, however, power in understanding why we do things. Understanding why you LARP can be an important tool and stepping stone in discovering how to enjoy LARP to the fullest. It doesn’t end there, however, not only does knowing why we LARP help us in discovering the type of ‘game’ we enjoy but it also helps us in designing games that people want to play...

[Read More Below]
[This is the first part of several articles I am going to be writing on the topic, so let me know what you think below]
http://www.larp.today/2017/10/27/why-do-you-larp/

Why do you LARP? It's a question most people in the hobby will ask themselves at least once and it's one that can't be summed up in a simple sentence.

07/10/2017

You. Yes, you. Don’t look behind you, to your side or under the sofa. I’m talking to you and you alone. You are a hero. A big goddamn . You are telling a unlike any other. A story of conflict, of romance and above all, a story of the unknown. Your story could be a best seller, a blockbuster or a fable that battles the tests of time. But instead, your story is one guarded and kept to those you trust most dearly. What’s interesting however is while we all have these stories, they all share similarities. The knight, superhero or general protagonist will normally follow a path. We call this path ‘The Hero’s Journey’.

The ‘Hero's Journey’ is such a powerful tool when it comes to creating character and story arcs. Joseph Campbell, mythologist and writer, used the technique when creating his work ‘The Hero with A Thousand Faces”. With this in mind let’s run through a quick primer of the technique in regards to storytelling and .

[Read More Below]
http://www.larp.today/2017/10/05/its-all-a-heroes-journey/

The 'Heroes Journey' is a powerful tool when it comes to creating story arcs. Let's discuss how the technique could be used to build worlds in LARP.

16/08/2017

We’ve all seen the picturesque movie endings. The hero walks into the sunset to find new adventure and to be reintroduced to the world as a whole. LARPs are definitely a type of story, just in a different form. That being the case we can design how our LARPs end and begin to be just as impactful as a blockbuster best seller. With LARP we have different constraints to movies and films. We can, however, take techniques used in the industry to help take LARP events to the next level.

Just like a movie, I’ll probably be saying that a lot, the opening ‘scene’ of a LARP is one of the most crucial of the whole event. While the introduction to a LARP may not be the most memorable or intricate it sets the expectations and the starts the ball rolling for everything to come. A players ‘keen’ can be made or broken in these first few minutes. Today we’re going to be talking about just that. We’ll be talking about how using our first and last few moments in a LARP can be so important...

[ Read the full article below]

--For those of you that have read the past few articles written on LARP.Today you'll know that I've been making a good few assumptions when it comes to LARP. This one more than most so I'd love to hear what you think of it, both good and bad, in the comments.--

http://www.larp.today/2017/08/16/how-movie-endings-can-help-make-larp-better/

LARPs are a type of story. So we can design how our LARPs end and begin to be just as impactful as any blockbuster best seller.

07/08/2017

For as long as role playing has existed stories have existed also. Be it rescuing a princess from a castle, or finding gold in a dragon’s lair. With stories comes decisions and with decisions comes choice and the illusion of it.

Before we continue, I’d like you to wink.

Now did you decide to wink with you right or left eye or even decide to not wink at all? This is the epitome of free will and of free choice. By its very nature, that decision was yours and yours alone. That choice allowed you to decide to do whatever you wanted in response.

When it comes to , our free will is limited. It would be impossible for a game team to populate a game world with endless possibilities and outcomes...

[Read More Below]
http://www.larp.today/2017/08/07/the-illusion-of-choice-in-larp/

For as long as role playing has existed stories have existed also. With stories comes decisions and with decisions comes choice and the illusion of it.

31/07/2017

From Dungeons & Dragons and Treasure Trap to Lorien Trust and Empire LRP. We're taking a trip down memory lane, whether we were there at the start or not, over the past 43 years of LARP...

As Douglas MacArthur once said, “Rules are mostly made to be broken and are too often for the lazy to hide behind”. In LARP however, it’s a different story. Following rules at a is one of the key factors that can help others and ourselves get as much out of a game as possible. This is primarily down to the power of creative constraints. The idea that it’s easier to create something and indeed live in something, that has these predefined rules.

