NZLARPS Auckland Regional Committee Meeting 10-4-2013
Present: Nikki, Muppet, Rowena, Dave, Michelle, Mike, Hannah, Cameron, Anna, Clare
Patrick and Vanya present from 8:45pm.
Meeting start: approx 7:45pm
Agenda items:
Past items/Action Points
MYOB report- Anna- $700 in account that hasn’t been accounted for - Hamish says it’s balance day adjustments. No progress on MYOB, as Anna has been busy with Hydra. Still needs to do Wellington entries into MYOB etc. She should have time to finish them after Hydra and before Witch house. Anna says our accounts are more up to date than ever before.
Getting Winterdale gear from Zara– not done yet. Action point- check up with Clare next meeting to see if gear obtained.
Hannah- vaccum cleaner- Hannah investigating, talking to Kara, who’s parents have a vaccum cleaner business. Kara’s advice is to get a good domestic one –wet and dry.
Action point- Mike- Done
Anna- first aid kit follow up with Linda- done. Linda has recommended we go with one of two first aid kits – a workplace kit at $121, or a backpack sort at $244. The backpack type is the sort paramedics have- Linda says this has everything we could conceivably need. Also recommended that we should buy a couple of tubes of Savalon. Would have room for bolt cutters.
- Hannah – The workplace one looks like what we already have.
- Nikki- recommends getting a defibrillator (AED) – this is way more effective than CPR most of the time. Most scout camps should have one, though Motu Moana does not.
- Cameron – we could hire a defibrillator – cost effective.
- Michelle –AUD starting cost for purchasing- $2050 + GST
- Cameron – would cost $50 to hire.
- Rowena – look at grants, to cover AED purchase?
- Mike – agrees.
- Discussion about big first aid kit.
- Anna – Linda has created a report log for us, which can be included in first aid kit.
- Mike – Motion- we purchase the large medical kit and other accoutrements, including but not restricted to bolt cutters.
Vote = unanimous. - Action point: Anna to follow up with Linda, to let her know we want to purchase the big first aid kit.
Mike – Ask Crucible GM team to not launch till after Teonn is over.
Crucible GMs agree with this. Character creation not to open, and final ruleset not to be released, till after Teonn campaign complete.
How to guide- the “larping accessibility” submission.
Take the content in this up to National Committee – they are next meeting at Hydra.
Finance Report- Anna
Anna: books in good shape. Friday night larps have started running.
Mike: How did Queens Justice go, at night?
Good reports from people present at meeting.
Anna:
- The Fri Night larps have turned a profit of $490 – Anna to deposit.
- Alpha Alpha Asgard voluntarily signed up as a NZLARPs game. The profit from this has been donated to NZLARPs.
- She believes all NZLARPS bills are up to date. Wellington, Hydra and Kingdom bills have been paid.
- Teonn spreadsheet up to date.
- Late fee – still a couple outstanding for Alpha Alpha Asgard. Anna is satisfied with the late fee process, it means she has some recourse if people are late with fees.
Hannah: Do we have a new bank account?
Anna: not yet. The BNZ dislike originally came about because BNZ had previously lost changeover paperwork.
Discussion about banks: - ASB- some of people at the meeting like the ASB, some don’t. Internet banking is good, but they try to sell things to people all the time. They also have hidden fees, especially for cash deposits – anything where you have to go into bank has fees, depending on the account.
- Some of us are also with ANZ.
- People do not generally like Kiwibank – they are not good in person.
- Rowena: ANZ better at matching up people for accounts.
- Mike- Anna to make decision – talk to ASB and ANZ about what they can offer a not-for-profit.
Marketing Report – Rowena
Rowena:
- Is investigating what we need to do for marketing role, given it hasn’t always gone smoothly in past committees.
- 3 billies – the person needs to have the responsibility, capability and accountability to do the role.
