Field games to play

Best Field Day Games and Activities for All Ages and Abilities

The end of the school year often brings kids’ favorite event: field day! It’s a chance to spend a day outside, running around with their friends, all while being at school. When you’re setting up your event, it’s important to include a selection of field day games that every kid can participate in and enjoy. You’ll find ideas here for every age group and ability, so your event will be inclusive and fun for everyone!

Classic Field Day Games
More Field Day Games
Non-Physical Field Day Games
Water Games for Field Day

Classic Field Day Games

Field days have been around a long time, and some activities have become staples. Here are some classic field day games to add to your list of events.

100-Yard Dash
Water Balloon Toss
Wheelbarrow Race
Three-Legged Race
Sack Race
Obstacle Course
Egg-and-Spoon Race
Relay Race
Tug-of-War
Long Jump

More Field Day Games

Want to jazz up your standard list of games a bit? We love these fun and creative games, and your students will too.

Blanket Pull

Go for a ride with this fun race. Kids pair up to pull each other across the field on a blanket. Even things out by having one kid pull on the way down, and the rider pull on the way back.

Learn more: Sweet Dreams Are Made of These

Football Toss

This football toss game is surprisingly easy to assemble. You can also just hang Hula-Hoops from a branch or pole—swinging targets make things even more challenging!

Learn more: Fundraising Directory

Frisbee Golf

Frisbee golf is another one of those field day games that’s very easy to set up with inexpensive supplies. Set round laundry baskets into tomato cages pushed into the ground to arrange your course. Arm kids with Frisbees, and you’re ready to play!

Learn more: Hometalk

Pool Noodle Croquet

Make oversized croquet hoops from pool noodles, and grab some lightweight balls. You can hit the balls with more pool noodles, or try to kick them through the hoops as you make your way along the course.

Learn more: The Joys of Boys

Parachute Volleyball

Round up a big beach ball and some small parachutes (beach towels work too!). Teams work in pairs to catch and launch the ball back and forth over the net.

Learn more: TeamLaunchLight/YouTube

Coconut Bowling

Coconut balls make this bowling game much more challenging—and hilarious! The uneven shape of the fruit means it will roll in ways kids will never expect.

Learn more: Fun-a-Day

Hungry Hungry Hippos

Turn the popular game Hungry Hungry Hippo into life-size mayhem! One student lays on a scooter on their stomach, holding a basket upside down in front of them. The other student grabs their legs and pushes them forward to grab as many pieces as possible. After everyone has had a turn, total up the pieces to find the winner.

Learn more: Hungry Hungry Hippos/YouTube

Frozen T-Shirt Race

Buy oversized T-shirts, wet them down and fold them, and stick them in the freezer overnight. For the race, each participant works to get their shirt thawed, unfolded, and then put it on first. So funny to watch!

Learn more: A Girl and a Glue Gun—Frozen T-Shirt Race

Balloon Stomp

Get ready for some chaos with this one! Tie a balloon to each student’s ankle with a ribbon. Blow the whistle, and let kids loose trying to break each other’s balloons with their feet. Last one standing is the winner. (Make this a team game by issuing balloons of the same color to each teammate.)

Learn more: How to Have It All

Chicken Stix

This is just plain silly, but it’s so much fun. Kids use pool noodles to pick up rubber chickens and carry them to the finish line. This one’s easy to turn into a relay race.

Learn more: Mrs. Russell’s Room

Non-Physical Field Day Activities

Not every kid loves running and jumping (and some of them can’t). Make sure field day is fun for everyone by including some of these non-physical activities. They let everyone shine!

Cup-Stacking Race

After a TV show made this game popular, every kid wants to give it a try. Give each player 21 cups. Their goal is to stack them into a pyramid, then unstack them again, as fast as possible.

Learn more: Happy Mom Hacks

Cookie Face

This game is pure silliness, and kids are gonna love it! Have them tip their heads back, then place a cookie on their foreheads. When you shout “Go!” they race to move the cookie from their foreheads to their mouths without using their hands!

Learn more: Happiness Is Homemade

Ball Toss

This game requires a bit of skill, but it’s easy enough for anyone to try. Label cans or other containers with point amounts. Give each student five balls to toss, and total up their points at the end.

