Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

 Gentleman_Jellyfish wrote:

 timetowaste85 wrote:
I do think the costume part and vampire side of it are weird, but the swordplay was great.

Why is it weird for him to dress the part of his hobby? We spend obscene amounts of money and time putting small bits of pigments on a model that a normal person would most likely call action figures and barbie dolls, yet dressing the part of a LARP is weird?

Also, would you find people who do milsim or "reenactment" airsoft/paintball weird for dressing up and playing a role? It's pretty much the same thing.

Pitched battles, last team with a man (or men) standing won. Reset, kill. Some in the woods, some capturing terrain, king of the hill, etc. Most of our group was more into the combat than the story and we were all on the school sports teams. We tried one campaign, and most of us lost interest.

 Gentleman_Jellyfish wrote:

 timetowaste85 wrote:
I do think the costume part and vampire side of it are weird, but the swordplay was great.

Why is it weird for him to dress the part of his hobby? We spend obscene amounts of money and time putting small bits of pigments on a model that a normal person would most likely call action figures and barbie dolls, yet dressing the part of a LARP is weird?

Agreed. I play airsoft, and I have two period-correct Russian uniforms; one for late 80's Soviet Marine, and one for WW2 Russian infantry. Would that be considered weird? It's definitely LARPing.

 TheAuldGrump wrote:
In Maine we had Colleen Lachowicz - a Democrat that was targeted by The Republican Party of Maine as having 'Disturbing Alter-Ego'.

She plays a level 68 Orc in World of Warcraft.

Yup. I wrote her campaign a check when that happened. Wanted to be part of the financial surge to send a message. Unfortunately, I still get calls from various Maine Democrat organizations to this day, despite the fact that I tell them all I'm a Virginia libertarian.

Something tells me this guy isn't going to see anywhere near the same support.

 Seaward wrote:

 TheAuldGrump wrote:
In Maine we had Colleen Lachowicz - a Democrat that was targeted by The Republican Party of Maine as having 'Disturbing Alter-Ego'.

She plays a level 68 Orc in World of Warcraft.

Yup. I wrote her campaign a check when that happened. Wanted to be part of the financial surge to send a message. Unfortunately, I still get calls from various Maine Democrat organizations to this day, despite the fact that I tell them all I'm a Virginia libertarian.

Something tells me this guy isn't going to see anywhere near the same support.

Aye, LARPing just isn't quite at the point where "normals" will adopt a live&let live attitude yet in the way they would with computer games. Hell even tabletop gaming is only barely at that point.

It'll be interesting to see how attitudes shift if we ever get some kind of immersive VR, since at that point "LARPing" and "gaming" would essentially be the same thing.

 Yodhrin wrote:


It'll be interesting to see how attitudes shift if we ever get some kind of immersive VR, since at that point "LARPing" and "gaming" would essentially be the same thing.

LARPing has the advantage of being with real people, in the flesh, though. And some geeks clean up nice when they want to, and some of the outfits the gals wear are on the slinky a/o low cut side.

There are some perks to socializing not via a computer.

 Nevelon wrote:

 Yodhrin wrote:


It'll be interesting to see how attitudes shift if we ever get some kind of immersive VR, since at that point "LARPing" and "gaming" would essentially be the same thing.

LARPing has the advantage of being with real people, in the flesh, though. And some geeks clean up nice when they want to, and some of the outfits the gals wear are on the slinky a/o low cut side.

There are some perks to socializing not via a computer.

Lies and Slander!

Sol, we know who you socialise with online.

I think Nev wins this one.

 MrDwhitey wrote:
Sol, we know who you socialise with online.

I think Nev wins this one.

There was a competition?

I hope this guy wins, Vampires are sadly under represented in congress.

 hotsauceman1 wrote:
I hope this guy wins, Vampires are sadly under represented in congress.

I'd not be so sure about that. Have you seen the collection of withered corpses we have there? I'm guessing we are not 100% undead free.

 Nevelon wrote:

 hotsauceman1 wrote:
I hope this guy wins, Vampires are sadly under represented in congress.

