Quote from: Omega;959114We usually call those "Parlour Games" or somesuch. They are fairly popular at conventions. Usually little to no combat. All socializing.
Way back in the 90s I was in a huge one that took up the whole con pretty much. Mirror Universe Deep Space 9. Everyone was handed out a character, some goals and was usually part of some group or faction.

Also pretty much how the early playtests of the Vampire larp were too. More like an enormous parlour game. No rules other than stay in character when not attending something. Apparently some play the finished V-Larp like that too. Mostly socializing and little to no combat.

One of my favourites was a time travel one that took up the whole floor section of MiniCon. No combat, no rules there either.

Great stuff but rather different from LARPs.

Quote from: Anon Adderlan;959694What should we call small scale one shot indoor LARPs?

Well, you could simply call them small-scale one-shot indoor larps. Also, the term "parlor larp" does get used a fair bit for small-scale, one-shot, indoor, non-boffer larp. That was the title of a series of published larps around 2004-2006 (the Parlor Larp series from Shifting Forest Storyworks), but also has generally been used more broadly for a small larp that can be played in a single room.

http://www.vermillion.games/parlor-larps/

Note that parlor larps aren't necessarily rule-less or non-combat, though. The Shifting Forest series used a rule system with fairly deadly combat, where PCs died pretty regularly.


I haven't heard the term "parlor game" used by organizers or participants for such larps. It seems like a bad idea to me, since "parlor game" in modern times is used as a general term for games such as Charades, Fictionary, and Mafia. It mostly seems to be a catch-all for mainstream games that are played indoors but don't fit into other established game genres like board games or card games. Using it for larps would make for a lot of misunderstanding.

It seems like Omega is using "parlor game" even for large-scale, multi-day larps, though - which doesn't fit the established usage of either "parlor larp" or "parlor game". His usage seems to be for any mostly rule-less, non-combat larps - but I don't think that fits. I think any larp played in a room fits the broader definition of parlor game, regardless of the amount of combat, but all larps are quite different from Charades.

It's a little off topic but it occurred to me today that a mock trial is essentially a LARP.

I've been thinking about getting into carrying LARP gear for a couple years but there's nowhere to play locally and I'm not sure I'm up to organizing people on that scale to make it happen.  Between my family, my job, and my store I'm insanely busy as it is.

Quote from: jhkim;959711Well, you could simply call them small-scale one-shot indoor larps.

You mean 'small-scale one-shot indoor live action roleplaying systems'?

*inhale*

Quote from: jhkim;959711It seems like Omega is using "parlor game" even for large-scale, multi-day larps, though - which doesn't fit the established usage of either "parlor larp" or "parlor game". His usage seems to be for any mostly rule-less, non-combat larps - but I don't think that fits.

Well as long as we agree on what 'roleplaying game' means I think we'll be OK.

Quote from: David Johansen;959788It's a little off topic but it occurred to me today that a mock trial is essentially a LARP.

Real trials are little different.

Quote from: David Johansen;959788I've been thinking about getting into carrying LARP gear for a couple years but there's nowhere to play locally and I'm not sure I'm up to organizing people on that scale to make it happen.  Between my family, my job, and my store I'm insanely busy as it is.

Managing LARPs which require gear are a huge commitment, and #Boffer LARPs differ considerably in what they consider to be 'legal' gear. So if it's not on your bucket list or something I'd just avoid it.

Im using the term parlour game for those that dont have any rules. The other term thats been used is Social game.

LARPs have a structure and rules to abide and usually combat. Parlour/Social games dont have those elements aside from "stay in character" and tend to be no combat.