Good Play
While the following are not necessarily hard rules that must be abided by to participate in the game, we believe that every player who chooses to follow the rules below will not only enhance the game for themselves, but also heighten the experience for those around them.
Understanding Collaborative Play
A loose defintion of a collaborative LARP might be an improvised game, where players come together to shape a story over the course of a weekend—focusing on what creates the most tension, drama, or emotional impact. This stands in contrast to more traditional systems like Dungeons & Dragons or “boffer-style” LARPs, which often center around rulesets, dice rolls, and simulated combat with foam weapons. In those styles, players tend to focus on outcomes—whether their group wins or loses.
Collaborative LARP, on the other hand, emphasizes embodying a character not to see what they can accomplish, but to explore what it's like to be that person. It's closer to method acting than gaming. Interactions are often designed to be visually expressive and performative, so that even those across the room can understand the emotional beats and narrative shifts unfolding in the scene.
Collaborative style games are about what your character can be.
The collaborative style of LARP is especially popular in the Nordic countries, though the core ideas - improvised play, interactive theatre, and physical performance - have existed in many cultures throughout human history. Modern LARP that is especially collaborative tends to be called the “Nordic style” due to being formalised there as a route into LARP mechanics for this hobby.
Nordic LARP emerged from a desire to focus on emotional storytelling, immersive experiences, and deep character embodiment. These games often use rules-light systems, where dramatic flair takes precedence over mechanics; You might "win" a duel by making it look more cinematic or emotionally powerful, and players might cheer for the most beautifully tragic death rather than the most mechanically efficient victory.
Nordic LARP styles tend to have few, simple rules (if any at all) and those rules are designed to minimize interruptions and keep players fully immersed in the action, there is no pausing the action to check stats. You focus instead on the shared story between yourself and others using your body, tone and environment to communicate your roleplay.
You’ll dive deep into your character’s emotional world and try to create opportunities for other players to do the same, helping you to fully connect with both your character and theirs. Off-game conversations will be kept quick and to the point, aimed at supporting roleplay in a safe, consensual way. Rules exist mainly to make sure you feel comfortable, respected, and secure out-of-character.
Play to Lose
One of the central ideals of many LARPs is the play to lose ideal. Play to lose means that even though the characters may be trying to win, the participants can still actively try to lose; whatever that might mean in the given context. Thus, a power-hungry Governor who hates a popular figure among the Scouts and would do anything to hide the fact she has bribed another Scout to spy on them for her, might accidentally spill that secret because her player is playing to lose. They decide their Governor character is arrogant and overconfident, and let it slip.
Play to Lift
Do what you can to support the roleplay of another player, especially if they are less confident or experienced as a roleplayer as they may feel less able to take up space and get some limelight of their own. This may be their first time at a LARP - and you might be someone they remember for the rest of their life. We often underestimate the impact a single person can have on us.
Playing to lift enables everyone to have the best experience they can.
If you really don’t want to lose a scene, or want a guarantee that your character’s activity in a scene is lifted, you might consider the “Yes - but” rule of exchange.
"Off Game. I really want to win this fight, but if I lose can you instead help lift me in another scene? I have a plan for tomorrow that you could help me with…”
Most gamers are very enthusiastic to help you in a scene, as it adds more roleplay for them too! Of course, if it’s so impactful to your entire weekend that losing in that instance would change the course negatively of what you’d love to do - just let the player know it, and negotiate off game for a result you both enjoy.
Please keep in mind that no one is obligated to exchange scenes with you, and may have their own compelling reasons why they would not like their character to lose.
Exchange a Scene
Calibrate
Sometimes, keeping up with multiple plot threads can be a lot, especially when different players are trying to follow or contribute to several stories at once. When things start to feel a bit overwhelming, it can be really helpful to take a moment to “calibrate” with each other.
At any time, you can simply say “Off game, want to calibrate?” If the other player agrees, head to the Out of Character area together. You can use that time to talk about how you’d like to move forward with a particular plot, bounce around ideas, offer each other advice, or just check in about where the story’s going and how intense things are feeling.
It’s a great way to keep the game fun, collaborative, and comfortable for everyone.
Benefit of the Doubt
If during play you cannot remember something about the world, era, or setting, or even if you just forget something you think your character should know - no worries. That’s absolutely fine. We are all warm and friendly people and it’s common to not know things.
During game hours if you are anxious or just stuck unable to remember something that’s come up in conversation, perhaps about the time period, a Frostpunk thing, or even your own brief, just say “The Frost has struck it from me”. This signals to the other party to just move on.
"The Frost has struck it from me"
We are fortunate to have a friendly playerbase with experience working co-creatively together, and most players have good practice with respecting one another’s boundaries. However, be aware that some come from different cultures and countries.
Something considered a polite conversation in one culture might be taken as offensive in the other. Please mind that and be forgiving instead of judgmental, giving others space when they make mistakes. Most players mean well and would be quite horrified to realise their actions have made anyone unhappy; we'd recommended first to flagging your concern to the relevant player(s) to confirm if any insult was simply unintended.
If you cannot resolve disagreements between yourself and any other participants and it is negatively impacting your weekend, find a gamemaster and come chat to us.
Feeling disconnected?
If you’re worried about your character becoming socially isolated, tell your closest co-players before play starts. This will give them the opportunity to include you in their plans even if your character is not always demanding their attention.
Also, consider the state of the wider city, the conflicts both metaphorical and literal that are occurring around you and contemplate whether your character would engage in these conflicts, choosing sides, inflaming or soothing passions to their own ends or for the “good of the city”. Instead of barging around, blindly pursuing your own story, always take an interest in what journeys your co-players seem to be on. Their characters might invite yours in, creating a richer experience for you both.
Let it Be
“It’s not about you”. If someone does not want to play a certain scene or theme, they are not required to explain why. Their boundaries have nothing to do with you, so don’t take them personally. The last principle is “every encounter requires negotiation.” People’s boundaries may change over the course of the LARP and that’s fine.
