Nekromanti [Konventsrapport] Knutpunkt 2014

w176

Förlorad dotter
Joined
27 Dec 2001
Messages
3,692
Location
Umeå, Västerbotten
Eftersom vi var ett antal rollspel.nu'are och eftersom Knutpunkt var ashäftigt. Och eftersom jag listig tänker inspirera till att vi blir ännu fler rollspel.nu'are nästa år när Knutepunkt är i Danmark så tänker jag posta en konventsrapport. Om än något sen.

Och även om ni inte tänker fara på Knutpunkt så har Knutpunkt två bra regler man bör stjäla. Som rollspelare och speldeigner finns det oerhört mycket att hämta på Knutpunkt även om man främst är inriktad på bordsrollspel. Workshops, lajv, fantastiska förläsningar och diskussionsforum, nätverkande och allt möjligt.

Min konvetspapport är på engelska, för jag är lite för lat för att skriva om den på Svenska.

Knutpunkt - Playful and Serious
Time for a more serious Knutpunkt review. What's Knutpunkt? “Knutepunkt is an annual conference on nordic style larp which has been running since the first event in Norway in 1997. It cycles through each of the nordic countries as hosts; in Sweden it's called Knutpunkt, in Denmark Knudepunktand in Finland Solmukohta. In English the translation would be meeting point or nodal point. “http://nordiclarp.org/wiki/Knutepunkt

For me this was my first Knutpunkt. I been wanting to go for years, but things kept getting in the way. Until this year. Knutpunkt has quite a reputation, or a legend perhaps, for being everything from being fantastic and magical to pretentious and elitist.

I hoped for the first, feared that it might be the latter. But for me, it was pretty much all I hoped for. But a lot more playful. I been to a bunch of different kind of gaming conventions and what made Knutpunkt stand out for me was how playful and serious it was.

It is a place where play gets taken very seriously and where serious subjects are investigated trough play. And of course there was playfullness that was just playful, and serious stuff that was seriously examined. But most things was a mix of both with some crazy creativity added on top.

We where about 350 participants from 27 countries. Mostly larpes, but not everyone there was a larper or even a gamer. I had a wonderful talks with performance artist for example that never larpers in her life before Knutpunkt. And there was a lot of other that was non larpers. (At least when they arrived. I think I can safety say they where larpers after they left.) The mass of people was more diverse than what you find av most gaming conventions.

Knutpunkt also put a lot of good design into making new people feel welcome. An opening game designed to get to know new people. The whole first day was filled with events like guides for first timers, buddy systems meant to connect first timers and old timers. There was specific tables dedicated in the dining hall to get to know new people and many other sorts of effort to build community. Like the pull out a new chair rule and the bring the newcomers up to speed rule.

Seriously. If there is anything other gaming convention should steal from Knutpunkt it is this two rules:
  • Pull up a new chair: try to always have an empty chair around when you’re talking in groups – it makes people feel invited to join your discussion.
  • Welcome newcomers in a conversation and bring them up to speed on the topics raised. This refers both to specific talks and the broader discussions spanning all the years of Knutpunkt. That way it is easier for them to contribute to the discussion.
The convention was pretty damn set on making people feel welcome, and I did really feal welcome. More efforts was put into making sure all newcomers felt welcome then at any other gaming convention or event I been to.

My Knutpunkt was a mix of larps, round table discussions, workshops, presentations. All of them was very high quality, it noticed that everyone put in that little bit of extra effort to make it really good. There was also all sort of creative crazy and strange stuff going on. It not just an convetion about play, it's a convention of play. Like “secret” notes left lying around, with invitation to “secret” parties.

So. What did I do at Knutpunkt? I was to all the newcomer introductions and they where great. I was to a midnight torture workshop about how to in cinematic and safe way play out scenes of torture. I discussed ethics in larp writing. I larped about tolerances in the setting of a BDSM clubs introduction night. I crawled around on the floor making funny sounds in workshop about physical approaches to character creation (it sound silly. And in was in really interesting way that really educational). I tried Viewpoints Techniques developed for performance and ensemble work about heightened awareness (I cant explain it. But it was awesome. Try if you have chance to try it.) I discussed the great player safety mess. I talked about power, gender, sex and society in group discussion about portraying sex work. I entered hyper reality trough play. I tried danceoke (It's like karaoke, but with 100 people dancing along to music videos.) I made a whirlpool in jacuzzi. I listen to presentation on how to make a meaningful and coherent wider world in larp design and how to use it. I discussed cultural appropriation in games. I held a group discussion on what larp, tabletop games and other form of role playing games can learn from each other. I talked about growing with your character and boundaries. I listed to crazy mistakes people done doing larps. I laughed trough an hour of rants. I had awesome late night conversations. And... I could o on but you get the point

Everything was this mix of playful and serious. All the time there as amazing conversations about larp going on. With amazing people. From all over the world. With log of different perspectives. Like, even if I hadn't attended any of the events it would be worth going to just to get to know the people. Go, if you have the chance. If you don't, steal the pull out an extra chair, and bring people up to speed on the conversation rules and used it on your gaming conventions. Because they are super nice.

Next year Knutpunt is in Denmark. Go to it. That is my recommendation. Because I will definitively be there and I hope you will.?
 
Top