A live action role-playing game (or LARP as it is often known) is a form of role-playing game where the participants perform some or all of the physical actions of the characters they are playing. LARP may be considered a form of storytelling-based improvisational theater. LARP is alternately called live action role-playing or live role-playing. A role-playing game (RPG) is a type of game in which players assume the roles of fictional characters and spontaneously describe their exploits. ... Storytelling is the art of portraying in words, images, and sounds what has happened in real or imagined events. ... Improvisational Theatre (also known as improv or impro) is a form of theatre in which the actors perform spontaneously, without a script. ...

LARP basics

In character vs. out of character

In traditional tabletop role-playing games, a player usually frames the words or actions of his or her character with introductory statements such as "My character says..." or "My character does..." In a LARP, since the actions of a player become the actions of the character, a special distinction must be made between actions a player takes as himself (out-of-character, or "OOC" actions, sometimes called "off-role" or "out-of-game"), and actions a player takes as his character (in-character, or "IC" actions, sometimes called "in-role" or "in-game"). There are often symbols, such as cards, ribbons, or gestures, to symbolize that a player is out-of-character, so the other players know not to interpret his actions as his character's actions. Tabletop role-playing games are a particular form of role-playing game. ... The term card has many different meanings. ...

Some LARPs encourage, if not demand, total immersion into the game lore and setting. This requires players not simply "play" their characters, but instead to "be" them. If a player wants to attack something or someone, they may simply do so, but they do so with ramifications: such acts may have political or social effects on the player. In this setting, players strive to stay true to their characters. Many players indicate that the more in-character a player gets, the more complete the experience is. In such LARPs, during the event running times, out-of-character references to the "mundane" world, are discouraged and may lead to a deduction in the number of points awarded to the character.

Character Life and Death

Like most tabletop role-playing games, such as Dungeons and Dragons, many LARPs feature character growth and progression, where points are awarded to players for various criteria, such as attendance, interactions, or role-playing. These points are then applied to the character, allowing a player’s character to "grow". Points may also affect a character's strength, affect resistance to magic or other effects, or afford additional abilities and powers. Tabletop role-playing games are a particular form of role-playing game. ... The original Dungeons & Dragons set Dungeons & Dragons (abbreviated as D&D or DnD) is a fantasy role-playing game (RPG) published by Gary Gygax and David Arneson in January 1974. ...

Characters may also die in most LARPs. In some systems, this is merely a temporary phenomenon, putting the character out of play for a time. In most, it is a major setback, forcing a player to create a new character at base level and keeping the game system in balance. This ongoing life-and-death cycle within LARPs keeps them in a constant state of fluctuation, and can add emotion and excitement to each event. Most people who participate in LARPs will tell you that, at one time or another, the fear of character death has left them legitimately frightened, angry, happy or frustrated within game-play.

Physical vs. symbolic combat

A physical combat LARP battle at a Lorien Trust event

In traditional role-playing games, conflicts are usually resolved with charts, graphs, and dice to produce a random outcome. In LARPs, many players feel that dice-based systems interrupt the flow of the game, and use a variety of methods to replace them. Download high resolution version (1016x677, 156 KB) Photo by Eva-Louise Fowler A image of a battle at a Lorien Trust LARP event. ... Download high resolution version (1016x677, 156 KB) Photo by Eva-Louise Fowler A image of a battle at a Lorien Trust LARP event. ... A live action role-playing game, or LARP as it is commonly known, is a form of role-playing game where the participants perform some or all of the physical actions of the characters they play the role of. ... A battle at The Gathering Lorien Trust is a Live action role-play organisation that runs LARP events in Derby, UK. It was formed in 1992. ... Rolling dice A die (Old French de, from Latin datum something given or played [1]) is a small polyhedral object (usually a cube) suitable as a gambling device (especially for craps or sic bo). ...

Live Combat

One major method to resolve combat is to use actual physical combat. Firearm combat can be simulated either with thrown bean bags, or with toy, Airsoft or Lasertag guns. To ensure safety, some systems use Boffer weapons made of PVC with foam-rubber coating, or latex weapons. The objective is never to hurt the opponent, but to score hits, which deal fake damage often quantified based on the type of weapon used in the attack. Magic-using characters either throw "spell-packs" (usually small bean bags) at opponents, serving as a physical representation of magic hitting its target) or simply pointing at their target and shouting some words describing the effect. Games using this method of combat are often known as "Boffer" or "Live Combat" LARPs. beanbags A bean bag is a bag containing dried beans or PVC pellets, with various applications. ... Airsoft is a term used interchangeably to refer to one or both of the following subjects: A game in which players participate in the simulation of military or law enforcement combat with replica military firearms and military-style tactics A replica firearm scaled either 1:1 (or perhaps as a... Lasertag is an indoor sport loosely related to the original game of tag. ... A boffer is any padded weapon used in the act of boffing and quite often associated with LARPs. ... Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) is a widely-used plastic. ... Latex weapons are facsimile weapons made of latex, and are the primary weapons used in live action role-playing games. ... Magic: The Gathering. ... beanbags A bean bag is a bag containing dried beans or PVC pellets, with various applications. ...

Some LARPs have their own crew for special effects (FX) rigging effects of magic-using pyrotechnics, smoke machines and smelly material. These crews are often recruited from young film and theatre technicians wanting to create a total film experience with the effects engulfing the participants. These crews might have in-character first aid roles acting making sure wounded people look bloody and wounded as they are carried from the scene of battle back to their camps, so that storylines based on healing and caring might develop. Pyrotechnics are used in the entertainment industry Kanes pyro in the WWE The band Rammsteins stage acts centers largely around pyrotechnics Pyrotechnics is a field of study often thought synonymous with the manufacture of fireworks, but more accurately has a wider scope that includes items for military and... First aid is a series of simple, life-saving medical techniques that a non-doctor or layman can be trained to perform. ...

