What is Freeform Role-playing Game?

Freeform role-playing games, also called freeforms, are a type of role-playing game which employ minimal or no rules; occupying a middle-ground between traditional role-playing games and improvisational theatre.

Gameplay

Players are usually provided with details about their characters beforehand, and once the game is underway attempt to act in character. Organisers act as referees (also known, as in other RPGs, as game masters or "GMs") to resolve disputes and adjudicate conflicts, sometimes with dice, playing cards or some variation on Rock, Paper, Scissors, but often without any specific rules. Often the game runs in an entirely unexpected direction, and the referees are sometimes as surprised as the players by the outcome. Because of their larger scale, freeform games are most often seen at gaming conventions, though they are also sometimes run by gaming clubs or a dedicated team of independent GMs.

Freeform games may use any setting, but unlike most other roleplaying games do not frequently use established settings written by games publishers. Instead, organisers either invent their own or adapt characters and situations from mythology, literature or popular culture.

Theatre-style LARP

Main article: Theatre-style live action role-playing

The most common form of freeform game is the Theatre-style live action role-playing game (LARP). Such freeforms have sprung up around the world independently: some sources suggest the genre originated in Iceland, others point to Australia, others to games played at the University of York and popularised in the fanzine Aslan. They are particularly popular in Australia, where rules-based LARP games have only become common during the last decade. Some Australian conventions run specific competitions for small-scale freeforms that challenge the players or the normal conventions of roleplaying in ways not possible with other types of games. Such freeforms may experiment with different narrative styles, contemporary social issues or unusual themes, and can be very realistic. Such games are often restricted to mature players.

Australian gamers also frequently use a "multiform" style of gaming, a hybrid of traditional and freeform role-playing which may also incorporate elements of LARP. In a multiform game, players sit at the table for social or strategic roleplaying and may even use standard tabletop rules, but will stand to act out more physical aspects of the game, often without use of the normal rules. This style of gaming is frequently used at Australian conventions and many tabletop games employ it without being specifically labelled as multiforms, though it is not often used in home games.

Freeform computer-assisted gaming

"Freeform" can also refer to online text-based role-playing games which lack rules, instead relying on the player's acting abilities and commitment to a good story. (In MUSH settings, these are often called consent-based, because what happens to a character is influenced by a potential "veto" from that character's player.) These systems must either rely on carefully selected individuals or strict moderation, in order to prevent less mature players from taking advantage (god-moding) of the rule-free environment, for example by unrealistically shielding their characters from the consequences of their actions.

Similarly, "freeform" can refer to online forum- and email-based role-playing games which lack rules or which lack statistics by which to judge a character's abilities. As with freeform MUSHes, those running the game rely instead upon the players' writing talents and use of description to determine outcomes--if a GM is used to control the game at all. Some online freeform games closely resemble collaborative fiction, while others have much more structured rule sets, such as the Role Player's Creed.^[1]

These online freeform games are subject to criticism, namely for their frequent childishness (as exemplified in chats around the Internet). Others note that they are based upon the idea of elite roleplay, and take value in being professional about what they do.

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