Introduction to larp and a small series of definitions.

Larp or Live Action Roleplay is a subgenre of the RPG or Role Playing Game hobby.
The following terms will come up a lot within this small guide so here are a few definitions. Player is a term for the person taking part in the activity and character refers to the persona they are playing within the game. The game and the system in this context both refer to the game being participated in. The term contact larp or contact system refers to those, where combat is decided using larpsafe foam weapons rather than abstracts such as card draws or rock paper scissors.

In the same way as in a pen and paper based game and the computer based games, You start by generating a character through application of the game rules, creating statistics for the character in whatever way the game requires.

Unlike in computer games and table top roleplay, interaction between characters is not controlled by dice or selecting options. Instead you play the character and talk to other characters and directly interact with the game world. By finding a character concept and bringing it to life through actions and immersion within the setting and the world created in cooperation with those running the game and the other players.

general skills and a brief note on why Larp can be useful.

General skills that are able to be improved by larp are, social skills, discourse related skills such as conversation techniques to persuade and shift people to your points of view, skill at manipulating people by telling them what you want them to hear and negotiation skills all in an environment where any conflict stays in game and so characters that despise each other may be best friends outside of the game. In contact larps physical fitness can be improved and by spending time socialising with people new friendships and contacts can be developed which can prove very helpful
Larp then as well as a hobby has qualities which make it a useful way to improve skills such as character design, costume design and acting skills which are an integral part of creative writing, drama and other degrees such as film and television.
The activity then can be used as an effective tool by players and those running the games, to improve skills involved within the degree.

English Language

social skills, discourse related skills such as conversation techniques to persuade and shift people to your points of view, skill at manipulating people by telling them what you want them to hear and negotiation skills are all areas that are involved with larp due to the fact that communication is a key part of the game in terms of goal achieving.

Drama

By creating a character that has to interact with the world of the game, it tests improvisation skills and allows you to explore character concepts which will show you how to make a character appear more rounded and realistic.
It teaches awareness and improves blocking and stage awareness as you watch other characters, whilst acting yourself. Within Combat systems it teaches safe fighting that does look realistic. Due to the active part of the hobby it teaches practical costume design As the active nature of the hobby means that one will be running and fighting etc and so it improves the abilities to create good looking character defining costumes that are also both safe and comfortable for those wearing them.

Film and Television based qualifications

Costume design and positioning are skills that will be improved, but also by watching how combat systems use the playerbase to provide a challenge for the players on missions by using them as efficiently as possible as monster crew and other extras, Thereby teaching useage of limited resources effectively within a cast.

English Literature based qualifications

Again creating rounded and believable characters but also larp can show how plots evolve and how small details can be turned into key plot devices. By watching plots unfold and how charaxcters actions can affect a plotline. It shows how to draw inspiration and borrow ideas and how many styles of plot and genre can exist within a piece of literature and how they can be used to show emotion and tell one linked story.

Design based qualifications

Set dressing at small scale larps shows how a room or stage can be dressed and transformed with very simple tricks and small budgets. By seeing how a room can become very different spaces simply by moving furniture it will help with visualising the spaces worked with and how they can be dramatically altered to what is required and or desired.