That being the case however while LARP rules are indeed not made to be broken, they are in fact made to be altered and revised. Almost all LARP systems big and small will revisit their rules, whether for balancing tweaks or adding new mechanics. With this in mind, let’s take a trip down memory lane and look at how one such rule has evolved with the times and trends. Today we’re going to be having a look at the mage’s favorite, ...

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http://www.larp.today/2017/07/31/43-years-the-evolution-of-larp-magic-and-the-counterspell/

We take a look at the evolution of magic and counterspell in LARP. Starting in 1982 with the creation of Dungeons and Dragons.

23/07/2017

Right now I’m sitting at a cafe, in the south of Wales. Outside I’m staring at a typical early British summer. Now that doesn’t sound like that bad of an image. That is until I tell you that outside there is nothing but torrential rain.

It’s always important to remember that we live in the UK, and our weather can’t make up its mind at the best of times. When planning for weather at we need to expect the worst and hope for the best...

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http://www.larp.today/2017/07/23/3-things-to-think-about-when-it-comes-to-weather-at-larp/

It's always important to remember that we live in the UK. When planning for weather at LARP we need to expect the worst and hope for the best.

19/07/2017

Character creation can be daunting at the best of times. That being the case we've created a step by step guide for the Empire LRP system.

"The Empire LARP system is based in a world of nine culturally distinct nations. Each nation has its own culture and customs but they are politically and legally unified. Although the players are all fundamentally on the same side there is a rivalry between nations, with players competing with each other to lead the Empire and achieve their own goals."

[Read More Below]
http://www.larp.today/2017/07/19/character-creation-empire-larp/

Character creation can be daunting at the best of times. That being the case we've created a guide for the Empire LARP system

16/07/2017

Future's End is set in a present-day, alternate reality in which super-powered beings are commonplace. Is it the system for you? Well, let's find out...

[Read More Below]
http://www.larp.today/2017/07/16/futures-end-the-superhero-larp/

Future's End is set in a present-day, alternate reality in which super-powered beings are commonplace. Is it the LARP system for you? Well, let's find out.

11/07/2017

"You sit in a fur laced armchair as the morning mist comes in. You glance to the window where an icy summer mist begins to creep over the ashen mountains. Your bones creek as you stand. Grabbing your war axe you mumble 'this is going to be a long day.'"

is all about immersion. Its about making someone feel they are part of the story and not a viewer of it. There are so many different levels of immersion. At its most primary level immersion is the idea of which head space a player in thinking in. Are they thinking as their character or as the player? When it comes to immersion in there are several rules we can put into practice to help players feel immersed in the game...

[Read More Below]
http://www.larp.today/2017/07/11/the-7-rules-of-larp-immersion/

Story telling is all about immersion. With immersion in LARP there are several rules we can put into practice to help players feel immersed in the game.

07/07/2017

Character backgrounds are such an important part of . They help us feel like a living and breathing member of the game world. There are a vast majority of different ways to create a character. Some people focus on hard skills, others focus on soft. Sometimes people sum up their character in a line, while others creating page after page of background. There is of course no right or wrong answer. Instead it solely comes down to how you want to play the game...

[Read more Below]
http://www.larp.today/2017/07/07/12-simple-questions-to-character-design-in-larp/

Character backgrounds are such an important part of a LARP. We'll be going through a flash card approach to character design.

05/07/2017

LARP events, big or small, are all about telling a story. Unlike normal story books however in a we are telling a story with twists and turns. A story that could change in an instant if the player characters go left instead of right. Of course when organising LARPs there is a tool kit of techniques such as the illusion of choice to help refine the possibilities the could go. However, mainly the story will react to the players. One major part of storytelling is having narrative tension. Having consequences, uncertainty and permanence. When watching The Lord Of The Rings, if soon after Frodo and Sam left the group they miraculously rejoined it would have felt pointless and flat. The action they chose would have only lasted a short time with little to no consequences. Story telling like this doesn’t lead to great and enjoyable stories. Instead we need to be focusing on how we can keep while also not overtly restricting the player base...

[Read More below]
http://www.larp.today/2017/07/05/3-ways-create-narrative-tension-larp/

LARP events, big or small, are all about telling a story. Unlike normal story books however in a LARP we are telling a story with twists and turns.