An extreme form of Live Combat is where all damage is real. For some Nordic LARPs the 'Two Week Rule' applies - people can receive any damage that will heal in less than two weeks. Sprained ankles are allowed, broken legs are not.

Symbolic Combat

The other major method is to use symbolic combat. The LARP might use a system like Odds and Evens or Rock, Paper, Scissors, where two players throw hand symbols to generate a random outcome. Other LARPs use cards or dice, although one major advantage of symbolic combat is that you don't need any physical objects to do it. Yet another method is entirely deterministic, every character has a fighting ability score and in the prelude to a fight they quietly compare scores and then act out the fight with the outcome already known. Another benefit of symbolic systems is that conflicts other than physical combat can potentially be resolved using the same mechanics. Freeform role-playing games typically feature symbolic combat. Odd or Even is a hand game played by competitors to decide random issues (such as who needs to jump into the freezing cold water to get the volleyball as seen on the popular television commercial featuring the US Olympic Womens Beach Volleyball Team). ... Rock, Paper, Scissors chart Rock, Paper, Scissors (called Roshambo later in this article and also known by other names) is a popular hand game most often played by children. ... Freeform role-playing games (a type of Live_action_role-playing_game often called Theater-style LARP in America) occupy the middle-ground between traditional role-playing games and improvisational theatre. ...

Steel Weapon Combat

A lesser-known combat alternative is steel weapon combat system, developed in Scandinavia in the 1990s. This system employs unsharpened steel weapons, which may only be carried and used by players trained and tested by the organisers prior to the game, and therefore limits physical fighting to a weapon-carrying minority while other players pursue other goals and stimuli. Proponents of the steel weapon system claim that it encourages style and realism, rather than the competitiveness they see as a feature of the 'boffer' system. Scandinavia, Fennoscandia, and the Kola Peninsula. ... // Events and trends The 1990s are generally classified as having moved slightly away from the more conservative 1980s, but otherwise retaining a similar mindset. ... The old steel cable of a colliery winding tower Steel is a metal alloy whose major component is iron, with carbon being the primary alloying material. ...

Blunt steel weapons are often used in Historical reenactment groups, so the weapons and the skills to use them safely are readily available, especially given that many historical reenacters also play in LARPs. Reenactors of the American Civil War Historical reenactment is an activity in which participants recreate some aspects of a historical event or period. ...

No Combat

Some LARPs avoid combat whenever possible, leaving only minimal or non-existent combat systems. Many murder-mystery LARPs lack any combat system; the focus is entirely on social interaction and investigation. Some games that discourage and penalize combat might use very simple rules, like pointing a toy gun at someone and shouting "Bang!" means that the target character is dead. Murder mystery games are generally party games wherein one of the partygoers is secretly playing a murderer, and the other attendees must determine who among them is the criminal. ...

Genre and setting

LARPs can have as many genres and settings as novels, plays, or movies. However, there are some standard genres that comprise the most common LARPs.

Fantasy genre LARPs are usually set in pseudo-historical worlds that are inspired by legends and fantasy literature. These settings generally have very low technology, some magic, and non-human species based on myth and legend. Examples include Elves, Dwarves, Orcs, Faeries, etc. Fantasy is a genre of art, literature, film, television, and music that uses magic and other supernatural forms as a primary element of either plot, theme, setting, or all three. ... A small forest elf (älva) rescuing an egg, from Solägget (1932), by Elsa Beskow An elf is a mythical creature of Germanic mythology which survived in northern European folklore. ... A dwarf is a short humanoid creature in Norse mythology, fairy tales, fantasy fiction and role-playing games. ... This article is about the mythical demon, for King Canutes steward of England see Orc (steward). ... In mythology and in fiction, Faerie (also Faery) is an otherworldly realm, home to the Fae or fairies. ...

Sci-fi genre LARPs are a little less common but take place in futuristic settings with high technology and possibly aliens but usually without magic. Examples include combat-heavy post-apocalyptic LARPs, dystopian LARPs, utopian LARPs, space opera and cyberpunk. Science fiction is a form of speculative fiction principally dealing with the impact of imagined science and technology, or both, upon society and persons as individuals. ... Apocalyptic science fiction is a sub-genre of science fiction that is concerned with the end of the world or civilization, through nuclear war, plague, or some other general disaster. ... This article is about the philosophical concept. ... Utopian, in its most common and general positive meaning, refers to the human efforts to create a better society, a perfect society that does not exist (yet). ... Space opera is a subgenre of speculative fiction or science fiction that emphasizes romantic adventure, interstellar travel, and space battles where the main storyline is centered around interstellar conflict and character drama. ... Berlins Sony Center in Potsdamer Platz reflects the global reach of a Japanese corporation. ...

Historic LARPs take place in our world, at some point in history. They can vary from a 1930s murder mystery to a feudal Japanese Samurai story. Historical accuracy is often prized in these LARPs, and there are similarities with Historical reenactment. // Events and trends The 1930s were described as an abrupt shift to more radical lifestyles, as countries were struggling to find a solution to the global depression. ... Defining feudalism is difficult because there is no generally accepted agreement on what it means. ... Japanese samurai in armour, 1860 photograph. ... Reenactors of the American Civil War Historical reenactment is an activity in which participants recreate some aspects of a historical event or period. ...