Learn more: Everyday Dishes

Ping-Pong Tic-Tac-Toe

Make a 3 x 3 grid of plastic cups, one for each team. Fill the cups most of the way with water. Then give each team a bowl of Ping-Pong balls, and watch them race to get the balls into the cups until they make three in a row.

Learn more: Jeremy Mavis

Giant Kerplunk

This game is pretty easy to make with tomato cages and bamboo skewers. Each competitor pulls a stick, trying not to be the one who causes the balls to fall!

Learn more: Angela Parker—Pinterest

Flamingo Ring Toss

You could play ordinary ring toss, of course, but how fun is this version? Grab some lawn flamingos (you might even find them at the dollar store) and set them up. Then give each player a set of hoops and let them do their best.

Learn more: Sugar & Cloth

Lawn Scrabble

Give your word lovers a chance to show off their skills with an oversized game of Scrabble! Make the tiles from pieces of cardboard or card stock.

Learn more: Constantly Lovestruck

Ladder Toss

This clever take on beanbag toss is super-easy to set up. Simply label the rungs of a ladder with various point totals. Then let kids try to land their beanbags on the steps to build up points for their team.

Learn more: Landeelu

Yard Yahtzee

Buy or make some giant wooden dice, then compete at an outdoor game of Yahtzee. (Don’t tell kids they’re actually practicing their math skills on field day!)

Learn more: Life Sew Savory

Scavenger Hunt

Complete a scavenger hunt as a team, or make it an individual event. We’ve got tons of terrific scavenger hunt ideas here, including the alphabet hunt. Kids try to be the first to collect an object for every letter of the alphabet!

Water Games for Field Day

If you’re willing to let kids wind up a little damp (or, let’s face it, soaking wet), these are the games for you!

Fill the Bucket

Here’s a classic water game that’s easy to set up and always popular. Teams race to see who can full their bucket first, using only the water they can carry in a sponge.

Learn more: The Resourceful Mama

Pass the Water

We like this one best as a big team game. Kids line up, one after the other, each holding a cup. The person in front fills their cup with water, then pours it backward over their head into the next person’s cup. Play continues until the last person, who pours it into a bucket. Repeat as many times as needed to completely fill your bucket.

Learn more: A Girl and a Glue Gun—Pass the Water

Water Cup Race

Hang plastic cups on strings, then use squirt guns to push them along to the finish line. (Don’t want to use water? Have kids blow through straws to propel the cups instead.)

Learn more: All for the Boys

Sponge Launch

Have each team design and build a launcher. Then let them fire wet sponges to see which team’s goes the farthest.

Learn more: How Does She?

Water Balloon Piñatas

No candy in these piñatas … just water! Hang them high and arm kids with sticks to hit them. The first team or person to break all their balloons wins!

Learn more: Hello, Wonderful

What are your favorite field day games? Come exchange ideas on the WeAreTeachers HELPLINE group on Facebook!

Plus, check out The Best Kids Gym Equipment for Fun at School and Home.

30 Classic Outdoor Games for Kids

When I was a kid, we played outside with the other kids in the neighborhood with most of our free time. We also made the most of recess at school. We kept ourselves quite occupied without any of today's modern technologies. Listed below are some no-tech games that you may have enjoyed as a kid. I sure did. Some can be done indoors. Some can be done by yourself or with just one friend. But most of them are best when done outside with a group of people. Also, most of these games can be changed or improved by making up your own rules. Use your imagination!

Hide and Seek

Everyone has played this one. Most parents have played with their kids, since hiding and finding is a common interest of small children. I've heard of all kinds of variations on this game. Sometimes you count to twenty, sometimes ten, sometimes one hundred. Sometimes there is a home base that you can run to and tag, becoming "safe," sometimes you just wait to be found. The general idea is that one person is "it," that person closes his or her eyes and counts to a certain number without looking and then he or she tries to find the others. Number of Players: Ideally at least three. Equipment: None.

Kick the Can

This game is a variation of tag and hide & seek. One person or a team of people are designated as "it" and a can is placed in the middle of the playing area. The other people run off and hide while the "it" covers his or her eyes and counts to a certain number. "It" then tries to find everyone. If a person is tagged by "it", they go into a holding pen for captured players. If one of the un-captured players manages to kick the can, the captured players are released. The game is over once all the non-"it" players are in the holding pen. Number of Players: Ideally at least three. Equipment: A metal can.

