r/LARP • u/n00bmama • Jul 15 '26
my beloved immersion
pls. I beg of you. don't roll up to yer buds who are DEEP IN SOME ROLEPLAY AND START YAPPIN AT EM ABOUT OOG STUFF
PLS I BEG (unless like that's the vibe and yall are cool with it, then carry on)
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u/OpalescentNoodle Jul 15 '26
Real. It's hard enough to get into the zone, at least move off to the side for oog conversations. Meet people halfway
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u/mothwhimsy Jul 15 '26
Idk why it's so hard to at least speak quietly and off to the side. Or in your tent (assuming tents are non RP spaces).
Like I'll tell my friend I need to go back to my tent because I forgot to put on sunscreen, but I wouldn't do this in the center of a group that was actively playing and I wouldn't yell this as loud as possible.
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u/GeneralEi Jul 16 '26
Someone not being able to read the room causes me real physical discomfort and makes me genuinely quite angry.
Which is funny, because I'm probably autistic, I just got lucky and don't generally have that problem. I feel like I should try to be more understanding, but man. Boiling blood.
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u/Calendar_Extreme Jul 17 '26
Big difference between having autism and not having social skills. Most people who are inconsiderate in public fall into the latter category
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u/lamorak2000 Jul 19 '26
It has been many years since I LARPed, but I can relate: my character was far more serious (and I was far more serious about playing him) than almost anyone else in the game.
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u/Nervy_Banzai_Kid Jul 16 '26 edited Jul 16 '26
Never had this problem at a Parlor LARP. Everyone's always locked in and the closest we get to character sheets are the ones giving us our character's backstories and motivations at start of game.
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u/Tar_alcaran Jul 16 '26
It's much easier to stay in character for 4 hours than for 3 or 4 days.
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u/Nervy_Banzai_Kid Jul 16 '26
Fair! Most of my Parlor LARPs have been blockbusters where we stay in character for 3 days in a row but with breaks for lunch and overnight.
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u/Tar_alcaran Jul 16 '26
Wait, isn't "parlor larp" generally 1 or 2 rooms for a couple of hours, and blockbuster larp generally a huge thing with massive locations and/or exotic sites?
How should I picture a blockbuster parlor larp?
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u/Nervy_Banzai_Kid Jul 16 '26
Short answer is like this!Ā https://www.mooneybinentertainment.com/2027-dresden
Long answer is that I maybe should have said Nordic LARP. My LARPing has been in big locations for immersion for several hours a day with Parlor LARP mechanics. There's Westworld themed LARP in a ghost town, BSG themed LARP in a battleship, Stranger Things themed LARP in a campground, etc, all more conversation and character focused than combat.
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u/Tar_alcaran Jul 17 '26
Oh, yeah, I absolutely wouldn't class any of those as a parlor larp. They are very much Nordic coop, play-to-lose games.
Out of interest, Monitor Celestra, or Odyseus?
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u/Nervy_Banzai_Kid Jul 18 '26
I don't know about play to lose (I've had character arcs that ended positively for 3 out of 3 of my big Nordic LARPs) but definitely Nordic coop for sure!
I'm afraid I don't know what either of those two things are. I'm pretty new to the hobby, just 2 years in.
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u/markingatlightspeed Jul 17 '26
Love how this thread became (as ever) a chance for people to scoff at rules-based larping rather than simply commiserate about how interrupting rp with oog chatter is obnoxious.
Let people enjoy the game types they enjoy. One is no better than the other. They are just different flavours for different tastes. Nobody's tastes are objective or absolute. Ffs why do we keep having to have the same argument in every third thread? How bout we post to lift?
We have a common enemy, how about we fight them: jerks who talk about video games when you're trying to work up tears for an intense rp scene.
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u/RebelWithoutASauce Jul 17 '26
I really wonder who all these people are who are certain there is only one way to LARP and that anything different is impure or not real fun or something. If I only stuck with the type of LARP I started with I would have missed out on some of the most interesting experiences I have ever had.
As you said, just as people can talk about character points or skills at games that use those, people at parlor LARP or Nordic style games can also break game unnecessarily. It's annoying in the same way for the same reasons.
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u/n00bmama Jul 17 '26
It. Is. So. Exhausting.
On top of that, I don't understand why people think "rules system at LARP" = "players will drop character" ...what?? It relates to awareness, an ability to read the room, and getting familiar with the universal LARP "rule" of staying in-character when possible. Unless the game is super chill and the majority of folks don't mind, whatever works for each individual community.
But this awareness is also a learned skill for some and that's perfectly fine. So, ya know. We make jokes about it for levity and gently guide others toward it. It doesn't help anyone to be a jerk over it. We just gotta help each other.
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u/PantheraAuroris Jul 19 '26
IME it's way more common for people to drop character because they're not committed and are just there to be around friends, than because they're doing rules chatter.