Published by White Wolf Game Studio under the brand name Mind's Eye Theatre, Gothic-Punk setting LARPs take place in the World of Darkness, a world much like our modern world, but with players taking on the roles of supernatural creatures, like vampires, werewolves, ghosts, mummies, and changelings. White Wolf also publishes a number of Historic Gothic-Punk style games, such as Dark Ages: Vampire and Wild West: Werewolf. White Wolf, Inc. ... Minds Eye Theatre is a live action role-playing game based on the White Wolf World of Darkness universe, sharing a theme and setting originally with the table-top role-playing game Vampire: The Masquerade and now with its revision, Vampire: The Requiem. ... Gothic girl, medieval style, with spikes and piercings This article is about the contemporary goth/gothic subculture. ... London Punks Punk culture as it is seen today started in the mid 1970s as a movement or rebellion against some styles of music which existed at the time such as Prog Rock and Heavy Metal whose stars were seen as out of touch with their fans. ... The World of Darkness is the name given to two distinct fictional universes developed by White Wolf Game Studio. ... This article contains information that has not been verified and thus might not be reliable. ... A German Woodcut from 1722 A werewolf in folklore and mythology is a person who changes into a wolf, either by purposefully using magic or by being placed under a curse. ... Reputed ghost of a monk. ... A mummy is a corpse whose skin and flesh have been preserved by deliberate or accidental exposure to chemicals, extreme cold or dryness, or airlessness. ... Changeling: The Dreaming was part of White Wolf Game Studios original World of Darkness role playing game line. ...

"Contemporary" LARPs occur in the present without the presence of the supernatural or supertechonological. Some are set in social situations easily recognizable to most players, such as a wedding, a family dinner or a high school class. Others are set situations that few players will have had direct experience of, such as organized crime, a Hollywood movie set, the UN security council. ... The United Nations, or UN, is an international organization established in 1945. ...

Adapted LARPs are a sub-genre that can be found in any of the above types of game settings. Although other LARPs are often inspired by works of popular fiction, adapted LARPs are based entirely on a specific, usually well-known, fictional world. In these games, players may take on the roles of characters from the source material or those characters may appear as non-player characters. Examples of this sub-genre would include fantasy LARPs set in the World of Oz, the Lord of the Rings, or the Arabian Nights; historical LARPs set in the world of The Three Musketeers, the movies of Sergio Leone or the plays of William Shakespeare; or gothic-punk LARPs set in the worlds of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Dracula, or The X-Files. A non-player character or non-playable character is a fictional character in a role-playing game whose role is generally created and performed by the gamemaster. ... // Summary Spoiler warning: Dorothy Gale is a young girl who lives on a Kansas farm with her Uncle Henry and Aunt Em, and her little dog Toto. ... Dust jacket of the 1968 UK edition The Lord of the Rings is an epic fantasy story by J. R. R. Tolkien, a sequel to his earlier work, The Hobbit. ... Queen Scheherazade tells her stories to King Shahryar. ... DArtagnan and the Musketeers The Three Musketeers (Les Trois Mousquetaires) is a novel by Alexandre Dumas, père. ... Sergio Leone Sergio Leone (January 3, 1929 – April 30, 1989) was an Italian film director. ... Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ... Buffy, the Vampire Slayer was a U.S. television series based on the original script for the 1992 movie of the same name. ... Bela Lugosi as Dracula; U.S. postage stamp Count Dracula is a fictional character, unarguably the most famous vampire in literature. ... X-Files intro from first 8 seasons The X-Files was a popular 1990s American science fiction television series created by Chris Carter. ...

Game format

The style of LARP varies from game system to game system. Many of the regional LARPs are continuing campaigns, where a storyline is run and coordinated by members of the game. Other LARPs, including some of the largest ones such as Amtgard, do not have continuous or comprehensive storylines. The cohesion of the storyline of each character is left to the individual player to determine, and only special games or events contain an over-arching storyline. Amtgard is a live-action fantasy roleplaying and boffer combat game. ...

A related element is how the players gather. Many LARPs (such as NERO, Amtgard and the Mind's Eye Theatre line) present most of their story with all their players gathered together, perhaps several dozen players politicking at a gathering or defending a besieged town. This gives player interaction more rein to form much of the plot, and lets expenses be concentrated on certain reusable props. Other LARPs such as IFGS rely more on courses of distinct encounters, that teams of perhaps four to eight players make their way through. This provides a less social but more traditionally dramatic adventure. Nero Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus (December 15, 37–June 9, 68), born Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus, also called (50–54) Nero Claudius Drusus Germanicus, was the fifth and last Roman Emperor of the Julio-Claudian dynasty. ... Amtgard is a live-action fantasy roleplaying and boffer combat game. ... Minds Eye Theatre is a live action role-playing game based on the White Wolf World of Darkness universe, sharing a theme and setting originally with the table-top role-playing game Vampire: The Masquerade and now with its revision, Vampire: The Requiem. ... The International Fantasy Games Society (IFGS) is named after the fictional group described in the Dream Park series of novels (by Larry Niven and Stephen Barnes). ...

The timing of the LARP also varies from LARP to LARP. Some LARPs, and most notably those most-oriented towards continuous stories, only get together to play on specific occasions, usually about once a month. (NERO, which has its own splinter groups and spin-offs, is one such LARP.) Other LARPs meet every week. These groups, such as Amtgard, tend to have less focus on an over-arching storyline. Yet others, such as Maelstrom, organise events on the basis of three or four events a year, while even other systems run only once a year. Nero Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus (December 15, 37–June 9, 68), born Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus, also called (50–54) Nero Claudius Drusus Germanicus, was the fifth and last Roman Emperor of the Julio-Claudian dynasty. ... Amtgard is a live-action fantasy roleplaying and boffer combat game. ... Saltstraumen maelstrom A maelstrom is a powerful whirlpool; a large, swirling body of water. ...

Many LARPs charge a fee to participate, which varies considerably from group to group and from region to region. For instance, the fee for Nordic LARPs ranges from a few euros for a half day event to upwards in excess of €150 for weeklong events; in the USA, a typical weekend-long freeform LARP might cost around $40 to $90. In Holland LARP fees can range from €5 for a one-day special to €120 for a four-day weekend event. Many organisations use a system that has fees of around €40 for early-paying participants and 65 for late (or gate) paying participants. Included in the fee are often food, tourist-tax, use of accommodations and some extra for the organisation to buy/make props. Freeform role-playing games (a type of Live_action_role-playing_game often called Theater-style LARP in America) occupy the middle-ground between traditional role-playing games and improvisational theatre. ...

