Why the SCA is not a larp

Owyn · Post by **Owyn** » Sun Apr 12, 2009 5:45 pm

Violen wrote:Ive been a card carrying member of the Camarilla for 13 years, even though theres no local game anymore.

/em makes a mental note to wear his gorget if he ever meets Violen...

David S · Post by **David S** » Sun Apr 12, 2009 8:13 pm

audax wrote:
David Stifler wrote:The use of titles, saying "vivat," so on and so forth.

I really don't think LARP is a BAD thing, so please no one construe my understanding of Society behavior as a LARP to be an insult.

You consider that role playing? No wonder we have a disconnect.

Yeah, I guess I'm just using a broader definition of the term LARP. Apparently, despite my playing Dag for several years, I am not a LARPer any more than a Scadian of similar experience is.

Anyway, the reason I was thinking of the court as a role-playing experience was largely due to the adoption of different standards of behavior from those to which I generally conform on a day to day basis. I don't, as a rule, kneel or bow to anyone, and though I am a Latin teacher, I don't use Latin (classical or medieval) as part of my regular speech. And in all honesty, it was much more pomp and ceremony than I've ever seen at the boffer events I have attended. With everyone here referring to me as a LARPer I just assumed that, if what I do in Dagorhir or Belegarth is LARPing, then what I do at Scadian events is also LARPing.

In all honesty, I could say that when I played Rugby I was LARPing. I mean, we dress up in funny looking clothes, play a game with very complicated and seemingly nonsensical rules, call each other by names other than our real ones ("Big Red," "Rawdog," "Fungus," "Zamunda" etc) and act in ways that would seem quite strange, and almost certainly socially unacceptable, in "real life." Such as stepping on other people's heads and drinking beer out of a shoe.

Would it be fair to say, then, that this is a question of self-identification rather than an objective standard?

Leo Medii · Post by **Leo Medii** » Sun Apr 12, 2009 9:00 pm

I love LARPing the in the SCA.

sean of the chipendales · Sun Apr 12, 2009 9:14 pm

They come from the cities
And they come from the smaller towns
Beat up wagons with dancers and drummers
Goin crack boom bam

Chorus:
L.A.R.P. in the S.C.A.
L.A.R.P. in the S.C.A.
L.A.R.P. in the S.C.A., yeah, yeah!
Larpin' in the S.C.A.

Said goodbye to their families
Said goodbye to their friends
With pipe dreams in their heads
And very little money in their hands
Some are black and some are white
Ain't to proud to sleep in a tent tonight
With the blind faith of chivalry you know that they just might, be
Larpin' in the s.c.a.
Hey!

Voices from nowhere
And voices from the larger towns
Filled our head full of dreams
Turned the world upside down

There was Baron, Majesty, Grace-Sir-Master
(they were rockin')
Excellency, Royal-Peer and all the Masses
(they were rockin')
Spotlight on Royal highness
Let's don't forget Leper King
Larpin' in the s.c.a.
Larpin' in the s.c.a.
Hey!

Chorus:
L.A.R.P. in the S.C.A.
L.A.R.P. in the S.C.A.
L.A.R.P. in the S.C.A., yeah, yeah!
Larpin' in the s.c.a.

Sean of the Chipendales

Jon Barber · Post by **Jon Barber** » Mon Apr 13, 2009 3:42 am

David Stifler wrote:
audax wrote:
David Stifler wrote:The use of titles, saying "vivat," so on and so forth.

I really don't think LARP is a BAD thing, so please no one construe my understanding of Society behavior as a LARP to be an insult.

You consider that role playing? No wonder we have a disconnect.

Yeah, I guess I'm just using a broader definition of the term LARP. Apparently, despite my playing Dag for several years, I am not a LARPer any more than a Scadian of similar experience is.

Anyway, the reason I was thinking of the court as a role-playing experience was largely due to the adoption of different standards of behavior from those to which I generally conform on a day to day basis. I don't, as a rule, kneel or bow to anyone, and though I am a Latin teacher, I don't use Latin (classical or medieval) as part of my regular speech. And in all honesty, it was much more pomp and ceremony than I've ever seen at the boffer events I have attended. With everyone here referring to me as a LARPer I just assumed that, if what I do in Dagorhir or Belegarth is LARPing, then what I do at Scadian events is also LARPing.

Whether or not the SCA fits a specific definition of a LARP it is LARPtastically LARPtastic. I attach no value judgement to that description, BTW - I've been doing this LARPtastically LARPtastic pastime for 16-some years. Folks might want to lighten up some.