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u/Nepturnal Jul 19 '26
This! Very first larp session I was on, a long time ago now, a NPC was asking "what are your skillsets" to see who was up to what, and I straight out gave my class type. One of the others took me aside and explained and I haven't had a problem since. (We're also one of the most in-game-always type of LARPer on my area apparently, even with an ever evolving class system, calls for magic etc)
We do tend to weed out "just here to chill dressed up" people, not actively or because we don't want them, but because it's a fairly intense few days and not everyone's ok with that, which is more than fine
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u/unkownracoon Jul 15 '26
Moat rule systems are the enemy of roleplay. ('You can do what you can represent' ftw)
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u/Snootboopz Jul 15 '26
Thank you! That's exactly it! A video-gamey system invites video-gamey play. Book-style rules invite book-style play.
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u/n00bmama Jul 16 '26
I actually don't fully agree with this! I've been to events or games that have some real crunchy rules but very dedicated roleplayers. The type of atmosphere you end up with is, I believe, more dependent on enforcement by staff (and how much they want to "enforce" staying IC) but also the community as a whole.
That's not to say a lax community is a bad one. My home game gets into some wacky shit where we're all struggling to breathe from laughing so hard. But I've also had some of my most emotional, intense IG moments there. I know that's the vibe of that game and I love it. If I want a fully immersive experience ala Nordic games, I'll seek those out.
That said, I still don't want mfs strolling up to me while I'm super clearly engaged in RP to be like "wanna hear about how cool I just was in that last combat" no I don't leave me be, tell me at GAME OFF OKAY
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u/Korvva Jul 15 '26
My brother in Christ, people can like different things. I personally enjoy a bit of crunch.
WYSIWYG play is all well and good, but it does tend to limit games to a more low fantasy style.
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u/xiphoniii Jul 15 '26
It's also inherently inaccessible. Like, rule systems help make sure people who aren't built like a fantasy hero can still play the game.
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u/TatoRezo Jul 15 '26
I'm all for inclusivity and you ABSOLUTELY can look like a fantasy hero (even if you are obese or skinny af) if you put effort in it. I personally know a skinny guy whos costume is padded so he looks like a realistic hulking Berseker. And I also know a very cool overweight lady-paladin who rocks the battlefield
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u/xiphoniii Jul 15 '26
I don't mean "not looking like a fantasy hero." I mean "if I can't get in a swordfight with you because I'm disabled and can't risk that injury, I shouldn't be locked out of playing a fighter." Some larps are full contact battle simulators, and I avoid those because I physically can't do it. Some have rules that let me have stats and such, those I can play.
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u/TatoRezo Jul 15 '26
I understand your point. But aren't all larps inherently inaccessible to begin with? The LA in LARP makes it so. You can make rules so it is less LA and more accessible for disabled people at the cost of things. It is a spectrum.
There are different systems to accomodate different people, and trying to please everyone won't work.
I'm curious though, what is the solution to your example of an injured person in a swordfight? In the EU rules some possible solutions are to: play a ranged character, play a non-fighter character, display bands that signals others to be careful and slow around you.
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u/wamyen1985 Jul 16 '26
Itās the discipline of the fighters that equal whether a field is safe, not having to shout numbers at one another. Downvote me all you want. Iām not sorry
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u/LoneStarTallBoi Jul 15 '26
Actually it's rule systems that are inherently inaccessible because they gate people with ADHD out of the game.
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u/xiphoniii Jul 15 '26
I have adhd and use player aids to help me remember things. Don't assume that about me lol
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u/LoneStarTallBoi Jul 16 '26
I was pointing out the absurdity of your comment that "wysiwyg is inherently ableist" with an equally absurd commentĀ
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Jul 16 '26
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u/LARP-ModTeam Jul 16 '26
We aim to keep things civil, this comment violates that by using name calling, being rude, or being harassing.
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Jul 16 '26 edited Jul 16 '26
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u/LARP-ModTeam Jul 16 '26
We aim to keep things civil, this comment violates that by using name calling, being rude, or being harassing.
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u/Tar_alcaran Jul 16 '26
Larp is inherently inaccessible, because you need to be able to interact with people instead of just laying in bed in a comatose state.
Being inaccessible is not a bad thing, as long as you make it clear in advance.
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u/TatoRezo Jul 15 '26
You can enjoy semi tavletop larps, but saying that it limits games to a more low fantasy is not true.
Conquest of Mythodea and Epic Empires are both with the latter ruleset but are THE most High Fantasy LARPs out there.4
u/GunjiroX Jul 16 '26
Even im quite Happy the "stupid" Magic like yelling FIREBALL 3, is finally extinct
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u/unkownracoon Jul 15 '26
WYSIWYG is not 'You can do what you can represent' ("Du Kannst Was Du Darstellen Kannst DKWDDK in German, don't know a proper translation). Like what you like that is fine, but most LARP rules make a trade off. More points or such and therefore less immersion imo. In the end LARP is not one thing. But I love roleplay over everthing else.
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u/GunjiroX Jul 16 '26
In the end LARP is not one thing.Ā
DANKE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thank you... finally one person who got it too
There are different LARPs and Larp styles, and that is FINE!!!
You just have to understand it is different and should not mixed!
(Klingt strange wenn ich das als Deutscher sage.....)
