Ban Latex Weapons

[Air Raksa]

Toddy stretches before combat. That is one person on the entire East Coast. Little Chris does it too. (I'm not talking about before the Tournament Race).

Now it wouldn't hurt for a latex weapon user to fight with consideration. Landing hits in our Larp has nothing to do with power. Having an "edged" or dynamic weapon surface doesn't mean that people will magically start taking all their hits. The other thing you have to consider (and this applies to our normal boffer weapons too), what happens when your nice rep gets disarmed or shattered, or otherwise winds up on the floor. What if somebody else picks up your 200$ weapon and uses it without your consent (cause say you are dead). Is that going to bother you? Maybe you want to think about these things before you get one. There are of course alot of options for PCs (Spirit Link, Spirit Lock, Paste of Stickiness, Strengthening, Render Indestructible (Improved), etc) or simply the best option, take good care of your phys reps and dont lose them or abuse them.

I have lost perfectly good phys reps (that didn't cost 200$) to some pretty bizarre circumstances. It is a foregone conclusion that any weapon that you buy for, or bring into this game faces destruction at some point, I certainly have nothing valuable remaining from the first weapons I used.

Henry stretches all the time. That is three people.

Latex Weapons can not withstand unlimited use, Buyers Beware! (Just like everything else in life). NPC Camp will eat latex weapons if they are put in an all purpose pile and not hidden with the rest of the plot weapons, or kept with personal stuff.

-Brian Bender

 

[Air Raksa]

I hear what you guys are saying. I didnt word what I meant right.

IG if I make a cool magic katana (that is not spirit-linked) and it gets stolen. What am I going to do with a Magic Katana now, My character doesn't own it anymore. So the reps sits in my closet at home until I can make another magic katana? What happens if I buy a white katana and then my ritual fails at the event (and my magic sword expires five days later) what then? Did I spend 200$ for nothing? Cool I have a magic katana, then i get hit by a backlash and my cool katana isn't supposed to be white anymore?

See?

-BB

 

[Air Raksa]

errr... DA rituals expire 1 year later...

 

[Air Raksa]

Weapon Injuries can, will and have occurred without latex weapons. Serious hits, where I was like OMG are you alright?

That being said if people are that scared about latex weapons, maybe we do need to increase the presence of Marshals. I don't want Mike or Ali to leave the game with bruises. I don't want to see peoples weapons get broken.

I am a marshal, I volunteer to watch out for this kind of thing, now that latex weapons are being introduced into the game. I think all Marshals should too. I know alot who will.

If you walk around with bare skin and fight alot, you might get bruises regardless. Some people bruise very easily. I don't know what to say about that. It is going to happen. Ask people to watch their swings if their hits sting. Seriously, think about wearing padding over the spots wear you take most of these hits.

If you see someone fighting unsafely (as always) alert the marshals or chapter staff. If somebody consistantly hurts others they will have their weapons priviledges revoked. Unfortunately, it has happened before.

-Brian Bender

 

[Morganne]

I hear what you guys are saying. I didnt word what I meant right.

IG if I make a cool magic katana (that is not spirit-linked) and it gets stolen. What am I going to do with a Magic Katana now, My character doesn't own it anymore. So the reps sits in my closet at home until I can make another magic katana? What happens if I buy a white katana and then my ritual fails at the event (and my magic sword expires five days later) what then? Did I spend 200$ for nothing? Cool I have a magic katana, then i get hit by a backlash and my cool katana isn't supposed to be white anymore?

See?

-BB

I think I've seen written on another thread that there are ways to change the blade color yourself (some kind of paint/coating combination) that could be done. So that would be one option in this scenario.

 

[Robb G]

this is somewhat related... but i really have no idea who is a marshal and who is not. And that sucks considering I am Head of Logistics and people come to me asking who is a weapon marshal or an Armor Marshal, etc. and I can't answer them. We have No official list. I am very interested in seeing some kind of list created and maintained as to who can do what at HQ.

