Used to just mean Live Action Role Playing, now it's also used figuratively and derogatorily in the context of online political discussion to describe people or activities involving absurd adherence to ideals, inflammatory messages, and elaborate outfits or accessories to deliver a sense of association with political groups often just for the social and visual experience of it all or due to a sanitized misunderstanding of activism in general born of the information age. Pairs good with gatekeeping.
Person 1: "I don't get it; how's Bernie Sanders sexist for just... feeling cold and being old or something?"
Person 2: "Oh. LARPers. Ignore them. Twitter is full of people LARPing like this. They don't really care about women or transfolk or any cause for that matter, they just want to make it look like they do."
Person 1: "Yeah. Side effects of leftism being popular, I guess. Also, we don't really live in the US so this doesn't even remotely concern us. We got better things to do and keeping track of all the dumb shit that happens there isn't even worth it for the fun value."
Person 2: "Holy shit."
Person 2: "Oh. LARPers. Ignore them. Twitter is full of people LARPing like this. They don't really care about women or transfolk or any cause for that matter, they just want to make it look like they do."
Person 1: "Yeah. Side effects of leftism being popular, I guess. Also, we don't really live in the US so this doesn't even remotely concern us. We got better things to do and keeping track of all the dumb shit that happens there isn't even worth it for the fun value."
Person 2: "Holy shit."
by amerika ist wunderbar January 24, 2021
Pretend:
Kid 1: let's play that I'm a wizard and you're a magic goblin
Kid 2: Ok, pretend I have a wand too! *wooosh!*~
-long, complex game ensues-
LARP:
Adult 1: Hey man, let's LARP! I am the Alchemy Wizard
Adult 2: Ok! We'll be in the realm of Wizardania. I'm the Gnome of Royal Order. I have a fire wand~
-long, complex game ensues-
Kid 1: let's play that I'm a wizard and you're a magic goblin
Kid 2: Ok, pretend I have a wand too! *wooosh!*~
-long, complex game ensues-
LARP:
Adult 1: Hey man, let's LARP! I am the Alchemy Wizard
Adult 2: Ok! We'll be in the realm of Wizardania. I'm the Gnome of Royal Order. I have a fire wand~
-long, complex game ensues-
by ichigodesuka September 28, 2009
Someone who participates in LARPing, or Live Action Role Playing, in which people dress up as things normally children would dress up as for halloween (knights, elves etc) while swinging around foam swords to pretend-fight. Larps typically lack social skills and resort to larping to connect with others of similar IQ level
Guy 1: Hey dude I'm gonna go out for a larp today
Guy 2: Dude you're such a larp go talk to some girls instead oh wait you're a larp so you probably don't know how to do that
Guy 2: Dude you're such a larp go talk to some girls instead oh wait you're a larp so you probably don't know how to do that
by ilovelarp July 10, 2019
Person 1:Lets go LARPING at Harry Potter world!
Person 2: I didn't bring my robe with me, I have my wand though.
Person 1: Its okay, I have an extra, as long as you don't mind being a Slytherin for a day!
Person 2: I didn't bring my robe with me, I have my wand though.
Person 1: Its okay, I have an extra, as long as you don't mind being a Slytherin for a day!
by A Real Life Dinosaur Mage April 14, 2020
by Nebbity November 16, 2021
1) Basically children's make-believe but for adults. Often augmented to a significant extent in which there are costumes, props and setting elements specifically designed for it. Funnily, the adults will take the make-believe far more seriously than the kids, who—at the end of the day—will come back to reality.
2) An internet phenomenon where the anonymity of the internet allows individuals to masquerade as any identity as they so please, with a central theme surrounding it (often a controversial one). There is no real motive for LARPing other than "for the lulz" or "for the aesthetic". LARPing is similar to trolling in a way, but fundamentally different. In fact, you could LARP around as a troll, thus creating a double-walled identity.
In both forms of LARPing, the degree of immersion can range from frivolous to completely involved.
