One and Done: A look back

This week a year ago, I decided I was egotistical enough to think that people would want to read a blog on LARPing and gaming.

It was egotistical, but I've learned to cope with it.

A year into the lunacy that is Confessions of a Wrathful LARPer, I've learned several important things. I've learned about the GNS theory, how it works and how it doesn't. I've learned that my main goal in anything I do in this community is going to be based on telling a story as opposed to playing statistics or recreating a perfect simulation. That's my motivation in Role Play, to play a Role. In the future, I want to look at Method, How as a player and a storyteller that plays out, because as I've noticed, I use the limits of the Game to allow for Narrative to happen.

I also discovered the mad house that is Dystopia Rising. Bunch of fucking lunatics raiding the woods in the ass crack of night and torturing their players once a month, rain or shine. I've never been challenged to interact as a character for 36 hours, especially when sleep deprivation, the fear of the unknown, and the ability to not fuck up and die in the middle of the woods is a thing both in and out of game. The blog post I have of my first experience there is my most read article to date.

Love you guys. I'll be back soon, if I have to drown the entire forest in the blood and bile of those who get in my way, I will.

I've also discovered the love that is Nordic LARPing. I've not yet had the experience, but I want to take part in a Nordic Style game. I want to be challenged by being in the experience as far as I am allowed to and as far as I can take it.

The year has also shown me my limits in gaming. I'm not a social heavy character. I do not have the thought for social climbing or going out and making an impression. I am. And while we're exploring characters that are different from ourselves, it has to come from part of us. I don't have that part in me. I also learned my limit in terms of gaming, as I begin to take my break for the next couple of months.

I've met several other academically minded folk in the field. Shoshana Kessock, local game developer and fellow blogger added me onto her unless-someone-shows-me-better comprehensive LARP and Gaming reading material list . I've also met Peter Woodworth, a man who has written for and about role playing games than I ever will. I'm playing games WRITTEN by him. He's something of my celebratory crush on this list. I've also had the distinction of becoming acquainted with Dr. Sarah Lynne Bowman, whose book The Functions of Role-Playing Games is something along the lines of what I want to do with this blog eventually

I told you, I'm egotistical. And as I said, I've learned to cope.

In the end, writing this blog and the experience in LARPing made me a more insightful writer. Since I started Storytelling and writing, I've come up with story ideas that while weren't good for the games, could make good novels in and of themselves. I'm also in the midst of developing my own Boffer Larp with several of my friends. I've got a thousand ideas, and because of this thing, I want to share them.

As for what's to come, there are several articles I have in mind: Powergaming, the struggle between Function and Flavor in Character Building, and a look into Final Fantasy VII and it's affect on my gaming experience.

Thank you all for reading this, and I hope you stick around.

Later.