Capture the Flag

This game is most fun when played with a large group. Split the group into two teams, each team having a flag or other marker at the team's base. The object of the game is to run into the other team's territory, capture their flag and make it safely back to your own territory. You can tag "enemy" players in your territory, sending them to your jail. They can be sprung from jail by a member of their own team running into your territory, tagging them and running back, with one freed person allowed per jail break. It is sometimes played that all the people in jail could hold hands and make a chain back toward their own territory, making it easier for members of their team to tag them. We also played a similar game called Steal the Sticks. It had almost the same rules, but several sticks were used instead of one flag. Number of Players: A large group. Equipment: Two flags or other markers.

Parachute

Fun for kids of all ages, this game involves a large round parachute, preferably with handles, with people holding the parachute all around the edges. It helps if someone is in charge telling people what to do. Players can just ruffle the parachute up and down a little bit, they can go all the way up and all the way down, or all the way up and then run underneath, sitting on the edge of the parachute, which can create a bubble of air with everyone inside. Players can also place light objects such as wiffle balls or beanbags on top of the parachute, and make them jump by ruffling the parachute. Also, one person can sit in the middle of the parachute and everyone ruffles it near the ground. If there is a smooth floor and a light child, the child can sit in the middle on top of the parachute and everyone else can walk partway around still holding the parachute edge. Then everyone pulls backward, spinning the child. There are countless variations. Number of Players: Depends on the size of the parachute, but usually eight to ten. Equipment: A play parachute. These aren't as hard to find as you would think. Try here and here.

Traffic Cop

This game works best on a street with little to no traffic, or in a large paved area of some kind. You need bikes, wagons, pedestrians, scooters or whatever is available. One person directs traffic to make sure kids don't run into each other. It is more fun than it sounds, and helps kids learn about waiting to cross the street and about traffic safety. Number of Players: A small group. Equipment: Bikes, wagons, scooters, anything on wheels.

Four Square

This ball game is played on a square court further divided into four smaller squares, numbered one through four. One player stands in each of the squares, with the highest ranked player in number one, lowest in number four. You bounce the ball among the players, bouncing once in the other person's square before that person catches it. When I played this as a kid, we had countless additional rules to choose from. The person in square one got to choose the rules. Anyone who violates the rules will have to move down in the ranking, or be eliminated with another player rotating in to square four. Number of Players: Four, unless you take turns. Equipment: A four square court or sidewalk chalk, a playground ball.

Hopscotch

Use some sidewalk chalk and make a hopscotch grid. Number the squares from one to nine. Pick a rock that is good for tossing. Small ones can bounce too much, and larger ones are hard to throw. Start by tossing the rock onto Square 1. Hop over the rock and hop with a single foot or both feet (to follow the hopscotch pattern) all the way to the end. Turn around and come back, stopping on Square 2. Balancing on one foot, pick up the rock in Square 1 and hop over Square 1 to the start. Continue this pattern with Square 2. And so on. If you toss your rock and miss the correct square, your turn is over. This game can be played with any number of people, but only one person can go at a time. If it's raining or dark or too cold, you can get indoor hopscotch mats or foam pieces, or just find a pattern on the floor to follow, perhaps using a beanbag instead of a rock. Number of Players: One at a time. Equipment: Hopscotch grid, rock or beanbag.

Jump-Rope and Double Dutch

One of the biggest ways I spent my recess time as a young girl was jumping rope. I got quite good at it for my age, both in speed and in skill. It was fun to jump by myself, but it was even more fun to have a long rope and jump with a couple of friends. That's where jump-rope rhymes come in. They turn a simple exercise into a fun game, to compete against yourself and others. Then there's double dutch. I was always in awe of the older girls who could do double dutch. The first time I tried it, I got tripped up almost immediately. However, once you understand how to do it, it isn't as hard as it looks. Number of Players: One for single jumping, three with a longer rope or for double dutch. Equipment: One or two jump-ropes.

