Live-action Roleplaying (LARP) games around the world are becoming far more immersive, often asking players to delve into subjects that ask them to stretch their limits of comfort and put themselves in the mindsets of characters who are undergoing tortuous conditions—whether of mind, body or soul. In Mind’s Eye Theatre (MET): Vampire The Masquerade and MET: Werewolf The Apocalypse games, the characters are frequently monsters, subjecting themselves and others to their inhumane natures.
Knowing this, how do Storytellers and players assess each other to ensure that the experience, while immersive, does not damage the player or the game? The OK Check-In technique is a safety procedure gaining traction in LARP communities, including the MET community. It provides a formalized way for participants to discreetly check in with each other during roleplay to ensure their fellow players are doing well, even if their characters are visibly suffering. This proactive mechanic encourages all players to share responsibility for each other’s well-being, and it facilitates player-to-player communication without causing long pauses in roleplay.
Players in distress are often too overwhelmed, embarrassed, or afraid to risk reaching to another player. These same players may also think their fellow participants are able to sense when their difficulty is real, rather than a part of gameplay. Even when it is entirely clear from the situation that a character’s emotions or pain belong inside the fiction, players who experience powerful roleplay together may want to check in with each other during and after a scene. The OK Check-In method allows these players to easily communicate, even when upset, so much so that the inability to answer should be viewed as a sign of a possible real-life emergency.
In many MET systems, it is possible to step out-ofcharacter for a few seconds and ask if another player is okay. However, that’s not true in all games, and it’s not always encouraged, as it breaks the flow of the story. The OK Check-In provides a means to assess an intense situation without interrupting the game. If the other player is okay, the person asking will be relieved of worry and will know they can continue their current line of roleplay. If another player does need the check in to help ensure comfort, the person asking will have the opportunity to remove the uncomfortable player from a tricky situation and create a safe LARP environment to explore darker themes.
The Function of the OK Check-In The OK Check-In performs several functions in a game’s safety culture:
• It demonstrates that the game adheres to the fundamental concept that players are separate from characters, that humans are more important than games, and that humans all deserve to not suffer if it can be avoided.
• It shows commitment to building a game culture that does not make players miserable, and it may even transform a dysfunctional game into one that’s healthy. The more important dark themes are to your game, the more design effort you should put into separating the emotional and physical experiences of the characters from that of the players.
• It provides players who desire to tell intense and dark stories a means to calibrate their experiences with each other. While the primary reason for checking in is to make sure another player is not injured, in shock, heartbroken, or triggered by prior trauma, it also reassures the person who asked. It ensures everyone can be as comfortable as possible and focus on the game, without creating harmful situations.
• It encourages self-care. Commonly, humans sometimes aren’t great at taking stock of their situation when they are roleplaying in a heightened state of emotions. When one player asks others if they are okay, everyone is forced to ask themselves the same question in order to answer. If the answer is not a resounding yes, then everyone should take a moment to consider the current situation and their feelings about it.
• It enables intense and immersive roleplay. When everyone is comfortable with their level of emotional and physical involvement in the game, they are able to focus their attention on roleplay. The Missing Player While some LARPS are incredibly flexible and can adjust their direction immediately after a participant’s departure, players and Storytellers in other MET LARPs may feel as though this absence interrupts the game. Preparing for this possibility before game begins, and having a comfortable OK Check-In Technique Koljonen exit for the player prepared in advance, is a necessity. If we want to tell dark stories, we need to create a community of players who trust each other. A person is more important than a story, and if a distressed player is always treated with dignity, the collective playerbase can rest easy in the knowledge that they, too, will be cared for if the need arises. Using the OK Check-In Technique When Storytellers opt to begin employing the OK CheckIn technique, the most important design choice they need to make is how the procedure will best work in their games. Variations of this technique may be used in order to ensure everyone is able to use it when needed. However, in all variations, this mechanic will only work if it is actively encouraged and practiced before a LARP session begins. All players must practice the gestures and words multiple times before play begins, or they risk not being able to recall them in times of distress or discomfort. In addition, establish a safe word that halts all roleplaying. This practice makes for a good pre-game icebreaking technique. While practicing these procedures may feel silly, no LARP safety mechanic should be spoken about in a campy way, especially during its introduction. They are not optional. They are not uncool. Undermining them also undermines the trust between your players. The Technique The OK Check-In technique typically follows these steps: 1. Player 1 flashes the “OK” symbol with her hand— with her thumb and index finger touching in an “o” shape and the other three fingers extended upward— to another player and establishes eye contact. This gesture means, “Are you okay?” 2. Player 2 responds to the signal in one of three ways:
• With a thumbs-up hand gesture, which means, “Doing fine. No need for follow-up.”
• With a thumbs-down gesture, which means, “I am not okay.” Player 1 should respond by taking the player aside and saying the agreed-upon statements (see below).
