Live Action RPG & Larp Pros & Cons
Advantages LRPGs have compared to the other RPG formats. These are the “pros”.
1. Often more competitive rather than cooperative (especially more typically competitive in US, more cooperative in other cultures).
2. The Combat-centered LARPs more athletics-focused, excluding many other player-types and athletics requirements.
3. Can be somewhat expensive for equipment/costumes, though less expensive usually than Computer-based RPG.
4. Hard to find groups in area.
5. Location accommodations can be challenging and/or limited by weather if outdoors.
6. Ongoing social stigma, and downright hostility in many locations (more than all the other forms of RPG). The high visibility of combat & in-costumed larp makes it much worse than other formats typically.
7. Much higher risk for misunderstanding (aka bleed), requires more extensive bleed management rules, training, & time.
8. More physical safety issues.
9. More complex potential legal issues (related to physical safety, as well as misunderstandings, emotional liability, etc.)
10. Accessibility problems (often not beyond the participants own abilities of the players in some larp, while the other formats more often allow going beyond their own actual abilities, this varies significantly depending on the LRPG of course).
Disadvantages LRPGs have compared to the other RPG formats. These are the “cons”.
1. Often more competitive rather than cooperative (especially more typically competitive in US, more cooperative in other cultures).
2. The Combat-centered LARPs more athletics-focused, excluding many other player-types and athletics requirements.
3. Can be somewhat expensive for equipment/costumes, though less expensive usually than Computer-based RPG.
4. Hard to find groups in area.
5. Location accommodations can be challenging and/or limited by weather if outdoors.
6. Ongoing social stigma, and downright hostility in many locations (more than all the other forms of RPG). The high visibility of combat & in-costumed larp makes it much worse than other formats typically.
7. Much higher risk for misunderstanding (aka bleed), requires more extensive bleed management rules, training, & time.
8. More physical safety issues.
9. More complex potential legal issues (related to physical safety, as well as misunderstandings, emotional liability, etc.)
10. Accessibility problems (often not beyond the participants own abilities of the players in some larp, while the other formats more often allow going beyond their own actual abilities, this varies significantly depending on the LRPG of course).
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