Found the internet!11
Alcohol at games
11
Archived
Alcohol at games
Where I LARP (Germany), alcohol is pretty much a common sight at basically any LARP. People bring it, people drink and share it and organizers (and occasionally players) sell it. As the legal drinking age is 16 (not very harshly enforced), this isn't very problematic. This is not to say everyone is constantly hammered at games. Most people would not drink during the day, or would generally go easy until saturday night (when games commonly start to end), then have some drinks with friends. Consumption is higher on "fest"-like large events, where you have multiple taverns which will have patrons all day round. Given that a large majority is there to play and not get drunk, safety seems to be rarely an issue, but i have, in the past, witness somewhat intoxicated people on battlefields. Still, the general rule seems to be it's fine if you could still (legally) drive a car, so one or two beers are not an issue.
Now, the idea of forbidding alcohol at a LARP would be ridiculous to us. Again, not because all people want to be drunk, but because it's an unneccessary intrusion in your right to drink whatever you want to drink. And people are adamant about this. Years ago, I merely suggested thinking about, whether a ban of alcohol - either total or until evening or saturday night - would have any positive effect at all, because I was against any bans, in fact. And still the people in this large forum exploded with rage because "I want to take their booze away".
So much for our situation. What I was wondering is this:
I just saw some pictures posted by Hivemind and was surprised to see the kegs in the pictures he posted from Ragnarok XXXI. So far, my impression was that most US LARPs forbid alcohol on site, probably due to often using scout camp sites for their games. Is this game in particular different?
Or more in general:
How prevalent are alcohol bans at games in the US - or anywhere, really?
What are all the reasons for it?
And is everyone basically fine with it?
80% Upvoted
This thread is archived
New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast
level 1
For a larp like NERO that's super PC and kid friendly, I could see a blanket ban on alcohol, but in games like amtgard/bel/dag which are fairly more adult oriented alcohol is very prevalent. In fact here in California we have an amtgard event called darkshore that everyone refers to as drunkshore, because it's basically an excuse to get blasted and have sown fun with friends from across the state while still doing some fighting and camping. Basically as long as you're an adult and you don't hurt anyone/ yourself or break any property, you're fine to drink to your hearts content.
7
![User avatar](data:image/svg+xml,<svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="256" height="256"><rect fill-opacity="0"/></svg>)
level 2
As an Amtgarder from Wisconsin, every event is like that. I've only been to one event that was dry, and they've since moved that event to a site that allows alcohol.
5
level 1
My suspicion is that laws involving alcohol consumption are a lot more complex than in Germany. The venue/site has to allow alcohol; even if it does, a group may need to meet specific requirements with the State/County/Municipality over the consumption. So it can invoke a lot more permits and regulations, which is a lot more time and money, if feasible at all.
The US also has much more of a litigation culture (and not so great health insurance generally), so it's a much greater financial risk to have a drunk person in a LARP, particularly when theories of vicarious liability show up. So in addition to the venue, it might be the sort of thing that an insurer says no to, or that a game runner doesn't want to risk.
I also think, and this is only my impression, that players in the US generally want a demonstration of responsibility on the part of the people running the game, if only because you hear of all these nightmare scenarios, so having zero tolerance policies towards a lot of things, including substances, serves to make that showing.
In my personal experience, (and even as someone drinking along with them) I haven't had great experiences with alcohol in LARPs. One too many times when otherwise responsible people get a little too sloppy and their play suffers for it.
8
level 1
For reference, don't forget that Ragnarok is more a medieval combat sport game than standard larp.* Both Belegarth and Dagorhir (very closely related North American medieval combat games using boffers) have histories that involve drinking. So does Darkon, I believe, and I know Amtgard does.
We all go out to hit people with sticks during the day and party/drink at night. (Sometimes that's reversed; you'll always find someone chillaxin and day drinking.) But in general you don't go out on the battlefield if you're drunk; that's a safety issue.