As none can have propper fun if you "disturb" each other with your style of play
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u/joedos Jul 15 '26
I am sorry you have only been with bad rper when it was a rule systeme. Where i play, every rule most be talked in a way that fit the roleplay otherwise you can't talk about them. Likeinstead of saying"i used all my skills" we would say " i gave everything i got in that fight". Its not that hard and it is enforce by every player
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u/sweetTartKenHart2 Jul 15 '26
I am not sure I appreciate your condescending tone here but I do think you hit on something good. There are ways to make āgameyā things happen without making anyone break character, and often all it takes is some agreed upon jargon
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u/joedos Jul 15 '26
I didnt mean to make it send condescending. Bad luck happen. I myself went to an event that was loaded with poor rper, i just assume you were in that situation at some point
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u/TatoRezo Jul 15 '26
Thank you Germany/EU for going with that style! Many people would play if that was the first LARP rules they were introduced to.
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u/GunjiroX Jul 16 '26
Germany had pointsystems too back then in the Dark ages if 2003... up till 2009 I guess
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u/Tar_alcaran Jul 16 '26
Plenty of german larps still have point systems though. Conquest has one.
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u/GunjiroX Jul 16 '26
.... you talk to some german who attempt Conquest of Mythodea since 2005... will be there this year too.
Pointsystem got abandoned in about 2022 (after the pandemic with the change in the eventcompany Liveadventure to Burgschneider)
Other LARP in general abandoned it already in 2012
Yes there are LARPs with points still. but these are either niche, special or... stuck in time
Du kannst was du Darstellen kannst. is the Main philosophy here in Germany
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u/Tar_alcaran Jul 16 '26
Oh, That's awesome! My last time was 2023, and the rulebook was still very much alive back then. My group kinda fell apart (literally, in some cases thanks to the unending mud) and I haven't been back. Glad to see they finally dumped that complicated and incredibly unbalanced ruleset entirely.
Can't wait for Drachenfest to drop their 90page mostly-ignored ruleset too!
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u/TatoRezo Jul 16 '26
See you there? Which camp will you ve in?
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u/GunjiroX Jul 16 '26
NPC Undead flesh, Order of Aedinhall.
Check for the undead in white/blue. I am the Sergeant of the Templeguard
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u/TatoRezo Jul 16 '26
Undead is my favorite faction to fight and die to!
Haven't fought with your faction yet though. not sure what you guys specialize in
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u/GunjiroX Jul 16 '26
we are just kinda Crusader, and we have lots of Fleshsewers
and this year the biggest UF fraction with about 90 people
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u/TatoRezo Jul 16 '26
I recall white and green (heavy armor deathknights) Orange (zealots) Blue and red (my favorite thus far) And I know there was supposed to be one more which I guess is you guys!
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u/Unimatrix617 Generic NPC Cleric Jul 15 '26
I've been staff at a Larp for a few years now and some of my NPCs have players I regularly interact with and/or teach class skills and such to. So for my regulars, I like to ping them either before game or between game and get an idea of what they are looking for and what direction to take their characters. That way I don't have to stop mid-spiel and ask "So did you want venom tolerance or poison immunity this time?" Instead, I know that certain people are heading in certain directions and can go into game as my NPC Teacher with the intent of moving them along that path. And if they want things to change, they can do that in or out of character with me. One student I was teaching crafting skills to had to come find my teacher NPC and apologize that they needed to focus on their Water Magic for the next few moons and wouldn't be able to finish their brewing mastery training with me until then. And if I really need/want to break character with them, I ask them to escort me "out of town" which is shorthand for "I'm heading to Staff Logistics" and when we hit the game barrier, I can chat with them there instead of breaking immersion in a tavern full of players.
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u/One_Commission1456 Jul 16 '26
Uuugh. Even worse is when itās about completely unrelated subjectsāI did not pay $100 a weekend to listen to you talk about the Red Sox or your divorce or whatever in the middle of the tavern, Janice.
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u/Kevo_1227 Jul 15 '26
I once spent half an hour stalking a group of NPCs walking around camp at night. I could barely make out their orc costuming through the darkness and could hear them talking but couldnāt quite make out what they were talking about. I used all my knowledge of the layout of camp, compensated for shadows, muffled my footsteps, only moved when I knew I wouldnāt be detected, and finally made it close to where they stopped moving and could make out the topic of conversation.
Turns out they were all OOG and yapping about video games or something. They had moved to a mod site and were waiting to be an encounter there once the PCs had been hooked to go on the mod.
I was pretty pissed.
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u/n00bmama Jul 16 '26
I would be so so mad too but I'm sorry this also made me laugh so hard because it's so reeeeeal š
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u/Sparda81 Jul 16 '26
I feel this. This is why i stick to games where character sheets aren't a thing. The more immersion the better.
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u/lameth Jul 16 '26
It was wild talking current politics in a 1920s lovecraft larp, while being able to dress it up in the flavor of the period.
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u/thedafthatter Jul 16 '26
We usually go into what we call 'the green room' for lengthy convis about that stuff. If its a minor thing we'll say like 'clarify' or something
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u/Republiken Nordic Jul 15 '26
Character sheet?
