As I’m sure some of you have noticed, the weather in the UK has taken a turn for the… ‘festive’ over the past week. Couple with that the erratic Real-World schedules that people tend to have over the holiday season and it’s no wonder that a lot of larp clubs hit a lull at this time of year. Short of hibernating for the winter with a few good books and an MMO what are the alternatives for those still needing a gaming fix?

It’s a bit late on my part to start throwing out holiday suggestions but as the snow outside my house won’t be magically thawing the instant 2010 hits I may as well wind up a pitch or two:

Weather be damned, we’re going outside!

Not as crazy as you might think. If your regular game is in a woodland venue then those trees are helping as windbreakers. If the ground is icy then the place is probably a death-trap but if it’s been snowing then the ground is soft with good traction, about as larp-safe as it gets. As for the cold, that depends on your kit. Furs are great for this time of year.

Chainmail bikinis, I’m sorry to say, are useless as far as warmth is concerned… I’m guessing.

Ahem!

In short, scout the site. If it feels right, go for it.

On second thought, let’s save the world indoors

Nothing wrong with an indoor game if your combat is non-contact, but if a crucial part of your game involves beating seven shades out of your friends with a padded sword then finding a venue safe for a scrap could be tough. If you’re not careful then you might end up trashing the place, upending the furniture and recreating the hotel scene from Ghostbusters.

On the plus side, you get to recreate the hotel scene from Ghostbusters.