gamegrene.com

So who hasn't, after a particularly rewarding game of Truncheons and Flagons, sat with their gaming buddies and fantasized about how cool it would be to slay dragons "for real?" Many of us get over these fantasies about our fantasies, or else they remain compound fantasies that we'd never actually do anything about. But for some, the lure of getting dressed up in silly clothes and whacking each other with sticks is too overpowering to resist, and thus was the LARP (Live Action Role Playing) phenomenon born.

I'm a LARPer. Have been for a longish time. I'm also a tabletopper. Have been for an even longer time. It's true that many, if not most LARPers got their start on the tabletop, but it's becoming increasingly less true. More and more people are getting their first taste of gaming on the LARP field. What I hope to do with this column is build some bridges between LARPers and tabletoppers, as well as provide some thoughts from a LARPer's perspective so you LARPers out there don't feel left out.

So you want to LARP. Groovy. But it's not an easy thing to get into. Some folks have found it hard to get into a regular tabletop game. It can be even harder to find a LARP that's interesting to you, well-run, and in your area. You can type LARP in your search engine of choice and get a bazillion hits, but finding a Dark - Ages - World - of - Darkness(tm) - LARP - with - Vampires - and - Mages - but - no - Changelings in your state might be a bit of a challenge. It's almost certainly out there; the question is how much effort are you willing to make to find it. The best way to find a LARP is the old-fashioned way: know someone who already plays and get them to take you to a session. You can meet such people through your local gaming store bulletin boards or at cons. Many cons host one-shot LARPS, mostly in the World of Darkness(tm) setting. These are excellent places to hook up with LARPers, and the folks who play these games almost always know about others in the area.

So let's assume you found a LARP you want to play. What do you need to do to make a good impression, create a successful character, enjoy yourself, and entertain your fellows?

Step One: Talk to people. This is actually a two-part piece of advice. First, contact the people who run the game. Find out what sort of a game it is. High-fantasy? Low-fantasy? Science Fiction? Find out as much as you can about the game world and house rules beforehand. The GMs will be less likely to reject your character if you create it to fit into the game world. Second, once you're on the field, talk to other players in character. How are you going to get involved in anything unless you strike up a conversation? The spooky old bearded guy in the dark corner of the inn is not tailored specifically for you - there are maybe fifty or a hundred other people who might be interested in that little adventure. Talk to folks and find out where the action is.

Step Two: Be creative. When writing your character history (most LARPS will ask for if not require one), don't fall into the old bastard - child - of - a - noble - looking - to - claim - the - title trap. This will inspire much eye-rolling among the GM staff, it'll almost certainly not be approved, and you'll just have to re-do it later. Write a history that includes living relatives and doesn't include royalty or slain dragons. The GMs will appreciate it.

Step Three: Learn the rules. On the tabletop it can be easy to learn as you go, rolling the appropriate die when the GM asks you to. But in a LARP, nobody's going to want to wait for you to flip through your rulebook to see if you can pick a lock or not. For your first time out, concentrate on the rules you're most likely to use and skim the rest. Also, most LARPs will have rules that have nothing to do with game mechanics, like "If you're really in trouble and need real help, shout 'Arglebargle.'" These rules exist because even in the safest environment, accidents happen. If you hear someone shout one of the code words, you need to know how to behave - time is often of the essence.

Step Four: Come in costume. At least make the attempt. Don't go to a fantasy LARP wearing jeans and a ball cap. You'll look silly. It's not hard or expensive to put a generic fantasy costume together. You probably have most of the stuff lying around your house right now. Failing that, see Step One. Call someone connected with the game and explain your situation. Chances are someone will be willing to lend you some garb for the day (LARPers tend to be terminally friendly). If you do borrow garb, be sure to wash and return it promptly.

Step Five: Be courteous. Do not expect the plot to revolve around your character. As mentioned above, there are perhaps dozens of other characters, all equally deserving of attention. Sure, get involved, but don't try to hog the spotlight. Don't be a rules lawyer. If this is your first time at this particular LARP, you probably don't have the rule book memorized. Even if you do, nobody likes a rules lawyer. If you think someone is cheating, roll with it, and see the staff about it later. Don't stop the game unless there's real physical danger.

Step Six: Be safe. This is probably the most important thing to remember when LARPing. All LARPs include some form of conflict resolution. Many use simulated combat. This can be dangerous if you don't know what you're doing. Learn your LARP's combat rules backward and forward, and practice with your weapon to develop control. And speaking of weapons, be sure to build a safe one. If your LARP uses combat, it will have a policy on weapons construction. Follow it. Better yet, see Step One. Talk to the staff and try to get someone to show you how they make weapons and how they fight. If you don't feel that the group fights safely, don't LARP with them. Broken fingers and black eyes are no fun at all.

Step Seven: Do it for real. Most LARPs have skills that they don't expect you to be able to do "for real," like Blacksmithing or Painting. These skills are there to help you make a well-rounded character, one who doesn't depend on adventuring as a primary source of income. Mostly it translates to "Since the last event you earned three Glotts plying your trade." And that's fine. But it's so much more impressive to be able to actually create a nice bit of illuminated calligraphy, or an honest to goodness pair of shoes, or a real chainmail shirt. Learn the real-world skills and practice them at the LARP. You'll be a bigger hero than if you slew a dragon.

Step Eight: Be social. This hearkens back to Step One, talk to people, but goes beyond it. Get to know your fellow LARPers out of the game. Get people together to go for dinner or coffee after the event (wash first and tip generously!). Talk about the event, sure, but talk about other stuff, too. LARPers, like most gamers, are fascinating people. Get to know them. You'll be glad you did.

Next time: In-game fighting.