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How do members that participate in Live Action Role Play games create and maintain their fantasy roles within the structure of that social reality? Introduction: Live Action Role-Playing or more commonly known as (LARP) has become an interesting pastime that is growing in popularity in parks all around the world. LARP offers individuals an opportunity to play out their fantasies in real-time action by taking on new identities in a specific setting. The origin of LARP dates back into the late 19th century, and LARP performances initially served as historical reenactments as a means of entertainment. Since then, LARP has evolved into a phenomenon that calls for cultural and communciational examination. LARP is no longer just a form of entertainment for viewers and audiences; LARP is a lifestyle for many of those who want to play out their fantasies. The emergence of LARP began in the 1980s in communities spanning from North America, Europe and Australia. Each developing their own different and specific themes (Tychsen, Hitchens, Brolund, & Kavakli, 2006). Today, LARP features over 100,000 players worldwide (Schneider & Kortuem 2001), and the amount of LARP organizations are growing all around the world. LARP has become more than a hobby, lifestyle, and more importantly an organization . Local LARP organizations act as strong and intimate communities where many local residents gather for weekly meetings, practices to prepare for games. Recent pop culture references such as the movie Role Models, have propelled the notoriety of this game-play past small, fantasy dedicated groups forward to media viewing public. The notoriety given to LARP interested our research group and set the stage for this specific research project. The unique function of organizational structure within LARP groups bridges theoretical frameworks across several frameworks and theories. For this study, the

mystical and fantasy elements that create the reality in the game provide a format to examine the importance of organizational involvement in developing reality. This includes aspects of group development like member socialization, identity management, and community rituals. In order to complete this study and answer our research question an ethnography of The Orange County Fighters Guild, a Southern California LARP organization, that is based in Orange County, California was conducted involving multiple, interviews, participatory and objective observation. Literature Review: The Rules and Guidelines of LARP There are rules to LARP that must be strictly followed. As Tychsen, Hitchens, Brolund and Kavakli (2006) explain, the core of the game is role playing guided by rules [and its most important rule is that] each player takes control of one or more (although typically only one) character (p. 254). General, each LARP game determines its own rules. Because the game can fall outside of the real-world setting, rules are sometimes dependent on the value system of the fictional world created by the players and not on the real rules of society. Nonetheless, as Simkins and Steinkuehler (2008) state, in games, ordinary rules of social action are changed but that does not mean they are not important and consequential (p. 338). The question of who determines the rules of the game centers on game masters (GM). Tychsen et al. (2006) explain players and GM, combined, form the game participants, and the author of a LARP game or scenario does not necessarily equal the GMsa person can write the manual for a LARP game without actually participating in it. The GMs are the participants who prepare, manage, and direct the LARP. (p. 254) Rules in LARP games can be set either by being implemented first or by following the narration. More specifically, in a narration first system [] the player would narrate the actions

of their character first, and the rules interpretation would come afterwards, in a rules first system [] the mechanics precede the narration (Bergstrm, 2013, p. 10). This allows the rules to determine how the game is played, of course, but also determines the strategies that the players employ within the game. Nevertheless, however, players are subject to the rules of the powers that be, [(the game masters)] and both modify their behaviors to keep those powers on side (Krzywinska, 2006, p. 392). This would seem to indicate that the rules can provide players with the ability of turning the game in their favor. In addition to the above, rules function as arbitrators, creative coolants, consistencyproviders, inspiration, support, communication, randomness and as diegetic control ("Diegetic control" is who has the power or authority to enter things into the diegesis, i.e. "to make things true in the story") (Bergstrm, 2013, pp. 10-11). III. The structure of LARP gaming The structure of LARP games is done either narratively or in relation to play. This means that the game can either be organized around the intended narrative of the setting in which the characters figure or be organized around the intended, sights, sounds and emotions that can rise through game play (Simkins & Steinkuehler, 2008, p. 344). This thus means that themes are chosen around which the games will be held. Narrative organization of LARP games will result in one or more of the themes of character consistency, complex narrative, consequence, heroics, mirroring, responsibility, social context, stereotypes, subtle/hard choices, world consistency, hatred of enemy, critique of genre norms and value clarity while game play organization will result in on more themes of completion, doing (not watching), experiencing, exploring, choice legitimacy, playing, result-seeking, limited freedoms and choices as well as mitigated risks (p.