There are no hard and fast rules on LARP categories, however. There are LARPs that are free and have little emphasis on plot-development that only meet once a month, while there are LARPs that meet every week that have an on-going, scripted storyline.

History

Technically, many childhood games are simple LARPs (even though they don't bear that name), and so in that sense LARPs may have been around since the dawn of humanity.

Fantasy LARPs (as distinct from pure historical re-enactments) probably originate with the founding of the Society for Creative Anachronism in Berkeley, California on May 1, 1966. A similar group, the Markland Medieval Mercenary Militia, began holding events on the University of Maryland, College Park in 1969. These groups were largely dedicated to accurately recreating medieval history and culture, however, with only mild fantasy elements. It was only after the publication of the first role-playing game (Dungeons & Dragons) in 1974 that LARPs truly came into their own. The Society for Creative Anachronism (or SCA for short) is a non-profit educational organization devoted to studying and re-creating the Middle Ages and Renaissance. ... Berkeley as seen from the Claremont Canyon Regional Preserve Berkeley is a city in the San Francisco Bay Area of northern California, in the United States. ... May 1 is the 121st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (122nd in leap years). ... 1966 was a common year starting on Saturday (link goes to calendar) // Events January January 1 - In a coup, Colonel Jean-Bédel Bokassa ousts president David Dacko and takes over the Central African Republic. ... University of Maryland, College Park The University of Maryland, College Park (also known as UM, UMD, or UMCP) is a public university located in College Park, Maryland, just outside Washington, D.C. As the flagship institution of the University System of Maryland, the university is most often referred to as... 1969 (MCMLXIX) was a common year starting on Wednesday For other uses, see Number 1969. ... The Middle Ages formed the middle period in a traditional schematic division of European history into three ages: the classical civilization of Antiquity, the Middle Ages, and modern times, beginning with the Renaissance. ... Players Handbook for D&D version 3. ... 1974 is a common year starting on Tuesday (click on link for calendar). ...

Since LARPs rarely rely on print publications the way tabletop roleplaying does, but is dependent on local ideas and expertise, live roleplaying has been "invented" almost from scratch several times, though usually with the rumour of foreign LARPs as an inspiration. This has led to LARP practices and histories being extremely diverse. However, some LARPs, like Mind's Eye Theatre, have numerous manuals. Minds Eye Theatre is a live action role-playing game based on the White Wolf World of Darkness universe, sharing a theme and setting originally with the table-top role-playing game Vampire: The Masquerade and now with its revision, Vampire: The Requiem. ...

American History

Among the oldest documented fantastic live-combat groups is the Dagorhir Outdoor Improvisational Battle Games (Dagorhir), which was founded by Bryan Weise in the Washington, DC area in 1977, and is still in operation today. Dagorhir has been split, with many of its members choosing to fight amid Belegarth, a much more democratic version of the sport. The International Fantasy Gaming Society (IFGS), also live-combat but with a complex rules system more clearly influenced by Dungeons and Dragons, was started in 1981 in Boulder, Colorado. IFGS took its name from a fictional group in the novel Dream Park (by Larry Niven and Steven Barnes), which described highly realistic, futuristic LARPs. At about the same time (but before 1981), an Assassins' Guild was created at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in Boston, Massachusetts, to pursue "killer" or "assassin" style live-combat games with toy guns, but also to encourage creative design in Live Roleplaying Games. Dagorhir is a live-action dark age battlegame (or LARP) organization founded in Maryland in 1977. ... Aerial photo (looking NW) of the Washington Monument and the White House in Washington, DC. Washington, D.C., officially the District of Columbia (also known as D.C.; Washington; the Nations Capital; the District; and, historically, the Federal City) is the capital city and administrative district of the United... For the album by Ash, see 1977 (album). ... Belegarth Medieval Combat Society (or Belegarth for short) is a live-action battlegame organization devoted to simulating Dark Age and Medieval combat similar to Dagorhir, the game from which it took its rules. ... The International Fantasy Games Society (IFGS) is named after the fictional group described in the Dream Park series of novels (by Larry Niven and Stephen Barnes). ... 1981 (MCMLXXXI) is a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Pearl Street Mall in Downtown Boulder Boulder (40°1′ N 105°16′ W, Mountain Time Zone) is a city located in Boulder County, Colorado, United States. ... Dream Park was originally a novel set in a sort of futuristic amusement park of the same name. ... Larry Niven Laurence van Cott Niven (born April 30, 1938) is a US science fiction author. ... Steven Barnes (born March 1, 1952 in Los Angeles, CA) is a self-titled writer, lecturer, creative consultant, and human performance technician. ... 1981 (MCMLXXXI) is a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The MIT Assassins Guild is a student society at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology that runs several live action role-playing games each semester. ... The Massachusetts Institute of Technology, or MIT, is a research and educational institution located in the city of Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA. MIT is a widely renowned leader in science and technology, as well as in many other fields, including engineering systems, management, economics, linguistics, political science, and philosophy. ... For other instances of Boston, see Boston (disambiguation) Boston is the capital and largest city in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. ...

In 1981, the Society for Interactive Literature (SIL) was founded by Walter Freitag, Mike Massamilla and Rick Dutton at Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts. The club's first public event (called Rekon I) in February, 1983, at the Boskone Science fiction convention, probably marked the first fully modern theatre-style LARP game. A follow-on event (Reklone) was hosted by a different group at the Unicon Science fiction convention in Maryland in March. 1981 (MCMLXXXI) is a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Harvard University is a private university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA, and a member of the Ivy League. ... 1983 (MCMLXXXIII) is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Science fiction conventions are gatherings of the community of fans (called science fiction fandom) of various forms of science fiction and fantasy. ... Science fiction conventions are gatherings of the community of fans (called science fiction fandom) of various forms of science fiction and fantasy. ... State nickname: Old Line State; Free State Other U.S. States Capital Annapolis Largest city Baltimore Governor Robert L. Ehrlich (R) Senators Paul Sarbanes (D) Barbara Mikulski (D) Official language(s) English Area 32,160 km² (42nd)  - Land 25,338 km²  - Water 6,968 km² (21%) Population (2000)  - Population 5...

