Differences in larp cultures

"To really understand larp, you need to experience it."

It's a sentence we often tell new players when they ask us about larp. And it's true. You cannot really describe immersion. You probably cannot even remember all the tiny details on other people and in the environment that added to your experience and immersion.

A photo may tell a thousand words, but no amount of photos can truly show you how it really is. Words and images of larp are only pale shadows of experience. Larps are meant to be felt.

But for some inexplicable reason, lots of existing larpers seem to think this no longer applies to them. In a way, your first larp is a very defining one. You always remember your first larp. It leaves a huge impression on you.

It also tends to define the way you see larp in the future. Seeing your first larp defines your perception of what larp is - not just the larp you saw, but larp in general. After it's done, you tend to expect certain things from larps. The requirements, game style, the way they're run, the rule design (if rules are used), duration, comfort standards, equipment standards... Everything.

Me wearing a simple fantasy larp kit on Krvomeđe

Me wearing an elaborate fantasy larp kit on Tragači zore

Me wearing my Steampunk larp kit (clothes from my wedding, actually)

What you have, what you use, what you do, how it's done and why depends on a larp you're having at the moment. It's more than just gear (gear is just easiest to show on photos). It's the genre, playstyle, and pretty much everything.

The welcoming town of Novi Dom on Croatian Fallout larp

It can even differ so much that what you're considering to be an essential larp experience is simply missing from another larp or larp series. In such a case, it's almost as if some people get paralyzed. Not understanding other larps and how they work. Not wanting to understand. As if they're somehow a lesser form of larp, stripped of the essence of what makes a larp. Unfortunately, I see this viewpoint all too often.

“The greatest enemy of knowledge is not ignorance, it is the illusion of knowledge.”

― Stephen Hawking

What people usually fail to see is that every larp (considered successful by a group od people) has some value. Or a lot of value. Something that makes it tick, which people find valuable enough to call it successful and good. And nothing is set in stone. Be curious, go and see stuff that is different than what you saw so far. You're probably going to enjoy it, learn something new in the process, grow as a larper, and maybe help improve other larps you're on.

Gareyth and his tent on Crolarp

Just in case you were wondering, no, I'm not addressing any Croatian group in particular. I'm addressing players from various Croatian groups, and I'm addressing probably most of you larpers worldwide who are making the same mistake. I'm not hoping to win any popularity contests by doing it, but I hope some larps get improved by doing it...

Dr. Zippovitz and his automaton Zip-7 on Steampunk larp Para pokreće svijet: Vrata rata

See what's out there, see how it works and how it's different. There's no one true way of larping - check out different larps and different cultures, nationally and if you can internationally, and help to make every larp you're on a better experience for everyone. You should care, it's your game too. Keep your mind open and never be afraid to discover new things in larp.

“Facts do not cease to exist because they are ignored.”

― Aldous Huxley, Complete Essays 2, 1926-29

The 15 rules of larp

The following 15 rules (warning: strong language) were written some years ago in Great Britain, and have been pretty much generally accepted on the British larp scene. Especially popular is rule 7 - widely known by its number and commonly considered to be the most imortant rule of all (and I agree). Even the biggest British larp forum has taken Rule7 as its name. The rules have been originally created by the Drunken Monkeys and edited by Rick Wynne who added some extra stuff in the explanations to make them more understandable to international audience (it still contains some British larp lingo though), more work-safe and to throw in his two cents. (copy of the original wording is available here ) 1. Don’t play a mighty warrior; play a warrior and be mighty. Don’t label your character. As soon as you say that you are the best swordsman in the land someone will come along and kick your ass. Just get into the mindset of the person and role-play it out. 2. No one cares about you

Mind's Eye Theatre: Werewolf The Apocalypse rulebook review

Available on DriveThruRPG Just under three years ago I wrote a review for Mind’s Eye Theatre: Vampire the Masquerade rulebook . It was the first book published by By Nights Studio, and a year later I reviewed one of its supplements - Storyteller Secrets . Now, after a long period of work, after the success of their kickstarter campaign, By Night Studios finally released the full version of the new larp rules for Werewolf the Apocalypse setting. This was preceded by various alpha, beta, gamma, delta and omega slices - each containing a different playtest version of the rules, slowly released from September last year until July this year. First impressions were that the artwork is very cool, and that the book is HUGE. Numbering at 762 pages, that's over 200 pages more than Vampire the Masquerade. But before I start going in-depth, I'd like to mention that this blog's readers come from various backgrounds - and I'll adjust my review accordingly. I assume I'

Larps in EU

Today Croatia has acceeded into the European Union as its 28th state. EU has loads of diverse and different larp scenes and cultures in them. Some of them are local, some are national, some encompass all speakers of a certain language, some are regional, and some are world-famous. Here's a short window into a couple of EU larps and larp scenes, carefully selected and profiled by the criteria of "those I actually visited myself" and "those who bothered to answer my survey on facebook on a short notice", with a dash of "this is like elementary culture you should know". So this is not a full list - not even close - and not even the fully representative one, despite it being the largest post on this blog ever. Even keeping track of the Croatian scene is quite a job and there are still many language barriers around. But hopefully you'll find plenty of new and interesting material here. If you want your larp represented - whether it's battle

Diary of a Croatian larper

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