346). As the aforementioned lists demonstrate, narrative organization tells the LARP games story while game play organization tells the players stories within the game. IV. Genres of LARP There are several genres of LARP and each fits the participants chosen mode and interest of play. Perhaps the best way to consider these genres is to categorize them by fictional and non-fictional settings. The former can include: genres such as fantasy, horror, and science fiction. []As is often also the case with classical myth, each of these imaginary worlds provides a blueprint formulation that is taken up and extended by others. As well as spanning across a range of media forms and texts, each of these fantasy worlds (or perhaps more properly universes or multiverses where different universes interconnectin some cases) uses structures and forms derived from preexisting mythological cosmologies and follow in the world-creating footsteps forged in myth systems. (Krzywinska, 2006, pp. 385-386) Fictional genres tend to be based, as stated above, in already-created worlds of fantasy wherein characters and physical settings have been described and established by other authors when this is the case, the participants, then, vary their role-playing only within the frame of references of those authors works or creations (Drachen & Smith, 2008, p. 3). Fictional genres that are made up for the purpose of the LARP game (rather than previously created for other venues such as television or literature (Krzywinska, 2006, p. 385)) are based on a fantasy world determined and framed by the rules of the LARP game itself. The non-fictional genre, however, often pertains to live action in a setting that is real or historical. Its rules, like in the case of their fictional counterparts, are determined either by the reality of the event on which the game is based. It is rare for real-world yet fictional genres to be

used for the games because, as Tychsen et al. (2006) explain, real-world settings for this genre require the use of real-world monuments and areas, and these can rarely accommodate over than 50 people (p. 257). V. Characters According to Simkins and Steinkuehler (2008), in the context of games, one takes on the role of a character in some kind of recognized society whether realistic or fictional (p. 339). This means that the characters are those with assumed identities that exist solely within the society of the LARP game. Like in the case of the genres being based in fiction or in real-world settings, characters can thus be fictional in nature or real (humans, animals, etc.) or can be based on game-created characterization or role portrayals that existed in previously-created fictional work (Krzywinska, 2006, p. 385; Simkins & Steinkuehler, 2008, p. 339). VI. Fantasy Theory By creating and playing within a world wherein the rules, organization, genres and characters are created and based on pretend, the LARP game is essentially the creation of a world rooted in fantasy. It does not truly exist in the sense of real-world accuracy or history. Nonetheless, it remains very real to the LAR players who function within it. The value of the fantasy, however, can translate to the real work in terms of the lessons to be learned from the experiences lived within that fantasy. Simkins and Steinkuehler (2008) find ethical value in the creation of and subsequent learning drawn from a LARP fantasy world because, no matter the completeness of the created, fantastical world, its players still belong to a social sphere that exists in reality: RPGs are potentially powerful spaces for practicing and developing skills in critical ethical reasoning, as they have the unique ability of providing experiences that are

entirely co-constructed by both designer and player. Not only is the experience of game play co-produced, but the meaning of the games is co-produced, providing the kind of learning environment that, according to Dewey (1916/2001), is essential for the development of competency as a participant in a democratic society. (p. 339) Nonetheless, it remains very real to the LARP players who function within it. The value of the fantasy, can translate to the real world in terms of the lessons to be learned from the experiences lived within that fantasy. VII. Organizational Culture Development and Socialization LARPs contain a unique view into how an organization works to incorporate its members into the organizations culture. By examining certain aspects of organizational communication theory specifically in terms of culture and identity development it becomes clearer how LARPers create, sustain and become their role. The text Organizational Communication written by Eric Eisenberg and H.L Goodall (2010) relate that: Organizational cultures emerge from members individual and collective symbol using practices. These various symbolic expressions combine to create a unique sense of place that defines an organizations culture (pp. 105). The most important of these aspects for the scope of this study is the idea of Ritual. The text regards rituals as functions in an organization that sets out that particular groups value or values (Eisenberg & Goodall, 2010, pg 105). In LARPs, the use of rituals is of utmost importance in order to sustain the ongoing role-play of that game. Rituals serve to strength organizational values as well as aid in the socialization of its members. In Eisnberg and Goodalls (2010) work socialization is a process by which people learn the rules, norms, and expectations of a culture over time and thereby become members of that culture (pp. 123). Rituals and the purposes they serve in socialization are integral in understanding how a member of a LARP truly immerses his or herself into the game under changing multiple identities.