What should the role actually involve? - NZLARPS info is easy to access on web searches- near the top of search results. However, some of the things are out of date, for example page links. Multiverse is still listed on the NZLARPs site as a current LARP, and so is Vampire the Requiem. 4 out of 5 of current LARPs out of date.
- “What is Larp” website also out of date- it needs to mention Fri Night LARPs.
- Regional websites – should contain info on local events/ projects- would be good to update websites each month.
- National websites – should provide general info on LARP in NZ.
- Websites need to be modifiable by a non Programmer.
Mike: there needs to be a content management system behind the websites.
Rowena: - Facebook group- used a lot, by people in club.
- Twitter- we have a twitter, but it has not been used for a long time.
- Wants to set up a Facebook page as well, for new people, as a landing page, with links.
Rowena – accountability at committee meetings, for monthly updates.
Nikki – Square Services is good for content management, easy to use.
Michelle agrees re. National/Regional divide of duties.
Rowena – sub-pages off “What is Larp” website, for regions – for example, Auckland, Wellington, Dunedin.
Nikki –does constitution need to change to reflect roles?
Rowena – No, shouldn’t need to, the roles themselves are not changing, we are just defining the roles. Need to have web presence right so the business cards go to up to date pages.
Rowena – marketing to people needs to be improved – for example, to new members of America. But this is a second step, websites need to be updated first.
Anna – targeting groups, eg. Aethercon, is a huge job.
Mike –requirement specification for web presence needs to be implemented.
Mike – Brooklyn Kennedy = marketing officer for Wellington, her partner does IT for the Green Party.
Mike – come up with requirements, that will work for Auckland/Wellington etc.
Action Point: Rowena and Michelle, to draw up requirement specifications. To collaborate with Brooklyn Kennedy about this.
Anna – speaking at the NZ Sci Fi convention in Wellington soon. Norm is heavily involved in this. We should try to target this.
Rowena – Brooklyn may need to spearhead marketing role regarding NZ Sci Fi.
Rowena- Potential for role, need to get basics down first.
Anna – trying to do same with treasurer role, get it as automated as possible.
Gear Report- Hannah
Hannah : Donation from Western larp – hats and sombreros.
Cameron: Donation of Noble Male stuff from Peter Haynes, plus a bit of armour.
Hannah: contacted Witch House to tell them about gear database, and to talk with them about makeup.
Action Point: Hannah to publish database, currently only available in Committee forum.
Mike: ASB grants – will grant up to $20,000. We should write a business case for gear storage – they do allow the grants to fund ongoing costs.
Action Points: Mike to follow up regarding quote for trailer.
Mike: Lions club- look into them regarding grants for a cage trailer.
Anna: Still need to insure trailer.
Nikki: Was a requirement for lions grant.
Cameron: Needs insurance for fire, theft, third party.
Nikki: What would happen to current trailer?
Mike: Would stay at Hannah’s mums, to be used for big games where lots of gear needs to be hauled.
Anna: The new trailer would be for mid-sized larps.
Past LARPs:
Western – Anna and Hannah both enjoyed. Anna especially enjoyed the French larp, would like to see rerun.
Fri Night LARPs – not getting as much people as Anna would like – 15 people. Might scale back to once a month, or stop them after this set.
Michelle – demand may pick up in winter- less for people to do.
Teonn:
Mike:
- Big projects- NZLARP community is always going to have them. How can they be structured smoothly so GMS can focus on creative side, and so the committee can be happy that logistics/ finances OK.
- The logistics person to act as a communication point between GM team and committee.
- We need a system the committee is happy with and the flagship is happy with.
- Iterative development of this system, with current committee.
Nikki – found out about the logistics issues when they were posted in the January minutes – didn’t know what had happened because she was down in Timaru for her degree for a month before the last game and several weeks following. Would have liked someone to communicate there was an issue to Teonn GMs first before reading it in the minutes for the first time.
Anna: Some of these issues have occurred at previous games as well.
