Poll: LARPS or table top

[Anstrup]

.[/quote]

I never really got character & story would be easily gotten across in LARP because the solution to all the problems is surely going to be "fight better"?[/quote]

Well, theres alot of LARPs that are based around the action, but there are alot that has a huge emphasis on story and characters. I'll specify later, ille have to go now.

 

[rossatdi]

.

I never really got character & story would be easily gotten across in LARP because the solution to all the problems is surely going to be "fight better"?

Well, theres alot of LARPs that are based around the action, but there are alot that has a huge emphasis on story and characters. I'll specify later, ille have to go now.

Really? I'm not much of an actor so I wouldn't really seek it out! It's all about being good at a game for me. That's one of the things that I find interesting about games - what is it that people are interested in. The gameplay, the story or the world.

Also, you're doing your quote wrong. You keep putting / in the opening clause.

 

[PedroSteckecilo]

While I have nothing against LARPers, in fact if I knew a decent group I might give it a go... It is a lot nerdier than Table Top, however that depends on how you go about both. Either enters the realm of Super Nerdy when you start treating it as a lifestyle rather than a fun activity.

 

[rossatdi]

While I have nothing against LARPers, in fact if I knew a decent group I might give it a go... It is a lot nerdier than Table Top, however that depends on how you go about both. Either enters the realm of Super Nerdy when you start treating it as a lifestyle rather than a fun activity.

Yeah, I think LARPers are for likely to be the 'lifestyle' nerds than table toppers. My group has two hardcore nerds and three 'normies'. My limit of nerdism will be reach upon purchase of a +1 Shirt, which will be in the New Year. The great thing is no one can make fun of it without understanding it, undermining their ability to make fun of it!

 

[ZonerZ]

if you ask me, LARPs are much less nerdy. The jocks I know love the concept of LARP, but if I even suggested tabletop roleplaying I would be bombarded with rocks and weird looks.

 

[rossatdi]

I think what we're trying to say here is that LARPing usually takes place outside, where other people can see you and laugh at you while Tabletops take place in your mother's basement.

Hey, we play our little fantasy games in a private owned flat. Between us we have a political lobbyist, a teacher, a writer for a metal music magazine, a programmer, a Chemistry grad student and a Economics student.

Also I reject the notion of being okay with LARPing in public as a good thing. Just because streakers don't feel any shame doesn't make it okay.

 

[Kuweekee]

Well, I have to say that I'm very nerdy according to this topic, since I do both. and I actually love both.

I love LARP because you can do it with more than 5 people at the same time, and still play a character that you made up, with it's own skills, plus all the skills you have in real life. for example if you're a good sneak, you can get advantages by sneaking up on people. Also, if you try to bluff your way out of something, you don't have to make a roll to see if it succeeds, but you have to actually convince people that you're right.

I love tabletops because off the possibilities, since they are virtually endless. If you want you can make a ring of jump+20, and jump over tall buildings. So the advantages there are that you're not limited to your own physical abilities, but that it's limited to your fantasy.

So therefore I love both. I don't know what I like better, although if I have to choose I will pick LARP, since more people can join in the fun, and I'm nasty with my Dual Katana

 

[PedroSteckecilo]

I think what we're trying to say here is that LARPing usually takes place outside, where other people can see you and laugh at you while Tabletops take place in your mother's basement.

Hey, we play our little fantasy games in a private owned flat. Between us we have a political lobbyist, a teacher, a writer for a metal music magazine, a programmer, a Chemistry grad student and a Economics student.

Also I reject the notion of being okay with LARPing in public as a good thing. Just because streakers don't feel any shame doesn't make it okay.

Similar situation here, we've got a Graphic Designer/Comission Artist/Freelance Concept Artist, A Customer Service Rep for a mailing company, A Print Technician, a guy who works Tech Support for the Alberta Health Region, A Production Assistant for a local Television Company and a Mineral Lease Adminstrator for an oil company. The nerdiest guy in our group is currently working towards his Geography degree at U of C and is an assistant manager at Staples.

We tend to do most of out gaming at the condo me and my girlfriend rent.

 

[rossatdi]

I think what we're trying to say here is that LARPing usually takes place outside, where other people can see you and laugh at you while Tabletops take place in your mother's basement.

Hey, we play our little fantasy games in a private owned flat. Between us we have a political lobbyist, a teacher, a writer for a metal music magazine, a programmer, a Chemistry grad student and a Economics student.

Also I reject the notion of being okay with LARPing in public as a good thing. Just because streakers don't feel any shame doesn't make it okay.

Similar situation here, we've got a Graphic Designer/Comission Artist/Freelance Concept Artist, A Customer Service Rep for a mailing company, A Print Technician, a guy who works Tech Support for the Alberta Health Region, A Production Assistant for a local Television Company and a Mineral Lease Adminstrator for an oil company. The nerdiest guy in our group is currently working towards his Geography degree at U of C and is an assistant manager at Staples.

We tend to do most of out gaming at the condo me and my girlfriend rent.

But LARPers, all freaks.

 

[DuncanRR]

Depends on the game. D&D, tabletop (although I personally think the boardgame it's based on is more fun). Vampire:The Masquerade, LARP. The latter is actually pretty helpful if you're an actor. Helps you work on your improv skills.

 

[Zac_Dai]

LARPing is an unusual thing in the nerd world. No one would deny that an outdoor hobby with a lot of socialising is unhealthy. But it does carry that stigma of it being nerdy as hell.

But as a non-nerd I will say LARPing is less nerdy then table-top purely for the health benefits.