2) An internet phenomenon where the anonymity of the internet allows individuals to masquerade as any identity as they so please, with a central theme surrounding it (often a controversial one). There is no real motive for LARPing other than "for the lulz" or "for the aesthetic". LARPing is similar to trolling in a way, but fundamentally different. In fact, you could LARP around as a troll, thus creating a double-walled identity.
In both forms of LARPing, the degree of immersion can range from frivolous to completely involved.
SENSE 1: "So I was just going for the usual hike in the backwoods until I was suddenly startled by these medieval-dressed men with toy swords who leaped out of the bushes yelling some weird phrase"
"Sounds like they were LARPing"
SENSE 2:
a) Tyler likes to LARP as a dream smp fan for the experience, but really he has no interest in it.
b) Some (but not all) of the conspiracy nutjobs down in the YT comments section are just LARPers who do it for the lulz.
c) Danielle often LARPs online as a dude with the pronouns he/him. In actuality, Danielle is a girl and identifies as she/her, but being a guy feels more exciting to her.
d) "Take the comment sections in The Hollywood Reporter with a grain of salt, the users there are known to LARP as trolls"
"Sounds like they were LARPing"
SENSE 2:
a) Tyler likes to LARP as a dream smp fan for the experience, but really he has no interest in it.
b) Some (but not all) of the conspiracy nutjobs down in the YT comments section are just LARPers who do it for the lulz.
c) Danielle often LARPs online as a dude with the pronouns he/him. In actuality, Danielle is a girl and identifies as she/her, but being a guy feels more exciting to her.
d) "Take the comment sections in The Hollywood Reporter with a grain of salt, the users there are known to LARP as trolls"
by Mary Mary Quite The Contrarian January 6, 2022
Live Action Role Play (n)
Verb form: To LARP, LARPing, LARPed, etc.
LARPs are a category of game in which players create characters and, acting as those characters, interact with other players and Storytellers/Game Masters to complete some sort of challenge, quest, or adventure. LARPing traditionally has its roots in so-called "table top" games like Dungeons and Dragons or White Wolf's Vampire the Masquerade, however in table top games, the game mechanics are controlled by dice. In LARPing, game mechanics are usually controlled by rock-paper-scissors.
Although some forms of LARPs do include foam weapons (known as "Boffer weapons") and medieval/fantasy costuming, others take place in the real world with current clothes and can be played in public spaces so long as players have an identifying object such as a red button or other signifier to tell other players who is involved in the game. These games generally do not include actual weapons of any sort, foam or otherwise, and players wishing to use a weapon against another character must describe what they are doing and then play rock-paper-scissors to determine if they are successful.
Vampire the Masquerade is one of the more successful LARPs out there, having several groups throughout the United States. Large numbers of LARPers are therefore often walked past by unsuspecting passerby who think they've just seen a bunch of loitering goths. Although they are not wrong, they have also witnessed LARPing.
Verb form: To LARP, LARPing, LARPed, etc.
LARPs are a category of game in which players create characters and, acting as those characters, interact with other players and Storytellers/Game Masters to complete some sort of challenge, quest, or adventure. LARPing traditionally has its roots in so-called "table top" games like Dungeons and Dragons or White Wolf's Vampire the Masquerade, however in table top games, the game mechanics are controlled by dice. In LARPing, game mechanics are usually controlled by rock-paper-scissors.
Although some forms of LARPs do include foam weapons (known as "Boffer weapons") and medieval/fantasy costuming, others take place in the real world with current clothes and can be played in public spaces so long as players have an identifying object such as a red button or other signifier to tell other players who is involved in the game. These games generally do not include actual weapons of any sort, foam or otherwise, and players wishing to use a weapon against another character must describe what they are doing and then play rock-paper-scissors to determine if they are successful.
Vampire the Masquerade is one of the more successful LARPs out there, having several groups throughout the United States. Large numbers of LARPers are therefore often walked past by unsuspecting passerby who think they've just seen a bunch of loitering goths. Although they are not wrong, they have also witnessed LARPing.
I was LARPing last night and my Toreador character became Primogen of her Clan. Then I was attacked by a Nosferatu and lost Rock-Paper-Scissors, so now I'm waiting for the Storyteller to tell me if I've been unstaked yet.
by GrammarLady April 3, 2009