04/07/2017

Players in are amazing; they see a world, react to it and make it their own. There are some LARPs however whose player base take this to the next level. With their players creating art, stories and even continuing to make the world live and breath after the game with tools like Twitter.

In this article we'll be going through 3 ways players can take a LARP setting and make it their own. I'll be using the Future's End LARP as a baseline as it has quite a strong base of passionate players behind it.

[Read More Below]
http://www.larp.today/2017/07/04/3-ways-players-keep-a-story-going-between-events/

Players in LARP are amazing; they see a world, react to it and make it their own. Between events many players also create player driven stories.

04/07/2017

There are so many systems out there. It would be impossible and unfair to judge them all off the same criteria. Each LARP having their own rules, systems and settings.

A major piece for most LARP systems however is the setting. Having a world that above all else feels real and lived in. One LARP that does this quite well is Empire LRP. For this article i’ll be using Empire as a baseline as I think Profound Decisions have done quite well at doing this in their games. Here we delve into five ways game worlds are created in LARP.

[Read More Below]
http://www.larp.today/2017/07/04/5-ways-to-build-a-world-not-just-a-game/

There are so many LARP systems out there. A major piece for most however is having a setting that above all else feels real and lived in.

04/07/2017

I’ve spoken about ‘rules lite’ in another article, however it’s a topic that in its own right deserves much more time on. Rules lite is the idea of creating a set of rules that follow a handful of loose principles. Instead of having fixed rules for combat, progression and experimentation the system falls back on it’s players to make the system feel real. We’ve looked at some of the most interesting rules lite systems out there, including EYE Larp, to see how they define the game style.

[Read More Below]
http://www.larp.today/2017/07/04/the-4-stages-to-the-rules-light-in-larp/

Rules lite is the idea of creating a set of rules that follow a handful of loose principles. We've summarised four area most rules lite LARPs focus on.

02/07/2017

There are a myriad of different rule systems out there. Being the case it would be impossible to tackle them all in one article. One thing most of these systems share however, is a rules set for working out when you need to fall over. The use of how armour is implemented as a rule varies from system to system...

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http://www.larp.today/index.php/2017/07/01/3-ways-armour-used-larp/

A rule that most systems share is a rule covering the use of armour. Not everyone can decide how it should work. We've gathered three versions of the rule.

02/07/2017

We’ve all been a new player. We’ve all had that fear that we’ll say the wrong thing at the wrong time and dread it for years to come. Over time this feeling dissipates and is filled with a desire to delve into these game worlds created for us. The problem still stands, how do you get through that stage of dread and make conversation with others in character (ic)...

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http://www.larp.today/index.php/2017/07/02/4-steps-find-conversation-larp/

Sometimes it's hard to think about what your character would say or how to approach a situation. Here's some advice on how to spark up a conversation.

02/07/2017

Diversity in LARP is an interesting topic. Here i’m not talking about age, gender or ethnic diversity. I’m sure this will be a talk that comes up in time. Instead i’m talking about social group diversity. The idea of Gamers, Cosplayers, Furies and other social groups entering the LARP community. Coming down to the line we’re all geeks, nerds and a bit not quite there. So why should there be a disconnect between these groups?

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http://www.larp.today/index.php/2017/07/01/merrier-truer-larp-now-ever/

LARP and social group diversity. The idea of Gamers, Cosplayers, Furies and other social groups entering the LARP community.

02/07/2017

A while back I had a friend on Facebook. They pitched the idea of an ‘improv LARP’. An event where everyone would show up on the Friday not knowing what the weekend would entail. An event where that evening the game team would sit down and create everything from rules to lore and parcel it all up ready for 9am the following day. Then the players would have an hour to create their characters before time in at 10am. I don’t know what happened to this idea, whether or not it took wings and became a reality or not. However the concept is an interesting one...
[Read More Below]

http://www.larp.today/index.php/2017/07/02/rome-wasnt-built-in-a-day-but-maybe-a-larp-could/

How would a LARP event work where everyone, game team and crew, would show up on the Friday not knowing what the weekend would entail?

02/07/2017