SO, essentially spring is the time of nerf in Minnesota, and lots of high schools are playing a game right now called: "Assassin". This game is composed of 500+ high schoolers with nerf guns, running around the city unsupervised. If you are tagged once, you are out of the entire game. Guns can't be painted and there can't be fighting on school property, churches, or in stores. Everything else goes. I am thinking about starting this up in my city, but I have heard from a few people about the legality of this. Any thoughts?
City-Wide Nerf War
Started by jfrazz21, Apr 21 2014 08:02 AM
11 replies to this topic
#2
Duke Wintermaul
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Posted 21 April 2014 - 10:15 AM
Stick to well-regulated wars with clear boundaries. A 'city-wide battle' is sure to get out of hand, easily.
NPC's tend to look down upon us Nerfers. They tolerate us when we are confined to a reasonable area, generally some public park, and when we do not interrupt their daily functions. With the public park example, NPC's come to the park for an enjoyable afternoon walk with their lover, to exercise the dog and kids, or maybe a family barbeque. We set up a location away from major events, and NPC's just out for a stroll avoid us. Everyone is happy.
A city-wide war spells disaster. You'll have players running amok in places they sure as hell shouldn't be, especially Highschoolers. No disrespect, but I remember highschool and I was an insufferable little shit with no regard for others. Some may say I still am.
In short, this is a terri-bad idea. Stick to standard War protocols.
NPC's tend to look down upon us Nerfers. They tolerate us when we are confined to a reasonable area, generally some public park, and when we do not interrupt their daily functions. With the public park example, NPC's come to the park for an enjoyable afternoon walk with their lover, to exercise the dog and kids, or maybe a family barbeque. We set up a location away from major events, and NPC's just out for a stroll avoid us. Everyone is happy.
A city-wide war spells disaster. You'll have players running amok in places they sure as hell shouldn't be, especially Highschoolers. No disrespect, but I remember highschool and I was an insufferable little shit with no regard for others. Some may say I still am.
In short, this is a terri-bad idea. Stick to standard War protocols.
Edited by Duke Wintermaul, 21 April 2014 - 12:10 PM.
#3
Langley
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Posted 21 April 2014 - 12:50 PM
I am thinking about starting this up in my city, but I have heard from a few people about the legality of this. Any thoughts?
Assassin games with toy guns have been shut down by school officials and police in lots of different places regardless of the scale and tone of the game. No one here is a lawyer, and no one knows how people are going to react in your town. You might be fine, you might get into some trouble, or you might get shot by an off duty police officer. Almost anyone in any kind of authority position is going to find the game annoying and disruptive. You can search elsewhere for information, but it really isn't something people get into around NH these days.
NPC's come to the park for an enjoyable afternoon walk with their lover, to exercise the dog and kids, or maybe a family barbeque.
I do not think NPC means what you think it means.
You can poop in my toilet anytime champ.
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#4
Duke Wintermaul
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Posted 21 April 2014 - 01:15 PM
I do not think NPC means what you think it means.
Oh I know what it means, and yes it doesn't exactly 'fit' in this context. The first nerfing group I played with, how I was introduced to the hobby, referred to bystanders as 'Non-Player Controlled' so I got into the bad habit of doing the same.
Pardon my ignorance.
#5
ultranewt
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Posted 21 April 2014 - 03:05 PM
The larger the scale of any event the harder it is to keep people from being bothered by it. But if everybody was super polite and nobody got wierded out by the erratic youths (or their gun-like objects) it would go down without a hitch.
#6
Daniel Beaver
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Posted 21 April 2014 - 03:38 PM
I seem to recall that Minneapolis-StPaul students have run events like this before, so you might be okay. Like Langley said, it depends on the mood of the people, and whether you have psycho parents and school administrators who think toy guns are corrupting our youth.
