Safety questsions

[SevrenLoreat]

Hello. Me and a few of my friends (2 other developers) are trying to create a larp. The age of most players will be between 15-18, with none over 18. Most of the players have some experience with dnd, so they wont be completely lost. We have been toying with different ideas for almost two years now. To start with I have a few questions about safety.

First off, what kinds of safety requirements do most larps have? At the moment we have these safety rules: (I have been the test subject for every one of these)

All weapons must be 1/2 inch or 3/4 inch PVC pipe, with at least 3/4 inch padding, and no rubber padding is allowed.

There will be no hand to hand combat.

Airsoft guns with FPS under 250 will be allowed. But only if EVERY person in play has a face mask. And, only after a 3/4 vote of all participants.

Excessive head shots will get you baned form using any airsoft gun. Also, only people who prove they are trust worthy will be allowed to use guns.

The standard hit areas are off limits.

No jagged or sharp edges on garb or shields.




Are any of the above rules overly strict or overly lenient?


(sorry, didnt realize till after i posted this that it may be in the wrong area)

[RyanPaddy]

I think this is probably the right area.

From your description of your weapons it sounds like you're in the US. There are folks here who can give advice on US-style boffer weapons.

Safety standards for boffer weapons are different to those for latex weapons, which are used more outside the US (and slowly gaining ground within the US).

Are you planning on using melee and airsoft combat together? Lig (who is from the UK) helps run a larp called NEXUS that does that. He might have some advice, or you could google their website and see what their weapon standards are.

[SevrenLoreat]

Yes, I in the US, and, yes i will be using airsoft and boffer combat at the same time. There may be a few latex weapons in use (im probably the only one willing to spend the money on weapons) I would have purchased some already, but, Im not sure on quality and what not.

Im sorry about any grammatical or spelling errors, Its late here and I just got back from marching at a football game

[weeble1000]

NERO International uses pretty standard boffer safety rules(www.nerolarp.com). I'm pretty sure that you can grab a copy of their rulebook from there and the safety information should be listed. In any case, you are certainly on target for boffer weapon safety, but I'll add a few pointers. Don't spiral wrap your weapons with duct tape. I would also suggest that you avoid using t connectors when making a sword's crossguard. 5/8 inch thick foam is the best, but sometimes it is hard to find. You can order it online, but you can also use fun noodle, which is usually 1 inch thick. Then you can shape it a bit and still maintain a 5/8 thickness. The weapons should have pommels, that is, a bit of foam padding at the end of the handle, in case of accidents. I also suggest a 2 inch thick block of open cell foam at the tip of a weapon. This 'thrusting tip' willhelp to minimize injury even if your game won't allow thrusting. As far as the pvc core is concerned, try not to use anything thicker than 315 psi, otherwise the weapon might be heavy enough to hurt if swung a little too hard. Also, hands, kneck, head, and groin should be illegal targets for boffer weapons. When striking your opponent, keep in mind that the goal is to 'tag' him, so you don't have to swing very hard.

My philosophy on safety is that it is vastly more important to train and encourage your players to be safe than to focus on having reps that are safe enough for an angry monkey to use without hurting someone. Since your player base will be a little young, it will be especially important to emphasize safe combat practices and courtesy. A 'hold rule' will also help to keep things safe. If you aren't already familiar with it, it is essentially a pause function for the game. When someone, anyone, yells "HOLD!" every participant should immedaitely stop. This way, you can prevent accidents like tripping over benches and running into trees from happening.

Above all, safety should the primary concern for any LARPer, especially if you are running a game. LARPing is supposed to be fun, and its never fun when someone gets hurt.

Just to add a little bit: I don't LARP with a lot of latex weapons, although I have been exposed to them on many occasions (personal preference), so someone who is more experienced can give you better advice concerning them. But, I can tell you that there are two aspects of latex weapons that present saftey issues. First is that many don't have thrusting tips, so you have to avoid all thrusting. Second is that they can be a bit thin, so the edge of a latex sword can sting if you strike with it. Because of this, it is better to hit with the flat of a letex blade.

[SevrenLoreat]

Thanks for the advice Weeble1000. We didnt even think about the thickness of the pipe. Some people have been wanting to use 1/2 inch instead of 3/4.

Thrust tips are required already... I just forgot to put them down. Oops.

What is better about the 8/5 padding? Does it lower the weight by much? (so that it hits with less force?)

As for the latex weapons go, I just found some slip-on thrust tips. Has anyone used these? With out them, thrusting will not be allowed with latex.

Once again, thanks alot for the advice.

[weeble1000]

5/8th of an inch thick pipe insulation is what most boffer LARPs require. The foam doesn't add much weight to a rep compared to the core, so as long as your cores are flexible and light, the thickness of the foam shouldn't cause a problem. Although, if you are getting down to the finer points of boffer weapon construction, just about every bit of tape and foam causes enough weight to possibly change the feel and balance of a rep, mostly because the overall weight is so minimal. However, look and performance should be secondary to safety when constructing any rep. In any case, if you don't feel somewhat comforitable with getting hit in the face with it, don't use it in your game.

