An in game radiation dosimeter detection system for the StAlkErS Filmsim events
Creating believable irradiated zones in a live game is surprisingly hard. Paper rules rely on honesty, marshals don’t scale, and phone apps fall apart in mud, rain, smoke, and chaos. For the StAlkErS events, the goal was simple but non-negotiable: radiation had to be felt, not imagined.
The solution became a physical radiation system built around two elements.
Under the hood, the system is intentionally simple. Radiation zones are created using low-power Bluetooth broadcasters (RAD Sticks) hidden across the site. Each player wears a dosimeter built around an ESP32 microcontroller, which continuously scans for nearby broadcasters and reacts based on signal strength. The closer a player gets to a radiation source, the faster radiation accumulates.
From a player’s perspective, radiation becomes tense, immersive, and unavoidable. From an organiser’s perspective, it becomes controllable. Hazard zones can be shaped by placement and density rather than rules or trust. Buildings, containers, terrain, and line-of-sight naturally affect exposure, creating emergent gameplay without scripting.
The system is deliberately asymmetric. Dosimeters are complex, reactive devices designed to survive full-weekend events. Rad sticks are intentionally simple, low-power broadcasters that can be deployed at scale and left running all day. Balance is achieved physically, not digitally.
The result is a Fallout-style radiation mechanic that works in real environments, under real abuse, with real players. It doesn’t ask people to role-play danger. It makes danger unavoidable.