I also would love it if Alliance as a whole (but if not just HQ) instituted a marshal armband policy or something where the wearing of a colored sash (doesn't have to be big or anything) would indicate that that player is a rules marshal or weapon marshal or ritual marshal, etc. Maybe this is asking too much because it might interfere with someone's costuming, I don't know... but I just imagine that it would help... especially for players who don't know everyone OOG, they only need to look for that armband to know they can ask you a question. anyway, even if this idea never takes off, I'd still love a maintained list of marshals for our chapter.

 

[Mike Ventrella]

this is somewhat related... but i really have no idea who is a marshal and who is not. And that sucks considering I am Head of Logistics and people come to me asking who is a weapon marshal or an Armor Marshal, etc. and I can't answer them. We have No official list. I am very interested in seeing some kind of list created and maintained as to who can do what at HQ.

I also would love it if Alliance as a whole (but if not just HQ) instituted a marshal armband policy or something where the wearing of a colored sash (doesn't have to be big or anything) would indicate that that player is a rules marshal or weapon marshal or ritual marshal, etc. Maybe this is asking too much because it might interfere with someone's costuming, I don't know... but I just imagine that it would help... especially for players who don't know everyone OOG, they only need to look for that armband to know they can ask you a question. anyway, even if this idea never takes off, I'd still love a maintained list of marshals for our chapter.

At one time we issued medieval looking pins for our marshals.... that wasn't bad.

 

[Duke Frost]

David/Lurin,

As one of the larger and stronger (6'4" and 250 pounds and in shape) players in our game, I also consider myself a very considerate fighter. I am CONSTANTLY monitoring how I play the game because I am very aware of my size and strength. It's an issue many people don't even think about and definitely don't have to worry about. In fact, because of my size and strength, I feel I'm a lot more conscious of the safety of other players than most people that play the game. If I wasn't, I would leave a trail of injured people behind me, as would othe people that play. I am certainly in favor of safety and consideration by all our players. Players need to play in control and with the safety of other players in mind.

I have played summer games with no shirt on. Regular boffers hurt on bare skin. I don't play shirtless any more because of that. But it doesn't mean our weapons are unsafe.

And I'm not telling people to "man up". I'm telling them to maybe use a little common sense. I am 40 years old and can run around and fight all weekend and I'm never sore after an event barring an injury (although I need more sleep than I used to, age does do that to a person).

What I'm saying is that we've gone past the point of safety and we are entering into the realm of being a nanny state. I didn't say we should tell people "Suck it up sissy boy." I offered ways for people who are perhaps a little less physical to help deal with the game. EVERY athletic activity is like this. In roller derby, some people wear hip and butt pads, some don't. In football, people wear extra arm pads, neck pads that aren't required or bigger face masks. In snowboarding some people wear kneed pads. Same fo almost any vigorous activity you can think of. The game should not skew so far to one side or the other. A middle ground should be found and the toughest and the most delicate players should strive to work together to make it fun for as many as possible.

My comments on people perhaps taking better care of themselves between events certainly are good words of advice. If you want to play a physical activity, prepare for it. That's not telling someone to "man up", that's telling someone to be smart. I'm not saying run marathons in between, but go out and walk for 30 minutes 3 or 4 times a week. And then the next time you're walking to a module out of town or have to run away from an NPC, you'll do a lot better. It's just plain good life advice.

Scott

 

[Duke Frost]

If you walk around with bare skin and fight alot, you might get bruises regardless. Some people bruise very easily. I don't know what to say about that. It is going to happen. Ask people to watch their swings if their hits sting. Seriously, think about wearing padding over the spots wear you take most of these hits.

-Brian Bender

QFT

 

[Octaine]

David/Lurin,

As one of the larger and stronger (6'4" and 250 pounds and in shape) players in our game, I also consider myself a very considerate fighter. I am CONSTANTLY monitoring how I play the game because I am very aware of my size and strength. It's an issue many people don't even think about and definitely don't have to worry about. In fact, because of my size and strength, I feel I'm a lot more conscious of the safety of other players than most people that play the game. If I wasn't, I would leave a trail of injured people behind me, as would othe people that play. I am certainly in favor of safety and consideration by all our players. Players need to play in control and with the safety of other players in mind.