Bel-o-Dag events that ban alcohol tend to cause a riot online, and are less popular and attended than other events. (Unless they are day events; all this goes for weekend or longer camping events.)
One of the reasons I mention this is because it's my impression that most (traditional/standard) U.S. larps DO ban alcohol. I believe Nero, Alliance, and DR do (I've either heard of bans, or never heard a friend mention booze at those organization's events). If I were to hazard a guess, maybe it's because they are technically 24 hour events, where the medieval combat sport type games (mentioned above) tend to fight during the day, with only limited night fighting?
But personally partying with my friends is half the reason I go to events (I'm a pirate), so bans on alcohol don't fly with me. Hope this is helpful.
*we can nitpick the differences and terminology all we want, but for the purposes of this response, there is a difference between these categories. Medieval combat sports tend to use hit location (not hit points), your character (if any) has little or no mechanical benefit/difference in play, there are no levels, and there is minimal or no magic. In general if you can do it, you can do it (unless unsafe).
7
level 1
· 5yMaster Foamsmith
Most overnight camping events have drinking on site with some kind of rules or guidelines regarding drinking and combat. (You can't fight for one hour after having a beer, or if you start drinking you are done fighting for the day.)
Many day games take place in public parks which don't allow drinking. (These day games run from 8 in the morning to 6-7 at night so not the ideal time to be drinking anyway.)
I think NERO may ban alcohol at there events but they are super PG as far as I can tell and tend to be hyper "safe".
5
level 1
All the live-combat larps I've played in have banned booze, and most of the roleplaying-only games do too.
I think you're right that most of the time it's just the rules of the campsite or venue.
More broadly, though, I think US larps are much more likely to be centered on challenges, while European games have a reputation for being focused on reenactment and display.
US larps put a lot of effort into making you very emotionally invested in surviving and defeating your opponent. In a challenging combat game, why would you want to drink and fight less than your best? And, if you know your opponent is trying to fight as fast and hard as allowed by the rules, you worry more if alcohol has reduced their control. The stereotype over here about European combats is that nobody is worried about losing, just trying to look cool whatever the outcome.
Similarly, in a US roleplaying-only game, there's often a competitive process or challenge to overcome a difficult situation. For example, the great game "The Dance and the Dawn" explains that your character is extremely emotionally committed to the goal of finding true love. So, people spend the game in intense thought, trying to figure out who to manipulate and who to trust to get what they want. Having a beer while you do that is unhelpful.
4
level 2
It's funny that you mention The Dance and the Dawn. That is a game that, due to its setting and socialization component, might actually do well as a wine-friendly game in my opinion because mild a.ounts of alcohol can loosen social inhibitions. It would certainly be better than in games such as Last Voyage of the Marie Celeste where both setting and mechanics work against it.
4
level 1
In the US, I've seen a few ways of handling this:
-Alcohol is explicitly disallowed completely, either due to game rules or restrictions at the site itself. In many cases, I believe this is because the game doesn't have insurance that covers people who are intoxicated, and thus there is a risk that anyone who is drinking would be uninsured if they cause or receive an injury.
-Some games allow drinking at any time, but have rules that prohibit combat for a set duration after you take a drink. This is for safety purposes. It's usually something like, "You can't fight for an hour for each drink you take."
-Other games restrict alcohol consumption to Saturday night after most combat is concluded. Even for games that allow drinking at other times, I often see people waiting until Saturday night so that drinking doesn't interfere with their ability to fight.
Aside from safety, insurance, and site reasons, some players prefer alcohol-free games because they've observed patterns where people who start to drink (especially with large groups) will often start breaking character. This is by no means a guarantee, but I often see that complaint leveled at games that allow alcohol drinking, and I've observed the behavior myself at a few games.
3
level 2
Interesting what you mention about people going ooc when drinking. Apart from saturday night (when the game has more or less ended, and you want to connect ooc with friends), I don't think I witnessed that a lot over here. Even when drinking a lot people tend to stay in character, as long as they're still able.
