That's pretty much exactly what I was saying. My only point was that if we broaden the definition of "LARP" to the degree to which you suggest, then "I like LARPing" becomes a nigh-meaningless statement, along the lines of "I like music" or "I like audiovisual entertainment." More specifics are required to convey anything useful.
But, "I like movies" or "I like reading books" are often used to describe people. Each begs a further question, sure, but not many people say "I like reading fantasy fiction..." or do they? As larp is a young term for an ancient art (IMHO), I can only hope for the day when people ask what kind, or someone can say "I like fantasy larps" or "I like Nordic style" or whatever. I wish.
Fair enough, and my point in raising this was that the people running such LARPs should be aware, if they are not, that they're in established territory, if only so that they can make use of what's gone before, rather than entirely reinventing the wheel. (or, given that the term "LARP" has become very broad, maybe it would make more sense to simply use the "acting exercise" terminology to distinguish this style from, say, boffer LARPing.)
The Nordic larpers are aware of this, and I can direct you to a few papers dealing exactly with this. Larp is not a new wheel, not at all (not to me). It's a new name for an old, under-utilzied wheel that has been in the trunk of artistic culture for a long time. And since, to me, boffer larping is larping like FMD or acting exercises, the term larp still works. I want to be inclusive, not exclusive. Which is why I am trying to figure out if transmedia and ARGs are larping, or larps are ARGs, or both, or... But I am building a bridge between them, for the same reason I want to build a bridge between theater and larp. Although one essay says its more pragmatic to pair larp with performance art instead of theater art.
(I would reassess that at a different type of LARP; in the unlikely event that I were to participate in Fat Man Down, I would make it my job to commit to the exercise.) My point is that I don't think of LARPing as a selfish activity; it should ideally be fun for me, but it's just as important if not more so to make sure that my role contributes to, and does not detract from, the experience that the other players are having.
I won't debate that that is your approach, but that's interesting. Do you thus ignore your characters own goals so someone else can achieve theirs? Either way, larp is still a separate (but closely related) art to theater.
There is no conflict between the players in Final Girl. By that logic, Arkham Horror (or any other cooperative game) is not a game, because the players are not in conflict. Dungeons and Dragons is usually not a game, because the players are adventuring together. It seems like you are saying that only PvP games are games.
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But, "I like movies" or "I like reading books" are often used to describe people. Each begs a further question, sure, but not many people say "I like reading fantasy fiction..." or do they? As larp is a young term for an ancient art (IMHO), I can only hope for the day when people ask what kind, or someone can say "I like fantasy larps" or "I like Nordic style" or whatever. I wish.
Fair enough, and my point in raising this was that the people running such LARPs should be aware, if they are not, that they're in established territory, if only so that they can make use of what's gone before, rather than entirely reinventing the wheel. (or, given that the term "LARP" has become very broad, maybe it would make more sense to simply use the "acting exercise" terminology to distinguish this style from, say, boffer LARPing.)
The Nordic larpers are aware of this, and I can direct you to a few papers dealing exactly with this. Larp is not a new wheel, not at all (not to me). It's a new name for an old, under-utilzied wheel that has been in the trunk of artistic culture for a long time. And since, to me, boffer larping is larping like FMD or acting exercises, the term larp still works. I want to be inclusive, not exclusive. Which is why I am trying to figure out if transmedia and ARGs are larping, or larps are ARGs, or both, or... But I am building a bridge between them, for the same reason I want to build a bridge between theater and larp. Although one essay says its more pragmatic to pair larp with performance art instead of theater art.
(I would reassess that at a different type of LARP; in the unlikely event that I were to participate in Fat Man Down, I would make it my job to commit to the exercise.) My point is that I don't think of LARPing as a selfish activity; it should ideally be fun for me, but it's just as important if not more so to make sure that my role contributes to, and does not detract from, the experience that the other players are having.
I won't debate that that is your approach, but that's interesting. Do you thus ignore your characters own goals so someone else can achieve theirs? Either way, larp is still a separate (but closely related) art to theater.
There is no conflict between the players in Final Girl.
By that logic, Arkham Horror (or any other cooperative game) is not a game, because the players are not in conflict. Dungeons and Dragons is usually not a game, because the players are adventuring together. It seems like you are saying that only PvP games are games.