VIII. The Magic Circle and Liminal Space The study of LARPs in and outside the United States the most common theoretical framework involves a combination of Systems, Fantasy and Game theory. Under these previous structural frameworks two important terms have arisen since the initial development of this field of research: The Magic Circle and the idea of Liminal Space. The concept of Liminal Space aids in the understanding of how a LARP game can engulf a players total identity and socialize them into the world of the game. In liminal spaces, normal systems of logic or ethics may not apply, as they are replaced by temporary new ones pertaining to the ritual at hand (Harviainen, 2012 pp. 508). Thus liminal space is one of change in the player mindset, it is a reality that is crucial in the development and sustaining of characters in a LARP and steps need to be taken in order for liminal space itself to be maintained. Harviainen (2012) makes note again in her study that Liminality is sustained by way of making sure the players do not have a ready schema and performative scripts at hand, and have to rely on ingame sources such as cognitive authorities (pp. 517). Continue the Lit review discussing the magic circle and its reference to this study Talk about the Org comm terms and more specific framework we want to use

VIII. Orange County Fighters Guild The OC Fighters Guild is considered to be a subdivision of the LARP alliance, which is a non-profit organization dedicated to creating communities and forums for people to participate and engage in LARPs. The OC Fighters Guilds focus is to provide LARPers with a safe, educational, and constructive place to learn the art of combat in LARP. The art of combat in LARP is realistic and lifelike, and therefore the OC Fighters Guild practices different variations of martial arts during their combat training. Anaheim native, Rory Loveshack founded the original OC Fighters Guild in 2007. In the summer of 2009, Dane Van Petten assumed the role

of President after Rory Loveshack left the organization for personal matters. Van Petten is also responsible for the original game that the OC Fighters Guild plays titled, Heximeister. Van Petten was working on developing Heximeister with Loveshack prior to Loveshacks deaparture. Van Petten finally launched the game at the end of 2009. Heximeister is a basic game where participants assume a character from a list that includes, a Warrior, a Rogue, a Cleric, and a Mage. From there, the participants select a profession as well as different power abilities as they commit themselves into the role and perform within the magic circle. After this review of literature on the systems that emerge in these fantasy roles of LARPs our group seeks to answer this question: How the organizational members that participate in Live Action Role Play games create and maintain their fantasy roles within the structure of that social reality? Methods Research was conducted with the Orange County Fighters Guild using the following techniques: 1) Participatory observation 2) Objective observation through video footage of the organizations practice 3) Informational interviews conducted with the Game Master of this LARP and other ` participants. The two meetings of which we participated in took place as Fighters Practices at the El Segundo Recreation Center and . The interview method was used to conduct research with participants. The ethnography approach was used to observe participants as they conducted their own practice. We chose this specific practice because there was no cost of entry and it was approximately twenty minutes from school making it the most well organized LARP program within reasonable distance. Upon attending this practice some amount of training was required

by the organizations Game Master. A fighters practice consists of several training methods including safety, technique, and velocity. The weapons used usually consist of swords made of foam, which can be ordered and tailored to each specific LARP player. Depending on each type of sword some can be used for stabbing or defending. Some of the safety regulations that were discussed at the practice included the prohibited areas (face, neck, groin) and the several different calls. Calls are used when LARP players are on field actively in battle and need to call attention to an emergency or caution. Calls can also be used to differentiate between the different skill sets of the LARP character. For example, if a character has enough points to access a break weapon he can call break weapon when hitting his or her sword with an opponent and therefore pretend to break the sword. The LARP technique that occurs with the foam swords is similar to any real sword technique such as fencing or real martial arts combat. Different sides of the sword are preferred and the LARPers stance is crucial to maintain balance. The participants were three LARPers who have been involved in LARP for the past 5 to 7 years. Their age ranged fro 24 to 27. At the time, they were preparing for a live action combat to take place a month from the practice time. Both participants were eager to explain the details of what it meant to be a LARP player. When asked, one of the players clarified that there were different themes in the LARP experience ranging anywhere from fantasy, medieval, to werewolves versus vampires. When asked about the costumes worn to the live combats one player explained, We prefer to make our own costumes than to buy them, its similar to when celebrities have their gowns tailor made to fit them just right and look brilliant. The type of armor worn is also significant to the way in which each player performs. The more armor, the slower the character but the harder it is to kill them. Characters can also choose to have specific abilities based on a point system prior to engaging in

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live combat. The players explained that once these abilities and armor have been selected it is pivotal to keep count of how much points you still have once out in the field. For example, if an opponent strikes a player, that player must subtract the amount of point he or she has of armor. Because these point value systems cannot be tracked electronically in the battlefield, everything is based off the honor code. The players were surprised at our speculation of this system claiming, everyone is pretty honest, if not it ceases to be entertaining. The live combats usually take place at a campsite far from any city. This way, the leaders of a specific LARP organization such as the Orange County Fighters Guild, can appropriately decorate and conceal any remnant of modern life and transform it to a LARP game such as a recent popular one, Oligarth. Within the campsites, LARPers usually provide food and distribute it communally in a potluck style where everyone gathers after a game. Much like any campsite, fires are made and stories and memories are shared of that day. Characters also make up a significant and crucial part of the game. Depending on the theme, each players character is different. Some games require players to choose from a call list of characters while other games allow you to create your own and transform it with each battle. Another type of character is a NPC or non playing character. These players are just fillers and are not actually playing for points. As described by one LARP player, NPCs are like the extras in a movie This allows a specific character to create a rank for themselves and their team members. For example, in Hunters Moon, the LARP game of vampires versus werewolves, one player explained to us his character. Flaubert, was a 15th century French aristocrat. His family had been killed by the French commoners because they publicly supported Louis the Sixteenth. When I asked how this character had become a werewolf, he responded, He was making love with a beautiful woman when out of nowhere, she bit him. Flaubert is just one example of the