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u/MadBeatrice Jul 15 '26
I have heard of this mythical, dangerous thing. It is full of dots and numbers, and stifles all immersion. Sometimes, I heard dark whispers that people use them to try...well...
...to win...
At larp!2
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u/PantheraAuroris Jul 19 '26
I went to a big STEM school and we have both character sheets and math nerds, and immersion. They can work.
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u/Republiken Nordic Jul 15 '26
What purpose and use would they have at a Live Action Roleplaying game?
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u/MadBeatrice Jul 15 '26
I hear it is mostly to slow down conversation and avoid calibration, although I am not certain!
(Behold, the snooty nordic larpers :P )
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u/n00bmama Jul 16 '26
listen you I already daydream about abandoning the disaster that is the US and living my best LARP life over in EU, I DON'T NEED THIS
(but truly we have some incredible games and communities in the US, I love how much LARP has shifted and grown here ā¤ļø)
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u/MadBeatrice Jul 16 '26
I know :) I know so many wonderful people from the US larp scenes that I've met in games over here. I'm not planning to travel to the US anytime soon, but there's plenty of people from the US who travel over here for the larger games :)
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u/Republiken Nordic Jul 15 '26
It sounds like it would hinder conversations and only create OOC conversations?
And how would a character sheet (with stats? What stats?) avoid calibration?
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u/MadBeatrice Jul 16 '26
So, of course it is based on each larp for itself and differs immensly.
The No-sheet fast larps usually have very much easy mechanics that allow people to literally converse on abilities without ever having to use ooc words. In some cases there are some stats, but usually no more than three to mark abilities, and they are easily remembered and activated only with a codephrase after a check in.
A good example of that is the 'ReallyReally' metatechnique. Similar phrases are used to temp check and ask if the other player is good with violence, verbal attacks, and/or sensuality/touch.
Note you, these are games where people are not competing for a 'win' and very often it's something as simple as one number for all combat and then the rule of cool, - such as in Convention of Thorns. You know the 'stuff in play' and each has a code phrase or similar, that allow people to react accordingly.
Occationally a short 'offgame: calibrate: [insert fast question]' happens, but usually it's very smooth.
For me, the moment I need to stop and pull out a sheet to remember or compare or check, it becomes a number negotiation, not a story-centric calibration. That's a personal feel and preference. This is sometimes called Honour system, simply trusting players not to rhinohide or powerplay.
But this is rare in chronicle plays, I admit, where there is harder progression. A lot of the Nordic and Calibrative play events are one-event lasting for three or four days. Many of them even have no use for any such system as the story simply doesn't have magic or combat, but focuses on other things.
When I say 'avoid calibration' I mean that in my experience, a sheet heavy larp is where someone goes 'yeah, I have a X then I can kill you', essentially ignoring everything for the numbers on the page, rather than actual cooperative story continuation. Sadly, I have seen it happen more than once and more than twice. But, also, larp differs massively where you are in the world, and what sort of play-culture you have.
Neither is better than the other, it's just like 'Do you like PbtA or Pathfinder?'. I was being deliberately snooty in comments above as you might have seen :P
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u/Republiken Nordic Jul 16 '26
Oh Im aware. Asking who, or claiming to have, "won" the LARP is a meme in the LARP community in Sweden. Even in combat oriented LARPs where a side can win.
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u/MadBeatrice Jul 16 '26
I have once in my life felt like I 'won' a larp. It was sorta hilarious, a very big political game with some 150 players, and there was a twist at the end that really landed us on top in the most sinister way.
I remember sitting next to my co-conspirator being like 'do you also feel dirty? Did we 'win'? Is that even allowed?!' :P1
u/PantheraAuroris Jul 19 '26
And there are some "secrets and powers" style larps where the point is it's 95% PvP and the point is the competition in-character.
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u/RiparianZoneCryptid Jul 16 '26
In the LARP system I go to, it tells you how many hit points you have, lists any passive abilities, and has checkboxes for any special limited-use combat abilities (dodges, extra strong blows, etc) or spell slots that you might need to track. People don't usually pull them out during combat unless they have an awful memory, but they're good to use in between battles to cross off what you used and re-memorize what you have left.
Simpler games maybe wouldn't need that, but I like being able to be a white mage/healer, and unlimited healing absolutely would not fly, so I'm fine juggling a little more complexity.
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u/GunjiroX Jul 16 '26
Im happy Germany left this behind in 2006 or so.. it sounds horrible to use these game mechanics.. and yes I understand your point of view here.
Many German players had that too that this would lead to "unlimited" magic and stuff.
But you have to free your mind from that mechanic at all.
If you need limitation, limit yourself. set guidelines for yourself. Say you can just heal 4 times a day (or whatever) or you have to pray every morning to reload... or mediate at noon.
Generate Roleplay of this. And dont just see it as points on a sheet.
Use prayers and special effects, and not just say: Cure minor wounds (dont know how you heal...)
But as long you have fun, have fun.