Amtgard is one of the most widespread groups in the US, and has chapters world wide as well. It began in 1983 in El Paso, Texas. Amtgard is a live-action fantasy roleplaying and boffer combat game. ... 1983 (MCMLXXXIII) is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... This article needs cleanup. ... ...

The Darkon Wargaming Club, located in the Washington, DC Metro Area, was founded in 1985 and provides both detailed combat and magic systems. It has small chapters in Wisconsin, Los Angeles, Idaho and a few other locations around the United States. The fictional campaign setting of Ravenloft for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game is divided geographically into a number of domains. ... Aerial photo (looking NW) of the Washington Monument and the White House in Washington, DC. Washington, D.C., officially the District of Columbia (also known as D.C.; Washington; the Nations Capital; the District; and, historically, the Federal City) is the capital city and administrative district of the United... This article is about the year. ... State nickname: Badger State State motto: Forward Other U.S. States Capital Madison Largest city Milwaukee Governor Jim Doyle (D) Senators Herb Kohl (D) Russ Feingold (D) Official languages None Area 169,790 km² (23rd)  - Land 140,787 km²  - Water 28,006 km² (17%) Population (2000)  - Population 5,453,896... This article is about the largest city in California. ... State nickname: Gem State Other U.S. States Capital Boise Largest city Boise Governor Dirk Kempthorne (R) Senators Larry Craig (R) Mike Crapo (R) Official language(s) none Area 216,632 km² (14th)  - Land 214,499 km²  - Water 2,133 km² (0. ...

The Adrian empire was founded in 1987, and is portrays Western Europe from 1066 to 1603. It has chapters throughout the United States. The Adrian Empire is a non-profit education organization dedicated to the study and recreation of Western European culture in the years 1066 to 1603 (coinciding with the Battle of Hastings and the death of Elizabeth I of England). ... 1987 (MCMLXXXVII) is a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Events January 6 - Harold II is crowned King of England the day after Edward the Confessor dies. ... King James I of England/VII of Scotland, the first monarch to rule the Kingdoms of England and Scotland at the same time Events March 24 - Elizabeth I of England dies and is succeeded by her cousin King James VI of Scotland, uniting the crowns of Scotland and England April...

NERO live action roleplaying is another of the most widespread groups in the US, and was launched in 1988 by Ford Ivey in the Boston, Massachusetts area. There are currently over 50 NERO chapters in the US and Canada. Nero Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus (December 15, 37–June 9, 68), born Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus, also called (50–54) Nero Claudius Drusus Germanicus, was the fifth and last Roman Emperor of the Julio-Claudian dynasty. ... 1988 (MCMLXXXVIII) is a leap year starting on a Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

In 1992, the LIVE/WIRE Conductor Corps debuted at the Winter Fantasy gaming convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Originally an offshoot of the RPGA, LIVE/WIRE became a major source for large-scale convention-run LARPs. LIVE/WIRE led to the formation of the Maze of Games at Gen Con and Origins. 1992 (MCMXCII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday. ... LIVE/WIRE was a system for playing live-action role-playing games at conventions that was popular in 1990s. ... This article is about Milwaukee in Wisconsin. ... State nickname: Badger State State motto: Forward Other U.S. States Capital Madison Largest city Milwaukee Governor Jim Doyle (D) Senators Herb Kohl (D) Russ Feingold (D) Official languages None Area 169,790 km² (23rd)  - Land 140,787 km²  - Water 28,006 km² (17%) Population (2000)  - Population 5,453,896... RPGA – Role Playing Gamers Association // History The group was originally formed and founded by TSR, Inc. ... The Maze of Games is Americas largest annual puzzlehunt, and is held at the Gen Con and Origins gaming conventions. ... Gen Con is the largest and most prominent gaming convention in North America. ... Origins International Game Expo is one of North Americas most prominent annual gaming conventions, second in size only to Gen Con. ...

The Northeastern US plays host to many, smaller, fantasy-based LARPs, such as Quest Interactive Productions and Mythical Journeys, both formed in the early 1990's by fantasy enthusiasts with a love for character roleplay and adventure but not for large player bases or complex rule systems. Some of these LARPs were formed as splinter groups of larger, more franchised LARPs, such as NERO. Most have long running, if not ever-running, plot arcs and are centered on interactions of the player-characters and the provided environment. Role-play interaction between player characters (PC) and non-player characters (NPC), also referred to as "cast", affects the plot direction. Smaller such LARP groups tend to run in the spring and autumn, utilizing summer camp facilities, such as 4H and group campgrounds, in their off-seasons.

UK History

Treasure Trap, formed in 1982 at Peckforton Castle, is generally recognised as the first LARP game in the UK, and most of the many hundreds of clubs and systems now active in the UK can trace their descent to it. In 1982 Treasure Trap was established at Peckforton Castle in the United Kingdom and this was probably the first combat based live action role-playing game (LARP). ... 1982 (MCMLXXXII) is a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

The largest and best-known of these groups is the Lorien Trust system, which grew out of Summerfest in the mid 1990s and hosts events with up to 4,000 players. A battle at The Gathering Lorien Trust is a Live action role-play organisation that runs LARP events in Derby, UK. It was formed in 1992. ... Summerfest is the largest yearly gathering of the Fools and Heroes LARP system in the UK. It runs the weekend of the last bank holiday in August and has been running for 20 years in 2005. ...

