 |
| Photo by Bethany Tozier |
I have been playing for more than 15 years now, coming up on 16 in the spring. I was brought in by Andy Adams (Sir Lysis) when I was in high school, and the group of us spent a few months preparing by coming up with character concepts, making costumes and weapons, and so on. My first event was Tournaments of Creathorne in 1997.
I recently had the sobering thought that when I started, the game had been going for about a decade. That meant that the oldest of the oldbies had been playing for about 10 years, mostly less. It doesn't seem possible that I have now been playing for much longer than they had at the time-- Then again, most of them are still around.
How has the game changed since you've been playing?
In some ways, I think the game is always changing. In others, I think it never really changes. At times, I think the culture and community has changed drastically, but then I realize that in 15 years, my perspective has probably changed even more, so I suspect it's hard to measure the change.
When I started playing, we were still using the earlier magic system, sometimes called by the names "Arch System," "Rogue System," or "Guild System". Weapons were only made from PVC, not fibreglass or bamboo, and chain mail was heavy steel rather than aluminum mesh or neoprene.
On the other hand-- We were on the cusp of considering a move from one magic system to another, as we are now, and people were just as interested in improving the "technology" we use to fight with. I think the culture hasn't changed drastically, it's just that the details have moved along over time.
Certainly, my perspective on the game has changed.
I was an 18 year old, with friends of a similar age. Now many of my friends are doing things like getting married, having careers, having kids. That changes the dynamic of how people spend time and energy, but I don't thing it has lost us anything.
I used to disappear for most of the year for college, only returning for college and the occasional winter event or two. I am now lucky enough to play more year-round, and see a wider variety of events-- I used to miss out on staples like Green & Gold and the Black & White, and now I couldn't live without them.
I have played with Gwenethlin (mostly South), then the Empire (mostly North), and now for a long time with Chimeron (very South), and over the years I think that means being able to understand more people.
Most importantly, I think I'm one of many people in the game who is slowly getting over the sense of "Us and Them" that so often diminishes our community. I don't think as much in terms of North and South, Fighter and Spellcaster, Athlete and Roleplayer, and so on these days. I'm aware of different perspectives, without falling victim quite to often to putting people into the bucket of The Other and dismissing their perspective. I think a lot of people have been moving in the same direction, and I love to see that.
Who have you learned the most from?
It's impossible to pick just one person. I've had so many people I have learned from the years, be they role models, mentors, or collaborative partners-- From Andy Adams, to Bob Traynor, to Carrie Dolph, to Jon Jessop, to Joe Piepiora, to Ian Pushee, to Rob Blache, to Janna Oakfellow-Pushee, to Matt Brenner.
In a way, I think I have learned the most from those people who were able to acknowledge mistakes, but not end the conversation there. That includes people who can look at their own faults, but much more so the people who were able to look at mine, and be honest with me about them, but then stick around for me to learn the lesson.
I don't know if we do that enough, as a community. Some kid comes in, and makes some mistakes, and burns some bridges. Then, that kid starts to grow up, learn lessons from those mistakes, and has a chance to do something more positive. If we only remember the mistakes made by the kid, we may miss out on the contributions they could make as they become more mature-- or even stunt that growth, but not expecting more from them.
I learned a lot from a few people who also went through that process, both well and not-so-well, but given the focus on mistakes I wouldn't feel right naming them.
 |
| Photo by Erin Pils-Martin |
What was your best moment IC?
In my Realms career, I was lucky enough
to have something that's important to anyone who really loves stories:
I was able to have an ending.
Nero meant a lot to me, and I can't over state how hard it is to let your first character go. However, he had his story, and it was completed by having a clear ending.
He had his impulsive, troublesome youth, full of mistakes. He built friendships that will last forever, and started a family. He learned some lessons (and missed others) and came to a moment where he could choose what mattered to him. He had a dark first act, a strong second act that left a legacy people still see today, and ended his third act with a sacrifice that defined the choice between what is important and what is personal.
It may not be the best story every told, but it wasn't half bad to see play through. Nero looked into the darkness, and decided it was better to die and be the light that could save someone he loved.
What was your best moment as a NPC/EH/Player?
By far my most proud moment as a player was when I was invited to join the Order of the Magi. I can't say it wasn't something I had hoped for, but it was never something I expected.
I don't really know if I'm especially wise, but a group of people I look up to as spell casters, as magic marshals, as event holders, as mentors, and as players said to me that I was worthy to join them.
I still don't know if I deserve it, but it's a heck of a reminder to keep trying at it.
What would you like to see changed or developed more in game?
Community through hybridization.
I think as the play styles of the combat-motivated fighter and the story-motivated role player become more divided, our community risks being more divided as well. It's the ultimate "Us and Them" because we literally play the same game with different victory conditions.
The game has always had two sides, more so than other LARPs due to our emphasis on real-world skill, and that's a strength. However, when you have two sides of a community whose priorities overlap less and less, you risk making it more and more difficult to see each others' perspectives.
