Yo dudes, I just found out there's a LARPing group about twenty minutes away that does events every other week, and I was curious to check it out. I like to stay in shape and do all sorts of physical stuff and this looked like a really fun time. So, my question is, has anyone here ever done this? Is it fun? Should I train with a wooden sword and become a huge badass?

I found a local forum for this stuff too, so if no pone replies, I'll just post this up there, as I'm sure to get an answer. But I figured I'd ask my metal dudes first.

A friend of mine just started doing this with his buddies and he fucking loves it. Not only does it get him out of the house, he gets to be an ogre and smash people in melee. He builds his own weapons out of pvc and foam and since he's a sculptor, the armatures are sturdy and he paints the detail to his heart's content. He loves it and will probably never use range weapons.

I say go for it. If it's corn, you'll stop anyhow.

NERRRRRRRRRD!

/me goes back to his Board Game Thread...

Seriously, I like fantasy and medieval stuff but I never tried LARPing, we have great organisations here like Bicolline, maybe one day, but for now D&D will have to do!
I have a friend who's into that and it seems very cool, I'm sure I would do a good axe wielding barbarian!

LARPing can be fun but it really depends on the people you're with and how the role playing is being handled; playing dress up and beating people up with plastic swords does not equal LARPing. I must admit that medieval/fantasy settings are a bit too much for my taste anyway. When it comes to LARP I like a bit more modern/grittier settings like World of Darkness. But by all means do it if you really are interested.

I've never been to Bicolline but I'm sure it's not really the same as LARPing. LARPing are like those dorks on the Mont-Royal park in the summer.

Hmm....I dunno if I wanna be a dork....but I think I'll try it regardless. It's got a huge battle re-enactment coming up in three weeks.

Well apparently I'm wrong and they have a Bicolline RPG. D'oh.

Er, too late? It shouldn't matter if you really want to do it, though.

Of course Bicolline is LARPing. "Bicolline propose un univers de jeu médieval fantastique «réel» dans lequel vous pouvez incarner le personnage dont vous avez toujours rêvé". Their website is in French only, but it's the largest LARP organisation in North America based if we believe what they say.

Frog, I would totally join you, we should make a MA batallion!

Bicolline is sort of like a cross between a LARP, a medieval reenactment, and an entirely in-character renaissance fair.

One of the largest LARP systems is NERO, they have something like 50 chapters. Weekend-long affairs that rent a park or campground and create their own fantasy world, complete with quests, general role-playing, and usually a few big battles.
http://nerolarp.com/news.php

Metal. As. Hell.



Hehe, it was a bit of a self-aware post

I'm getting involved with a group of people, some of whom LARP. No thanks. Too cheesy and unbelievable, big foam swords and silly medieval fantasy quests and shit. Bleh.

LARPers --> <-- everyone else in the world.

Seriously though, this seems like the lamest shit ever. If you wish to immerse yourself in a gathering of the largest number of virgins per square mile, then go ahead.

Pfft, screw the haters. I've never LARPed, but if that's what someone wants to do for fun then good for them! Beats the hell out of bunch of hetero dudes hooting and hollering over gay porn UFC.

Also, I_Am_Vengeance, the LARPers are probably all doing each other. Weird and kinky LARP sex.

You sound like an idiot, sorry, yeah I forgot you were from Australia for a moment! My friend told me that the LARP he does (1 complete week) is like half women/men and that there's a lot of "things" happening...Nerds can fuck too (but yeah, you already know that!)

Jeez relax guy, you know I'm just kidding around. Just because you are about half a step away from being in the above-mentioned group doesn't justify your extreme racism against the oppressed idiots of 'straya.

Hey, I never tried LARPing!!!

Ignore IAV, he's a dirty bogan.

THAT'S NOT A KNIFE

I think most people do LARPing in some aspect of their lives, it's just that some forms are more socially acceptable.

Have at it!

I'd probably never LARP, but SCA seems like it'd be a lot of fun. No fantasy BS, just pure sweating-in-armor melée combat.

But yeah, you should at least give it a try if you feel inclined, Frogger. If it makes you feel dirty you don't have to do it again.

I used to play airsoft and whenever I told people about it, they were usually interested. The concept of sneaking through the woods while baking inside layers of military gear just seems interesting to them, probably because it's more contemporary. I've only done skirmishes, but there are a few organizations do campaigns and campouts. Generally, airsofting isn't as high on the LARPing scale as stuff like SCA, but it is indeed a more socially acceptable.

I LARP and I have all sorts of sexual relations.

IAV is jealous of me in every way.

Aye. I've seen y'alls played knifayspoonney before then eh?

I would love to LARP! but sadly the closes we get to it is the local ren fair, where the fairy's are sometimes *ahem* fairy's and the queen will totally bum a smoke off ya.

That hasn't stopped me from working out purely so that I can go in full Orc costume, sadly they don't allow un-sheathed weapons inside so I'll have to put some sort of cardboard or something over my battleaxe, or just not take it at all, Curse you safety!!!!

My LARPing experience is pretty limited but I'd encourage you to go for it. I've heard nothing but good things from my friends and it's a good way to meet people while being active.

And seriously, the nerd stigma is more or less dead at this point. I can't be the only one who has noticed that being nerdy is a rather common trend these days...

well basically an entirely in-character renaissance fair IS a complete LARP

Larp is pretty faggy. If you want to learn swordplay, join a steel-weapons living history group. Fuck the fairies and elves bullshit, learn that shit properly.