Chinese Jump-Rope

This game requires three people, or just one or two people with really good chairs. It is easily done inside, assuming a sturdy floor. This game resembles regular jump rope in that you jump. A lot. But you jump in a pattern. Two people (or chairs) put their feet inside the rope and stretch them out, standing far enough apart for the third person to jump between them. The third person, or jumper, faces one of the people holding the rope and jumps in a pattern of left, right, inside, outside and on the ropes. What pattern you use is up to you, but all the players should use the same one. The game is started with the rope around the ankles. Once the jumper does the jump correctly, the rope is moved up to the calves. Then to the knees, then the thighs. Usually it doesn't get any farther than that. Once you miss, it is someone else's turn. Number of Players: Preferably three, but it can be done with one or two. Equipment: A stretchy-type rope or 5 to 6 meters of rubber bands tied together in a circle.

Jacks

This game can be played on any flat surface, indoors or out. The player scatters the jacks on the playing surface, often by just tossing them out of one hand, as if rolling dice. The ball is then tossed up, is allowed to bounce once, and is caught before the second bounce. The player tries to scoop up jacks and catch the ball with one hand before the ball's second bounce. The number of jacks to be picked up goes in order. First you pick up one ("onesies"), then two ("twosies"), then three and so on. There are many variations to the rules of this game including things like "pigs in the pen" and "double bounces." Jacks is one game I wish I had played as a girl, but it was much more common when my mom was a child. Number of Players: Any, taking turns. Equipment: A set of jacks and a small rubber ball.

Marbles

The general rules specify that you draw a circle in the sand or on the sidewalk, and then take turns trying to knock each other's marbles out of the circle with your one large marble. As with the other games, there are countless variations. I haven't played this game at length, though, because I always seem to hurt myself flicking the large marble into the ring! You can also use a marble mat which contains different point zones. Number of Players: At least two. Equipment: Chalk, large and small marbles.

Red Light, Green Light

With enough room, this game can easily be played inside. One person is the traffic light at one end, and the other players are at the other end. When the traffic light faces the group, he or she says, "Red light!" and everyone must freeze. The traffic light then turns his or her back and says, "Green light!" while the group tries to get as close to the traffic light as possible. The traffic light turns around quickly, again saying, "Red light!", and if anyone is spotted moving, they have to go back to the starting place. The first person to tag the traffic light wins and gets to be the next traffic light. Number of Players: A small group. Equipment: None.

Mother, May I

This game is set up in the same way as Red Light Green Light. One person in the group asks the person in the front, "Mother, may I take steps forward?" The person at the front then says, "Yes, you may." or "No, you may not." You can vary your requests by including options such as taking baby steps, spinning steps, leaps or whatever strikes your fancy. Again, the first person to tag the person in the front wins and is the next person in the front. Number of Players: A small group. Equipment: None.

Simon Says

This game can be played anywhere, even in a car or other small space. One person is Simon and starts by saying, "Simon says, '[insert action here]'. " Everyone must then do the action. However, if Simon makes an action request without saying, "Simon says" to begin the request, anyone who does that action is out. The last person still playing in the end will be Simon for the next round. Number of Players: A small group. Equipment: None.

Tag

It seems that everyone knows how to play tag, but just in case it wasn't in your childhood game playing repertoire, here is how you play. A group of kids decides who will start out as being "it." That person chases the other people around, trying to tag one of them with their hand. The newly tagged person is now "it." There is often the rule of "no tag-backs" where you can't tag the person who just tagged you. The game ends when everyone is tired of playing. Number of Players: Any size group. Equipment: None.

Shadow Tag

In this fun version of Tag, you tag each other's shadow with your feet instead of tagging their body. Thus, it must be played on a sunny day. The closer to noon, the greater the difficulty. Number of Players: A small group. Equipment: None.

Freeze Tag

This is a variation of Tag where if the person who is "it" tags you, you have to freeze where you are. Another participant can tag you to unfreeze you. Number of Players: A small group. Equipment: None.

TV Tag

A variation of Freeze Tag where the person unfreezing the frozen player has to call out a TV show title. That show then can't be used again during that game. Number of Players: A small group. Equipment: None.

Marco Polo

This variation of tag is played in a swimming pool. Whoever is "it" closes their eyes and yells "Marco!" The other players then yell "Polo!" The "it" person has to tag one of the others, and then that person is "it." Be sure to play in a pool that is not too deep for any of the players. Number of Players: A small group. Equipment: A swimming pool.

Blind Man's Bluff

A favorite game in Tudor and Victorian England, this game is yet another variation on tag. The person who is "it" wears a blindfold and tries to tag the other players. Be sure to play this in an area safe from obstructions and other hazards. Number of Players: A small group. Equipment: A blindfold.