Rowena: The info in Committee forum, regarding why we were asking for a liason, was not being conveyed properly to the Teonn team. She wasn’t sure where the line was- what she could communicate to Teonn team. She was not asked to be the go between person.
Nikki: Has taken up responsibility for gear and logistics. Her preferred point of communication is the Teonn gmail account. She will see if emails are from NZLARPs. Committee should PM her on Diatribe if it is urgent, or if the committee receives no reply to an urgent email.
Rowena – For big Larps, maybe a representative should come along to every meeting.
Rowena, Mike, Michelle – good to see that Nikki has been posting gear organization posts to Teonn forum.
Mike: - Project revisions would be good at end of these large games.
- Would be good to have checklists for before and after games, and deadlines around when to get financial returns in.
- Committee and Teonn representatives should get together to discuss what went well and what didn’t.
Rowena: For future games , need to set expectations – guidelines- at beginning of project.
Anna: writing finance/gear guidelines currently.
Rowena: Will also need food checklists/ food delivery plan.
Mike: A handbook could be produced at the end of this guideline planning, to cover the guidelines for these big larps.
Muppet: For this game, the GM team is on track, with Nikki having taken up the liason reigns. If the committee thinks the Teonn team missing out on anything, tell Teonn GM team.
Cameron: What about the Crucible team?
Vanya- Crucible people will come along to committee meetings, will set up checklists. Want to get ahead of themselves and plan for things as much as they can.
Crucible:
Vanya:
- Project form- supplied to committee.
- Financial and gear side- to be defined further along in project, after rules have been set. Will plan out the first game after finishing the rules.
- Camp Adaire- 1st game – anticipating 180 people.
- Want to hit Armageddon hard, to get raw recruits.
- As this is a flagship project, we want to hit maximum number of players, so won’t be too hardcore.
- 7 weekend games, day games, possibility of some wellington weekend games.
Cameron: high accessibility game, suitable for new people. How is the ruleset going?
Vanya: (Has brought rules as they are along to meeting). Not formatted for new players yet.
Mike: User interface for calculating characters?
Patrick: Intends to have 4 to 6 page introduction guide, and a 30 page guide for advanced players.
Vanya: Intending to have something for everyone. Don’t want to lock characters into a simple way, want to make it so people have complex avenues for character development if they want.
Hannah: Web presence?
Mike: Working on character development at moment. Building a website.
Hannah: Hosting to be covered by crucible?
Mike: Yes.
Vanya: Lots of pretty pictures, photoshoot to come later. Big clear picture of what the options look like, of the aesthetics.
Anna: Could do a range of social classes in advertising.
Patrick: Involve members of community a lot, for things that will assist with richness of world.
Anna: Ideas from Teonn: Buddy systems – new person with older person. Lender gear outfits.
Patrick- learn from previous games.
Anna: Limit character sheet length!
Muppet: People will write stuff in their backstory, and then say it is canon because GMs didn’t say no.
Vanya: Highly faction based. Factions to work within each other and help each other out.
Nikki: Make a “Don’t panic” post- to outline what should be expected from game.
Vanya: - Moving away from personal plots, and to faction based plots.
- Accomodation at Camp Adair – over 300 spaces.
- Would like to move to more tent based accommodation – in character tents.
Nikki: people in the community will step up regarding improving crew gear for game.
Patrick: Encourage people to get together and build things they want to see in game.
Muppet: Have days where players get to work on projects – for example in character tents, where someone supplies equipment and people learn how to make one.
Vanya: 24 hour in character area with in character tents. For people who want to play being on watch all night, etc.
Nikki: Catering?
Patrick: - Adair does have options around doing on site catering.
- We will look at standardizing meals a bit more.
Anna: significant increase in cost of game, when we start bringing in catering. Camp Adair has very reasonable prices for catering, but this would already increase cost by $30.
Nikki: Teonn: The increased cost of $10 for the last game meant they were struggling for crew.