I have played summer games with no shirt on. Regular boffers hurt on bare skin. I don't play shirtless any more because of that. But it doesn't mean our weapons are unsafe.

And I'm not telling people to "man up". I'm telling them to maybe use a little common sense. I am 40 years old and can run around and fight all weekend and I'm never sore after an event barring an injury (although I need more sleep than I used to, age does do that to a person).

What I'm saying is that we've gone past the point of safety and we are entering into the realm of being a nanny state. I didn't say we should tell people "Suck it up sissy boy." I offered ways for people who are perhaps a little less physical to help deal with the game. EVERY athletic activity is like this. In roller derby, some people wear hip and butt pads, some don't. In football, people wear extra arm pads, neck pads that aren't required or bigger face masks. In snowboarding some people wear kneed pads. Same fo almost any vigorous activity you can think of. The game should not skew so far to one side or the other. A middle ground should be found and the toughest and the most delicate players should strive to work together to make it fun for as many as possible.

My comments on people perhaps taking better care of themselves between events certainly are good words of advice. If you want to play a physical activity, prepare for it. That's not telling someone to "man up", that's telling someone to be smart. I'm not saying run marathons in between, but go out and walk for 30 minutes 3 or 4 times a week. And then the next time you're walking to a module out of town or have to run away from an NPC, you'll do a lot better. It's just plain good life advice.

Scott

You dont have to explain your self Scott. There are people that play this game and lack the physical ability that is required to run, endurance, quickness, etc.... so instead of either accepting their limitation or doing something about it, they come to the boards and complain that rules need to be changed, like slowing combat, three hit rule, or new weapon types...all of which are rules from OTHER games. Now I have played for years and my physical ability has gone down from when I first played, old age does that to you, but I accept the fact that as the years go on I have to work harder and harder to get the same results that I have gotten in the past. At some point my body will no longer be able to run around the woods, until then GAME ON!!

There are LARPS that have no fighting and there are also LARPS that use an all IG system to fight which is nothing more than just calling out abilities, perhaps these games may better suit some people.

 

[JarrinVorgik]

Ok to be honest the only issue I can truly seeing arise from a Latex weapon is the possibility of someone having a Latex allergy. This issues is easily dealt with though. I too will try and get my hands on a Latex weapon this season to try it out as well.

 

[Gunnar]

Weapon Injuries can, will and have occurred without latex weapons. Serious hits, where I was like OMG are you alright?

That being said if people are that scared about latex weapons, maybe we do need to increase the presence of Marshals. I don't want Mike or Ali to leave the game with bruises. I don't want to see peoples weapons get broken.

I am a marshal, I volunteer to watch out for this kind of thing, now that latex weapons are being introduced into the game. I think all Marshals should too. I know alot who will.

If you walk around with bare skin and fight alot, you might get bruises regardless. Some people bruise very easily. I don't know what to say about that. It is going to happen. Ask people to watch their swings if their hits sting. Seriously, think about wearing padding over the spots wear you take most of these hits.

If you see someone fighting unsafely (as always) alert the marshals or chapter staff. If somebody consistantly hurts others they will have their weapons priviledges revoked. Unfortunately, it has happened before.

-Brian Bender

Brian,

I definitely agree that those hits have happened before, and I -really- really appreciate that you volunteer to watch out for this kind of thing. I really appreciate every person who is a marshal, because I would assume keeping an eye out for this is what being a marshal is all about.

I don't think we need to 'stop the presses and suddenly ban these weapons.' My main concern was just going "Hey, these worry me a little because I've been on the receiving end of some pretty bad shots with them. Can someone please tell me what we're doing with them since its a per chapter basis?"

David/Lurin,

As one of the larger and stronger (6'4" and 250 pounds and in shape) players in our game, I also consider myself a very considerate fighter. I am CONSTANTLY monitoring how I play the game because I am very aware of my size and strength. It's an issue many people don't even think about and definitely don't have to worry about. In fact, because of my size and strength, I feel I'm a lot more conscious of the safety of other players than most people that play the game. If I wasn't, I would leave a trail of injured people behind me, as would other people that play. I am certainly in favor of safety and consideration by all our players. Players need to play in control and with the safety of other players in mind.