I'd not be so sure about that. Have you seen the collection of withered corpses we have there? I'm guessing we are not 100% undead free.

I chuckled. Nice job

I always used to think LARPers were really weird, until I met some kids who were into it and discovered they were completely normal.
And when you think reasonably about it, LARPing is indeed not much weirder than spending obscene amounts of money on painting and playing with little toy figures

Like I said, the way my friends and I LARPed was far more normal than WHFB/40K. It's once you start wearing ears and getting in verbal fights with the shortest member of your "party" and skip out on the actual fighting that gets weird. I miss LARP a lot. But I miss my LARP. Not the traditional kind.

 Nevelon wrote:

 Yodhrin wrote:


It'll be interesting to see how attitudes shift if we ever get some kind of immersive VR, since at that point "LARPing" and "gaming" would essentially be the same thing.

LARPing has the advantage of being with real people, in the flesh, though. And some geeks clean up nice when they want to, and some of the outfits the gals wear are on the slinky a/o low cut side.

There are some perks to socializing not via a computer.

Mmm, and what exactly would be the different between, say, a fully immersive multiplayer VR environment with sensory feedback, and "real people, in the flesh"?

You know, other than judging people based on the persona they want to present, rather than how much of their cleavage you can see.

 Yodhrin wrote:


Mmm, and what exactly would be the different between, say, a fully immersive multiplayer VR environment with sensory feedback, and "real people, in the flesh"?

You know, other than judging people based on the persona they want to present, rather than how much of their cleavage you can see.

Girls are soft and smell nice. Once we get VR to the point where it can deliver that, you'll have a point. But right now (and for the foreseeable future) VR is just sight/sound and maybe some limited tactile feedback.

I thinking more practical, short term VR. Once we start jacking into the matrix, all bets are off.

The sad part about this is that he actually has to defend LARPing. Some people like to spend their weekends sitting on a couch watching sports on TV. Others spend their time in costume running around and using their brains for fun. This is nothing anyone should have to defend.

Who is the bigger sports guy? The jock from high school, drinking a 6-pack of bud while watching football, remembering the high school days of that one awesome sack? Or the kid with glasses and a cape, dexterously wielding a sword, blocking a killing thrust and decapitating his opponent? Yeah...that's what I thought.

I miss LARP (for the tenth time. )

I'm not really into LARP but I can see how it'd appeal to some.
Still, I hope this guy isn't adversely affected by his hobby. That'd be unfortunate for everyone.

Politicians are always trying to attack one another for silly things. In America, we've had one opposition group attack their opponent as a 'racist,' because during his career as an actor he had played a racist character on TV.

We've also had a member of the Bush administration come under fire because he enjoyed historical re-enactments. Several photos of him at one such event, clad in a Nazi uniform, were used out of context to make him seem like a real loony toon. Re-enactments are just socially acceptable forms of LARPing, really, so I don't see a difference.

He'd have my vote!

I'm not sure, there's something a bit iffy about those dressing up in nazi uniform at historical reinactments particularly things like SS rather than regular infantry. It's even prevented or at least frowned upon by those within the organisation of such groups and events precisely because it attracts the wrong sorts.

 timetowaste85 wrote:
Who is the bigger sports guy? The jock from high school, drinking a 6-pack of bud while watching football, remembering the high school days of that one awesome sack? Or the kid with glasses and a cape, dexterously wielding a sword, blocking a killing thrust and decapitating his opponent? Yeah...that's what I thought.

I miss LARP (for the tenth time. )

I wouldn't characterize most LARPers I've played with as being able to wield their boffers dexterously.

I guess you have never faced me then. Admittedly I have taken ken-bo and aikido, so it gives me somewhat of an advantage.

 Howard A Treesong wrote:
I'm not sure, there's something a bit iffy about those dressing up in nazi uniform at historical reinactments particularly things like SS rather than regular infantry. It's even prevented or at least frowned upon by those within the organisation of such groups and events precisely because it attracts the wrong sorts.

like princes?