Red Rover

Divide everyone into two teams, each forming a long line, holding hands, facing the other team. The two teams should be around 20 or so feet apart. The teams take turn calling out, "Red Rover, Red Rover, let come over!" That child leaves their team's line, runs as fast as they can toward the other line and tries to break through the held hands. If they break through, they get to take someone back to their team. If they don't, they join the new team. When a team only has one person left, that person tries to break through the other team. If they do not, then their team loses. If they do, they gain a player and play continues. Number of Players: Any decent size group. Equipment: None.

Heads Up, Seven Up

Dating back to at least the 1950s, this game is one we played in elementary school. In my experience, it was usually done in the classroom with everyone at their desk. To start the game, seven players go to the front and the teacher says, "Heads down, thumbs up!" Everyone still at their desk puts their head down, extends an arm and stucks their thumb up. The seven kids that were at the front go around and each press one person's thumb down. Then they all go back to the front of the room and the teacher says, "Heads up, seven up!" The players at the desks raise their heads and the seven whose thumbs were pressed down stand up. Each in turn names the person they think pressed down their thumb. If they are correct, they change places with the presser. Then the game can start again. Number of Players: Minimum of 14. Equipment: Desks at which to sit.

Spud

This outdoor game is a lot of fun. Every player gets a number and crowds around the person who is "it" for that round. "It" then tosses the ball straight up and the other players run away. As the ball reaches the top of its toss, "it" calls out the number of one of the other players and then runs away also. The player whose number was called must run back and catch the ball (or chase after it if it is bouncing around). Once that person has the ball, they yell, "Spud!" Then everyone else must freeze. The person with the ball must try to hit one of the players with the ball. If they do, that new person gets a letter (first S, then P, then U, then D) and is now "it." If they miss, the person who threw the ball is "it" for the next round. Number of Players: A small group. Equipment: Playground ball.

Button, Button, Who's Got the Button?

Played inside or outside, the group sits or stands in a circle and holds their hands together in front of them. One person takes the button and goes around the circle, pretending to put the button in someone else's hands. They actually deposit the button in one person's hands, but then continue the rest of the way around the circle, pretending to put it in everyone else's hands. Then going around the circle, each player tries to guess who has the button now. Before each person's guess, the group asks together, "Button, button, who's got the button?" Then the player can state their guess. Once the player with the button is finally guessed, that person distributes the button during the next round. Because a button is used in this game, be sure that all the kids playing are old enough so as to not choke on the button. In another version of this game (and the one that I am more familiar with), one child stands in the middle of the circle, and the button gets passed around the backs of the rest of the group. Those without the button pretend to pass it. When the passing stops, the player in the middle has to guess as to who actually has the button. Number of Players: Any size group. Equipment: A button.

Cat's Cradle

This incredibly portable game can be played anywhere. If you are playing alone, you can make various string shapes on your own hands. With two people, you can play a bit of a game, transferring the shapes back and forth and creating new ones. Learn from someone if you can, but otherwise there are some good books on the subject. Make your own string, or buy a book on how to do it, which often comes with a string! Number of Players: One or two. Equipment: A string, approximately 36 inches long, tied in a circle (length varies, so find one that works for you!).

Hand-Clap Games

The first hand-clap game most people have played is Pat-a-Cake with their parents. Songs and patterns get much more complicated from there. Usually there are two people involved, doing a series of clap patterns on their own and each other's hands while singing or chanting a rhythmic song. There are many rhymes listed online, but if you can learn from someone else or see it in a video, that is best, so that you can get the notes of the song and the rhythm of the clapping. From "Miss Mary Mack" to "Miss Susie" to "Say, Say, My Playmate," there are countless hand clap games to learn. Number of Players: Usually two, but creativity can allow for a third or fourth person. Equipment: None.

Crack the Whip

Though often played on ice while wearing skates in the winter, this game is much safer, though possibly less fun, when played on grass. All the players hold hands in a line. The person at one end of the line skates or runs around, changing directions quickly. The tail of the "whip" of players tends to get moved around with a lot more force than players closer to the front. The longer the tail, the harder it is to hold on. If the players at the end fall off the end of the tail, they can attempt to get back on, perhaps in a position closer to the front. Number of Players: A small group. Equipment: None.