#7
jfrazz21
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Posted 21 April 2014 - 05:32 PM
There have been many wars such as this before. Three are going on right now (Minnetonka, Bloomington, Roseville) and all of them are going fine. I think if we establish a good rules base we should be fine. I wouldn't think a nerf war on this scale would be bad, as long as nobody paints their guns (I'm thinking no one will, as most people will probably go straight to target and purchase one) and abides by local laws set by businesses and police.
Edited by jfrazz21, 21 April 2014 - 05:38 PM.
#8
Daniel Beaver
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Posted 21 April 2014 - 06:07 PM
Best to ask the organizers of these other events how they're running them.
#9
jfrazz21
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Posted 21 April 2014 - 06:17 PM
The only problem is, no one knows who is running them. It is all anonymus through twitter and other social media.
#10
DX-Robert
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Posted 22 April 2014 - 02:13 AM
I was co-admin of a high school assassins game in 2007 that ran for 5 weeks. The game had been run several times in past years, so it was begrudgingly accepted by the town as usual. However, it was a 4 man-team format, and there were only about 28 teams, so less numbers than your proposal. Unlike lone wolf style, teams were assigned a known opponent to fight every week, like a bracket tournament. The team with more members alive at the end of the week advanced or they fought a duel if even numbers were alive.
The team version of assassins gives you some interesting dynamics to work with that aren't found in the solo version: partner ambushes, calling in backup, the chance to eliminate your opponents in a duel, awards for the player with the most kills, etc. I played in a solo version twice in college and it honestly was not nearly as fun. Note that if you make a single mistake with the initial target assignments, the whole game will fail at some point when 2 players end up with the same target. This doesn't affect the team version because all possible target paths are known.
What your area is like culturally will determine whether to even start. Some towns are very receptive to teenagers shooting each other with foam blasters in public and others are openly hostile, with many shades of gray in between. While opinions clashed in the local newspaper every time assassins was run, no one made any attempt to ban it. The police department knew when the game was running and altered their responses if someone called about people sneaking around with blasters in groups. Only one such call was made during the whole 5 week period, which I would call a success given the shenanigans that got pulled.
It is much harder to start an assassins game in a new area in 2014. I don't live very far from the former Sandy Hook Elementary School, I could never do it anywhere around here. Schools now have guards and buzz-in systems, they are paranoid and rightfully so. In my game, there was a "line-of-sight" rule where no blasters could be visible within line-of-sight of any school. However, this rule was broken all the time and in 2007, who cared. Players will bring their blasters to school, the smart ones will keep them in their cars, the dumb ones will walk right in with them, no matter what you do to dissuade that from happening. If your school is ok with that, then proceed. If not, stop right here, you're done. You can require that all blasters be concealed, left in cars, left off-campus, but you can't police 500 players every day. Obviously, blasters will need to blatantly look like toys, you'll probably need to ban certain types of mods and limit ammo to stock darts.
You will need very well-crafted rules - prepare for players to exploit every loophole and gray area imaginable. #1 recommendation is to ban "drive-bys" and anything to do with a vehicle. Make them safe zones, no shooting from a car and no shooting into a car. Other safe zones should be houses, places of worship, stores, banks, malls, etc. The outside of businesses, parking lots, parks, sidewalks, etc. are fair game.
Whether players can ambush each other in front of houses is controversial. You risk irate parents and worried neighbors if you allow this, but annoyed players if you don't. The leading method of elimination is to ambush a target when they walk in/out of their front door. High school students must make this journey twice a day at more-or-less predictable times, which makes it a feeding frenzy. Note that some houses can be ambushed with both of your feet standing entirely on public property, you can never fully ban house ambushes. The common sense rule should apply here, if something seems like a stupid idea, the player just shouldn't do it.
Be prepared to moderate for hours and hours every day the game runs. There will be a ton of "he said she said" arguments over eliminations. Like I said, players will exploit any and every loophole you leave open. You need to be firm, but fair, apply the rules consistently, and avoid changing them too much once the game is underway. The more players you have and the larger the city, the more complex it will be to manage the game.
