How to Play In a LARP
(or)
Going Beyond The Numbers.

    Live action roleplaying (LARPing) is significantly different from table-top roleplaying. Because LARPing demands that a person stay constantly in character, dress in character and act and speak in the first person for several hours at a time - rather than the sporadic nature of tabletop roleplaying, a different style of playing and plotting should be applied. Since I've been playing LARPs for over five years, and enjoying almost every second, I think I have sufficient knowledge to share.
    Certain rules are universal to any game.

• Create a timeline of your character's life
• Then determine how your character related to family and friends.
• What were your character's greatest tragedies and triumphs - in childhood, adolesence and adulthood? How did those tragedies and triumphs shape their character.
• What does your character hate and what does he admire?
• Try to go beyond stereotypes
• Write a history that you find entertaining and engaging, and one that you can share via roleplaying.
• And, of course, be prepared for your character to change in ways that surprise even you.
• Examples of the author's characters' timelines and histories may be found here.

• Don't just focus on the short term "Get through the day goals." Find some long term goals.
• Goals can include looking for allies, determining enemies, finding work or money or pursuing a character passion.
• If your goals have the potential to put the game in an uproar, run them by your game-master, first. GMs hate surprises.

• Playing loners may sound cool and mysterious, but it can rapidly become boring and frustrating. A LARP, by default, is a social situation. Use this to your advantage - mix it up with people.
• You will attract more flies with honey than with vinegar. Being a stone cold, heartless, bastard can also become boring and frustrating quite quickly.
• It is your responsibility to get involved with the plot. To use a metaphor: the game-master has just cooked the meal and put it on the table, getting off your butt to eat it is your job. If you are feeling uninvolved in the game, adopt new character goals, or talk to the GM about how to become more involved.

• Use 'downtime' between sessions to meet other characters and roleplay with them.
• Character creation and history doesn't stop at the start of game one. Use 'downtime' to create new history for your character. And make sure you give it to your GM.

• If you want to have an "Out of Character" moment, go away from the playing area. Similarly, don't have IC discussions in the middle of an OOC group, because any OOC people who overhear will become confused.
• If you are in doubt about whether your character knows something, assume you don't. Then you don't run the risk of being accused of cheating.
• If you are in doubt if a comment was IC or OOC, ask. There is never any harm in double checking.
• This is tough when you know out-of-character something that is of relevance to your character, while your character him/herself has no idea. Grit your teeth and roleplay. No-one ever said it would be easy, and nobody likes a cheater.

• Sometimes things won't go your way. That can stink when a character you adore gets the shaft. But be an adult and get over it. No-one likes a sore loser.

• If you've won a conflict, that probably means someone else has lost. Keep the player's possibly bruised ego in mind and wait until they're out of earshot before you boast to all and sundry. :)

• Dress in character, speak in character, be in character - that's the point!
• Find a group that fits your needs as a player. Go ahead and be picky, you'll have more fun in the long run.