Mid-Event Recharge

Last week I talked about keeping it clean at events. One benefit I mentioned was that it helps refresh you, and that's the topic for today! LARPing gets tiring, especially if your game runs Friday night through to Sunday. Not just being caked in mud and sweat, but also the lack of sleep and the (probably) unusual amounts of activity and excitement. Especially if you're NPCing. And if you're Staff, your brain is probably on overload trying to handle running the event and dealing with the unexpected. So take some time out to recharge.

If you arrange an hour or so out of your afternoon, it can make a world of difference. It's not just physically resting, but letting your brain take a break as well. Get your thoughts in order, figure out what you want to tackle next, and set up for the rest of the game. This is important in any length of game, but for a 1-day or Saturday-Sunday game there isn't as much time, and theoretically you won't be as tired.

I speak a lot to our NPC/Staff people out there, but this can help a PC too. You can enjoy the game more if you're feeling rested and up for the action, and you can make sure and fit in all those things you want to do if you do a little organization.

What to do? A power nap always works wonders. Even just shutting your eyes and resting for an hour can help. This is a perfect time to take a shower and change your garb. If you can't do these things, just change your socks and sit with your boots off. Get a snack or drink if appropriate (something healthy works best to recharge your body).

Go someplace quiet and environmentally comfortable - rainy, hot, or snowy weather wears on you as well. Just a break from the elements in someplace dry/cool/warm will remind your body you still love it.

I know some folks use energy drinks at opportune moments. I am still testing it, but I think that an hour's rest is better. Or maybe both? Or all of the above?

For me, when I'm PCing I like to sneak in a book and read for a little while. Reading always makes me feel recharged, if it's the right book! And it can even make you feel more immersed if what you're reading is appropriate to the setting. Depressing epic fantasy, while thematic, may not work here since you have to dedicate a lot of mental power to it :)

How to find the time? Well, if you just went on a mod and you know you won't be leaving for another soon, seize the moment! Chances are you'll have an hour at least before everyone gets it together for the next run. Anytime is a good time if you feel yourself dragging or getting cranky - taking a time out will help you enjoy the event more later, not to mention being able to move better and remember all your calls!

As Staff, arrange a rotation with your team where everyone can take a break. Don't just go off without telling anyone, and make sure things are covered. Try to hook role-play sessions or smaller mods during this time so that you don't need everyone. Make sure and enforce it if you see someone getting worn out or grumpy - and let go for long enough to rest up. NPCs will be more energized, more focused, and more likely to last through the Big Battle.

Try it and see! Or maybe you already do - what do you do for your LARP reacharge?

Book Review: Fantasy Freaks and Gaming Geeks

I recently had the chance to read the book Fantasy Freaks and Gaming Geeks by Ethan Gilsdorf. As the title indicates, the book covers swaths of geekdom including Tolkien, Tabletop, LARP, SCA, Online Gaming, Conventions, and even Guédelon Castle.

Gilsdorf was an avid Tolkien and D&D oficianato as a child, and often used these things to escape things in real life, most notably being his mother who suffered a brain aneurysm, changing her personality and crippling her. In college, he drops the fantasy and gaming until he has a mid-life crisis-esque event in which he returns to gaming and fantasy 20 years after he last played D&D. As a journalist, he vows to pursue as many gaming/fantasy endeavors as possible in order to see if he's still a gamer after all these years.

There are some things I really liked about the book. Throughout the entire book, I was well aware of Gilsdorf's journalism background. In each of his geek topics, he interviews one or two people and does these interviews very well. It's tough to be biased, but he never demonizes or degrades anyone he's talking to, whether it's the Mom with the WOW problem, the guys at the Gygax convention, or LARPers. He seems to spend the right amount of time on each topic before moving on (for the most part). And, of course, the topics are quite interesting and not super common in reading materials.

However, there are parts of the book that I skipped outright or breezed over. Whenever Gilsdorf got onto an editorial slant or talked about his personal life, it was hard to take him seriously. At times, he would lament the lack of romantic relationships, to the point where he pretty much was trolling for tail at Dragon Con. I skipped the chapter about dating gamers, because it seemed boring and unnecessary towards his major premise, which was supposed to be escapism.

I say supposed to be, because Gilsdorf must have run into a deadline at the end, writing the last three chapters in a Red-Bull induced fever dream. The book spins wildly out of control in these chapters, as he seems to have trouble putting a coherent conclusion together about his story. At one point, he says that all gaming is a good form of escapism, then he says video games aren't, then he goes back to saying they are. Then, after the final chapter, he has another faux chapter that continues to try and state a conclusion but ends up further convoluting his point.

Ultimately, I give the book 3/5.

If you dig reading and are interested in any of the geeky topics above, I'd suggest reading the book, but don't force yourself through the Grizzly Man parts of the book where he sidetracks to "I need a girlfriend.". It's difficult to find a book that covers even one of these topics in ernest, which makes the book very refreshing despite its flaws.