The team version of assassins gives you some interesting dynamics to work with that aren't found in the solo version: partner ambushes, calling in backup, the chance to eliminate your opponents in a duel, awards for the player with the most kills, etc. I played in a solo version twice in college and it honestly was not nearly as fun. Note that if you make a single mistake with the initial target assignments, the whole game will fail at some point when 2 players end up with the same target. This doesn't affect the team version because all possible target paths are known.
What your area is like culturally will determine whether to even start. Some towns are very receptive to teenagers shooting each other with foam blasters in public and others are openly hostile, with many shades of gray in between. While opinions clashed in the local newspaper every time assassins was run, no one made any attempt to ban it. The police department knew when the game was running and altered their responses if someone called about people sneaking around with blasters in groups. Only one such call was made during the whole 5 week period, which I would call a success given the shenanigans that got pulled.
It is much harder to start an assassins game in a new area in 2014. I don't live very far from the former Sandy Hook Elementary School, I could never do it anywhere around here. Schools now have guards and buzz-in systems, they are paranoid and rightfully so. In my game, there was a "line-of-sight" rule where no blasters could be visible within line-of-sight of any school. However, this rule was broken all the time and in 2007, who cared. Players will bring their blasters to school, the smart ones will keep them in their cars, the dumb ones will walk right in with them, no matter what you do to dissuade that from happening. If your school is ok with that, then proceed. If not, stop right here, you're done. You can require that all blasters be concealed, left in cars, left off-campus, but you can't police 500 players every day. Obviously, blasters will need to blatantly look like toys, you'll probably need to ban certain types of mods and limit ammo to stock darts.
You will need very well-crafted rules - prepare for players to exploit every loophole and gray area imaginable. #1 recommendation is to ban "drive-bys" and anything to do with a vehicle. Make them safe zones, no shooting from a car and no shooting into a car. Other safe zones should be houses, places of worship, stores, banks, malls, etc. The outside of businesses, parking lots, parks, sidewalks, etc. are fair game.
Whether players can ambush each other in front of houses is controversial. You risk irate parents and worried neighbors if you allow this, but annoyed players if you don't. The leading method of elimination is to ambush a target when they walk in/out of their front door. High school students must make this journey twice a day at more-or-less predictable times, which makes it a feeding frenzy. Note that some houses can be ambushed with both of your feet standing entirely on public property, you can never fully ban house ambushes. The common sense rule should apply here, if something seems like a stupid idea, the player just shouldn't do it.
Be prepared to moderate for hours and hours every day the game runs. There will be a ton of "he said she said" arguments over eliminations. Like I said, players will exploit any and every loophole you leave open. You need to be firm, but fair, apply the rules consistently, and avoid changing them too much once the game is underway. The more players you have and the larger the city, the more complex it will be to manage the game.
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#11
jfrazz21
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Posted 22 April 2014 - 08:22 PM
This is our unofficial rules document:
General description
A game of Nerf dart tag will be administered by EPNerf group (us, we, the administrators) on [DATE]. Teams will use Nerf guns to “Tag” other members with darts within the Eden Prairie city limits. When a member is eliminated, the eliminated player must take a picture with the killing player, then tweet it to the @EPNERF twitter or email it to the official email (epnerf@gmail.com), where we will compile the death and kill statistics. ALL KILLS MUST BE LOGGED IN THIS WAY TO BE OFFICIALLY COUNTED. The game will continue until one team is remaining. The winning team wins a cash prize and other prizes.
General rules
You must follow all laws and rules. If you do not, you will be disqualified and you may be reported to authorities depending on the infraction.
There is to be NO GAMEPLAY within buildings, public parks, or private property, such as businesses (without permission of owner).
There is to be no hitting of other people with weapons. This is dangerous play.
Dangerous play is not permitted, and you must use common sense while playing. If it is determined that you are playing dangerously, you may be disqualified without warning.
All participants MUST agree to the rules/terms and conditions and MUST be signed up by the deadline to participate. Any people participating without these requirements will not be included.
All rules infractions should be reported to the administrators on twitter @EPNERF or through the official email, epnerf@gmail.com
You may quit at any time by notifying us through the communications methods (Twitter or email). Include your name, team name, and other relevant information.
