Kingfox

jedimentat and I just finished watching Darkon, thanks to a recommendation from petemagyar. We had previously seen Role Models, which contained quite a bit of LARP action as well, even if it was Hollywoodized.

Do any of you still LARP? Particularly fantasy LARPs? If so, is it all PVP these days?

Back when I was involved with administrating a LARP, a vast majority of the events were centered around PVE. Sure, players had conflicts with each other that led them to engage in combat. We had our race of shapeshifting demonic vampires that everyone hunted on sight that were populated by players, we had our players playing as the local militia and the mercenaries looking to apply pressure from a nearby government constantly fighting. But that was a small percentage of the action.

Most combats were between players and volunteers or players on “NPC duty”. We’d come up with major plot events to happen over the course of the weekend, and the players would typically fight skeletons, orcs, bandits, etc. I’d round up a pack of volunteers and attack stragglers leaving the inn with a full belly on their way back to their tent or cabin, having skeletons march on the weak until they finally gathered a force to invade the graveyard. And while we had the one group of mercenaries representing a government who paid them to do so, most of the foreign military pressure was NPC in nature.

Talking with friends who took part in other LARPs during that time frame (1991-1998), this seemed to be the norm. But watching Darkon and Role Models (Hollywood or not), it seems that player vs player seems to be a more dominant theme. Is that something that changed, is it a regional thing, or what?

Sup, those half a dozen of you left on the eljays? Hot damn, haven’t posted since October.

Tomorrow afternoon, I’m having my hair cut. Instead of the usual `trim off the split ends’ I’ve been doing since I had a foot hacked off over a decade ago, I’m mixing things up a bit. Having had the same style for even longer than I’ve worked at drewuniversity as a staff member, maybe it’s time for change?

No, this isn’t something jedimentat‘s making me do. It was my idea. I didn’t want to get a haircut until I had graduated from college and got a career going. Didn’t know it would take me twelve years to graduate from college, but there you go.

I’m taking suggestions for my new style. Here are the ground rules:

• No shorter than base of the collar/shoulder length. I want room to trim further, if I don’t like what I’ve got.
• I’m keeping my beard, so hairstyles that won’t go with a full beard are right out (i.e. no flock of seagulls).
• Keep in mind that my hair is fairly lifelessly straight, and I’m thinning up top a wee bit.
• I prefer low-maintenance hair, but I’m not afraid to go for something a bit rocking, but I’d like to remain employable, but I’m an IT professional.
• Suggestions must be in by 3 PM tomorrow for consideration.