• With a flat hand gesture, which means, “I am not sure.” Player 1 should still respond by taking the player aside and saying the agreed-upon response (see below). Creating Safe Spaces Each LARP game should appoint a person who assists players who indicate that they are not “doing fine.” In addition, the game community should codify the appropriate responses to the thumbs-down and flat-hand gestures. Storytellers should also ensure all players know who their assigned check-in person is. Players should also be aware of the appropriate responses to the gestures, so the full responsibility of dealing with a difficult situation does not fall solely on the shoulders of someone who may lack the experience or skills to assist a player who indicates they are not okay. For example, in the U.S. magical college LARP New World Magischola, a player will take the distressed person to a counselor— a member of the staff tasked with the emotional safety of participants. At the Nordic LARP End of the Line, the recommended script is, “Can I walk you to the off-game room?” This space acts as a sanctuary, staffed by an organizer skilled with listening. In both of these situations, the staff member is also empowered to take action if another player causes distress, whether intentionally or unintentionally, or otherwise inflicting harm on others. If your game does not have the manpower to assign a dedicated staff member to these situations, it may make sense to recruit players and provide them additional training to assist in such instances. Also consider taking distressed players to a Storyteller. However, if a Storyteller is involved in the upsetting situation, providing an option between the staff member or an assigned player allows the distressed person to make a safe choice, whether based on gender or other considerations. Designated Safe Area In almost any space, it should be possible to offer at least a few chairs in a corner or an adjoining room that are designated as out-of-character spaces, intended for players who need a moment to gather their thoughts. Then, the player who offered the OK Check-In gesture, or an appropriate staff member, can offer to walk the person to the out-of-character space and ask to sit with them. Allowing players to step out of character while still seeing events unfold encourages self-care and provides the staff with important visual cues regarding the intensity of the story. Organizers can also check this area to verify if anyone needs additional support. During this process, it is important to establish that no one should pressure the distressed person to talk about the reasons why they needed time. While wanting to help is natural, this dialogue may increase the anxiety the person may be feeling. If there is no immediate problem to solve or urgent medical situation, then allow the person to speak on their own time. Distressed players do not have to justify their lack of comfort. Assistants can communicate that they are willing to listen, but they should also offer other choices, like finding the person’s friends or a Storyteller. In situations where a player is unresponsive or incoherent when the check-in is performed, this situation should be treated as a medical emergency. Furthermore, while small injuries like a paper cut can be handled by taking a person to the safe space, other injuries may also require emergency treatment. The game should be immediately stopped for all players using a previously established safe phrase, such as “Stop the LARP: medical emergency.” The Flat-Hand Option Some players believe that the flat-hand signal is redundant and unneeded, since it triggers the same response as a “thumbs-down” signal. The three-tiered response is designed to remove difficulties presented by socialization— particularly among women or other marginalized groups— and help them seek assistance. Too many people “power through” and state they are fine, so as not to appear weak or subject themselves to retaliation. The flat-hand option allows people to show their mindset in difficult scenes, without having to make the self-determination that they are “not that bad.” Additional Variations of the OK Check-In Technique The OK Check-in technique can potentially be used in alternate ways, often naturally evolving out of the basic system. These additional gestures should not be used alone—they should be introduced in addition to the basic system.
• Proactive Thumbs-Up: Players can make a proactive “thumbs-up” gesture to other players as they enter a scene, letting others know they are OK and don’t need additional check-ins. This gesture is especially useful in larger games where heated situations may already exist.
• Proactive Thumbs-Down: Players may give the “thumbsdown” gesture unprompted, indicating to another player that they need assistance out-of-character. The recipient should respond with the agreed-upon script and take them to a safe area.
• Enthusiastic Thumbs-Up: Player can use a “doublethumbs-up” gesture or a huge smile and thumbs-up to indicate “Yes, please, more of this.” This gesture can be used discreetly in the middle of a scene to escalate it at the consent of the other player or to show appreciation.
• Thumbs-Down to the Photographer: Players who do not wish to be photographed in a particular scene can give the “thumbs-down” gesture, instructing a photographer to exit the area. Conclusion Both Mind’s Eye Theatre: Vampire The Masquerade and MET: Werewolf The Apocalypse games are ripe with opportunities to explore dark themes with dramatic consequences. The subjects can be exhilarating for characters, but also can cause players distress as they confront volatile emotional topics. The OK Check-in method provides an easy and structured way to take the pulse of a situation and show players that their environment is a safe and nurturing place to examine these topics. Biography Maury Brown is the CEO of Learn Larp, LLC. She created the OK Check-In technique as described in this article and it was used for the first time with the four runs of her LARP, New World Magischola, in 2016. Johanna Koljonen is the CEO of Participation Design Agency and consults with White Wolf. She is the coproducer of End of the Line, a LARP in the V:tM universe that introduced the OK Check-In technique at its New Orleans run 2016. Koljonen and Brown have presented together and separately on safety and calibration in LARPs at various conferences and conventions worldwide.
Originally published in Mind’s Eye Theatre: Immersion Secrets by By Night Studios. Presented here under Resources for chronicles and live play.