Musical Chairs

In a circle, arrange chairs facing outward to total one fewer than the number of players. An additional player needs to be in charge of the music. When the music starts, the players walk around the chairs. When the music stops, players sit down in the nearest chair as soon as they can. The one player who does not have a chair is out. One of the chairs is then removed, and the game continues in this manner. The player that sits in the final chair is the winner. This game is traditionally played inside, but it can also be played outside with outdoor furniture and a portable music player. Number of Players: A small group. Equipment: Music player or person making music, chairs.

Telephone

This game is one in which most people end up laughing quite a bit, so if you're in the mood for silliness, give it a go. Players sit in a circle. One person thinks up a sentence or phrase and whispers it to the next person. That person repeats it to the person on their other side. This continues around the circle. When it finally reaches the last person, that person says the sentence out loud. Hilarity ensues. The ending sentence is usually quite changed from the beginning sentence, since errors tend to compound as they go around the circle. Number of Players: A small group. Equipment: None.

Freeze Dance

Choose one person to be in charge of the music. When the music starts, everyone else dances, the crazier the better. When the music stops, the dancers must freeze in their position. Anyone caught moving after that is out. Play continues until there is one person left, the winner. Number of Players: Any number. Equipment: Music player or person making music. You can find more activities in The Dangerous Book for Boys and The Daring Book for Girls, as well as some jump rope and hand clap rhymes.

Field games | it's... What is Field Games?

Live action role-playing game (from English Live action Role-playing game, LARPG ) is a subsection of role-playing games in which players play their roles through actions, not through words.

1 Features
2 Classification
- 2.1 Pavilion role play
- 2.2 Field games
- 2.3 City games
- 2.4 Balls, ballroom dancing
3 LARP In other countries
4 Notes
5 See also
6 Links

Features

Like any role-playing game, a live-action game is based on the fact that the masters want to set up a situation (and look at the results), and the players who have applied for this game want to participate in this situation as one of the characters. But, unlike a tabletop role-playing game or a computer game, a live-action game uses much less convention and is closer to real life. All actions performed by the players are perceived as the actions of their characters. Ideally, there should be no offside situations, but this is usually not achievable due to various circumstances:

the need for actions that cannot be played "as is", requiring the introduction of rules;
possible urgent life circumstances that may arise during the game;
non-game communication between players, including during night gatherings around the fire;
formal adherence to the rules, but the lack of following the logic of the world, as an example - munchkinism and other phenomena that interfere with the course of the game.

The rules for playing a game are determined by the master (or master group) who plays the game. Usually, the rules for violent physical impact on characters (combat rules), the rules for the player’s behavior in the event of the death of his character (sometimes called “rules on the dead house”), the rules for affecting the character’s abilities that the player himself does not possess (for example, magic or psionics) are clearly defined, as well as the rules for the interaction of the player with the simulated structures (economy, virtual squads, etc. ).

The character or role of the player is usually discussed in advance with the masters. Most often, masters offer already written roles (also called “load”, “introductory”), but they fully approve of the player’s creative activity in modifying the introductory or creating his own (introductory, completely created by the player, is called “auto-introduction”, “personal legend” or “quant "). In any case, it is critical that the master group has information about all the inputs in order to be able to integrate as many characters as possible into the game reality. The character introduction can be schematically broken down into the following points:

Name of the character and belonging to his group of players/characters
The goals and objectives of the character.
Features of the psychology of the character, his special signs, race.
The character's social status, requirements for his in-game costume and ammunition.
The character's biography, her key points and connections with other characters in the game (both explicit "He is your brother, you hate him", and indirect "You have a twin, but you have not seen each other since birth, you have been looking for him for a long time").
List of literary sources in which this character is described in detail (most often attached to key roles).
TTX character

Classification

Pavilion Role Playing Game

Pavilion role-playing games (another name - "cabinets") are so named because they are held indoors, and the scene is limited to its framework. In many ways, they are similar to field events, but smaller in scale (both in time and space). Most often, the number of participants in such a game is 10-25 people, and the duration is from 2 to 12 hours, but can reach 24 hours. Practically any genre can be realized at pavilion games, since, unlike field games, the requirements for material support are much lower. This is often achieved through word play. So, one master can win back all the technical possibilities of the world. The pavilion games are characterized by a high concentration of actions (tension), which is associated with the tight timing of the game.