The UK now has an extremely wide variety of games and styles of games, covering genres from traditional swords-and-sorcery to science-fiction, gothic horror, pulp action adventure, wild west, and styles from story-telling to entirely player-led.

Curious Pastimes is a game that originated with a large number of players who aimed to create a similar fest-style system to the Lorien Trust with the aim of improving on the basic design to make a more enjoyable game. It was founded in the mid 90's it is a popular alternative to the Lorien Trust. Curious Pastimes (CP) is a setting for Live Action Role Play (Larp) CP broke away from the larger setting Lorian Trust about ten years ago. ... A battle at The Gathering Lorien Trust is a Live action role-play organisation that runs LARP events in Derby, UK. It was formed in 1992. ...

More recently, Profound Decisions has set up the Maelstrom game and gameworld as a large-scale alternative to the styles of game run by the older fest events. It is extremely popular and generally regarded as the herald of a new age of professionalism in LARP. It is also singular in that it is defined as player-led, where plot is eschewed in favour of players determining the events which take place. This system depends on large numbers of players with a wish to involve in politics, economics (Maelstrom possesses a complex and credible economic system) and personal interaction, but is seen by many players as very rewarding. Profound Decisions is run by Matt Pennington, who had formerly ran another widely popular system called Omega. Profound Decisions is a professional UK LARP company, who have recently set up the Maelstrom campaign, widely regarded as an extremely mature and very professional system. ... Saltstraumen maelstrom A maelstrom is a powerful whirlpool; a large, swirling body of water. ... FEST (on russian: Факультет Электроники и Системотехники), faculty of Moscow State Forest University that specializes on computer science. ... Saltstraumen maelstrom A maelstrom is a powerful whirlpool; a large, swirling body of water. ... Profound Decisions is a professional UK LARP company, who have recently set up the Maelstrom campaign, widely regarded as an extremely mature and very professional system. ... Omega (Ω ω) is the 24th and last letter of the Greek alphabet. ...

Evolution of LARP in the UK has been largely separate from US systems, with notable differences including the invention and widespread use of latex-covered weapon designs. Some UK players also play games in other Western European countries, which has led to some exchange of ideas between various European systems. The LaTeX logo, typeset with LaTeX LATEX is a document preparation system for the TeX typesetting program. ...

One major off-shoot of LARPs in the UK is the proliferation of Freeforms. These are events that typically last from four hours to three days, and are marked by little emphasis on either combat or character development, but more on plot development, and player interaction. There almost no NPCs, with GMs typically taking an overview role only. Most UK freefom characters are written specifically for that game, and tend to run to half a page for a short game, to ten or twelve pages for a weekend game. Major UK freeform events are GenCon UK, Dragonmeet and Continuum Freeform role-playing games (a type of Live_action_role-playing_game often called Theater-style LARP in America) occupy the middle-ground between traditional role-playing games and improvisational theatre. ... A non-player character is a fictional character in a role-playing game whose role is generally created and performed by the gamemaster. ... In role-playing games, the game master or GM is the organizer, storyteller, and arbitrator. ... Gen Con is the largest and most prominent gaming convention in North America. ...

Russian History

LARP has been played in Russia since at least the 1980s. The Russian word for LARP translates simply as "role-playing", since tabletop RPGs were unknown in Russia at the time LARP was invented or introduced there. Russian live role-playing is often practised under the banner of "Tolkienism" or Tolkien fandom. Regional traditions vary greatly in their history and practice, though the now defunct Soviet "Young Pioneers" organisation and the networks between former members seems to have played some role in spreading and coordinating the idea of live role-playing. // Events and trends The 1980s marked an abrupt shift towards more conservative lifestyles after the momentous cultural revolutions which took place in the 1960s and 1970s and the definition of the AIDS virus in 1981. ... J. R. R. Tolkien in 1972, in his study at Merton Street (from by H. Carpenter) John Ronald Reuel Tolkien (January 3, 1892 – September 2, 1973) is best known as the author of The Hobbit and its sequel The Lord of the Rings. ... Tolkien fandom is an international, informal community of fans of the works of J. R. R. Tolkien, especially of the Middle-earth legendarium which includes The Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit and The Silmarillion. ... State motto (Russian): Пролетарии всех стран, соединяйтесь! (Transliterated: Proletarii vsekh stran, soedinyaytes!) (Translated: Workers of the world, unite!) Capital Moscow Official language None; Russian (de facto) Government Federation of Socialist republics/ Communist state Area  - Total  - % water Largest on the planet 22,402,200 km² ?% Population  - Total  - Density 3rd before collapse 293,047,571 (July... Czechoslovak pioneers A pioneer movement is an organization for children operated by a communist party. ...

Nordic History

In the early 1980s, the Swedish LARP group Gyllene Hjorten [1] started a LARP campaign that is still going strong. This is probably the first LARP event in the Nordic countries. LARP in Finland started in 1985 and Norway was initiated in 1989, more or less simultaneously by groups in Oslo and Trondheim. The Nordic countries (Greenland not shown) The Nordic countries is a term used collectively for five countries in Northern Europe. ... 1989 (MCMLXXXIX) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Trondheim (Icelandic name: Þrándheimur; Lithuanian name: Trondheimas; former German name: Drontheim) is a city and municipality in the county of Sør-Trøndelag, Norway. ...

