Redesign of Prop Artifacts as Enhancers of Complex Interactions in Historical Reenactment Groups

This research focuses on the redesign of prop artifacts used as combat simulators, applying the Didactic-Interactive Design for Complex Narratives (DDINC) method to create safe and functional didactic tools for soft combat and LARP (Live Action Role-Playing) practices within Ludic Experimental Historical Reenactment Groups (GRHEL). Through an empirical process based on participant observation, technical redesign, and practical validation, the study proposes a standardized procedure for manufacturing these simulators. The process emphasizes preferred materials—PVC (polyvinyl chloride), fiberglass, EVA (ethyl-vinyl acetate) foam, and flexible tapes—which ensure durability, lightness, and safety while avoiding fragile, toxic, or hazardous components. Additionally, the research presents a proposed training curriculum to educate creators of prop equipment, fostering the professionalization of the production process and the quality of the resulting equipment. The expected outcome of this proposal is to promote safe recreational practices that contribute to cultural reconstruction, knowledge dissemination, and social cohesion within GRHEL communities. The study concludes that a well-designed object, beyond being a mere accessory, acts as a catalyst for meaningful human interaction. Its form, materiality, and functionality shape how practitioners of historical combat sports move, how groups relate to one another, and how stories are told. Thus, prop design emerges as a key element in the sustainability, evolution, and symbolic richness of cultural play communities.