By the nature of the action, two extremes of pavilion games can be distinguished: purely image-based (the so-called "theatrical" or "mystery") and purely informational, the so-called "information" or "langedo'ki" (after the name of one of the most famous first pavilion games. In the first place, the emphasis is on the player playing his role most accurately, vividly and expressively. For "theatrical films" the plot of the game is rigidly set by the master. In the "information" the situation is reversed - almost all the goals of the characters are achieved by searching for the necessary information and bringing it together , there is no rigidly set plot. In general, there will be a separate discussion about the dramatic and informational layers of the game. We believe that these two types of game should be combined in a good game. The same can be said not only about the "Languedoc", but it is in them that the division has reached such marked extremes that it has emerged as separate species.0007

The Languedocs are characterized by the following points:

All roles are designed by the master.
Each character has goals and objectives defined by his role.
Each character can fully or partially complete their goals.
No character can complete their goals automatically.
Time to complete goals is limited.
Since the tension of the game is usually high and there are few players, the death of just one character can completely spoil the whole game.

A separate type of pavilion games are the so-called "chamber" games, the number of participants in which can reach two hundred. By the nature of the action itself, they are closer to field games, but are held indoors. Of course, such large-scale events require large premises, for which rest houses or other similar institutions can be rented. The usual duration of such games is from 24 hours to three days.

Field games

Field games are held on the ground, usually on a specially designated, and sometimes equipped place - a training ground. They are the largest in terms of the number of players and the space they occupy. As a rule, these games require a certain entourage (appropriate clothing, weapons, imitation of settlements, etc.), and in general, outwardly, they have a lot of costume performance or dramatization. They last from one and a half to four days. The number of participants ranges from 10 ^[1] up to 2800 people, with an average of 100 to 300 people. Plots (worlds) can be taken from history, fiction, films, etc., or created directly by the masters themselves. Since it is often necessary to build fortresses at field games, cook food and prepare firewood, and fight in an organized way, often teams go to field games not alone, but in teams.

A group of persons involved in the technical support of the field game and not directly involved in the game process, from 19'95 is commonly referred to as a proving team.

Among the field games, according to the main entourage used and the style of behavior of the players, several fairly common classes stood out:

medieval fantasy, characterized by swords, armor and other medieval utensils;
historical, which are characterized by initial conditions corresponding to some historical realities, up to the point that all characters are real;
technogenic, which are characterized by plots of science fiction, modern or recent themes, technogenic weapons;
"secular", which are characterized by balls, social events, which determines the specifics of preparing players for such games - classes in Schools of Ancient Dances, studios. They differ from other classes in the priority of aesthetics in the surroundings, sometimes to the detriment of the functionality of equipment, game weapons and armor;
mixed, such as "techno-fantasy", which are characterized by a mixture of genres.

Features include:

Theatricality (acting out). The participants of the field Game, like actors in the theater, identify themselves and their character and act based on the logic of the character of the Game, in accordance with the realities of the game world. Unlike the pavilion and city games, the theatrical component of the game in the field requires the player to have a certain conventional perception of the environment. For example, a tree can be a corner of a castle wall, a path can be a road, etc.;
Simulation conditionality. Actions performed in the game are conditional - “killing” is played out by inflicting a light blow or other action specified in the rules, committed with a safe weapon (or imitation of poison - oversalted, overly sour food, etc. ), after which the person depicts “death »; The economy of the Game is based on the circulation of in-game money, which can be used to purchase in-game valuables, as well as to eat in "taverns" or other public/game catering points, they can be used to pay for game actions, for example, "repair" of weapons "broken" in battle, etc. d.
Time and distance scaling. It is clear why this is being done - the polygon is not infinite, and a lot of different important points need to be placed. Note that scaling is typical but not required for field games. In contrast to board games, for example, time scaling in field play is practically non-existent.
Command. Usually a field game is the interaction of not only individual people (characters), but also organizations (teams). Depending on the game, the team can represent both the state and some small organization, for example, a reconnaissance squad of 4 people. Usually each team has a leader who determines what the team will do. The player who plays the role of leader, as a rule, is also responsible for the non-game organizational moments of his team. As a rule, the whole team stands in one camp and has a common household.
Battality. The fighting in the field games is realistic, spectacular and massive. Therefore, the battle on such a game is much more interesting than on any other.
Travel component. As the name implies, field games take place in the "fields", that is, in nature. It follows from this that players must carry with them not only things necessary for the game (game clothes, weapons, etc.), but also things necessary for life in nature (tents, sleeping bags, bowlers, etc.) . It also requires a minimal understanding of how to live outside the city.