The Nordic LARP traditions, though usually invented independently of each other, have developed striking similarities and are also notably different from English language and German language LARPs. These differences are most obvious in the Nordic LARPs' scepticism towards game mechanics, a tendency to limit combat and magic - seeing these as "spice" rather than a necessary ingredient in LARP - and an emphasis on immersive environments where anachronisms and out of play elements (off-elements, such as visible cars or paved roads in a historical or fantasy setting) are avoided. The setting and roles may be given to the participants by the organizers, or suggested by the player to organizers, in either case usually based on a dialogue between the player and organizer. "character sheets", in the manner of tabletop RPGs, are for the most part not used. The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... German (called Deutsch in German; in German the term germanisch is equivalent to English Germanic), is a member of the western group of Germanic languages and is one of the worlds major languages. ... Skepticism (Commonwealth spelling: Scepticism) can mean: Philosophical skepticism - a philosophical position in which people choose to critically examine whether the knowledge and perceptions that they have are actually true, and whether or not one can ever be said to have absolutely true knowledge; or Scientific skepticism - a scientific, or practical... A game mechanic is a rule or set of rules intended to produce a set of outcomes in a game. ... An anachronism (from Greek ana, back, and chronos, time) is something that is out of its natural time or appears to be. ... A character sheet is a series of numbers, notes, and other details about a character in a role-playing game. ...

When the game starts it lives its own life, wholly directed by the players (some predetermined events are often scheduled). A typical Swedish or Norwegian game lasts 2-5 days and has anywhere from fifty to hundreds of participants. A typical Danish or Finnish game lasts between four hours and a few days. Rules are designed for combat injury simulation and normally emphasize roleplaying of damage rather than abstract hitpoints (though this was not always so), featuring either padded weapons or blunt steel weapons. Each gaming organization uses custom rules, but simplicity and similarities make this less cumbersome than it would at first seem.

The annual Knutepunkt conference, first held in 1997, has been a vital institution in establishing a Nordic live role-playing identity, and in establishing the concept of "Nordic LARP" as a unique approach. A live-roleplaying avant-garde movement, which pursues radical experimentation and the recognition of role-playing as a form of art, has been connected to the Knutepunkt conferences. The scope of the Knutepunkt conference has expanded rather rapidly over the last few years with participants showing up from numerous non-Scandinavian countries. The last 2 or 3 years has seen participants from USA, Germany, France, Italy and Russia as well as from the main Scandinavian countries. A work similar to Marcel Duchamps Fountain Avant garde (written avant-garde) is a French phrase, one of many French phrases used by English speakers. ... Radical is derived from the Latin word radix, which means root. In various fields of endeavor, it can mean: Sciences in chemistry, either an atom or molecule with at least one unpaired electron, or a group of atoms, charged or uncharged, that act as a single entity in reaction. ... Resources ArtLex. ...

German history

The German LARP history is most easily found, by going to the German Larp calendar at Larp Kalender

The First LARP that has been cataloged is Samhain's Quest II on April 14, 1995, although Draccon 1 in 1991 is generally held to be the first event of significance. LarpWiki.de has a page on history. April 14 is the 104th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (105th in leap years). ... 1995 (MCMXCV) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1991 (MCMXCI) is a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

South African history

LARP in South Africa is mostly single evening events of fewer than four hours in length, with 8 to 20 players. Larger, longer-term campaigns are occasionally run, most using World of Darkness: Vampire. This article contains information that has not been verified and thus might not be reliable. ...

There is a heavy emphasis on roleplaying. In the single evening events this means that there is little use of non player characters, costumes are the norm, and simple game mechanics are used. The standard conflict-resolution systems are symbolic, usually involving dice and very simplified character proficiency statistics. Special abilities are generally handled using cards that the player using the ability shows to those affected by it. Players are usually given detailed character sheets, sometimes of up to eight pages. These included background, goals and knowledge of other characters.

Cape Town is reputed to be the LARPing capital of South Africa, and there is a large archive of LARPs written by Capetonian designers (see under External Links). In recent years, there has been an increase in LARP activity in other communities, such as Johannesburg. City motto: Spes Bona (Latin: Good Hope) Province Western Cape Mayor Nomaindia Mfeketo Area  - % water 1,644 km² 0. ... City motto: Unity in Development Province Gauteng Mayor Amos Masondo Area  - % water 1,644 km² 0. ...

New Zealand History

New Zealand has a growing community of LARPers. Several long-term campaigns have been and are currently running. Typical genres include vampire, medieval fantasy, science fiction (including popular single-evening events of live Paranoia and post-apocalyptic settings), horror, and 1920s/1930s gangsters. Paranoia is a humorous role playing game set in a dystopian future similar to 1984, Brazil and Brave New World. ...

Emphasis in long-term campaigns varies depends on the setting. For example, Mordavia is a medieval dark fantasy which emphasises roleplaying very strongly, where Skirmish is more combat-based, and games such as Vampire: The Requiem are strongly political.

Many games are non-contact, while some encourage live combat with foam weapons. Magical effects are most often symbolised by reading of scrolls, throwing of spell packets, and circles outlined in rope for traps and magical portals.

Level of costume varies. In long-term campaigns, great care is often taken on player character costumes, as the character (personality, abilities, and background) will most often be invented by the player themselves. Non-player character costume is sometimes less detailed, but favourite monsters or villains may reappear frequently as they become well-loved by the players.

There are LARP communities in all the major cities, especially Auckland and Wellington. Auckland, in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest urban area in New Zealand. ... Wellington (Te Whanganui-a-Tara or Poneke) is the capital city of New Zealand, the countrys second-largest urban area and the most populous national capital city in Oceania. ...

The New Zealand Live Action Role-Play Society is an umbrella organisation created to promote and support LARP throughout New Zealand. It is a parent organisation of Mordavia, and is affilliated with other groups such as Skirmish. New Zealand Live Action Role-Play Society A group of New Zealand LARPers have formed a society to promote LARP and support both players and organisers in New Zealand. ...

