by Danara Alexandrei | Jan 24, 2020 | LARP Civics, LARPs, Newcomers
LARPing is, at its core, a whole bunch of geeks getting together in one space to do something they love.
Unfortunately, that comes with a lot of logistical issues. Not everyone wants the same thing from a LARP, and it’s a game of compromise and care for your fellow humans. Here’s a few suggestions on how to be your best self at LARP, and help others have a great time.
Know what you want and what you need.
As you are prepared to compromise, you have to make sure you are aware of your boundaries. A lot of people will be falling into roles and enjoying a setting to its fullest that may have themes that you don’t care for. Make sure you know where the line is so you can get out before you’re actually hurt. These guys are your friends, some of them, but a lot of them are strangers. Nobody wants to accidentally hurt you, but nobody here is psychic either. If you have a hard line against a topic that will come up in game, make a plan for how you will personally avoid it. If you can’t figure out a good way to avoid a hard line for you, don’t put yourself in that situation. If you can’t stand feudalism and will get upset whenever it comes up, don’t join a feudal game. If you just sorta don’t care for it, join and make plans for how to not participate in it as much as you can.
Don’t blame others for you not having fun.
Other people can’t make you have fun. Only you can. While sometimes missing stairs are a thing, most times, another LARPer accidentally getting in the way of your fun is just that–an accident. Not everyone knows what is fun for you, but you do! You can’t force yourself to always have fun, and sometimes things just won’t work out, but I can tell you that even in the crummiest most boring of games, if you desire to have fun, you can have it. This isn’t saying you can’t discuss how to fix issues, or address a certain player’s fun being opposite your own, but blaming another human being who is not targeting you for taking your fun away isn’t the way to fix your game–it’s a crab pot mentality, where you are trying to spread your misery.
Be Considerate.
Be willing to listen if someone else says something isn’t working for them. If something you are doing is intrinsically unhelpful and stressful for them, try and work it out. Don’t force yourself to bend over backwards to the point that you can’t have fun, but be cautious and courteous. If that person doesn’t like being bullied in character and your character is just a bully, implement the old forum strategy: try not to run into them. When your fun and their fun is completely opposite one another, it’s best to give them space if you can’t add positives to their game. You’ll find there are a lot of players who love strife and conflict–it’s better when it’s done with someone you are comfortable with and it’s entirely in character.
by Danara Alexandrei | Jan 24, 2020 | Costume and Props, LARPs, Newcomers, Vendors
Or where to Buy your New LARP gear
There are lots of different options for getting your LARP costumes and gear: thrifting, home-making, borrowing. Sometimes, we don’t have the time to muss around, though, and we just want some quality base layers and gear for our costume that take as little energy as possible. Let me introduce you to some of my favorite LARP shopping avenues–not just for their content, but also, many times, for their service and policies!
For the girl who needs a fantasy medieval dress among us, especially the gorgeously fat girl, there’s HolyClothing.com . This company has an inclusive attitude toward all sizes and genders and is constantly increasing their styles and options, plus the quality is to die for. Going up to 5x in size, most of their dresses are light and airy and good for wearing in the summer or being a base layer for the winter, and they are all hand-dyed fabric that’s easy to wash. The styles range from medieval fantasy to just general enjoyment, and the embroidery on their dresses is really eye catching. If I had anything negative to say about Holy Clothing, it’d be only that their clothes are usually one single color, and definitely need some accessories to pop properly–but, really, that’s as much a boon as a bane. After all, if you need a base layer, having several different colors can be distracting. My experience with buying a surcote with them is that the surcote is extremely thin, so don’t get it to keep warm, but I’ve yet to try out their coat.
Next on the list is Verillas. Known for their utilikilts, Verillas has a surprisingly wide selection on their site of things that range from belts and boots all the way to some really well-priced tunics which are perfect for LARP. I have enjoyed endlessly their Warrior Shorts, too. Verillas supports the LGBTQ+ community, as well, and sells a wide range of pride kilts, which, while not for LARP necessarily, can be a fine addition to your wardrobe. I’m sad to say that Verillas does not really cater to the more robust crowd, though it sometimes tries, and their return policy is only for ‘credit’ at the store, which is unfortunate if they don’t have anything in your size and you tried to buy something of their largest size in hopes it would fit. I’ve never been let down by Verillas’ quality, though, and their customer service is kind and efficient.
Finally, do you want some quality LARP weaponry to go with your new, smashing outfit? Of course you do, and you should look no further than Calimacil. While I understand they are a little pricier than other companies for your first weapon of foam war, I can say the swords here are much sturdier than their competitors, and the new foam makes them light and soft–that’s not even mentioning how beautiful they are! When I first joined LARP, I went through a sword a game because when they’d hit another player’s sword, they’d snap. I’m fully aware this is a problem for me, primarily, and that shouldn’t have been the case–if you don’t swing like an actual sword-fighter–I pulled back before touching anyone’s body, it was when other swords impacted mine–you should have no problem. But, if you’re just worried about having to buy one again in a year or so, Calimacil’s swords hold up for 5+ years, and require no latex care.