I didn't know that there were slip on trusting tips for latex weapons. Can you tell me more about them? Where might you get them?

[SevrenLoreat]

You can buy some premade ones, but, they are way too expensive for me. Here is a link to the do it yourself way:

http://www.latex-weaponry.com/diy_cap.html

And of course, look and performance are the things we are least concerned about. All the weapons will be real basic except for a few people who have taken to using steam to add a curve.

Thanks for the response.

[RyanPaddy]

Be interesting to see a photo of one of those thrusting tips.

[SevrenLoreat]

http://www.king-cart.com/cgi-bin/cart.cgi?store=oknight&product=name:Thrusting+Tip+/+Sword+CAP&exact_match=exact&return_page=http:%252f%252fwww.latex-weaponry.com%252fadditional.html

there is a picture of the ones for sale, i imagine they are pretty similar

[RyanPaddy]

Thanks, don't know how I missed that picture.

The picture looks pretty basic (i.e. ugly), but it sounds like they're intended to be hand-trimmed down to the needs of the user. That would at least make them a bit more streamlined.

I can see how they'd make thrusting safer, but I can't imagine how a removable cap would stay on in combat.

[adeathmoth]

[quote="SevrenLoreat"]
Im sorry about any grammatical or spelling errors, Its late here and I just got back from marching at a football game[/quote]

....of course
_________________

[Gath]

Rule #1: Safety – Safety is the most important aspect of The Age of Heroes game. Safety is EVERYBODY’S business. Any act deemed as unsafe will merit a warning from Game Management. If a pattern of disregard for safety is established (3 warnings within a 12 month period), the Player may have their Gaming privileges suspended or (depending on repetition and severity) revoked. Here are the Safety Rules for The Age of Heroes.
a) No alcohol or illegal drugs are authorized or tolerated at an Age Of Heroes event. Use of these substances at or during an event can cause people to act in a manner that could affect the safety of other Players, and will result in instant expulsion from the game. In the case of alcohol use you will be allowed to stay on the site until you are able to leave under your own power. Illegal drug use will have to be reported to local authorities. No refunds will be given.
b) No physical contact is allowed between Players ever during combat or at any other point during an event without consent. Shields are for defense only and are not to be used as weapons. Misuse of shields can result in a loss of the Shield Skill from your Character’s Skill List. Items being used as Bonds must be cleared with the Game Owner’s prior to use during a game. Bonds must be removable by the person wearing them at all times.
c) During combat it is each Player’s responsibility to be aware of the situation. Combat is not allowed in the cabins or in the Tavern. Combat is not allowed on or near stairs, fallen logs, or any other possible injury creating area. If you are aware of a possible injury creator, stop combat with the word “Caution”. Remove yourselves to a safe area and continue the battle. If a real-world injury occurs, the word “Emergency” is used to alert Staff to the situation. The first person to acknowledge the situation will take charge until a Staff member arrives. Someone from the scene should be sent to the First Aid Station for assistance. All Players upon hearing the word “Emergency” will repeat it to the next person, and take a knee to allow Staff to easily locate the injured parties. When the situation returns to normal, the person who called the emergency will call “Resume” to continue Play.
d) Candles and oil lamps are authorized for use in the Player cabins. These items can greatly add to the atmosphere of the game, but there are inherent dangers involved in the use of open flames. Open flames will not be left unattended (this includes being left burning during sleep). No combat will occur within 10 feet of an open flame, to include ones mounted on or near a building. No open flames, oil lamps, torches, or lanterns will be used in the wooded areas of the game site. Battery powered lanterns and light sticks can be used to provide light in wooded areas. Try to avoid running after dark.
e) Combat with “boffer” type weapons is intended to be a safe sport. To this end, there are certain guidelines for the proper use of your weapons. The term “machine gunning” refers to rapidly tapping another Player in quick succession with your weapon. “Machine gunning” is not allowed. You need to draw back your weapon between hits to keep the feel of real-life combat. Do not draw back more than 90 degrees when readying for a strike. If at any time you feel that you are losing your temper during combat, or any time during the game, it is your responsibility to remove yourself from the situation until you have had time to breath deeply and relax. Remember it is just a game; we are all here to have fun!
f) The Challenge or Ropes Courses located at the game site are off limits to players and staff of The Age of Heroes. Use of this equipment could result in serious injury to the person(s) using them and serious injury to bystanders. Any person found using this equipment will be automatically asked to leave the game site. Swimming is also not allowed at the game site, as there is no Life Guard present. Any person found swimming will also be asked to leave. No refund will be given.

I post these here in the interest of making LARPing safer and more attractive to gamers. The last rule was specific to the last location that we had, it will probably be changed to reflect any dangerous areas at our new location, or deleted.