I've actually been looking for an article on this to send to a few people. Honestly, I'd love one that explains "It's okay to PVP your friends IG." I'd love to see the FB post on the subject if you can share it.
I'm a long time (10+ years) Vampire The Masquerade and etc Political/Social larper. The separation of OOG and IG is rather stark, as none of us would ever want to be a murderous lying undead human predator. It's easy for most, however people still have issues with bleed (
http://nordiclarptalks.org/post/48274368386/bleed-how-emotions-affect-role-playing-experiences) and will take things that happen IG, OOG personally. (And aside, I have a saying: Take it seriously, but not personally)
All larp, regardless of style and system has a separation of player and character.
But to your basic questions, since I can really go on and on and rant on this subject in general:
How do you keep a separation between your IG conflicts and your OOG relationships?
People who have issues with this usually are missing some core factors:
-Nothing that happens IG is personal to you OOG. Be it falling in love, getting divorced, getting murdered, murdering someone else, winning, or losing.
-Roleplaying is acting out and fake-experiencing events as a character. Just like watching a movie, except you're doing the portrayal and co-writing the story.
Personally, I try to write characters that are rather different from myself IRL. I have specific music I listen to, costuming pieces, mannerisms, and physical reactions that separate my character from myself. I don't take things personal on an OOG level, heck I don't really take them seriously on an OOG level if its a purely IG thing.
I don't really have to remind myself too often these days, but I find it helpful to remember that win, lose, live, die, any of that is just story. As long as its portrayed and scene-ed well and within the rules, its good LARP. I can enjoy being on the rather rear-end of a scene as much as I can the top end as long as the depth (immersion) is there. I take the whole "This is a fun way of being an actor in a play" style approach.
I find that a lot of people, regardless of the style of larp, have never had a significant, powerful, meaningful, and enjoyable loss event or scene with a PC. That troubles me on two fronts: One, they're missing out on one of the most powerful larping experiences possible. Two, they're being dis serviced by their staff and fellow PCs. It's not a good game, let alone a good story if it's all rainbows and clown shoes. I can't think of a single realistic adult book or movie that was all rainbows and clown shoes. Good story is made from adversity, especially in extremes.
But one caveat: If your game is all rainbows and clown shoes, no PVP, and OOG/IG lines don't exist - that's your style and that's cool, rock on. Not really what most larp systems are asking for, but totally cool if thats what you and your community wants.
What are the best methods for maintaining that separation?
Hang out and talk to people OOG, before game, after game, during game (where appropriate), and outside of game. Realize and see that each person is NOT their character, and these separations become much easier.
Write characters that act, react, dress, etc differently. Stuff you can portray of course. Like I won't eat asparagus and I can't do accents.
It's also a matter of approach and attitude at a LARP. Some people just don't approach some larps in a manner that it is designed for. I've met hundreds of larpers whom larp is a replacement for their RL, or an unhealthy level of escapism. The bleed video and articles explains this way better than I can. You have to have a healthy approach, and it has to fit the community as well.
PVP your friends. Like seriously, get an IG rivalry going between you and a friend's PC. Create an ongoing villain for a friend or group of friends that does awful things to them. Everyone should be able to say "I hate you so much for that, I'm gonna get you later, thank you and more please!" afterwords. If people are taking IG things personally OOG, thats unhealthy. If you're worried about such, talk to them OOG about your perception and concern, but don't accuse. Most likely its all gravy if everyone approaches it as IG stuff.
What prompted you to create or change your method(s)?
I sorta haven't, but its due to a luck thing with my background in larping.
It's been a slow growth of separation of character and player in that I've added things on in the years of experience so that there is a much larger separation. I actually played a stone-elf like character at my first larp when I moved to Cali a few years back, and people were SHOCKED I had a sense of humor, talked a lot, was totally apolitical, and had emotion at a New Years Eve party OOG.
But, I can say what contributed the most was the first LARP I played at was a very anti-bleed game. It was regular for PVP, and I mean character ending PVP to happen, even on large scales. It was normal to tell not only your friends, but your fellow larpers that you're gunning for them, and they didn't metagame it and instead planned a better social/roleplay reaction when they get gunned. And then they planned to gun back. To me, the separation was normal, you're supposed to be totally different in game, and not take anything that happens personally OOG - from someone hitting on you romantically to someone plotting your death and actually killing you. Not to mention, it was a sort of sign of competitiveness and social "props" to portray a character very different from yourself or do actions you'd never do IRL in the game.
-Porch
Denver