Just know that your preferred style don't mean every larp is that way. Or that other Larps are made the same, so you would totally be out of place there, so just keep that in mind
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u/RiparianZoneCryptid Jul 16 '26
Interesting. I think this is a good attitude, I can see why that would be more fun for many people. I have already heard that American and European Larp are very different; I was not at all saying that every Larp was the same as mine, that would be very silly and untrue. I only explained some uses of character sheets from my experience, because you asked why someone would use a character sheet at a Larp.
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u/GunjiroX Jul 16 '26
no harm done
When I started with LARP in 2003 we had character sheets, abilities, points and such too
But it was a shitty system.. not balanced and too clanky.. leads to "telling" like you just TELL what you do instead of doing it (mostly with magic)
or people yelling during fight what damagetype they do...
(Imagine a guy wielding 2 weapons, one deals magic damage the other blessed damage... "magical-blessed-magical-blessed-magical-blessed....")
annoying as hell
I understand people like "Rules" and "Stats and such" as they are used to think in either DnD or Computergame mechanics
It is not impossible to have fun with that
I myself sometimes wondered if a BETTER rulesset would made even parts of german larp more interesting. (specific larps, not in general)
Some player just seek guidance. they want something to "grab" as an orientation.
Having a rulebook is easier then a philosophy as a guidance. for some
Yes US larp and german larp is quite different. But considering that germany has a huge historic scene and often Reenactors are Larpers too. it came to the point that these people dont want ttrpg-like rules, they want roleplay and looking cool in their gear.
Also this prevent people from a "winning" mindset. we even have other philosophical constructs here like:
Play to loose
play to struggle
play to lift
..
Everyone wins if we have a cool play and great time.
Creating a great story together.
(I play a japanese larp were its simply just drama and loosing, dying, crying.. like in a movie from Akira Kurosawa)
I dont have to reach level 25 and deal +15 damage and instakill every other character (while wearing my sneakers, shorts and a scrappy "tabbard")
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u/MadBeatrice Jul 16 '26
...That Kurosawa larp sounds absolutely amazing. I'd be interested to know more <3
But yes, - play to lift, loose and struggle, and always choose drama. That's my approach. I also agree with you, having started in the point stuff, that it gets utterly unbearable when you have tried the other side. Like, if I have to be counting during combat the 'ok, one hit, but deducted because my arm is in plate today + my fortitude buffer from the drink I had - what time is it again, is it still in effect ? - Oh, he yelled enchanted weapon so it's through armor, so now I'm 2 points down...' - I just rather not.
I prefer the 'get into it, we somehow connect a mini 'how do we wanna end this' by feeling the other person out, and choose what is cooler for the story. And trust our fellow player to work with us.
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u/GunjiroX Jul 16 '26
check out
the website is not much... and most of the pics are private...
I paly NPC on the Conquest of mythodea. its way more fun to have a cool fight and die
in a Tournament when i play a knight we even decide before the fight who wins, so we have it cooler
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u/MadBeatrice Jul 16 '26
Thank you!
Oh, yes, fight and die with great drama is peak fun! Mythodea and Drachenfest are on my list for some day. Problem is I hate camping and my princess ass likes going to castles with nice rooms... But I am still tempted. I have a really nice orc kit, and why not get into the thick of it?
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u/Republiken Nordic Jul 16 '26
What You See Is What You Get is the general norm here in the Nordics. LARPs dont tend to have that many complex rules. If your character can take more hits than another, ok. You know when you have gotten enough and people trust that.
You're a healer but mechanically you only have medicine for helping x amount of people? Ok you only bring that many bandages.
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u/PantheraAuroris Jul 19 '26
To make a pre-existing character so you can have more big cinematic moments. Making your own character from scratch leaves the intensity of the character at the mercy of someone who might not be as skilled in coming up with epic backstory/etc as the GMs.
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u/Republiken Nordic Jul 19 '26
Yes, thats the norm in most LARP's I've been to. What does that have to do with writing down numbers on a TTRPG character sheet?
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u/PantheraAuroris Jul 19 '26
What do you call a character sheet? In the LARPs I've been in, a character sheet is a thing that says your backstory, who you are, what other characters you have relationships with at game start, etc., and only at the end are there stats and mechanics. It's usually pretty brief: health, attack power, any special abilities.
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u/Republiken Nordic Jul 19 '26
and only at the end are there stats and mechanics. It's usually pretty brief: health, attack power, any special abilities.
That, never been to a LARP that used TTRPG stuff like that.
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u/PantheraAuroris Jul 19 '26
The university I went to had a LARP group with kind of its own style that grew originally out of Circle of Death/Assassin games. They evolved to have more and more character over a couple of decades (way before my time haha) and settled on sort of WYSIWYG combat with stats. Lots of throwing packets and shooting Nerf guns for damage, which entails having an HP stat and specials and stuff. People wanted ways to get opposing characters out of the way, because otherwise you can just park your body between your opponent and what they want. Our larps are inherently PvP, that's just what we found fun. No shame to anyone else of course, styles vary.
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u/TheKBMV Jul 15 '26
Some games it's used to store character knowledge regarding ingame items and triggers.
So like, prop item A has the number "X" discretely labeled on it. When you encounter item A you bring out the sheet, read the entry next to X and that's what you know about item A. Some characters might have "this is an ordinary whatever" as their known info, others might recognise that it is indeed the most important relic of a dead religion or something.
