Explaining gaming to non-gamers (Roleplaying, that is)

[Jessica]

I realized that recently I've had to explain to 3 people what larping is. This made me wonder, how do other people here explain to family, professionals, anyone who asks what gaming is?

My description of larp to non-gamers: It's like improv theater. Everyone takes the role of a main character and we make it up as we go along, and there's one person who's like the director, who sets the scene, throws out things to do, and plays minor characters to help the scene go through.

I often use "You know D&D right?" because I find most people have heard of that... but I'm not entirely sure everyone actually knows what it is.

[Indon]

I generally start with the 'structured make-believe' angle, then throw in examples like acting or fantasy football when necessary.

[SecondTalon]

I've taken to using..
"You remember as a kid playing.. I don't know, Cops & Robbers, War, whatever kind of game where you pretend to fight with someone else? And remember how you'd shoot someone, they'd start making up crap about how they had on a bulletproof vest, then you'd say your bullets could go through it and so on? It's... basically that, only we've got rules that decide whether or not you shot someone or they dodged, or if their armor was good enough to protect them from your bullets.
(Pen&Paper-specific)But instead of actually running around, we sit around a table and use dice and paper and such to figure it all out.
(D&D-specific)Also, it's in a cave and we're fighting Trolls and Goblins and such with swords and spears, and someone's an elf or dwarf maybe." - throw in a Lord of the Rings reference if they seem to be blanking on the cave'troll/goblin/I'mmaElf! bit.

(If I were to describe LARP, though I've never done it)You basically end up acting it out, like you're in a play or something, but there's no script."

I, uh, also retitled the thread. If that wasn't what you were meaning, lemme know.

[Jessica]

That's cool, ST. Roleplaying's the one that needs the most explanation.

Ah, yes, the cops and robbers approach.

[Terebrant]

My description of larp to non-gamers: It's like improv theater. Everyone takes the role of a main character and we make it up as we go along, and there's one person who's like the director, who sets the scene, throws out things to do, and plays minor characters to help the scene go through.

That is almost how I introduce it but I talk about how there is a system to resolve actions and how, like in theatre, it isn't played out on stage and that the director can have assistants.

I often use "You know D&D right?" because I find most people have heard of that... but I'm not entirely sure everyone actually knows what it is.

I wouldn't use this one because of the numerous ways in which one can play a tabletop roleplaying game. I know that the way I play tRPG doesn't relate easily to how I play in a larp (it seems we have various words for the level of simulation in french and I can't find translations for them).

[Jessica]

I think I'm gonna remove D&D from my descriptions in the future, but I have found it a good example of roleplaying that people know about in general. It might be wrong (probably is) but it's a starting point. sort of.

Again, probably going to remove it from my descriptions if I remember (not that I practice or anything, it just comes out the same in the end).

[Ralith The Third]

wait, there are people who don't know what role-playing is?
erm.

[Whispering]

wait, there are people who don't know what role-playing is?
erm.

Yes they are normal people. I've used the improv theater one quite a bit for LARP games. When you show up at Burger King in full Victorian Era dress you get some odd looks but the it's for theater tends to work rather well.

[headprogrammingczar]

It's like Who's Line is it Anyway?, only not as funny.

Best explanation I have ever heard

[TheOtherDOOMGuy]

See larping isnt gaming.
At least, to me it isnt.

I am a gamer, been 1 for a very long time.
Like, since I was 3.
Yes, I played Duck Hunt, and Super Mario at that age. Pretty good at it too. Loaded up the game cartridges a few years ago (Long story, on another NES, as out was got rid of) and I still had the highscores, even against my older brothers, and their friends.
Also Circus Charlie, plus many others.

Larping is just pretending, it makes me think too much of little kids out playing.

Sorry, I dont mean to be, well, mean.
But I just cannot see the point of it.
You want to learn how to use a sword?
Take up Jujitsu, we get to play with real swords (NINJA swords at that)

So when I went into this topic, I was expecting RPG games to be the topic.
But, to explain larping, here goes:

Grown Men playing pretend knights with other grown men.

(Again, if Ive offended, I do NOT mean to.)

[Kizyr]

DnD is to LARP what Theater is to Mime.
Of course, I say this having seen some hilarious mime routines.

Seriously though... Not having done LARP and not really being interested in it, I usually find a simple way to explain it: it's DnD where you act out your character instead of just describing it. If I need to explain DnD (or pen-and-paper RPGs in general) then I'll go backwards from there. After that description is set, I can clarify a bit (e.g., explaining that it's not necessarily in a medieval fantasy setting, some people use costumes, sometimes it's serious, sometimes not, etc.).

It seems to be pretty easy to describe, honestly. The only hurdle would be trying to describe it to someone who just wants to make fun of you for it, and I find that's rarely worth the effort. KF