I've got volumes full of LARPing manuals... from Darkon to Nero to Dagohir, Belegarth, and Amtgard. I've never tried one of them, but I did have aspirations of starting a league of some sort in my local area. I compromised by getting into airsoft.

Game-theory-wise, LARP is the father of the "augmented reality" gaming we'll soon be getting within the next 10 yrs. In Europe and Scandinavia especially... it's a HUGE phenomenon and one that parents takes their kids to regularly. Instead of taking their kids to Karate or Soccer, they go to LARP and pretend to be goblins storming a castle.

Here's a trailer for the Darkon movie: (I know I've shown you guys this before)
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_BHWfXd9Ky8[/media]

Darkon is probably the most publicized of all the systems. It tends to be pretty politically oriented though and very top-heavy from the leadership. A LOT of backstabbing and political wrangling. There are many many layers to it and people seem to get pretty lost in its intricacies.

If you just want to pound on people, Belegarth is your best system. Amtgard is good if you want some magic in your system.

All of these systems will be archaic once aug. reality hits the mainstream though. Swords, armor, etc. all will record strikes on a mainframe system that informs players of their character status (from level, to hit points, to your reputation with the ladies). HUDs will display augmented player effects from casting spells, to special knockbacks. RFIDs will track gear, etc. Above all, you can fight virtual bosses in RL.

LARP might be a joke now... but relatively soon instead of fighting Rags at your computer desk you'll be doing it at your gym or park with a physical group of friends.

For now though, it's boffer weapons, strange accents, and a bunch of folk yelling strange rules at eachother.