I'm not actively working on new projects at the moment, but here is a design issue from one idea I had that's been playing on my mind.

I found an amazing (and affordable) venue (period fortified manor) for a small Game of Thrones larp. 14 people (so, comparable to Pan in size) only. Current plot premise is to start with a funeral of the previous ( Read more... )

There is a (legal and/or moral) case that larp can be considered 'performing an activity under instruction.' To use another example, if you go for a rockclimbing lesson and have a fall, the instructor can/may be held legally responsible. I can see a case that this applies to larp, but I'm not sure it does since larp is based on uninstructed ( Read more... )

Last weekend I co-organised the Nordic-style larp Pan, in a deluxe venue down near Exeter. I was very pleased with the run, and initial player feedback and posts have been extremely positive (things like ‘one of my best larps ever’ and ‘It was the most deeply immersive, amazing, touching larp experience I've ever had’). The location proved to be ( Read more... )

I’ve been thinking that the term ‘role play game’ is problematic, for a number of reasons:

• It’s possible to role play (or, play a role) in games which are clearly not intended to be role play games. Playing Hitler in the Axis & Allies board game, for example.
• It’s possible to play an RPG without roleplay. D&D can and sometimes is played as a ( Read more... )

I started some late night ramblings on circle and frames. Posting as a stream of consciousness ( Read more... )

‘Love in the Age of Debasement’ (LitAoD) is a very old Norwegian freeform. It sometimes gets thought of as a jeepform scenario, but actually predates the jeep by a long way (and it’s author Erlend isn’t part of the jeep collective). It also predates Ars Armandi (the Swedish method of using hand/arms to represent intimacy), and may have partly ( Read more... )

This weekend I’ve been In Paris from GNiales, the annual French larp convention. This was the tenth year with around 130 people over the weekend.  They were various international guests, with Russia, Czech., Swiss and Norway notably represented as well as myself ( Read more... )

Quote from a UK freeform player, posted on a public FB group, in response to the write up of this czech larp ( Read more... )

General update on my game related projects:

>academic projects

• Last month I finished an academic book chapter for a game studies research methods text, on the use of Grounded Theorising. The book has been delayed, and should now be out Summer 2015. I’m glad to be producing publishable material.
• I’ve identified 3 grants to apply for, any of which ( Read more... )

http://theatrebath.co.uk/blog/theatre-bath-announces-the-breaking-boundaries-conference-2014/Read more... )