Research and theory

Knutepunkt

The first in a series of annual LARP congresses taking place in the Scandinavian countries, Knutepunkt, was organised in Oslo, Norway in 1997. The name of the convention varies with the organizing country (the meaning of the name being 'nodal point' in the language of the hosting country). Scandinavia, Fennoscandia, and the Kola Peninsula. ... County Oslo NO-03 Landscape Viken Municipality NO-0301 Administrative centre Oslo Mayor (2004) Per Ditlev-Simonsen (H) Official language form Neutral Area  - Total  - Land  - Percentage Ranked 224 454 km² 426 km² 0. ... 1997 (MCMXCVII) is a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

• Knutepunkt 1997 Oslo, Norway
• Knutpunkt 1998 Stockholm, Sweden
• Knudepunkt 1999 Copenhagen, Denmark
• Solmukohta 2000 Helsinki, Finland
• Knutepunkt 2001 Oslo, Norway
• Knutpunkt 2002 Stockholm, Sweden
• Knudepunkt 2003 Copenhagen, Denmark (Feb. 2003)
• Solmukohta 2004 Helsinki, Finland (Feb. 2004)
• Knutepunkt 2005 Oslo, Norway (Feb. 2005)

County Oslo NO-03 Landscape Viken Municipality NO-0301 Administrative centre Oslo Mayor (2004) Per Ditlev-Simonsen (H) Official language form Neutral Area  - Total  - Land  - Percentage Ranked 224 454 km² 426 km² 0. ... The Old town in Stockholm from the air Stockholm â–¶(?) is the capital of Sweden, located on the east coast at the entrance of lake Mälaren. ... Copenhagen (Danish: København) is the capital and largest city of Denmark, and the name of the municipality (Danish, kommune) in which it resides. ... It has been suggested that Hietaniemi beach be merged into this article or section. ... County Oslo NO-03 Landscape Viken Municipality NO-0301 Administrative centre Oslo Mayor (2004) Per Ditlev-Simonsen (H) Official language form Neutral Area  - Total  - Land  - Percentage Ranked 224 454 km² 426 km² 0. ... The Old town in Stockholm from the air Stockholm â–¶(?) is the capital of Sweden, located on the east coast at the entrance of lake Mälaren. ... Copenhagen (Danish: København) is the capital and largest city of Denmark, and the name of the municipality (Danish, kommune) in which it resides. ... 2003 (MMIII) is a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... It has been suggested that Hietaniemi beach be merged into this article or section. ... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... County Oslo NO-03 Landscape Viken Municipality NO-0301 Administrative centre Oslo Mayor (2004) Per Ditlev-Simonsen (H) Official language form Neutral Area  - Total  - Land  - Percentage Ranked 224 454 km² 426 km² 0. ... 2005 (MMV) is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Nordic LARP theory

Nordic LARP theory is mainly bound to the annual Knutpunkt conventions. For an introduction to Nordic LARP theory see the following publications:

• Morten Gade, Line Thorup & Mikkel Sander (eds.): As Larp Grows Up. Knudepunkt 2003. ISBN 87-989377-0-7. http://www.laivforum.dk/kp03_book/
• Markus Montola & Jaakko Stenros (eds.): Beyond Role and Play. Solmukohta 2004. ISBN 952-91-6842-X. http://www.ropecon.fi/brap/
• Petter Bøckman & Ragnhild Hutchison (eds.): Dissecting Larp. Knutepunkt 2005. ISBN 82-997102-0-0 (print) ISBN 82-997102-1-9 (online)

Academic works

• Geir-Tore Brenne Making and maintaining frames - a study of metacommunication in laiv play[2]) . Graduate degree thesis, Department of Sociology and Human Geography, University of Oslo 2005. The study focus on the the Scandinavian tradition, being centred on the larp community in Oslo from 2001-2002. The text is in English, and is oriented towards introducing and presenting the activity to people who do not have much knowledge of Scandinavian larp in advance. It employs a sociological theoretical perspective.

External links

• The rec.games.frp.live-action FAQ
• LarpWiki.org - an international wiki style LARP repository
• The Pagga Wiki - a Wiki for LARP and LARP theory
• The DIY Guide to LRP Guide for making foam weapons, costumes, and props

LARP portals

• LARPA The Live Action Roleplayers Association (formerly the Interactive Literature Foundation) - a non-profit organisation in the US dedicated to LARP in all its forms, including a number of free "ready-to-run" games. LARPA also promotes Intercons see: *Intercon for upcoming conventions.
• LARP.COM - An international LARP portal.
• Jessica Tiffin's list of Cape Town LARPs
• Pagga - open discussion of role-playing, UK.
• Searchengine for links to pictures of past LARP events in germany
• Shade's LARP List - An international LARP portal
• German LarpWiki
• Yahoo-style link archive for german LARP-related links
• Unsolicited, but Useful, Advice for LARPers - Advice for creators and players of LARPs - plot management, set building, character development, costuming
• larp.ee- Estonian LARP portal
• Czech LARP and Fantasy asociation- Czech site containing informations about major czech LARPs (Czech)
• Fallout LARP Terminal- Czech LARP in a postapocalyptic world inspired by Fallout (Czech)
• Gawain- Czech very small LARP site (Czech)
• GeNoSpheRe- A French LARP Portal (in French)
• Fédération française de jeux de rôle grandeur nature - The French LARP Federation (in French)
• DIATRIBE - A New Zealand LARP portal
• www.larp.sk - Slovakian portal to many larp games in Slovakia (vampire,fantasy)(in slovak)

A live action role-playing game, or LARP as it is commonly known, is a form of role-playing game where the participants perform some or all of the physical actions of the characters they play the role of. ... Fallout may refer to a huge homp. ...

Nordic LARP portals

• Larp.fi - Finnish LARP portal
• Laiv.org - Norwegian LARP portal
• Lajvsverige.se - Swedish LARP portal with and International Forum
• LiveForum - Danish LARP portal
• Landsforeningen for Levende Rollespil - Danish national LARP organisation
• Sverok - Swedish gaming organisation that supports LARPs: SVEROK
• The Official Steel System Page of the swedish larp Lyktsken