Key Principle
Larp design is a sequential pipeline of distinct disciplines -- ideation, pre-runtime, runtime, post-runtime -- where each phase is independently learnable but must integrate with the others. The designer is a host managing two scarce resources: participant time and cognitive bandwidth.
Why This Matters
Designers who treat larp as a single undifferentiated art miss that a brilliant fiction can fail from bad mechanics, or a strong character design can be undermined by a hostile environment. The pipeline forces attention to each designable surface in sequence.
Phase 1: Idea Development
Seven-question stress test (Pedersen, Ch. 14):
- What is the core idea in one sentence? Every decision is measured against this.
- What are the themes? Themes determine the action space -- not genre.
- Does the idea layer? Multiple interpretive levels sustain engagement.
- Who is excluded, and why? Own every exclusion decision.
- Does ego drive any element? Remove anything included only because it seems cool or edgy.
- Can you pitch it clearly? "Every time you pitch your idea, you will understand it better." (Ch. 14)
- Do themes generate actionable character behavior?
Phase 2: Pre-Runtime Design
Communication as first designable surface: "Remember that you start curating the experience from the moment you announce the larp." (Section 2:1) Test materials with non-larpers before publishing.
Accessibility as trust design: "When you design for accessibility, what you are really doing is designing for trust." (Ch. 2:1:2) Three-step needs mapping after signup: assess group ability, identify outliers, allocate resources to greatest need.
Scheduling heuristics: Arrival window 1-2 hours minimum. Workshop groups 15-20 for hands-on practice. High-trust larps need minimum half-day workshop. Food breaks 1 hour (on-site), 1.5 hours (off-site).
Information responsibility shift: Before arrival, participants own the reading burden. On site, that transfers to the designer. Never recap everything -- participants stop listening. Use passive delivery (printed sheets in bathrooms) to supplement.
Phase 3: Workshop Design
Gap analysis: Identify the gap between what the larp requires and what participants already know. Fill with must/should/nice-to-know prioritization. Every exercise must be justified by specific larp needs.
Co-creation buckets: Small, specific buckets constrain choices productively. "Inventing things on the spot is hard, and the easiest way to fill a bucket is with low-hanging fruit -- stereotypes and common tropes." (Section 2:2)
Workshop delegation: Facilitators who understand the what but not the why will answer questions in ways that contradict the design. Script workshops, rehearse delivery.
Phase 4: Post-Play Processing
Three goals: Reconnection (separate player from character), Reflection (name and process emotions), Recuperation (self-care after intensity).
Feedback/debrief separation: Schedule a break between them. Debrief serves participants; feedback serves designers. Mixing degrades both.
Minimal feedback protocol: (1) Silent reflection, (2) round-robin with deaf applause, (3) pre-prepared specific questions, (4) thank the players. Optimal group: 5-10.
Good Examples
- Lotka-Volterra (Sweden, 2018): "a 'naturalistic' science fiction larp about the survival of humanity after an overwhelming alien invasion, with focus on friendship, trauma, relationships, and actual meaningful work." Every word constrains the design space.
- Inside Hamlet (Denmark, 2015): Layered idea at three levels -- canonical indecision, opposing action suggestions per character, and noble houses based on derivative works.
- Fairweather Manor (Poland, 2015): Costumed greeting and banner-led arrival as tone-setting design.
Counterpoints
- The pipeline is not strictly linear -- experienced designers iterate between phases. But beginners benefit from sequential treatment.
- The one-third dropout rate means production planning must account for attrition from the start.
Key Quotes
"This is not just about being nice: it is larp design just as much as creating mechanics is. Participants who are confused, uncomfortable, or feel unwelcome will not be able to process new information or keep schedules, let alone role-play." (Ch. 2:2:1)
"Player comfort is more important to your larp than any individual workshop exercise." (Section 2:2, Montola)
"When asking for feedback, you are using their time and tapping into their own design skills -- make sure that it matters!" (Ch. 4:1:2)
Rules of Thumb
- Lock themes before anything else -- they generate all downstream decisions
- Budget one-third of pre-runtime time for workshopping safety and calibration
- Outsource non-core work (kitchen, music, cleaning) -- organizer calm is a design output
- Conservative budgets enable design flexibility, not just financial safety
- Design for the one-third of players who will drop out
Related References
- Core Framework: Designable Surfaces and the Mixing Desk -- Designable surface principle underlying the pipeline
- Workshop Design: Gap Analysis and Culture Building -- Workshop phase in depth
- Post-Play: Debrief, Feedback, and the Real-but-Not-True Paradox -- Post-runtime phase in depth
- Rules of Thumb: Design Heuristics Across All Domains -- Quick heuristics for each phase