So this topic has been covered by many people, but I figured I’d take a
stab at it anyway.
LARP stands for Live Action Role Play. As such, it’s related to RPG of
the Pen and Paper style, and several Pen and Paper games have their own LARP
rule sets. Many LARPs, however, are original creations of their respective
owners/game masters. These games require you to be in character for extended
periods of time, pretty much the entire time you are in game. If you remember
playing Cops and Robbers, Army, or Cowboys and Indians, LARP is like that with
a better rule set. LARP is something you have to experience to understand;
looking at it from the outside is like watching Aussie rules football without
knowing the rules.
Anyone who ever played Planescape will remember the rules of three [Yes I
am totally dating myself here. Also it is not the worst example I can use to
date myself.]
Rule One
I have yet to find a LARP this rule doesn’t apply to, so count this as
rule one!
Have fun and don’t interfere with other people’s fun [granted there are
some logical extremes where this may not apply, but it’s generally true].
If your idea of fun is to spoil other people’s fun, LARP isn’t for you.
Yes, that is a judgment, no I am not afraid to make it.
Which brings me to Rule Two:
LARP is Cooperative in nature, and this applies to plot/NPCs as well as
PCs. We are all creating the environment that you are playing in. Even if your
character is selfish, or a quiet loner, you still impact the game on some level.
Remember that. Yes, even when the NPCs are trying to kill you, the game is
still Cooperative. I mean, they are pretty much there to die for your
entertainment, that’s pretty selfless.
Trust me, I really could have used both these rules explained to me when
I played my first game.
Rule Three
Be responsible for your own fun. There’s going to be down time [Plot and
NPCs needs to eat and sleep]. Do not wait for something to do—go make something
to do. It took me some time to learn this, in fact I was four months into my
second character before I got this one down. Find stuff to do, make friends,
ask people about stuff they did when before you were around, etc. Nothing will
be more frustrating than waiting for something to happen so you have something
to do.
Ok now that I’ve got the big three rules, and honestly likely the most
original part of this post, on to the important stuff.
Finding a LARP
Put LARP and where you live into Google and see what comes up. Chances
are there’s something reasonable nearby, unless you live in Canada where nearby
is relative (I personally drive six hours to LARP). Your mileage may vary.
Anyways, give it a try. LARPs come in almost as many flavours as books; there
is going to be something you are interested in trying. Fantasy is the dominant flavor,
but Steampunk and Vampire are very popular too. For the purposes of this 101, I’m
using fantasy for the most part. Once you find a LARP, you’re going to have to
contact them and find out what the rules are and what you will need. Most LARPs
will make this easy—well, easy to get at least. Most rule books are not the
easiest thing to read.
Read the rules, cover to cover, at least once, then find someone who’s
played before and ask questions. Grill them! Honestly, the more questions you
clear up the better experience you’ll have at game. Also don’t be afraid of
asking questions at game. The more you know the better off you will be, and the
better part of the game you will be. Questions are your friends, ask them. Some
games like Underworld, a LARP I am heavily involved in, will have people
assigned to help new people out and answer questions. They are there to ask
questions and give help. In my experience, however, most LARPs have a number of
people that will help out when asked. Use them. Furthermore, most players are
rather forgiving of new players and will help them out when they can.
Creating a character
So you need an idea for a character. It might be a word or a style or
some images. Mo Mo O’Brien put forth the idea of having a folder on your
computer with images and files for your idea. James and Edward, two of my
characters, had Albums on my Facebook page as I bought different props for the
characters. So as ideas go, it’s a pretty nice one.
Figure out what the character is going to be and stick with it. Once you
set up the idea then you can go to the rules and buy your skills and flesh out
your character in the rules. Remember this tip: your character is going to have
to live with the other PCs in some regard. Actions will have consequences and
even the worst people have someone they can count on. The more likeable your
character is the more people will care when you need help. You can be a total
dick if you like, just know that people are going to react to you in the same
manner. Oh and in LARP, PVP [Player vs. Player] is always on.
