Crescendo Giocoso | NessunDove

Chamber live-action roleplaying anthologies

The Italian Chamber Orchestra is proud to present its role-playlists. Each is a collection of twelve live-action roleplaying scenarios, written by Italian authors and meant for everyone out there. No matter how many of you there are, or whether you have an hour of free time or four, our role-playlist has a track made just for you. No need for game masters or facilitators: just players.

We like to think of roleplaying as something very simple. As children, we all liked to play pretend: «Wanna play heroes and villains?» is an ancient tradition. «Wanna play musicians?» is the Italian Chamber Orchestra's favourite game. So the community behind Laiv.it started holding jam sessions, and the Crescendo Giocoso series is the result of our improvised games, as well as a way to share them with the world.

Kickstarter for the first Crescendo Giocoso and its digital extra volume Crescendo Giocoso B-Side.

2017
Kickstarter for Crescendo Giocoso Ritornello and its digital extra volume Ritornello B-Side.

2020
Crescendo Giocoso Ritornello is the first Italian game and the first LARP to be crowned Game of the Year at the Indie Groundbreaker Awards.

2021

Both scenario anthologies are available in Italian and English, physically and digitally. And both were produced along with a selection of high-quality prints.

A roleplaying game becomes “live-action” when its story is played while standing up, more like actors on a stage than writers around a table, and “chamber” when it can be played anywhere, even at home with a few friends. The scenarios collected inside Crescendo Giocoso are thus "chamber live-action roleplaying games", or chamber LARP.

Thanks to the B-Side volumes of Crescendo Giocoso, the Orchestra has picked up a few international authors along the way. The International Chamber Orchestra is a way to share stories between different communities and fuel our passion through dialogue.

Mikolaj Wicher Polish game designer

"In our slang, short games such as these are called 'chamber LARPs', from the acronym for live-action roleplaying. This format is perfect to put ideas to the test, because it allows the author almost complete control over the players’ experience."

Evan TornerUSA scholar and game designer

"Live-action roleplaying games are not only designed; they emerge from specific LARP cultures and communities. These are creations from a very specific milieu engaged in very specific and ongoing debates."

Robert DaviesPlayer and journalist for Larpbook

"So instead of the idea of an author led larp (a bit like a novel), or director led larp (a bit like a film) to something that is more like a jam session: all players gain the understanding of how to play as a whole. A bit like a group of musicians learning to play a piece of music."

Joanna PiancastelliBritish game designer

"Players who approach a scenario with open minds, a willingness to be creative, and respect for the boundaries of both the game’s design and their fellow players are the element that brings the whole experience together. It’s what made it possible for the Italian Chamber Orchestra to create this collection."

Brie Beau SheldonGame interviews, design, and theory on Thoughty

"The concept of the Italian Chamber Orchestra and coming together to write each of the scenarios is really brilliant and feels very collaborative. The layout of this playlist looks *chef’s kiss* glorious."

Tom & AvaPodcast Shut up and sit down

"A ‘playlist’ of several games by an orchestra-themed larp group. I’m so disappointed to find out there isn’t actually an Italian chamber orchestra providing scores for live action role playing, even if some of the things here sound great!"

Kathryn Hymes & Hakan SeyalıoğluGame designers for Thorny Games

"t we’re big believers in making games to find your people, as do Chiara, Maria, Oscar and every soul in Laiv.it who decided to come play with the Italian Chamber Orchestra."

Enrico ProcacciJournalist for Gioconomicon

"In the world of games it's becoming more and more important to take care of graphics and packaging. Crescendo Giocoso Ritornello immediately stands out as a book that's first of all pleasant to leaf through."