I have played summer games with no shirt on. Regular boffers hurt on bare skin. I don't play shirtless any more because of that. But it doesn't mean our weapons are unsafe.

And I'm not telling people to "man up". I'm telling them to maybe use a little common sense. I am 40 years old and can run around and fight all weekend and I'm never sore after an event barring an injury (although I need more sleep than I used to, age does do that to a person).

What I'm saying is that we've gone past the point of safety and we are entering into the realm of being a nanny state. I didn't say we should tell people "Suck it up sissy boy." I offered ways for people who are perhaps a little less physical to help deal with the game. EVERY athletic activity is like this. In roller derby, some people wear hip and butt pads, some don't. In football, people wear extra arm pads, neck pads that aren't required or bigger face masks. In snowboarding some people wear kneed pads. Same fo almost any vigorous activity you can think of. The game should not skew so far to one side or the other. A middle ground should be found and the toughest and the most delicate players should strive to work together to make it fun for as many as possible.

My comments on people perhaps taking better care of themselves between events certainly are good words of advice. If you want to play a physical activity, prepare for it. That's not telling someone to "man up", that's telling someone to be smart. I'm not saying run marathons in between, but go out and walk for 30 minutes 3 or 4 times a week. And then the next time you're walking to a module out of town or have to run away from an NPC, you'll do a lot better. It's just plain good life advice.

Scott

I will be the first to say that I've fought Scott, and I absolutely agree that he's a considerate player, especially with a full foot of height on me, and I agree that the game should not skew right or left - I guess my main point wasn't 100% clear.

I'm really just looking for answers, so that I (and if there's anyone else out there like me who isn't saying anything) can adjust accordingly, or know that the individual chapter is doing what they feel is right for their players.

Thanks,
Ali

 

[Ithica]

With all the rules being quoted. And people being in physical shape or not.. All the talks about weapons hurting or not hurting..

Lets face the facts, regardless of how big you are or how small you are. Any weapon can hurt anyone at anytime. Even those who consider themselves in superb shape.... at Last New Jersey game I went to over the summer. I got flat lined by a face shot from a boffer weapon. 2 handed baseball swing right to the face. I mean it blinded me and stunned me, made a large welt mark and i could not see for a second... It was an accident.

Point is don't forget one thing. Regardless of how fit or stronger some people may be. Or how more a "stick jock" some might be. Be considerate to who you are fighting. If your getting hit to hard, lean over to the apposing player and let them know in a considerate manner.

Lord knows I get told all the time "damn you're sexy" ... I mean "hey your hitting to hard"... Sometimes its in a considerate manner, and sometimes people emo rage and are like " WTF STOP HITTING SO HARD"... I prefer the considerate way as I personally don't respond well to people screaming at me.

But point is, ask your fellow player to take it easy if they hit to hard. Weather with a boffer, ultralight or the new latex.

-Toddy

**who only didnt accept the latex weapons because I loved my boffers so much. But lets face it latex looks better and i am jealous.

 

[Duke Frost]

I'm with Toddy. It's not okay to abuse the bigger, stronger guys either.

 

[Ezri]

this is somewhat related... but i really have no idea who is a marshal and who is not. And that sucks considering I am Head of Logistics and people come to me asking who is a weapon marshal or an Armor Marshal, etc. and I can't answer them. We have No official list. I am very interested in seeing some kind of list created and maintained as to who can do what at HQ.

I also would love it if Alliance as a whole (but if not just HQ) instituted a marshal armband policy or something where the wearing of a colored sash (doesn't have to be big or anything) would indicate that that player is a rules marshal or weapon marshal or ritual marshal, etc. Maybe this is asking too much because it might interfere with someone's costuming, I don't know... but I just imagine that it would help... especially for players who don't know everyone OOG, they only need to look for that armband to know they can ask you a question. anyway, even if this idea never takes off, I'd still love a maintained list of marshals for our chapter.

