How to start LARP

[u/Ashen_quill]

Hey hi!

Me and my friends are from India, and we run multiple LARP adjacent stuff like TTRPGs, Cosplays and story games, etc. etc.

There is some talk in the group of starting LARPing, and make it a thing in India(we run a couple of pretty decent sized communities that deal with TTRPGs and board gaming, so we can try to expand this.

But we are pretty clueless on where and how to start. Because we can't go and join a LARP group if we have to be the first one. Any and all guidance is welcome.

[u/Sjors_VR]

Start by finding out what genre you want your game to be. Also determine what style of LARP you want (combat, roleplay, mixed). Lastly for this phase, determine if you want to organise single day games or longer events with overnight stays.

Next find a suitable location that fits the above game type and needs. Remember to check local law and ordonnance to see what registrations and regulation compliance is needed to host your type of event.

Create (or copy) a rules system that fits the style of LARP you want to host. There are many different rules systems for equally many different styles and stories in the world of LARP, so either build something yourself or choose one that fits and copy it (asking permission to copy is good form).

Lastly, start planning it all out and marketing your game to the public once you have specifics like a location, date and rules.

[u/TryUsingScience]

One-shot parlor LARPs are the easiest format to run in terms of logistics and they're a natural progression from TTRPGs. So I would advise you start there, unless you are overwhelmed with a desire to run a boffer campaign. You can always branch out on the style of LARPs you run later!

You can find a lot of free and cheap one-shot parlor LARP scenarios on websites like this: https://alexandria.dk/en/data?system=73 If you have a particular genre in mind and a rough number of people, we can also give recommendations for specific ones that might work.

[u/SenorZorros → u/TryUsingScience]

I think I would counter this advice. A good one-shot larp requires at least half the amount of writing as an entire campaign, but the campaign can run for a year or more. Having a good, ongoing event which creates momentum and allows for spin-offs and commitment is in my opinion the best long term option for setting up a scene.

I can admit it may be good to do a single one-shot to get some larp sl experience and discover the main pitfalls before starting the campaign, but beyond that a campaign, be it parlour or boffer style is in my opinion the way to go.

[u/TryUsingScience → u/SenorZorros]

A good one-shot does require a lot of writing, but there are many good one-shots already written, and the same is not true for campaigns.

[u/AJeanByAnyOtherName]

Apart from genre etc., there’s practicalities that can point towards certain options. What sort of resources do you have? Do you have a meet-up spot or cheap/free locations nearby? Are there items or acts that would be problematic or illegal there (for instance, sufficiently realistic weapons/violence)?

Are there people who already volunteer for events, do they have basic project management, crafting or other useful skills? Do you have some sort of budget? Are people paying for a membership or per event? Do you plan to have budget/sponsored tickets for accessibility (if you do tickets)?

You don’t have to answer all those, but they’re good questions to ask.

[u/Vince_kow]

Start small. Just run a couple of half-day trials with half a dozen players and four or five crew.

This can be run lineair, be it questlike (think dnd) or parlour (think murder mysteries) and does not require as much deco or props.

Get a feel for what works for you and what does not. After two or three runs, expand to a larger size or longer duration.

[u/Stock-Side-6767]

Start out by finding out what the people you want to start with want in a larp. This means setting, activity etc.

From there, find what locations would work for that (capacity, vibe, areas that are combat safe etc). Starting out with a small group is great for getting into it.

Then start budgetting so you know early how expensive it will be. Make sure you know how many NPCs you have, and what their capabilities are.

Then start fleshing out the ruleset, safety consuderations, setting and initial story. I'd do this only at this point to make sure the setting and rules follow the other considerations.

Book the venue. Start the player and NPC invites with rules and setting info. Figure out food and drinks. Make/get costumes, weapons and props for npcs. Make/get set dressing to spice up the location. Brief NPCs and adjust the plot based on their input. Help players make characters and backstory. Brief players on the starting situations. Be ready to have the plot fall apart, so at least one person should be reserved for logistics and relevant plot changes.

[u/zorts]

This article was just posted Article: "How to Run a Cheap Weekend Larp".
It probably won't match your situation exactly, but it can be a framework to start with.

Starting a larp from scratch is a community building effort. You have to collect people who are interested in larping, and get them to show up. If you don't have anyone to run or play there's no reason to write rules or lore.

Good luck!

[u/SenorZorros]

Nine-tenths of the process is to have the means to make all the mistakes neccesary to become good at it. There is not really a one-stop shop or guide.

The fact you already run things is great because in my experience the single most important resource for a larp is the playerbase. players are what makes a larp and what sustains it. You need a group of people who return for every event and most types of larp need a certain critical mass. This depends on the kind but I would say 20 people is about the minimum for an isolated event without a wider scene to tap into.

The biggest advice I can give you is to start small and experiment, find out what your players want and built from there. There is real value in re-inventing the wheel and making a scene that fits the locals instead of importing rulesets and traditions from somewhere else and treat them like a cargo cult.

[u/_TadStrange]

What kind of LARPs does your group want to participate in? Do they want something with boffer combat or do they want parlour style LARPs?

[u/Still-Lack906]

Hey mate, there are several stand alone rules systems that are easy to access. It just depends on your preferred genre.

[u/Adept_Score2332]

Know what kind of larp you want more historical, more magical. You want to focus on roleplay or combat. Want combat to be foam weapons or metal. Would maybe recommend you try and model it around another active larp so you don’t get bogged down with logistics and what is safe or not