City games

Among urban games, two classes of games can be distinguished - local games and real-time games.

Local games are basically like regular field games, except they are played in a city. This imposes certain restrictions on modeling, material support, combat, etc. The duration of such games is 2-3 days, their number is comparable to the number of average field games - 100-200 people.

City Games ^[2] real-time games are urban games that run in parallel with real life, which is their main feature. Real-time city games are sometimes referred to simply as city games. As the name implies, the scene is the whole world around. If you compare them with other types of role-playing games, then in terms of the type of action they are somewhere between field and "Languedoc", and closer to the latter. The number of participants is from 10 to 50, the duration is 1-6 weeks.

The degree of virtuality in such games depends on how much the capabilities of the character differ from those of the player. Most often, city games, due to their peculiarity, are held in a world similar to ours. Tension at city games is uneven: high at short intervals and low at all other times.

Most of the problems with these games are due, in part, to the following features:

As in other games, a lot of things are virtual, but here a person simultaneously plays a role and acts in life. For example, you play a big businessman, but this does not relieve you of the obligation to go to college or work. From the point of view of the game world, such situations look unnatural, and this can knock the player out of the role.
Many events also take place virtually, which requires frequent supervision by the wizard. And this is poorly feasible, and unresolved contradictions between the players begin to accumulate in the game. Whereas in the field game and the Languedoc, the masters can constantly monitor the game.
Any interaction between players can be "in life" and "in game". Because of this, disagreements can (and do) arise on the topic “is it for the game or not”. Especially when it comes to the information received. Again, game interactions look strange from the outside and do not always bring joy to ordinary people who are not involved in the game process.
Thus, the optimal, most often, plots for city games are those where the characters must lead a normal life, pretending to be ordinary people (“People in Black”, patrols (based on the works of Lukyanenko), vampires, “Highlander”, etc. . P.).
Another difference in urban games - the duration of the game - provides certain advantages. As a rule, the player acts without strict time limits and can plan his actions for a long time ahead. On the one hand, this gives the action credibility, allows some unexpected twists in the game. On the other hand, the game takes a lot of time, requires actions at the same time as normal life, which is why many experienced players cannot participate in the game. As a result, there is a shortage of experienced players for strong roles.

Balls, ballroom dancing

The balls held within the role-playing community are quite close to role-playing games and therefore should also be mentioned.

The essence of the Ball is a combination of ancient dances (Polonaise, Minuet, Quadrille, Branle, Casterwat, Waltz, Alemanda, Polka, Pavane and others) and conveying the atmosphere of a bygone era, typical for a role-playing game. At the Ball, as well as at the Game, people are in a fictitious role, and the chosen role, behavior and costume must strictly correspond to the era of this Ball. At the Balls, the most stringent requirements are imposed on costumes, as well as on the ability to dance. Most of the participants of the balls are engaged in Schools of Ancient Dance, art studios, etc.

Of course, in addition to dancing, during the Ball there are other events that befit the Ball of this era: secular communication, games, performances by actors, singers, theatrical performances.

LARP International

Everyone knows the English acronym LARP, but few people know what role-playing games are called in other countries:
Switzerland: LAJV
Denmark: Laiv
Ukraine: Role playing
France: GN

Notes

↑ The game "The Cherry Orchard" based on the works of A.P. Chekhov
↑ There are various local terms for designating city games, which are of limited distribution and reflect the specifics of holding such games in a particular region. An example is "clan" or "clan".

Field games | it's... What is Field Games?

LPG (from English Live action Role-playing game, LARPG ) is a subsection of role-playing games in which players play their roles through actions rather than through words.

1 Features
2 Classification
- 2.1 Pavilion role play
- 2.2 Field games
- 2.3 City games
- 2.4 Balls, ballroom dancing
3 LARP In other countries
4 Notes
5 See also
6 Links