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extensive and superfluous characters that make up specific games. While participating in the practice, I jokingly approached one of the players with the foam sword and said I would cut off his hair, he responded, my wife probably would not like that. When I continued to ask if she too was a LARP player he corrected me by saying, No, I mean to say my wife in LARP. Not only do these players create characters for themselves, they also create a background story in which intimate partners can arise in a game setting. Both Shayota and I participated in the fighter practice where we learned to defend and attack with the more realistic foam swords. We were given a glimpse of what it meant to be a true LARP player and the extent and mental skill it takes to keep up in the game.

Results/ Discussion: After our study was complete and data analyzed, we have examined a number of factors of communication with the organization that: first, allow for the fantasy role to be created by a member; and second, assure the maintenance of that role. Attending the LARP meet-ups, and conducting the follow up interviews were very beneficial because it put all of the research that was previously done into perspective. We were able to gain first hand experience about the relationships and motives the people who are part of this organization do and feel. Immediately after joining we discovered that even the more mundane aspects of the LARP that we participated in like the training and safety instructions emerged as an important theme in our data in the way of organizational rituals that work to socialize and develop the member into the game. Not only because without these base level lessons players would constantly break game rules and disrupt their own, and other players ability to remain in the liminal space of the LARP. But because as we underwent this training, there was a feeling of social movement from the outgroup into the in-group of the Guild. Here we are saying it was clear that to the members of the LARP,

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this training was the initial right of passage in the organization. This seems to be a standard across most LARPs but especially those that involve combat. At the heart of identity management as a part of a group or organization, is the idea of portraying authenticity in oneself. In the interview conducted with Dane, the Game Master of Heximister, he related that while the reasoning for joining a LARP organization may be varied, many of the members choose to stay and further assimilate because of the ability to live a darker side of themselves which they see as true but socially unmanageable outside of the magic circle. Since LARP participants gain their identity through creating a role that they often find as a darker alter ego yet still authentic, to them their characters are their reality. Power structures are of especial importance in the case of the OC fighters guild, the key element in answering our research question. Because the entire system of a LARP relies on the fact that members enter and remain in the liminal space of the game. The organizations have developed within their structure a power dynamic that gives one person ultimate authority as discussed in the review. Although the importance of this power structure was only scene after studying the OC guild. Since the players have little to no control over the actual rules and methodology of game development and play, it allows them to focus completely and fully on the performance they give in seeking to become a new identity within the LARP game. Performance in the game is what keeps the players even more engaged and maintain their role in the structure of the game. Performance identity is what brings the members together as an organization culture and an ongoing process between all of the members. It maintains their relationships together and create a cycle in which performance validates and strengthens their roles. Recommendations for Future Research:

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Although we were able to experience LARP firsthand by attending practices, there was still the obvious feeling that we were the cultural outgroup. This made it difficult to completely be able to immerse ourselves in their culture and rituals and understand their total participation in this fantasy world. To us outsiders this world they live in seems made up, but for them, this world for a period of time, is their reality and this concept is what is difficult to completely study as an ethnography. The LARP that we attended was only one of the many there are and if we had attended more we could have received more insight. We did not attended a full LARP event which also could provide more insight into the LARP reality.

References: Bergstrm, K. (2013). Creativity rules: How rules impact player creativity in three tabletop role-playing games. The International Journal of Role-Playing, (3). 4-17 Drachen, A., & Smith, J. H. (2008). Player talkthe functions of communication in multiplayer role-playing games. Computers in Entertainment (CIE), 6(4), 56-92. Krzywinska, T. (2006). Blood Scythes, Festivals, Quests, and Backstories World Creation and Rhetorics of Myth in World of Warcraft. Games and Culture, 1(4), 383396. Simkins, D. W., & Steinkuehler, C. (2008). Critical ethical reasoning and role Games and Culture, 3(3-4), 333-355. Tychsen, A., Hitchens, M., Brolund, T., & Kavakli, M. (2006). Live Action Role Playing Games Control, Communication, Storytelling, and MMORPG Similarities. Games and Culture, 1(3), 252-275. play.

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