Moore then a game: Can LARPing change the world?

I want to invite and welcome you to a world where the boundaries between fantasy and reality blur; where you can choose to be a hero, a villain, or something in between. I'm talking about live-action role-playing, an activity many have dismissed as mere play. I am one of the many enthusiasts who have pushed this hobby forward, and today, I want to open your eyes to the true potential of LARPing.

LARP as an educational tool

When Christopher Melville stood on the TEDx stage talking about LARP (Live Action Role-Playing) as an educational tool, a collective moment of realization could be felt in the audience. It's easy to dismiss LARP as mere diversion, a game, a fantasy world where one can escape reality; but what Melville highlighted was something deeper, something we at DreamSmith Production have known for a long time - LARP is an unpolished diamond in the world of education.

Imagine a group of youths gathering in a forest, dressed in medieval costumes and armed with foam swords. They are there to solve a series of complex riddles and battle fictional enemies. But what's really happening is much more than that. They face moral dilemmas, ethical questions, and complex social interactions that require quick thinking and empathy. They must make decisions that have real consequences for their characters and comrades. Suddenly, it's not just a game for those with the insight to see what's happening to the participants. It's a lesson in ethics, decision-making, and consequence analysis.

In a smaller LARP experience a few years ago, we had a plot that culminated in a situation where participants had to choose between saving a village from a flood or saving the village's library, which contained invaluable knowledge. It was fascinating to follow the deep discussions that arose in groups as they weighed pros and cons, discussed ethical implications, and finally made a decision. After the event, we had a debriefing where we discussed the choices made and their consequences. It was an eye-opener for many and an excellent educational experience.

Herein lies what makes LARP a powerful tool for education. It engages participants in a way traditional educational methods often fail to. It provides them with a safe environment where they can explore, make mistakes, and learn from them. And most of all, it's incredibly fun, which means the knowledge gained lasts long after the swords have been put down and the costumes have been packed away.

Social & emotional development

When we talk about LARPing, for those familiar with the subject, it's easy to focus on the fantastic adventures, epic battles, and clever plots. But what truly makes LARPing a unique experience for me is its ability to impact participants' social and emotional development. Let me share a story that illustrates what I mean.

Lisa, a 14-year-old girl, attended one of our LARPs for the first time. She was shy, introverted, and had difficulty making eye contact. According to Lisa's guardians, she has mild autism and difficulties connecting with people IRL. Instead, she spent most of her free time online playing various games. Lisa was assisted in creating a character who was her total opposite: a confident, outgoing adventurer. During the LARP, she had the opportunity to explore this new persona, to take risks, and make decisions she would never have dared to in her "real" life.

After three days of intensive role-playing, we saw a clear change. Lisa was no longer the quiet girl in the corner. She was at the center of the action, leading her group through difficult plots, and actively participating in discussions. When I spoke with Lisa's guardians before another event, they shared that Lisa's outgoing energy was still present, over a month after the event. A month in which she found new friends and participated in her family's everyday life in ways she never had before.

It's these moments that show the real power of LARPing. It provides participants with a safe and supportive environment where they can explore aspects of their personality that they might not even have known existed. It challenges them to step out of their comfort zone, develop social skills, and build confidence. And all of this happens while they are having fun, which increases the likelihood that these positive changes will last.

LARPing is far from just "an escape from reality"; it's a bridge to personal development. It's a platform where you can find and embrace the best version of yourself.

LARP & social issues

In a world that's becoming increasingly complex and polarized, where authoritarian winds are gaining strength, there's an urgent need for tools that can help us understand and navigate the social and ethical questions we face. This is where LARP (Live Action Role-Playing) steps in as an unexpected but powerful resource. LARP can be much more than just a fantasy world; it can be a mirror reflecting our own reality and the challenges we face.

In one of our most ambitious LARP productions we created a fictional world whose plotlines were, in many ways, an allegory for today's society. The LARP was filled with complex issues of equality, racism, and environmental destruction. Participants, coming from various social backgrounds and holding different opinions, found themselves in the middle of a story that forced them to confront these issues on a personal level.

For example, one of the plots involved a conflict between two fictional ethnicities. Participants had to navigate a maze of prejudices, misunderstandings, and social tensions in an attempt to find a peaceful solution. It was not an easy task, and that was the point. After the LARP, we gathered for a small workshop to discuss the various choices made and how they extended to real-world social issues. It turned into a fruitful discussion where people, who likely wouldn't have listened to each other under normal circumstances, were deeply engrossed in thoughts and experiences they would never have encountered outside the world of LARPing.

Here, one can again see the inherent power of LARPing. It has the ability to take us out of our comfort zone and place us in situations where we must think, feel, and act in new ways. It provides a safe place to explore complicated issues and to learn from both our successes and our mistakes. And perhaps most importantly, it gives us an opportunity to see the world through someone else's eyes, if only for a short while.

Can LARP change the world?

So, here we stand at the crossroads between fantasy and reality, between play and learning, between individual and collective development. LARP has proven to be more than just a hobby or an escape from daily life. It is a powerful platform for education, personal development, and social change. It is an arena where we can explore complex ethical dilemmas, develop social skills, and even tackle pressing societal issues.

At DreamSmith Production, we envision a future where LARP becomes an integral part of our society. We see it as a tool for educating the next generation of leaders; for building bridges between different cultures and social groups; and for creating a more inclusive and understanding world. We see LARP as a catalyst for change, capable of challenging us to think differently, feel more deeply, and act more wisely.

So, can LARP change the world? The answer is simple yet powerful. - Yes, one experience at a time.