Vanya: The next push will be for Crew.
Patrick: A bit more agency for the crew factions.
Nikki: With Teonn, there were problems with crew members getting attached to their characters- a crew character versus player feel sometimes.
Patrick: Welfare and Code of Conduct- would like more consideration on what things we want to plan for, where we want to set the bars.
Anna: fire plan!
Patrick: Children at larps? Some people have made mumbles about overseas larps allowing children. Crucible may not end up moving to that, but NZLARPs may in long term?
Rowena/Anna/Nikki: Issues over alcohol and kids. Also issues around minors at games. Currently Teonn does have an R16 limit with exemptions.
Anna: The Wellington community is older, they do sometimes bring kids. In 3-10 years, thinks children at LARPs will be an issue we have to deal with. The community is young but growing older, pairing up and having kids.
Vanya: Early in morning plots.
Rowena: Will crew be there for early plots, and will the GMs have the energy? GMs are on the go the whole time, and can’t be on the go 24/7.
Mike: - Voting on Crucible?
- Liason aspect, between committee and GM team?
Vanya/Patrick- Yes
Anna: Do you feel you have enough clarity on form and function, how project fits with NZLARPs?
Vanya: Yes, expects to come to more of these meetings.
Hannah: Aware of the Code of Conduct?
Vanya: Yes.
Anna: Aware of difference between affiliate/project, and financial responsibility?
Vanya: Yes.
Anna: You still own your intellectual property, and we have no takeover clause. Must not bring society in disrepute, and need to fill in a management plan if you want to allow banned players.
Vanya: Agrees.
Mike: Motion: to accept project proposal?
Vote is unanimous yes. Mike abstains, as he is on Crucible committee.
Hobbiton international LARP project:
Our French co-organizers have suggested that we:
- Offer and arrange packages.
- Tour of South Island.
- Liase with them re. itineries
- Liase with media, and market.
Rowena: A big commitment, needs someone outside committee
Anna: Interested, but would have to forgo sleep.
Clare: Needs a committee, there are lots of different roles represented in the list.
Muppet: Independent committee needed.
Mike: Reading the PM, it sounds like Karuna has it all planned, regarding the LARP and ideas around flights.
Nikki- Have we thought about copyright, and also whether we can trademark our game.
Mike- Karuna has contacts in Weta, to negotiate rights.
Cameron- Weta doesn’t hold rights, Tolkien trust does.
Anna- From a Society perspective, need to make sure legal agreements are ironclad.
Mike- Would involve starting a company, to protect organisers from legal stuff.
Nikki- Does not want it to end up like the joust, where NZLARPs worked really hard for someone else.
Rowena- Great opportunity. Do we actually have someone who can do it? Not just someone who would like to do it, but can do it?
Mike- Big issue- finding someone who has time, and not currently sitting in this room?
Muppet- This is something bigger than we have ever imagined before.
Upcoming LARPs/ events:
- Hydra
Hannah: Anna Northey has been asking about fantasy gear for her Chimera project. Should we increase her budget?
Anna: Set dressing budget for flagship is about $1000. Anything more than that is excessive.
Mike: The flagship is essentially 4 different games.
Anna: The set dressing less intensive in some areas. The War camp, forest camp will be easy to set-dress. The village hall and noble hall are the other two areas of play. $1000 set dressing budget should be fine. Capitalizing on gear library.
Nikki: Really concerned about the number of crew who have signed up for Teonn. Going to post it up on Facebook as well.
Muppet: A lot of previous crew are now players.
Anna: Go along to America on Tues with flyers? Also, talk to Martin Clyde, as he is America’s secretary.
Hannah: Chimera players?
Anna: Will send the players an email.
Venue for next meeting: Mike’s place unavailable. The next meeting will be at Clare’s house.
Action Point: Clare to post her address in Committee forum.
Meeting closed: 10:15am.
as it seems to have gone big now.