Larp Sub-format

ADVISORY NOTE: CONSIDER EVERYTHING ON RPG RESEARCH AS A "REQUEST FOR COMMENTS" (RFC). AS WITH EVERYTHING AT RPG RESEARCH, ALL INFORMATION IS PROPOSED BASED ON THE LATEST RESEARCH AND EVIDENCE-IN-PRACTICE INFORMATION. WE WELCOME DIFFERING VIEWPOINTS, PERSPECTIVES FROM MANY DISCIPLINES, ALTERNATE THEORIES, AND ESPECIALLY _CONSTRUCTIVE_ CRITICISM AND FEEDBACK. AS WITH EVERYTHING AT RPG RESEARCH IT IS AN ITERATIVE BEST EFFORT APPROACH THAT GROWS THROUGH THE INVOLVEMENT OF MORE AND DIVERSE CONTRIBUTORS.

It would not be a difficult argument to make that Larp (live-action role-play) is an activity unto itself separate from TRPGs. However, when looking at the Hawkes-Robinson RPG Model, which includes Larps are part of the spectra considerations for what is and is-not an RPG, these are a critical activity that straddle that fuzzy boundary. For non-RPGers there is very little to no difference between RPG formats in general, they all blur together as "RPGs" for tabletop, live-action, electronic, and hybrids. But for Larpers and other RPGers there are definitely distinctive differences, and there are different population accessibility and safety considerations important to take into account with specific larps.

For the discussion of the Hawkes-Robinson RPG Model Formats, larps are considered at the far end of the LRPG format from TRPGs.

Pros & Cons