Live Action Role-Playing
I was browsing through my favorite Warhammer forum and I found a topic about LARPs. For those of you who don't know what LARPs are, its people dressing up in costumes (fantasy or fiction re-creation) and role-playing, be it dialogue or combat.
Well anyways, one of the first posts that opens up the thread is something along the lines of "LARPers are sad geeks." A lot stronger words than that, but you get my point. All the posts following up on that are pretty much agreeing with him, with lines such as "Every LARPer I have ever met should be shot to help improve the gene pool". Its true that this is a general stereotype, that LARPers are somehow incredibly sad geeks who will stay single until the day they die and never amount to anything. Where does this come from? Pretty much one particular video: Lightning Bolt! Now, yes this is sometimes how LARPs go. In order to cast a spell, you call the name and toss a "spell packet," or some bird seed/sand/whatever in a tiny pouch at the person you're trying to hit. And its true that this onje particular video seems rather lame. But it is an isolated situation, its taken out of a whole. If you want to see an accurate video about what LARPing is actually about, here it is: Darkon, the Movie.
The sterotyping of LARPers couldn't be more wrong. Its a fun, social activity. You meet new, likeminded people, get to hang out with friends, get to work with other people to solve puzzles, create interesting dialogue, camp out in the wildnerness, and of course you get to run around and generally let yourself go and whack people with fake (usually) weapons!
Here's a couple pics from some other LARPs:
http://www.sleeping-dragons.co.uk/index.php?name=coppermine&file=displayimagepopup&pid=1085&fullsize=1
http://www.sleeping-dragons.co.uk/index.php?name=coppermine&file=displayimagepopup&pid=1135&fullsize=1
http://www.larp.ee/hulkur/files/101_0131.jpg
http://www.rolemancer.ru/modules/My_eGallery/gallery/photo/larp/larp2004/to%20take%20by%20storm.jpg
Honestly, not much I really can discuss on this topic right now, but I really felt the need that I had to put this straight once and for all, at least for the people who read my stuff.
And really, if this sort of thing isn't for you, please don't be like the majority of people out there and feel the need to insult everyone who does. I'm sure everyone finds something fun that perhaps the majority of others don't. And to quote someone on the forum I was reading:
"These are just different ways of having fun in a way that is harmful to no one. As long as no one is getting harmed, fun remains fun, and what each person determines to be fun is naturally a matter of personal inclination, not some arbitrary hierarchy of lameness."
Well anyways, one of the first posts that opens up the thread is something along the lines of "LARPers are sad geeks." A lot stronger words than that, but you get my point. All the posts following up on that are pretty much agreeing with him, with lines such as "Every LARPer I have ever met should be shot to help improve the gene pool". Its true that this is a general stereotype, that LARPers are somehow incredibly sad geeks who will stay single until the day they die and never amount to anything. Where does this come from? Pretty much one particular video: Lightning Bolt! Now, yes this is sometimes how LARPs go. In order to cast a spell, you call the name and toss a "spell packet," or some bird seed/sand/whatever in a tiny pouch at the person you're trying to hit. And its true that this onje particular video seems rather lame. But it is an isolated situation, its taken out of a whole. If you want to see an accurate video about what LARPing is actually about, here it is: Darkon, the Movie.
The sterotyping of LARPers couldn't be more wrong. Its a fun, social activity. You meet new, likeminded people, get to hang out with friends, get to work with other people to solve puzzles, create interesting dialogue, camp out in the wildnerness, and of course you get to run around and generally let yourself go and whack people with fake (usually) weapons!
Here's a couple pics from some other LARPs:
http://www.sleeping-dragons.co.uk/index.php?name=coppermine&file=displayimagepopup&pid=1085&fullsize=1
http://www.sleeping-dragons.co.uk/index.php?name=coppermine&file=displayimagepopup&pid=1135&fullsize=1
http://www.larp.ee/hulkur/files/101_0131.jpg
http://www.rolemancer.ru/modules/My_eGallery/gallery/photo/larp/larp2004/to%20take%20by%20storm.jpg
Honestly, not much I really can discuss on this topic right now, but I really felt the need that I had to put this straight once and for all, at least for the people who read my stuff.
And really, if this sort of thing isn't for you, please don't be like the majority of people out there and feel the need to insult everyone who does. I'm sure everyone finds something fun that perhaps the majority of others don't. And to quote someone on the forum I was reading:
"These are just different ways of having fun in a way that is harmful to no one. As long as no one is getting harmed, fun remains fun, and what each person determines to be fun is naturally a matter of personal inclination, not some arbitrary hierarchy of lameness."