Questions and comments may be communicated to us through the communication methods.
Teams
Each team is composed of 8 or fewer members.
Each team must have a team name, so that @EPNERF and other teams can recognize you.
The last team alive wins. Prizes TBD. The more people that enter, the better the prizes!
Entry fee of $2 to cover the cost of setup and prizes.
Safety
If you are found to be participating in an unsafe manner, you may be disqualified without further warning.
Safety glasses and other safety equipment is highly recommended and we suggest that you use safety equipment that you are comfortable with. These, however, are not required.
We are not responsible for injuries that you may receive or inflict during these games. You are responsible for being safe around others.
The Nerf guns that you may use, and their accessories, must be safe, as described below.
Questions can be asked by emailing epnerf@gmail.com
Nerf guns
Guns must be Nerf brand toy foam dart launchers or similar toy foam dart launchers (BuzzBee) approved by us. Airsoft, paintball, and firearms, for the sake of safety, are disallowed and dangerous. Homemade guns must be safe, as determined by us.
Guns shall not be painted. We do not want them to look like real weapons to avoid police involvement and scares.
Guns may be “modified”, but only safely. Safety shall be determined by us. Ammunition darts may not be modified in any way.
No shields
No swords or melee weapons
Attachments allowed include sights and dot pointers and barrel extensions made by Nerf. All others are generally disallowed, but exceptions may be made if reviewed by us.
Any person using a potentially harmful or dangerous gun/darts will be disqualified and may be reported to police. A dangerous gun can be described by firing over 120 ft at a 45 degree angle and/or leaves physical damage. Anything determined by us to be dangerous will result in a disqualification and removal of the dangerous objects from the game.
Questions can be asked by emailing epnerf@gmail.com
Location
This game is city-wide, but buildings, private property (businesses, others’ houses, etc.), and public parks are off-limits.
Obey trespassing laws and other laws.
The boundaries are city limits. If you exit the city, kills will not count.
You may not shoot across city borders.
Kills
When you get a kill, you shall do the following:
After the fighting is done, pause is agreed by both teams temporarily.
Alive team members take a picture with the disqualified/”dead” members of the other team
Include the location in which the kill happened, both team names, and all names of killers/killed. Post on twitter @EPNERF or email it to epnerf@gmail.com.
One shot = one kill. There are no lives nor resurrections. Until the end of the event, if you are shot by a participating player, you are “dead”.
If you are shot, you are out. We are using an honor system, but if you are found to be cheating or breaking rules, you may be disqualified without further warning.
Conclusion
This game is merely for fun and for a little break from school and sports.This is student run, FYI. We are just out to have a fun time. Get as competitive as you wish, but remember, this is a GAME. Have fun, and remember to be safe.
By agreeing to these rules, you agree to follow them to your ability. You agree that members of the EPNerf administrative team may disqualify you or your team at any time and prevent rejoining in the future. You agree that you are responsible for your actions and, if you are found to be doing anything illegal while playing, you are responsible. We are not responsible for injuries you may receive during play, nor are we responsible for any legal trouble. These rules may be edited by EPNerf at anytime prior to or during the event with or without prior notice.
General description
A game of Nerf dart tag will be administered by EPNerf group (us, we, the administrators) on [DATE]. Teams will use Nerf guns to “Tag” other members with darts within the Eden Prairie city limits. When a member is eliminated, the eliminated player must take a picture with the killing player, then tweet it to the @EPNERF twitter or email it to the official email (epnerf@gmail.com), where we will compile the death and kill statistics. ALL KILLS MUST BE LOGGED IN THIS WAY TO BE OFFICIALLY COUNTED. The game will continue until one team is remaining. The winning team wins a cash prize and other prizes.
General rules
You must follow all laws and rules. If you do not, you will be disqualified and you may be reported to authorities depending on the infraction.
There is to be NO GAMEPLAY within buildings, public parks, or private property, such as businesses (without permission of owner).
