The Fool's Errand.

Blackleaf · November 16, 2006, 11:45:37 AM

QuoteThe potential challenges are implicit in the situation and the characters. You simply cannot have a character without that potential. If you are just a guy in a viking hat, standing around and chatting about last night's episode of Lost, then you are not in the game, at least at the moment. You are not even in character, and there might be a special sign for you to wear so that everyone knows it. But if you are walking through that encampment in pursuit of some IC goal, no matter whether that goal has been assigned by another or chosen by yourself, then you are undeniably taking part in the game. And the general assumption is that you will be in character unless somehow otherwise indicated.

If you would include this in your definition of game, you would also include two children playing cowboys and indians.

I'm not trying to suggest that a LARP has no value. I'm not even trying to convince you not to call it or think of it as a game.

However, when thinking of games as defined in the article I wrote, and in the challenge / goal / rules / reward definition I gave earlier. All LARP events are not games. They are an environment for games. So too are many tabletop games, I think.

The Yann Waters · November 16, 2006, 11:51:43 AM

Quote from: StuartIf you would include this in your definition of game, you would also include two children playing cowboys and indians.

You are forgetting one vital difference: the rules for determining whether the Cowboys overcome the Indians or vice versa. The children won't have those, unlike LARP.

(And I should probably mention that in Finnish, LARPs are called games.)

Aos · November 16, 2006, 12:02:18 PM

make. it. fucking. stop.

The Yann Waters · November 16, 2006, 12:06:01 PM

Quote from: Aosmake. it. fucking. stop.

See, now that's why we need the rules. How else would you know whether it stops or not?

Blackleaf · November 16, 2006, 01:17:25 PM

:banghead: :blahblah:

Les Jeux de M. Nobilis

The Yann Waters · November 16, 2006, 01:39:56 PM

To clarify: without the rules and the in-character involvement, what you are describing simply isn't a LARP. It's a theme party with costumes.

droog · November 16, 2006, 05:33:38 PM

Quote from: GrimGentSee, now that's why we need the rules. How else would you know whether it stops or not?

Yeah, a Duel of Wits mechanic would be useful here.

Levi Kornelsen · November 16, 2006, 05:35:37 PM

Quote from: droogYeah, a Duel of Wits mechanic would be useful here.

...The list of smartass remarks made available by this statement is actually rather astonishing.

droog · November 16, 2006, 06:05:55 PM

Happy to be of service.