 

[PedroSteckecilo]

LARPing is an unusual thing in the nerd world. No one would deny that an outdoor hobby with a lot of socialising is unhealthy. But it does carry that stigma of it being nerdy as hell.

But as a non-nerd I will say LARPing is less nerdy then table-top purely for the health benefits.

Have any of these people who claim "larping" is less nerdy ever met a Hard Core LARPer?

They can be scary people who have a great deal of trouble distancing reality from fantasy. Some people have trouble distancing "Steve Johnson the Programmer" from "Nite Windfall, Dark Elf Warrior" or something like that. Not all of them are like this, but some of them get pretty bad and it's only enhanced by the fact that they wear costumes.

But then again, some Roleplayers can also be pretty scary people as well, socially inept number crunchers made of weird and obsessive habits.

 

[Andraste]

This question has <a href=http://www.brunching.com/geekhierarchy.html>already been answered.

Next!

 

[PedroSteckecilo]

This question has <a href=http://www.brunching.com/geekhierarchy.html>already been answered.

Next!

There's actually a better one out there which actually adresses in legitimate terms which of the geeky groups are geekiest and why, including social stigma + reality.

I like it because overall it's less mean than the simple flow chart version.

 

[mattaui]

The need to look down upon one sub-genre of the roleplaying hobby or another has always been very amusing to me. I suppose it must come from highly compartmentalized groups that haven't ever interacted with the larger gaming community, since when I've gone to conventions, I've seen all kinds of people involved in all kinds of games. Not every LARPer is a hot vampire goth chick/dude, not every wargamer is an angry single man in his 50s, and not every tabletop RPG player is obnoxiously unhygienic and obese. I've seen these stereotypes in all manner of games, and outside of gaming entirely. On top of that, all of these games are essentially the same animal, just carried out with different props.

If you're pretending to be a high elf wizard, does it really matter if you're dressed up as one, pretending that you're controlling one on a board, or moving one around with the keyboard and mouse? You can justify it to yourself however you want, but you're still pretending to be a high elf wizard. Either you enjoy it, or you don't.

So, yes, it's what you're already thinking - it's like the pot calling the kettle black.

 

[Zac_Dai]

LARPing is an unusual thing in the nerd world. No one would deny that an outdoor hobby with a lot of socialising is unhealthy. But it does carry that stigma of it being nerdy as hell.

But as a non-nerd I will say LARPing is less nerdy then table-top purely for the health benefits.

Have any of these people who claim "larping" is less nerdy ever met a Hard Core LARPer?

They can be scary people who have a great deal of trouble distancing reality from fantasy. Some people have trouble distancing "Steve Johnson the Programmer" from "Nite Windfall, Dark Elf Warrior" or something like that. Not all of them are like this, but some of them get pretty bad and it's only enhanced by the fact that they wear costumes.

But then again, some Roleplayers can also be pretty scary people as well, socially inept number crunchers made of weird and obsessive habits.

I'll admit I've never met anyone who has done it and it doesn't surprise there are the scary ones like you described.

 

[PedroSteckecilo]

LARPing is an unusual thing in the nerd world. No one would deny that an outdoor hobby with a lot of socialising is unhealthy. But it does carry that stigma of it being nerdy as hell.

But as a non-nerd I will say LARPing is less nerdy then table-top purely for the health benefits.

Have any of these people who claim "larping" is less nerdy ever met a Hard Core LARPer?

They can be scary people who have a great deal of trouble distancing reality from fantasy. Some people have trouble distancing "Steve Johnson the Programmer" from "Nite Windfall, Dark Elf Warrior" or something like that. Not all of them are like this, but some of them get pretty bad and it's only enhanced by the fact that they wear costumes.

But then again, some Roleplayers can also be pretty scary people as well, socially inept number crunchers made of weird and obsessive habits.

I'll admit I've never met anyone who has done it and it doesn't surprise there are the scary ones like you described.

Lets just say that sometimes it takes a "special" type of person to dress up in medieval/fantasy garb and wave a padded sword around at someone in public. It's displaying your geekery proudly and unabashedly for everyone to see. Some people just take it waaaayyy to far.

Think of the people who Cosplay... not make them MORE comitted to it because they both play the part and engage other people while actively maintaining that facade.

Basically, like Cosplay, LARPing can attract some real whack jobs. Though it also attracts some very interesting extroverted people who love acting, costuming and mock sword fighting.

I've met both myself, likable and not scary LARPers and some real head cases.

 

[Sycker]

LARP has the potantial to be fun. But it is exceptionally nerdy.

Just go paintballing, for Christ's sake!

 

[Jamash]

Table Top is definitely more nerdy, because LARPS can involve copious amounts of drinking, drugs, running around and fighting (albeit with rubber weapons, but it's so much less nerdy twatting someone with a rubber sword then rolling a dice).

I think the alcohol, the drugs, the exercise, the outdoors and physical contact with other real human beings exclude it from being nerdy. It may be strange but not nerdy per say.

If you're doing a LARP and it dawns in you that you;re being nerdy than a bunch of misfits sitting round a table, in the back of a comic book shop rolling dice, then you're doing it wrong.

 

[chronobreak]

I'm all for people not cring what other people think of you, but sometimes you just have to, and that's the way the world works. I would never do LARP, because I would lose my friends, my job, my wife, and the respect of all my peers. If you have fun doing it, great, but understand what most people see it as.

Table-top is the way to go. Beers, maybe get some joints going, and get into it. It's like playing a board game, or having a game night. A really, really long and tedious game night.