Where other forms of geek culture such as video gaming, sci-fi and the internet have become popularised and mainstream, Live Action Role-Playing (LARP) and its tabletop predecessors have remained outliers. Academics have speculated that this is due to the games resembling childhood notions of ‘playing pretend’ as well as a lack of positive mass marketing. The mainstream perception is that LARPers are strange, socially awkward and detached from reality, but the truth is there is more sense and normalcy in the LARPing community than most people would believe.
In a nutshell, LARPing is a form of unscripted acting – what Wikipedia describes as characters pursuing “goals within a fictional setting represented by the real world, while interacting with each other in character.” There are storylines and rules, and the games can be as short as a few hours or stretch across an entire weekend. The scenarios and storylines can be formed from pop culture, history, or simply made up from scratch by a creative Gamemaster. There is plenty of running around, lots of communication and possibly even some mock fighting using props such as foam swords.
Costumes are a big part of LARPing, as they add to the realism of the experience. In the same way James Cameron spent millions of dollars making the cinema experience as immersive as possible through 3D technology, LARPers spend a lot of time and effort working on their costumes for the same effect. Although dressing the part is not a necessity to be involved, it does add to the spectacle of the event and helps players stay in character throughout the game. The community doesn’t tend to go overboard and there were no stories of people spending all their money on costumes for a one off event, instead there was more of a community spirit around the costuming aspect of LARPs. They work within their means, with players coming together and adapting clothes they already have, and also a system of borrowing and lending of costume pieces to other members of the group.
The popularity of LARPing is based on the same principle that makes people play video games, or go to the cinema, and that is escapism. The difference is that whereas most forms of escapism available are solitary exercises, LARPing requires intensive social interaction and this is probably its greatest asset. It brings in a new dimension to the game and requires the players to be on their toes, strategise about their next move, and figuring out which characters they can trust. There is an outside perception that because of the in-depth nature of the characters and their interactions, LARPers actually lose touch with reality, but this couldn’t be further from the truth. The community is very clear that safety is paramount and this extends to the mental wellbeing of its members and this ensures that the boundaries between real life and the game are never blurred.
Unlike other subcultures that “live the lifestyle,” those who participate in the LARPing community believe that it is not LARPing that defines them, and that their weekend exploits are more often described as a hobby rather than lifestyle. They are not extreme by any measure, and they do not define themselves by the personas they take on. Sure they have a passion for what they do, they have to, or otherwise they wouldn’t do it. Chris Hoggins recounts how he began LARPing: “I guess it comes from an extension of table top role-playing, which is where I started. LARPing has some advantages over tabletop, especially around costuming and acting in the first person as opposed to the third person, where you simply describe what you’re doing. I do it for entertainment, if you are not being entertained, then you shouldn’t do it.”
On the whole, LARPing has not been treated fairly by the media, whose stories and documentaries often take the easy road and simply provide a lens through which to take cheap shots at the community from afar. But the LARPing community in Auckland are counteracting this lazy and negative journalism through what can be described as LARPing brand awareness; they have become more media savvy to ensure that the hobby they love does not become yet another poorly researched joke piece at the end of the evening news. When they are approached by journalists, the community comes together through online forums to weigh up the benefits of free publicity with the possibility that the coverage could be more detrimental than helpful.
Their cautious approach is working, as can be seen through a recent 20/20 piece on the New Zealand LARPing community. The article saw a reporter immerse himself in the community and participating in the games. The result was a balanced look into all the different types of people who participate in this hobby and allowed the community a right of reply to all the publicity that has painted them to be reclusive weirdos who actually think they are wizards. But there is a long way to go before LARPing can break down the negative stereotypes that have been associated with it, and as long-time LARPer Cameron Burns points out “It doesn’t matter what I say about why I LARP, people will still judge the hobby without knowing anything about it.”
These unfair negative aspersions show the true strength and resolve of the LARPing community. No matter what people say, LARPers have the confidence to continue doing what they love. It’s easy (but spineless) to pick on a group knowing nothing about them. But LARPers are not likely to fight back, because they’re good people who understand that two wrongs don’t make a right, and they should never have to apologise for simply having a bit of fun.
Don’t knock it till you try it. You can find more information about LARPing and the community at www.nzlarps.org.
-Elisa Brown and James Cooper
