Night games

This page has safety advice that hasn't yet been checked by our safety reviewer. Treat it as general guidance, and follow your game's, venue's or product's own safety rules first.

A practical safety guide for LARP players attending events that run after dark, covering visibility, communication, and common-sense precautions.

Night games add atmosphere and excitement to live-action role-play, but darkness also hides uneven ground, trip hazards, and other players moving quickly. This guide offers general good practice only and is not a safety policy for any specific game. Your event's own safety briefing and rulebook are always the authority, and you should read them carefully before play begins. Before you go out, take a few minutes to walk the play area in daylight if you can. Notice where the ground dips, where tree roots cross paths, and where the boundary of the safe play zone sits. A small torch or headlamp worn on your person — not held in your prop hand — means you can check your footing without relying on moonlight or event lighting. Many players choose a dim red or warm setting to preserve night vision while still seeing the ground clearly. Staying aware of the people around you matters more after dark. Move at a pace that lets you stop safely, and avoid running unless the terrain is familiar and well-lit. When you need to signal that something is wrong, your game's safety calls — often words like "Hold" or "Man down" — cut through the fiction immediately and tell everyone nearby to stop and help. Learn these calls before play, repeat them loudly if you need to use them, and never ignore one when you hear it. Tell a friend or a game marshal where you are heading if you move away from the main group. Buddy systems are common sense at night events, especially on large sites. If you feel unwell, lose your bearings, or find a genuine hazard, step out of play, use your safety call, and flag down a marshal rather than trying to sort it out in character. Looking after yourself and the people around you is part of being a good player at any event.