At one time we issued medieval looking pins for our marshals.... that wasn't bad.

I still see them being worn by the people who were marshals when those were issued (Dan L comes to mind). But a lot of the marshals now - myself included, were not marshals then and hence do not have said shield pin. I don't know if there are more somewhere that just weren't distributed, or if there's interest in ordering more.

 

[youthculture]

I've always been on the fence with latex weapons and I've played with them here and there in other LARPs. However, as one of the, uh, smaller players in Alliance (5'3", 110) that still enjoys frontlining a fight, I don't really have a problem with latex weapons. Sure, you get battered, but whatever. It's nothing I haven't dealt with in a LARP already and as an NPC, I have zero issues taking a few questionable hits for what the potential gain could be. Personally, I'll be happy to see the change if only for the visuals. Potential customers aren't going to go 'they're hitting each other with tubes cover in duct tape' -- the suspension of disbelief is a whole lot easier to maintain and much more attractive to new players.

Now we just need to get people on their A game with make-up and costuming. Go team.

 

[Robb G]

this is somewhat related... but i really have no idea who is a marshal and who is not. And that sucks considering I am Head of Logistics and people come to me asking who is a weapon marshal or an Armor Marshal, etc. and I can't answer them. We have No official list. I am very interested in seeing some kind of list created and maintained as to who can do what at HQ.

I also would love it if Alliance as a whole (but if not just HQ) instituted a marshal armband policy or something where the wearing of a colored sash (doesn't have to be big or anything) would indicate that that player is a rules marshal or weapon marshal or ritual marshal, etc. Maybe this is asking too much because it might interfere with someone's costuming, I don't know... but I just imagine that it would help... especially for players who don't know everyone OOG, they only need to look for that armband to know they can ask you a question. anyway, even if this idea never takes off, I'd still love a maintained list of marshals for our chapter.

At one time we issued medieval looking pins for our marshals.... that wasn't bad.

I still see them being worn by the people who were marshals when those were issued (Dan L comes to mind). But a lot of the marshals now - myself included, were not marshals then and hence do not have said shield pin. I don't know if there are more somewhere that just weren't distributed, or if there's interest in ordering more.

that's the thing... if we enact this kind of thing it's got to be followed up on. every new marshal gets the new thing that signifies them as a marshal... lists get updated, people are informed, it should be a big deal so more people will want to become a marshal, like it should be at least mentioned at the closing ceremonies.

I personally don't love the pin idea because i'd like to see a different symbol for each type of marshal out there (rules, weapon, whatever) and if someone forget's to bring thier pin, it doesn't work. but if they were just colored arm bands we could have them onsite and people could get them when they came to logistics to check in. I'm tlaking PCs and NPCs alike should wear them. it would be like an OOG thing like a white headband means your OOG, but a blue arm band means your a rules marshal and a green one means your a weapons marshal...

 

[KaiLan]

Just out of curiosity, what is the solution for players with a latex allergy? Is it just, stay out of combat if latex might be involved?

 

[Garathon]

I don't usually get involved in these types of threads, but I wanted to show my support and second what Scott had to say in his first post. My only complaint from day one was that there often times far to many people out on the field who are too easily frazzled by a little physical contact. Get hit with anything, I don't care if it's a pillow our a real metal weapon and it can hurt and can damage an eye or anything else. We do need to create a gaming environment were everyone can enjoy themselves and try on different roles that that you might not be able to do in real life. However, you assume a certain level of responsibility and risk when you enter any combat sport no matter how "safe" it may be.

If you don't want be hurt by any weapon latex, boffer, or otherwise please take the forethought to dress appropriately, accept you may and probably will take at least one hit that will sting, and move on. If you are not willing or capable of accepting a modicum of risk then unfortunately you have no business on the battle field in a fighting role. As was stated this is a medieval fantasy LARP. Not everyone in medieval times was a fighter or even participated in any combat. That's why craftsmen, healers, sorcerers, and artisans exist in our game.

 

[Dreamingfurther]

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