4
level 1
· 5y · edited 5yI run www.kingdomsofnovitas.org
So I can give you both sides of the fence here in the US, because I run games and events on both sides.
What we call "battle games" in the US, that is, Dagorhir and it's offspring (Belegarth, Amtgard, and Darkon, mainly, with innumerable smaller organizations) and the Society for Creative Anachronism (the SCA, which you have in Germany too) and it's offspring (ACL-type stuff, Adrian Empire, etc.) are extremely role-playing light events. The extent of roleplay at these events consists of dressing up in funny clothes and calling each other funny names. Most everyone is simply being themselves with a different name and garb.
These events will almost always have alcohol at them, if there's a feast or an overnight camping component, and if the site allows for it. Some sites, such as churches, won't allow alcohol, but that's generally an exception, not the rule - and groups will also often avoid these sites for that reason.
Combat in these games happens almost entirely during daylight, and almost entirely in open, flat, grassy fields. Even though the combat is more strenuous, the safety measures taken are equally strenuous, with all weapons being hit-checked, requiring full armor and helmets, and so forth. Generally, drinking will happen after combat activities are done, and only then.
What we call "LARPs" in the US, that is, everything that's NOT a "battle game", are very different. People get deeply into character, and don't drop out. People play late into the night - sometimes overnight - and there's no real distinction between "fighting time" and "not-fighting time". Additionally, safety standards at LARP events tend to be a bit looser. They may measure weapons, but almost certainly do not hit test them on other players. These looser safety standards demand that players be more careful in combat with each other, by pulling their shots, being careful to avoid striking the head and neck, and so forth. Combine the looser safety standards and the need for more care in combat with nighttime play in the woods, and it is largely felt that these issues simply do not mix well with alcohol.
There has been alcohol at every single Dagorhir or SCA event I've been to that has involved camping (well over a hundred by now), and there has almost never been alcohol at any LARP event I've been to (also hundreds).
It's just the standard in the US. It's how we do things, we're all used to it, and the only time there's really any complaints is when you get someone moving from a Battle Game to a LARP and not understanding the cultural differences and reasons.
EDIT: Also, let me make clear that I believe all of the games I mentioned above are Live Action Roleplaying Games, in a meta-sense, but in the US it makes sense for us to have a differentiation between Battle Games and everything else.
EDIT EDIT: Great post, /u/DRSNova
4
level 2
· 5y
What you described as "LARP" is just LARP. Im starting to think that I'm in the minority for not thinking "dressing up and hit each other with sticks and then have a beer together" constitute as a live-action role-playing game.
3
level 1
Here in the Uk I've never seen an alcohol ban at a multiple day larp. We just go by the rule of if you're remotely tipsy then you don't get to fight. What usually happens is people will drink light drinks during the day alongside loads of water and just watch their consumption as they want to have fun doing the quests and such. Then towards the night people will often gather round campfires and such and get rather merry then rinse and repeat for the whole event.
In my 5 years larping experience only once have I seen someone get too drunk, they ended up getting sent to their tent after making sure they were fine and everything. Then they got told off the following morning and we all carried on larping. So personally I have no issue so long as inebriated individuals aren't fighting.
3
level 1
UK here.
Fests i've been to are generally alcohol allowed, none to minors and use your common sense. I've yet to see someone get so bad they cannot participate. One game system i go to is very local and uses a scout camp for the event and allows alcohol.
For some people it adds to their characters, such as I know of one group who essentially play Irish Travelers within the system and having one or two drinks helps them exaggerate their drunkenness for battle. A group i'm part of are viking warriors so drinking songs and games enhance the experience and then lets you really become a bunch of reckless warriors (reckless as in not caring if you live or die not being a danger to anyone).
2
level 1
Russia here. Exactly zero bans - and not even a thought about implementing them.
2
level 1 · 5y
[deleted]
France here. Never heard of any ban. I've been very drunk most of the time. I've also fought drunk and it was not too bad.
