Comments | mediaprophet: Anime LARP Analysis

mediaprophet

Anime LARP Analysis

Nov 11, 2008 02:09

Preface: Remember as you read this that I don't mean to criticize this form of LARP. There are some severe logistical limitations on the medium, and I think that the people who put these games on do a fantastic job despite them. However, I will conclude this analysis with some recommendations for how they could do better, within the constraints ( Read more... )

Comments 38

shinotenshi02 November 11 2008, 08:20:33 UTC

I've really enjoyed reading this, Jon. Not only as a GM at Otakon, and for what you've proposed as Anime LARP vs. non-anime LARp, but also b/c you helped me figure out part of why I was...satisfied this weekend, if not wholly fulfilled with my LARP experience.

I didn't get many of my 'squee' moments with characters, in spotlight. I had a few very quiet ones, which was very nice--and I had my 'squee' I finally drew my sword! moment at the end, but even then...you make sense.

I do wish to ask what you mean by a 'bang!' moment, as I'm sure I'm familiar with it, but not that I'm recognizing it.

mediaprophet November 11 2008, 17:53:22 UTC

A "Bang!" is LARP-speak for an intense or dramatic point in a plot ( ... )

mediaprophet November 11 2008, 18:41:43 UTC

"...satisfied this weekend"

I think I know what you mean: Were you satisfied because you were entertained by the Squee! moments that you saw happening to other favorite characters of yours, even if the character you played wasn't the one getting the fan service?

shinotenshi02 November 11 2008, 21:10:36 UTC

*nod* That's kind of it exactly. I would've LOVED to have more squee moments myself, for my char, especially since I had a hook--anyone could've tried to kidnap Suzume-chan and drawn me out that way... BUT, I did enjoy the LARP over all, and yes--I very much enjoyed squee moments of others. (Kakashi's player kept knocking me OUT of character b/c my inner fangirl thought he was AWESOME.) I'm.....satisfied with how I played my char though, and how I did--even if I'd have liked to do more. I wasn't wholly fulfilled as a player, as I kind of like some spotlight (I don't need it all, but I like some) and my own squee-moments, but I also know that I did a damn good job with my char in a difficult situation, and I'm fulfilled on a level because of that. Just not as fulfilled as I could've been.

Thread 6

cheetahmaster November 11 2008, 15:50:30 UTC

Good reading!

I'll have some more thoughts later, but my opening shot is: PG-13 is fine, and I would argue (and did previously, and effectively) that it removes some shock value from the powergamers' arsenal while encouraging player creativity. (Although I confess it's easier when you can simply announce by fiat that 'no characters can have sex, biologically.')

sophistbastard November 11 2008, 16:43:52 UTC

I have two comments/questions:

How much of this do you think applies to any convention-based LARP as opposed to only Anime LARPs?
The idea of catchup events reminded me a bit of ARGs, which tend to have big events but are also more lag friendly since more of their content is static (or at least persistent).

mediaprophet November 11 2008, 18:06:50 UTC

1. Convention LARPs (like at CastleCon, Origins, or GenCon), where there is actually a convention outside of the LARP (as opposed to Intercon, which is all LARP), might suffer some of the player attrition due to outside events. They also suffer from the gamespace and budget problem; but if the con is dedicated to gaming, they may feel more comfortable about using public spaces because everyone there understands roleplay (whereas at NekoCon, for instance, most people do not). Additionally, gaming con LARPs can assume that the players that register are familiar with roleplaying and probably LARPing. Finally, convention LARPs are not fan-interpreted crossover roleplay games using existing characters; and therefore the players' motivations are more like what you and I are used to. Additionally, I remember that at CastleCon, you paid extra for the LARP, whereas at NekoCon and Otakon, at least, the LARP is free. So perhaps the budget issues aren't the same. That creates another suggestion, though; and I will add it in ( ... )

(The comment has been removed)

mediaprophet November 11 2008, 20:47:24 UTC

Meow ( ... )

shinotenshi02 November 11 2008, 21:20:20 UTC

One of the things I appreciate about all this, Jon...is as much of a LARP-snob you can sometimes be, you're also NOT looking down on all of us.

I know a lot of people who do seem to 'look down' on us Anime-LARPers, and it's like...um, hello? we're ALL geeks? Don't shit on my geek, just because it's not YOUR thing.

toothlesshag November 12 2008, 00:22:24 UTC

Jon has explained the culture well without going native. I think I understand now, and he is DEAD ON about squee moments. Having watched way less anime than most larpers - I think the squee moments don't do it for me...maybe sometimes they would.

baniszew November 11 2008, 21:33:29 UTC

Most of your points in here are spot-on. I definitely had a lot more fun in the OtaLARP once I started playing more portable characters (e.g. Excel Saga characters instead of Utena characters). The difficulty in being able to track down who you want to talk to and the minimalist table-top style of scenes were what made me lose interest in anime LARPS. (I also wasn't a big fan of Deus Ex at Intercon because it has some tabletop nature.) As much as I like tabletops, my motives for playing them are different than my motives for LARPing, and when I'm LARPing I'd rather not have to operate at the kind of level of suspension of disbelief that includes extensive GM narration.