Ok so you have an idea for a character, and now you need a costume and
then the panic sets in. There is no need to panic. Remember these things: earth
tones, solids, no graphics/logos and no jeans. These simple tips will work
wonders. Don’t worry too much about your first couple games, just make do with
what you have. Thrift stores are filled with treasure for those with some skill
at looking, and LARP is filled with do it yourself projects that even I can do.
As your character develops so can their wardrobe.
Remember that you have to be able to move in your costume and armour.
Make sure you can walk, run, jump and sit in it. Always remember tactical
withdrawal is a perfectly valid stratagem. Wear your costume and armour around
the house to get a feel for how it wears.
Weapons
Ok, these will likely cost you money, though it doesn’t have to be a
lot. There are two main types of weapons: Boffers and Latex/injected foam.
Boffers are the cheaper of the two, but be sure to double check if the game you’re
interested in has rules to use for construction. Otherwise, there are plenty of
tutorials on the interwebs. Constructing a Boffer requires Duct tape, PVC pipe
and open or closed cell foam of some type. Latex/Foam weapons look awesome and
have several manufacturers, but can have many more rules depending on the game.
They are often a little less safe than Boffers, so take care and follow the
game’s rules on such weapons. I put some of the more well know companies in the
links section.
Armour
Rules on Armour will change from game to game. In Underworld, for
example, Armour actually has to be reasonably armour-like to count for armour
points. In general, armour will not be cheap even if you make it yourself. Some
games may have class restrictions on armour, though others will not. Armour
construction will be different from game to game as well. Make sure you
understand the rules your LARP has for armour before you buy or make any. If
you don’t want to make it yourself there are many different companies and E-Bay
makers of Armour. You can find some in the links section.
Over night LARPing:
Ok some LARPs game only during the day for 12 hours or less, but others are
going to require some supplies. A lot of LARPs do camping at an event site,
whether it is a farmer’s field or an actual camp site. So you are going to need
everything you would need to camp and some other stuff. Some LARPs might have a
location or building that you will LARP in, or maybe a Summer camp which will
still require stuff.
Suggested list for Camping:
[ ] Your costume and in game props (if NPCing you're usually required to
wear neutral colours, or all black)
[ ] Comfortable shoes (avoid anything colourful or sneakers. Anything
obviously out of period.)
[ ] Sleeping bag/ Bedding
[ ] Toiletries - Toothbrush/ Toothpaste/ Mouthwash - Brush - Makeup,
applicators, and remover - Small Mirror - Dry Shampoo (recommended) - Deodorant
[ ] Flashlight (There may be in-game restrictions on using these, but
out of game it can get dark.)
[ ] Bug Spray
[ ] Sunscreen
[ ] Money for event fee or food
[ ] Character sheet, waiver, emergency contacts or any other forms
needed
[ ] Medication if needed
[ ] Mundane peasant clothes for travelling to and from the game
[ ] EXTRA SOCKS. Lots of these.
[ ] Extra layers (coat, sweaters, long underwear)
[ ] Light Source LED candles work well for almost all settings.
[ ] Tent [If needed]
I covered the basics, but here are a few quick tips. Some are borrowed
from Basics of LARP by Mo Mo O’Brien. See the link section for more.
Be prepared to have your character say “Yes.” Honestly, it’s a lot more
fun to go out and do things that are dangerous than sit in a “safe area” and do
nothing.
This is LARP. There are no safe areas generally.
Die loudly or die permanently. If people know you have gone down, they
can help you.
Bring extra socks. I have like five pairs. I also have super good boots
that stay dry, so you might need more pairs.
Never trust the weather person. Make sure you have everything you need
for rain and shine ALWAYS.
Be either entertaining or useful, that way if anything bad happens to
you people will care and try to help you.
Don’t sleep in the nude unless you plan on fighting in the nude.
Sleep with a weapon. Seriously. Sleep with a weapon. You have no idea how
many times it has saved lives.
Try to be original; it will make you memorable.
Props are amazing. The more you have the more real your character will
feel. Jewlery, chests, fortune telling stuff, flagons, Wax seals, all sorts of awesome.
Links [I have tried all these site equipments at least if not their shipping.]