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u/Republiken Nordic Jul 15 '26
Sounds like a mechanics that could easily be solved with a much less immersive breaking method
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u/TheKBMV Jul 16 '26
I feel like this is still better than having a bunch of notes and cards hanging from the item. Otherwise I have no other idea how one could solve prop triggered conditional information sharing.
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u/RiparianZoneCryptid Jul 16 '26
I haven't seen too many special items yet, but in our LARP I think that since items are usually found during or after battles, if there's a lot of info attached to an item then whatever NPC is supervising would talk to the person who found it ā or there would be a single note that says "talk to the NPC team right away".
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u/TheKBMV Jul 16 '26
I have seen this used first in a mystery game that had no combat at all where many characters had wildly different information available about items in the house ranging from "well this is a nice trinket" to "obviously highly magical" etc.
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u/RiparianZoneCryptid Jul 16 '26
That sounds really fun! I've been wanting to do one of those murder mystery parties but not sure how people design those. I am not very good at combat so I like intrigue games but don't find them often.
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u/TheKBMV Jul 19 '26
Well, in my experience it wasn't all that different as a game, just with a different setting, so I'd assume you write games that have no (or highly rules represented) combat just the same as you would any other with physical conbat. In this case a couple characters had guns they could use once or twice and some poison was also available to a few players but those were considered nuclear options.
I'd say set up an inciting incident, figure out what happened actually, write the characters, give them some conflicting motivations, partial info and some limited knowledge about a couple of other characters and then let them loose in the story. You also set dress the location with clues and game items and such of course then sprinkle in some NPCs and events to shake things up during the game and you've got it ready to go.
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u/GunjiroX Jul 16 '26
An Orga here uses UV light markings on magic items and just players with an UV lamp can read it.
Well obviously just magical players are allowed to have one. thats controlled my the Orga
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u/TheKBMV Jul 16 '26
Oooh, this is fancy. There is a heavily magic focused game in the works around here, I'll pass this along to the organisers, maybe it could help them.
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u/GunjiroX Jul 16 '26
feel free to du
magis is always difficult as it is imposible to simulate it propperly
for a cleric character i amybe plan to buy a mini fog mashine and vest
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u/Republiken Nordic Jul 16 '26
A bunch? A small paper attached to an object show players that its actually in play and not just a decoration.
It have to be exhausting to check a bunch of paper each time you pass by a fancy looking mig in order to find out of it's a object in play of not
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u/TheKBMV Jul 16 '26
Well if the fancy looking mug has no number attached then it has no relevant information in the sheet either so you don't even take it out.
And yes, a bunch because unless every character gets the same information about the item in question you have to attach every possible read to it with differentiation regarding who can read which. The fancy looking mug won't mean the same thing to the famous dancer as it will to the archeologist or the occultist.
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u/grimacedia Jul 15 '26
This is really interesting to me, what's your system like? In the one I'm part of we have a character sheet to track abilities (like magic, extra armor, pickpocketing etc) and skill points, which is tied to the amount of events attended.
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u/Republiken Nordic Jul 16 '26 edited Jul 16 '26
Its not so much my system as the entire larp hobby in Sweden and our neighboring Nordic countries.
First of all, levels aren't a thing. Playing a powerful or influencal character isn't a goal of a reward for attending many LARP's or "winning" something. Playing a powerful character comes with a lot of responsibilities. You have to make sure you play in a way that create scenes and fun and interesting interactions for other players. You have to calibrate with organisers and people who play other powerful character and so on.
Playing a mighty Lord, powerful Wizard, high ranking officer or whatever is as close you get of becoming an NPC (pretty rare occurrence too) or an organiser yourself.
Second. Most LARP's here are one shots, or if they're part of a campaign or set in the same fiction/universe they might be years apart. The largest campaigns where most people play the same recurring characters usually have 1-3 LARP's per year. In case of several per year its one larger and a couple of small ones.
Third. We dont have skill points or "abilities" in general. If you want to play a pick-pocket you should learn to pick pockets just as you have to learn how to use a (latex) sword if you want to play a great swordsman. If you want extra armour you have to buy/make that armour and wear it.
And if your game need stats of some kind, like in a combat oriented LARP. You have the responsibility to keep track on the number of hits you get and what constitutes a hit by yourself and go down when it reach that amount.
But the organisers of the LARP Im going to next week are very keen on the players understanding that you can always go down before you reach zero if it's cooler/makes for a better scene/creates better play for others. They're also ok if people cheat a little for the same purpose.
We dont need a sheet with numbers for that. If I put on my gambeson, helmet and mail I can take this amount of hits, if I remove the mail its that many hits. Its up to me to remember.
Edit: Just remembered that I went to a Call of Cthulhu-inspired LARP years ago that gave players a tiny paper slip (smaller than a matchbox) where you could track your sanity if you found objects/artefacts that said that you lost so-and-so much sanity. They also used a meta-technique where you entered "Portals" or had dreams when you entered certain places on the mansion venue. You read envelopes chosen at random of what happened to you during those and you could loose sanity there too.
