M6 Manifesto
M6 is a collection of opinions and thoughts of LARP organizers collected into the one manifesto at Moorcon, September 2006 in Brno, Czech Republic.
M6 is a reaction to a not very clear situation in Czech Republic where the LARP abbreviation is used for a very large spectrum of games which differs in content, goals, equipment and implementation.
M6 doesn't define what the LARP is. It marks out LARPs based on shared ideals of games mainly aimed at roleplaying and story.
M6 defines compelling rules in the following six points. LARPs marked with this label unexceptionally adhere to these principles so the idea of manifesto will be followed in all aspects of the game.
1. Every participant has his own role
Every player has his own role — he doesn't switch between multiple roles during the game and only the end of the story of one character could be the reason to interpret another role. The role is always prepared before the game and both the organizer and the player cooperate in it's creation. The role has its incommutable place in the game and makes well-linked whole with the others.
2. No player interprets himself
No player interprets himself in the game environment. With his role he takes other personality's features, although some of them can be identical with his owns. Physical and psychical efforts are lived through and perceived through the role not as a direct influence over the player. The player doesn't show his own feelings but on the contrary he concentrates on expressions of feelings of the character given by the role.
3. Goals of the character are separated from the player's goals
The player's goals are a credible interpretation of motivations and an achieving of goals given by the role - not his owns. Goals and motivations of the character precedes player's own in the case of their conflict. Every player acts as his character and doesn't withdraw from his role during the game. Inevitable interruptions of a game acting are limited to a necessary amount of time.
4. A costume doesn't mean the role
A costume doesn't compensate any insufficient role interpretation - it only supports a credibility of the role. It is not necessary, then. Even if a dress code could be enforced, the game is not based on elaborated costumes.
5. The organizer doesn't directly interfere with the game during its course
The organizer actively prevents interrupting of a game acting of individual characters and whole action and he doesn't directly interfere with the game. The action is influenced only through meaningful changes of a game environment with respect to the motives and acting of characters. He interferes with the game only in necessary cases - when rules or law are broken, a threat of harm occurs, etc.
6. Every participant takes the responsibility for the game
The organizer and every player are with their best conscience responsible for the preparation and the course of the game. They adhere to the given terms, places, equipment and form of the game. They respect a freedom of the acting of characters within the rules and the game environment, about which the organizer provides all necessary information in sufficient time; players study and follow them.
M6 Agreement
The organizer vows to keep the ideas of this manifesto by the time of announcement of his game as the LARP adhering to the M6. This fact is marked in connected materials with the M6 label.
The player vows to keep ideas of this manifesto by the time of the submission of his application for the LARP adhering to the M6.