I've even been in LARP where the organisators gave us weed.
1
level 1
· 5y · edited 5y
All serious LARPs I've been too has a total alcohol ban. The arguments are pretty logical. It's worsens your ability to play, it will cause carelessness with weapons, tools or vehicles and may therefore cause serious harm to players, it has the potential to make people who choose not to drink uncomfortable and it makes the LARP closed for minors.
Edit: I've never been to a LARP focused on fighting and physical conflict. All of them has been all about role-playing. With guns and violence as a spice rather than a full meal. The majority of those was an adult only LARP that lasted a weekend.
Substitute for in game alcohol were non-alcoholic beer, liquer essence etc.
/Swedish
-1
level 2
Mhh...I have to say, I don't find these arguments very convincing, to be honest.
Me having one or two beers will not affect me strongly enough to have any detrimental effects. On the other hand there certainly are those who have an easier time getting into the game by drinking a bit (the shy, the introverts).
No-one is forcing minors to drink. I don't know about the legal situation in Sweden, but I find it hard to believe that you can't ever have minors in the same room as alcoholic beverages.
Why should it be my problem if someone else feels "uncomfortable" in the presence of people drinking? I chose not to drink at many LARPs, and i wouldn't dream of saying "I don't want to drink, so you can't drink anything either". To me, that kind of compliance opens a big can of worms (vegans and meat, religious people and in-game occultism and religion, squeamish people and depictions of blood and gore, etc.)
3
More posts from the LARP community
179
33
Hey all! My wife and I are looking into getting into LARPing and we are struggling with where to start. We were hoping to find something near us, Northern Indiana, but we are not finding much. If anyone could help we'd greatly appreciate it! We are most interested in Fantasy and Pirate themes, but are open. We are interested in both combat and RP, preferably a mixture. Also, it doesnt have to be in Indiana, at this point we'd like to know about anything. Also, doesnt matter if it wont happen again till next year, we just want to know what all is out there.
26
My local LARP (age 10+) have gotten itself a new ruleset that introduced alchemy to the game a few months ago, but not that many players picked any alchemy abilities when we had to redo all of our characters, instead focusing on a lot of the newly balanced spells that got added.
I myself have always loved playing around with alchemy, doing a big number out of mixing ingame herbs into elixers, so I was wondering if anyone had any ideas to any chemistry experiments that I could do out in the woods we play in to show the kids how big and interresting one can make chemistry.
I have done the vinegar and baking powder trick a few times, but does anyone else knows other easy to do chemistry stuff that wont be toxic to the woods, involve flames and be cheap to make?
If others can think of a good group to post this in would that also be helpful, dont know how many chemistry people we have in here
23
Hi i larp for a while now and made some leather armor but i never boiler the leather for armor before now i tested it with ussual hot water from the tab and really boiling water like from a water Cooper. The first makes it hard . But from the Cooker it gets really hard but removes some tooling effects . Anyone got some tips or experience themselves for this?
22
Why does there seem to be such a large difference between the way Americans and Europeans LARP?
I'm new to the hobby and there seems to be a big split between European and American LARP. I've not seen any "boffer" groups in the UK or advertised in mainland Europe. There also seems to be some comments regarding European "gate keeping" with minimum kit standards.
I'm just curious as to why there is such a difference or any other differences people have found between American and European LARP groups.
Also a disclaimer I'm not claiming one group is better than the other, I'm just interested as I recently watched Darkon and Monster Camp while they are a few years old now it just seemed a very different experience to the LARPs I've seen.
Continue browsing in r/LARP
[](#header) [](#null)
A subreddit for LARP (Live Action Role Playing) related content. This includes LARPs across the globe, LARPing gear, how-to guides, questions and ideas related to LARPing, articles and links, and anything else LARP.
25.5k
Members
39
Online
Created Mar 15, 2010
Reddit Inc © 2021 . All rights reserved