[Sell Me] ...on LARP

[Violet Crazy Girl]

In theory, I like LARPs. Playing dress-up? Fun. Walking around in a fictional skin? Fun.

In practice, I haven't liked any LARP I've been in (Mind's Eye Theatre, all). I think the problem is the system. I'm sitting there, happily playing, and then we have to resolve something, and I just completely fall out of game. That guy isn't standing in front of me threatening me with a gun, he's standing in front of me threatening me with a notecard, and we're playing rock paper scissors. It's not that the system gets in the way of my suspension of disbelief. It's that it lies in wait until my SoD is in the middle of the crosswalk, guns it down, runs over it a few times, then screeches off into the night, leaving behind a bloody mess.

This is not a problem in tabletop, for all variety of reasons. (Mostly: there already exists a clear line between the game world and the real world, and my body is not involved in the former in any meaningful way.)

I'd probably like freeform a lot more, yes. Let's take that as a given. What LARP systems might I find more palatable? The following requirements are pretty much absolute:

No in-scene meta-talk. Ideally, I'd prefer no in-scene mechanics at all, but I'd probably be okay with mechanics which are clearly defined, require no words, and are pretty unto themselves (example: Someone lays down a tarot card, The Moon, thus making a statement about the scene).
No combat. Boffer combat is totally fun. Additionally, it has nothing to do with the sort of roleplaying I'm interested in. Non-boffer combat seems like playing tabletop while standing.

I'm perfectly happy with systems which break, say, between scenes to resolve the consequences of the previous scene, or even set the flow of the next scene. I just don't know of any systems which do this.

So… Does there exist a form of LARP which might work for me? Or should I just give up and say, “arr. it's a tabletop life for me?”

[Jadasc]

Sounds like you'd be happier with something like ILF style.

[tetsujin28]

There are plenty of types of LARPS out there. My friends tend to run ones in which there's no physical conflict whatsoever, so that there's only interaction. You might enjoy that style more.

[James Holloway]

Sounds like <i>Cthulhu Lives</i> (rather than <i>Cthulhu Live</i>). Check out the HP Lovecraft Historical Society site. (http://cthulhulives.org)

[Nath]

or try a larp that uses 'boffer' mechanics, but has little or no acual combat due to the setting.

[Levi]

There's a set of rules in my Sig. They're pretty short.

If you're willing to look, then tell me; to you, do they sound more like what you're looking for, less, or about the same as what you've played with a few twists?

[neolithicmoon]

So… Does there exist a form of LARP which might work for me? Or should I just give up and say, “arr. it's a tabletop life for me?”

Bah. Don't give up yet.
I've always felt like the key isn't in the mechanics, but in the other players.
Find a group of players who have similar interests in regard to the way you want to play and then you can all try out any mechanic (or non-mechanic) you like.

The group I'm in now uses mediation to resolve just about everything, but I understand your desire to not break the mood. We have a few house rules about breaking character and maintaining mood/theme, but ultimately these things are going to vary from group to group.

Just keep looking around and if nothing else works, start a LARP yourself.
Then you get to set the rules and hand-pick the players.

[David Artman]

or try a larp that uses 'boffer' mechanics, but has little or no acual combat due to the setting.

Or try a boffer LARP and be a non-combatant.

Or try a "boffer" LARP that actually uses child-safe projectile weapons instead of melee sticks--they often are deadly enough that combat is often avoided.

In short, if you can't suspend disbelief enough to allow a non-contact system resolution mechanic to work itself out, then you need a resolution mechanic that is as immersive as possible; i.e. you as a player actually acting out and doing, not declaring and then testing whether your character CAN DO. I don't think even the smoothest, most intuitive, most colorful system is going to satisfy, because of the intrinsic "try to do, then test to see if done" two-speed play. Further, most non-contact systems have to parse time, to manage multiple actors; contact (boffer) LARPs rarely have to do so, because they have real acting and doing to "manage time" automatically. Time parsing will DEFINITELY bunny-stomp your SOD, if having to do a quick R-P-S throw does!

So, if you claim you just can not do "the sort of RP [you're] interested in" in a contact game system (Huh? Talk about a GIANT assumption about contact LARPs!)... and can't do it consistently in non-contact game systems... then, yep, you're screwed. Check out systemless LARPs (i.e. host your own murder or "arthaus" LARPs like White Room) or start collecting dice and sewing seat cushions.

Sorry to see you leave;
David

[barbariansrule]

I totally see your problem. When we run a parlor larp, if a conflict cannot be resolved by roleplay, we time out ourselves and go into another room to r-p-s, then return to roleplay the conflict and resolution. It's not perfect, but at least we get some good acting. We also use props to represent weapons (cap guns, theatrical knives,etc.) The realistic props tend to encourage people to take actions that they could only narrate before. Staring down the barrel of a gun (even a toy gun) is apt to put you right back in the moment.;)