There is to be no hitting of other people with weapons. This is dangerous play.
Dangerous play is not permitted, and you must use common sense while playing. If it is determined that you are playing dangerously, you may be disqualified without warning.
All participants MUST agree to the rules/terms and conditions and MUST be signed up by the deadline to participate. Any people participating without these requirements will not be included.
All rules infractions should be reported to the administrators on twitter @EPNERF or through the official email, epnerf@gmail.com
You may quit at any time by notifying us through the communications methods (Twitter or email). Include your name, team name, and other relevant information.
Questions and comments may be communicated to us through the communication methods.
Teams
Each team is composed of 8 or fewer members.
Each team must have a team name, so that @EPNERF and other teams can recognize you.
The last team alive wins. Prizes TBD. The more people that enter, the better the prizes!
Entry fee of $2 to cover the cost of setup and prizes.
Safety
If you are found to be participating in an unsafe manner, you may be disqualified without further warning.
Safety glasses and other safety equipment is highly recommended and we suggest that you use safety equipment that you are comfortable with. These, however, are not required.
We are not responsible for injuries that you may receive or inflict during these games. You are responsible for being safe around others.
The Nerf guns that you may use, and their accessories, must be safe, as described below.
Questions can be asked by emailing epnerf@gmail.com
Nerf guns
Guns must be Nerf brand toy foam dart launchers or similar toy foam dart launchers (BuzzBee) approved by us. Airsoft, paintball, and firearms, for the sake of safety, are disallowed and dangerous. Homemade guns must be safe, as determined by us.
Guns shall not be painted. We do not want them to look like real weapons to avoid police involvement and scares.
Guns may be “modified”, but only safely. Safety shall be determined by us. Ammunition darts may not be modified in any way.
No shields
No swords or melee weapons
Attachments allowed include sights and dot pointers and barrel extensions made by Nerf. All others are generally disallowed, but exceptions may be made if reviewed by us.
Any person using a potentially harmful or dangerous gun/darts will be disqualified and may be reported to police. A dangerous gun can be described by firing over 120 ft at a 45 degree angle and/or leaves physical damage. Anything determined by us to be dangerous will result in a disqualification and removal of the dangerous objects from the game.
Questions can be asked by emailing epnerf@gmail.com
Location
This game is city-wide, but buildings, private property (businesses, others’ houses, etc.), and public parks are off-limits.
Obey trespassing laws and other laws.
The boundaries are city limits. If you exit the city, kills will not count.
You may not shoot across city borders.
Kills
When you get a kill, you shall do the following:
After the fighting is done, pause is agreed by both teams temporarily.
Alive team members take a picture with the disqualified/”dead” members of the other team
Include the location in which the kill happened, both team names, and all names of killers/killed. Post on twitter @EPNERF or email it to epnerf@gmail.com.
One shot = one kill. There are no lives nor resurrections. Until the end of the event, if you are shot by a participating player, you are “dead”.
If you are shot, you are out. We are using an honor system, but if you are found to be cheating or breaking rules, you may be disqualified without further warning.
Conclusion
This game is merely for fun and for a little break from school and sports.This is student run, FYI. We are just out to have a fun time. Get as competitive as you wish, but remember, this is a GAME. Have fun, and remember to be safe.
By agreeing to these rules, you agree to follow them to your ability. You agree that members of the EPNerf administrative team may disqualify you or your team at any time and prevent rejoining in the future. You agree that you are responsible for your actions and, if you are found to be doing anything illegal while playing, you are responsible. We are not responsible for injuries you may receive during play, nor are we responsible for any legal trouble. These rules may be edited by EPNerf at anytime prior to or during the event with or without prior notice.
#12
jfrazz21
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Posted 29 April 2014 - 08:43 PM
Well, it seems like the war will happen. 150 ppl signed up and the seniors at our high school have already had their war, which went fine. Their war had 366 people. Our count is growing and the war begins this friday. I shall report back periodically to give you guys any info pertaining to our war.
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