Peikko · Post by **Peikko** » Mon Apr 13, 2009 10:43 am

chill out, lighten up, and stop stressin'...it's getting weird.

bkillian · Post by **bkillian** » Mon Apr 13, 2009 11:02 am

"You've made your decision then? "

"Not remotely. Because LARPS come from Berkley, as everyone knows, and Berkley's entirely peopled with geeks, and geeks are used to having people not trust them, as you are not trusted by me, so I can clearly not choose the LARP in front of you."

"Truly, you have a dizzying intellect."

" Wait til I get going! Now, where was I?"

"Berkley."

" Yes, Berkley. And you must have suspected I would have known the games origin, so I can clearly not choose the LARP in front of me."

( Apologies to S. Morgenstern)

Leo Medii · Post by **Leo Medii** » Mon Apr 13, 2009 11:13 am

That was damn funny

David S · Post by **David S** » Mon Apr 13, 2009 12:54 pm

Hahahaha....such a dilemma.

Magnus Ulfgarsson · Post by **Magnus Ulfgarsson** » Mon Apr 13, 2009 1:03 pm

I think there's a lot of people that don't understand what role-playing is.

And let's get this straight, I'm a big role-player, I never got into LARP, tried it a couple times, just wasn't for me.

Role-playing is pretty much acting, and I have seen it at SCA events, but in such incredible small quantities. In the SCA most people are themselves, with a different name, that's not LARPing. Also carrying out the requirements of your position is not role-playing either.

Once you have the acting part down, you really need a defined story, storyteller and though not always, stats for your character. LARPing isn't as complicated as everyone is making it out to be.

It's games like Dungeons and Dragons and Vampire the Masquerade etc, played where you interact with your surroundings and other characters directly. Where someone is guiding an overall story, and you use your stats in combination with your brain to help shape that story for good or bad.

Calling the SCA, or Boffer Fighting LARPing, is a slap in the face to LARPers. Or it's just the person having no real understanding of role-playing.

God I'm bored.

Magnus Ulfgarsson · Post by **Magnus Ulfgarsson** » Mon Apr 13, 2009 1:10 pm

Also let me note that I understand that role-playing as a term doesn't necessarily mean table top dice throwing games.

But in the context of role-playing attached to LARPing, it does. This isn't someone dressing up as a police officer in their bedroom that we're discussing.

Aaron · Post by **Aaron** » Mon Apr 13, 2009 1:21 pm

bkillian wrote:"You've made your decision then? "

"Not remotely. Because LARPS come from Berkley, as everyone knows, and Berkley's entirely peopled with geeks, and geeks are used to having people not trust them, as you are not trusted by me, so I can clearly not choose the LARP in front of you."

"Truly, you have a dizzying intellect."

" Wait til I get going! Now, where was I?"

"Berkley."

" Yes, Berkley. And you must have suspected I would have known the games origin, so I can clearly not choose the LARP in front of me."

( Apologies to S. Morgenstern)

That was fantastic!

I had finished my milk before you posted. Thank you for the timing.

-Aaron

Stahlgrim · Post by **Stahlgrim** » Tue Apr 14, 2009 11:19 am

The sca is an inclusive umbrella that covers a wide range of philosophies
To a Stick jock it can be a sport.
To a WMA practitioner can be a martial art.
To a Hard core historian it can be Living History.
To a Roleplayer it can be a Larp.
To some it can be an excuse to party and socialize.
It has members that approach it from all those angles,mixes of those,and ones I haven't thought to mention.
It is what You put into it as well as what You take away from it.
So Yes. It can be a larp.If thats what you want it to be.

Wolffram Mikosevaar · Post by **Wolffram Mikosevaar** » Tue Apr 14, 2009 6:54 pm

Stahlgrim wrote:The sca is an inclusive umbrella that covers a wide range of philosophies
To a Stick jock it can be a sport.
To a WMA practitioner can be a martial art.
To a Hard core historian it can be Living History.
To a Roleplayer it can be a Larp.
To some it can be an excuse to party and socialize.
It has members that approach it from all those angles,mixes of those,and ones I haven't thought to mention.
It is what You put into it as well as what You take away from it.
So Yes. It can be a larp.If thats what you want it to be.

Wow....that is F'ing well said !

And probably 100% spot on.....

Blaine de Navarre · Post by **Blaine de Navarre** » Wed Apr 15, 2009 12:11 am

THIS would never happen in the SCA.

GrumpyMacBastard · Post by **GrumpyMacBastard** » Wed Apr 15, 2009 2:20 am

Blaine de Navarre wrote:THIS would never happen in the SCA.

No way that was real! LMFAO!!!

Peikko · Post by **Peikko** » Wed Apr 15, 2009 3:37 am

GrumpyMacBastard wrote:
Blaine de Navarre wrote:THIS would never happen in the SCA.

No way that was real! LMFAO!!!

yep faked...but funny.