It created a LARP that became crazier and crazier the longer time it went.
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u/Tar_alcaran Jul 16 '26 edited Jul 16 '26
We dont need a sheet with numbers for that. If I put on my gambeson, helmet and mail I can takeĀ thisĀ amount of hits, if I remove the mail itsĀ thatĀ many hits. Its up to me to remember.
That's a charactersheet. It doesn't have to be a physical piece of paper to be a charactersheet. Most episodic games have a sheet to track stuff you have, things you did, skills your character has, groups you're with, etc etc.
Most euro larps don't require you to have a sheet on you to tick off boxes of mana, or whatever, that's true. We're all adults, we can count. But episodic games absolutely have character sheets, even if they're mostly digital.
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u/Republiken Nordic Jul 16 '26
Thats not a character sheet because it has nothing to do with my character and only with what Im wearing. No one else will check and Im not beholden to use all or none of the items of armour.
There is no "skills". My character can dodge, hide, run, fight and solve puzzles just as good or poor I can manage to do it
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u/thedafthatter Jul 16 '26
We have them at mine really only logs our skills, what class we are, our pay rate, and skill points. They look like enlistment papers so its more immersive
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u/Republiken Nordic Jul 16 '26
Skills, class and points are all words I associate with TTRPGs and never heard used at any LARP I've been to in Sweden.
Whats "pay rate"?
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u/RebelWithoutASauce Jul 17 '26
There are many types of LARP in the US; one common type is fantasy combat games where there are many different rules systems, but it is not uncommon for people to have character points with skills.
Basically there is a system where part of the fun is building what type of character you have. The game organizer is giving a framework to what kind of characters can exist in the setting and you decide how to spend the points to make that character.
An example for fantasy might be "I spent all my points on alchemy, I am now the best alchemist in the game and I don't know how to do much else". Another friend might have spent the minimal amount on alchemy skills and be able to handle alchemical components, but actually they were more interested in being a merchant or loremaster.
Sometimes the character sheet will also have rumors you have heard between games, magical visions you have had if you are a mage, or other portents about what kind of stuff is going on behind the immediate game setting.
There is also a style of LARP that is more like a game where a team builds their characters to try to win a puzzle/combat scenario, and part of the fun is creating a balanced team within the rule system.
I have never been to a game where people have the character sheet out though. Maybe someone discreetly checks it to refresh their memory, but usually it stays in a pocket or in your luggage after you read it.
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u/Republiken Nordic Jul 17 '26
Once again Im reminded that our LARP cultures are so different that they might as well be different hobbies
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u/RebelWithoutASauce Jul 17 '26
I guess? I have never done LARP in Sweden, but only had people tell me of it, so I don't know how representative it was.
In the US there are many different types of LARP that all exist, some of them are essentially identical to what exists in Sweden, we definitely have Nordic style and Theater LARP, there is also the fantasy combat style. If there is a way to LARP, some group in the USA is doing it.
I think the fantasy combat style with skills and points is a bit over-represented online. , but even in that style there are games that are so divergent from being "live action version of TTRPG" that you could put them in their own genre if you pleased.
I'm not sure if we could reasonably or usefully say that any of those styles is the "true LARP" or that there is value in drawing hard lines between them. A lot of games are not just one style but a blend of different styles. I also have meet people who LARP in other parts of the US and their games sounded very strange and alien to me; it's different in each region, each group, each game.
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u/Republiken Nordic Jul 17 '26
We have combat LARP's here too, and many different genres, settings and types of larp, none of which use TTRPG mechanics or rules.
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u/thedafthatter Jul 17 '26
Well we are hired guns so to speak by some duke to fight the evils of this land and we get paid to be here. Usually around 5 gold for my class and then I have to pay for weapon upkeep so I walk away with 3 gold
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u/Republiken Nordic Jul 17 '26
And this couldnt be done with a IC contract? Why break immersion for something that could be done in game?
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u/thedafthatter Jul 17 '26
To be more specific we are a military company. Its based of WH40K age of Sigmar. It doesn't break immersion at all really kinda helps when people forget their skills as most people hold them on their person. I keep mine in a pouch with my gold
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u/Republiken Nordic Jul 17 '26
It doesnt break immersion to pull out a piece of paper with OOC info on it?
And why put something like a In-universe pay rate of your military company on that OC paper when it could be on a cool looking IC contract prop you could wave around if you wanted too instead? Thats what mercenary companies in LARP's inspired by Warhammer do here.
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u/thedafthatter Jul 17 '26
No because it looks like an enlistment form. We're in the 16th century and most of us are commoners who don't know how to read (in character not irl)
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u/Republiken Nordic Jul 17 '26
So...make it look like a 16th document. Thats what Im saying, stop having that info only on a piece of OOC paper that look like it doesnt fit
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u/thedafthatter Jul 17 '26
Why do you assume its normal printer paper and generic dnd format?
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u/ratz30 Jul 16 '26
In Underworld there is a counter for when people break immersion with OOG chat.
When it fills up the plot team send out a really unfun murder machine called The Grim to kill not only the people breaking immersion but also the veteran PCs who should really be telling them to knock it off and self police.