I'd like to see a way for the elite fighters to continue to enjoy the rewards of their merits, while still encouraging the mid-level combatants to keep playing the same game. I'd like to see ways to encourage non-spellcasters to be deeply involved in plot. I'd like to see a way for more spell casters to spend time feeling useful on the front lines.
If we can manage that, then more and more people can play in the middle, the hybrid game that shares the best of both worlds. It would be good for the community and the future of the game.
What advice would you give new players?
The same advice I'd give anyone.
Be patient. Take a step back, and observe as much as you can, before making any huge decisions. The more you know, the wiser your actions can be. That goes for choosing a nation to join, or a play style that suits you, just as much as it goes for how to solve the quest of the day.
One piece of that: Get to know as many people as possible. Especially the ones who you don't think you'd get along with. Otherwise, you might be right.
What do you love most about the game?
The people. Our community.
If it wasn't for the wonderful people, then even spending my weekends as an awesome wizard with an eating disorder wouldn't be worth it. I get to spend my free time with dozens of my favorite people, doing something we all love. Who would miss that?
Who would you like to see the next interview be with?
Some of the questions might need tweaking, but I'd love to see what a new player in their first handful of events would say, and whether it changed after a year, or a few years. Is that too ambitious an answer?
[Editor's Note: We have been running a Fresh Faces series that interviews newer players. In fact, there is a new one coming out next week. We can certainly try to re-interview them in a few years to see how things have changed.]
Anything else you'd like to take the opportunity to put into print?
If this goes up before Feast of Leviathan, I'd like to remind people to pre-reg for "my" upcoming event at the University of Highbridge. The truth is, the event is largely a way to promote Tria/Rhiannon's Master Feast, and I think missing such Epic Mealtime would be a shame.
I was able to have an ending.
Nero meant a lot to me, and I can't over state how hard it is to let your first character go. However, he had his story, and it was completed by having a clear ending.
He had his impulsive, troublesome youth, full of mistakes. He built friendships that will last forever, and started a family. He learned some lessons (and missed others) and came to a moment where he could choose what mattered to him. He had a dark first act, a strong second act that left a legacy people still see today, and ended his third act with a sacrifice that defined the choice between what is important and what is personal.
It may not be the best story every told, but it wasn't half bad to see play through. Nero looked into the darkness, and decided it was better to die and be the light that could save someone he loved.
What was your best moment as a NPC/EH/Player?
By far my most proud moment as a player was when I was invited to join the Order of the Magi. I can't say it wasn't something I had hoped for, but it was never something I expected.
I don't really know if I'm especially wise, but a group of people I look up to as spell casters, as magic marshals, as event holders, as mentors, and as players said to me that I was worthy to join them.
I still don't know if I deserve it, but it's a heck of a reminder to keep trying at it.
What would you like to see changed or developed more in game?
Community through hybridization.
I think as the play styles of the combat-motivated fighter and the story-motivated role player become more divided, our community risks being more divided as well. It's the ultimate "Us and Them" because we literally play the same game with different victory conditions.
The game has always had two sides, more so than other LARPs due to our emphasis on real-world skill, and that's a strength. However, when you have two sides of a community whose priorities overlap less and less, you risk making it more and more difficult to see each others' perspectives.
I'd like to see a way for the elite fighters to continue to enjoy the rewards of their merits, while still encouraging the mid-level combatants to keep playing the same game. I'd like to see ways to encourage non-spellcasters to be deeply involved in plot. I'd like to see a way for more spell casters to spend time feeling useful on the front lines.
If we can manage that, then more and more people can play in the middle, the hybrid game that shares the best of both worlds. It would be good for the community and the future of the game.
What advice would you give new players?
The same advice I'd give anyone.
Be patient. Take a step back, and observe as much as you can, before making any huge decisions. The more you know, the wiser your actions can be. That goes for choosing a nation to join, or a play style that suits you, just as much as it goes for how to solve the quest of the day.
One piece of that: Get to know as many people as possible. Especially the ones who you don't think you'd get along with. Otherwise, you might be right.
What do you love most about the game?
The people. Our community.
If it wasn't for the wonderful people, then even spending my weekends as an awesome wizard with an eating disorder wouldn't be worth it. I get to spend my free time with dozens of my favorite people, doing something we all love. Who would miss that?
Who would you like to see the next interview be with?
Some of the questions might need tweaking, but I'd love to see what a new player in their first handful of events would say, and whether it changed after a year, or a few years. Is that too ambitious an answer?
[Editor's Note: We have been running a Fresh Faces series that interviews newer players. In fact, there is a new one coming out next week. We can certainly try to re-interview them in a few years to see how things have changed.]
Anything else you'd like to take the opportunity to put into print?
If this goes up before Feast of Leviathan, I'd like to remind people to pre-reg for "my" upcoming event at the University of Highbridge. The truth is, the event is largely a way to promote Tria/Rhiannon's Master Feast, and I think missing such Epic Mealtime would be a shame.