Nordic Larp Talk

Nordic Larp: Grassroots Expression and Playful Art

Markus Montola, School of Information Sciences, University of Tampere, Finland.

Monday April 4, 2011

7:00 p.m.

Isenberg School of Management Room 137

Montola will discuss the unique Scandinavian live action role playing (larp) culture that has blossomed over the last decade. Players Immerse themselves in transmedia narratives that take place anywhere from insane asylums to medieval villages with animatronic dragons, from starships made from submarines to Strindberg productions. He will also distinguish the pervasive larp medium from theater, psychodrama and experimental art, providing illustrative examples of this grassroots form of expression.

WWW.UMASS.EDU/IMPULSES

Flier: https://udrive.oit.umass.edu/etorner/Montola_event.jpg?ticket=t_nzqtMAOm

Also Planned:

Speed Gaming Evening, Saturday April 7, 2011

6:00 p.m. to 9:00 pm

Northampton, MA

(spaces limited)

Four GMs are sitting at four different tables, and each of them has a different indie RPG. Players (quite possibly in groups of three or four) move between the different tables every 10-15 minutes. After an hour, the GMs switch up and new games are on offer. Everyone gets a "sampling" of what the game's about and how it works, before then moving on to the next one. It's a great way of exposing people to a large number of games over a short period of time!

For more information, please contact Evan Torner at etorner@german.umass.edu