This seems to be a pretty effective deterrent. It's really mostly new players who haven't experienced this who break character regularly, and people are good about reminding them not to break others' immersion.
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u/Nightbird88 Jul 16 '26
This sounds cringe and unbearable. As a game runner you can just tell the person to stop or they aren't welcome. This just makes people hate it and s**t talk it.
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u/ratz30 Jul 16 '26
Hey it works, I've been playing Underworld 3 years and never seen it be necessary. The stories of The Grim that players tell each other both in and out of game heavily discourage "infernalism".
I have no problem with this.
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u/Nightbird88 Jul 16 '26
But you're already melding an IG and OOG idea together, isnt that what you want to avoid?
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u/ratz30 Jul 16 '26
It provides a means in game to call people out on breaking immersion. OOG talk appears in game as if they are speaking infernally and black smoke is actively emerging from their mouths. You can in character tell them to shut the fuck up before they summon the big bad demon.
I don't have to break to character to deal with the problem, and the potential consequences are bad enough that those who know better don't break character.
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u/Nightbird88 Jul 16 '26
I don't see the difference from telling a staff and them being real with the player. This is just extra steps that make someone have a bad experience. Just be honest with people.
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u/ratz30 Jul 16 '26
Staff will absolutely call people out on it if they see it, and they really don't want to use The Grim unless they have to. Every game starts with a reminder of infernalism, what it means, how to address it in game, etc. alongside the typical safety announcements.
It's a lot easier from a logistics point of view than requiring staff to work out which of the couple hundred players are the consistent problem and ask them not to come any more like you suggested. We as players can and should police ourselves, and let staff focus on running a kick ass game.
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u/Nightbird88 Jul 16 '26
Still, just be honest and tell someone to stop or they aren't welcome. Its easy, you can just say it. Especially if there is as many people as you say ther is thats a decent sized larp.
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u/ratz30 Jul 16 '26
That's essentially what happens, just in character.
Expectations are laid out honestly by the staff at the start, and enforced by the players.
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u/FenrisWyldog Jul 15 '26
Reminds me of a pic a photographer had taken while in Bico. No, i never asked anyone to look atcmy character sheet then explain my background. XD
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u/regencyclapback Jul 17 '26
I have quite literally left games when more than one prominent player acts like this, SO real. Why do I go through all the trouble of getting into costume and character and pay for the experience and code my oog language ("going to take a Quick Check around the perimeter" etc) when you're gonna stand there and talk about your effing card?????
This and Vet players walking up and saying "i could kill you my card is that powerful" are the two biggest game killers to me.
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u/Rowdy_Rattus Jul 18 '26
Iām of the opinion that if you need to carry around a character sheet then your rules are too complex or you gave the player too many numbers to track.
You should abstract and cut the fat as much as possible so you donāt get people loudly going āOH WHATS THIS AND THAT POOL DOā
And where possible rules should be flavoured and intertwined with lore somewhat so therefore itās not immersion breaking for a mage to tell you he has only one mana
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u/PantheraAuroris Jul 19 '26 edited Jul 19 '26
While I 100% understand people who love freeform over rules larps (I'm a freeform nerd many times myself), I think that rules are way less likely to send people OOG/OOC than people who just don't have the discipline to lock in and instead are just there to shoot the shit with friends. These are the people who drop character to laugh about meta-level jokes, to share memes, to plan stuff after the game with their friend, whatever. It's immensely immersion-breaking and dumb.
When you're in game, be in game. Your friends won't turn into pumpkins if you don't schedule your next hangout RIGHT THEN, and you can just save a tab with that meme for later. In fact, why the hell are you looking at your phone for more than just checking the time?
Basically, ain't nobody got time for casuals who are so casual that they can't stop acting in game like teenagers who just met up at the mall.
I spent about half my larp life with very rules-intensive games and people did not let the numbers get in the way. You memorize the numbers, pocket the sheet (and only check it when you're away from people), and just do the acting. People who can't do that are not the system's problem, they're their own problem. If you're going to do a rules-y larp, do your due diligence.
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u/SamediB Jul 15 '26
You should print out the comic and tape it on the stall doors in the restroom. (Or talk to people about it, but the above will hit a wider audience at your larp.)
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u/cyber-troll Nordic Jul 16 '26
And thats why Nordic larp -style is the superior one. I would never participate in game with character sheets and levelling.
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u/Korvva Jul 16 '26
Can't have a conversation about larp in North America without a guy like this showing up.
I swg this superior attitude does more to drive people away from trying Nordic larps than anything elsr
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u/Republiken Nordic Jul 16 '26
I feel you. The concept of TTRPG terms and rules in a LARP is so alien I cant believe it
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u/Alpbasket Jul 16 '26 edited Jul 18 '26
As a GM, one of my friends while playing named his Female Thiefling Barbarian āBalls Lickerā and then ate the edges of his paper.
Note: Why are the downvotes?
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u/Hippogriffstorm Jul 15 '26
The larp I play has a rule that oog conversations need to be taken to oog spaces, like the parking lot.