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Darkon is an engaging documentary released in February 2008 that explores the secret lives of "Massively Multiplayer Outdoor Role-Players". The film follows the drama of the Darkon wargaming community, a live action fantasy role playing game (LARP) with a sword and sorcery setting. The game depicted in the film is very similar to SCA (Society for Creative Anachronism) which recreates pre-17th century Western European history and culture.

Darkon's plot focuses on in-game drama, both in live-action battles and the role playing of diplomacy among the various player created nation-states. The documentary aspect cuts away from this in-game drama to explore the real lives of the players and look into their motivations for playing. A tension is created between the lives of players in-game and out-of-game especially when allegiances among the players shift.

The historic moment in-game that the film follows is similar to the plot of Braveheart. An imperialist empire, called Mordom (pronounced "more dumb"), is controlling more and more and more territory and destroying or enslaving smaller nations for wealth and power in the name of freedom (hmmm...Mordom, kingdom, freedom). A small kingdom decides to fight this empire by forging an alliance among start-up and fallen states.

In RL (real life) these rebels are low-wage workers, a single mom, stay-at-home dad, and Iraq vets. Those who lead the side of the empire in real life are corporate white collar types. At one point a player in the rebel alliance comments that the Alliance is like the terrorists and Mordom is like America. The tension builds through the film in-game and out as the final battle approaches, one that determines the fate of the realms.

Darkon is extremely well edited and thought out. Like in other such live action games, like Vampire: The Masquerade LARP, the goal is to not let the rules of the game get in the way of the story. In the same way the film makers shoot and edit each scene so that the non-gamer can enjoy it perfectly fine, but there is tons for the hard core gamer as well. Interviews, especially with the players on the alliance side, tend to repeat the same reasons for playing the game, i.e. escape from a crappy life. This mantra adds to the in-game tension as it raises the stakes for victory. Intentionally, or not, the film has something to say about societies losers and winners, and who are the real heroes.

Learn more about this author, James John Bell.
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