Contents of the Boxes

nzLARPS
#1

Here’s what we recorded in our database regarding the box content. Each box has adhesive windows at each end that clearly state the box number and the contents.

When packing up after a game, it will assist future game organisers if only contents described on the contents label are put in the box. So, all GMs and crew please be diligent in keeping our boxes well-organised.

Some things don’t live in boxes, such as:

  • weapons of any kind (there are boxes in the shed for these)
  • shields (there is a place in the shed for these)
  • helms (there is a box in the shed for these)
  • material such as table-cloths, carpets etc (these live in the yellow cupboards in the shed)
  • makeup and tools (these have their own plastic cases)
  • the foam bricks (yellow cupboards)

Here is the list of contents. Note that the Skirmish Boxes were catalogued for completeness / clarity, but they are not nzLARPS gear.

1: Furs

  Fur tops
  Fur bottoms
  ONLY FURS

2: Fancy Dress
Rich merchant gear
Dress, pants, jackets
Colourfull stuff
Satin tops
Shiny tops
Noble’s dresses

3: Chainmail
Aluminium Chainmail
Fakemaille
Chainmail shirst, coifs, legs

4: Belts
Ribbon belts
Ropes
Leather belts
Cords that could be belts

5: Misc Fabric 1
Small bits of fabric
NO ACTUAL COSTUMES JUST FABRIC BITS
Grey Walls
Big bits of fabric

6: Misc Fabric 2
Wall Hangings
Large grey fabric
Large black fabric
Large white fabric

7: Monk Costumes
Brown monk
Brown hessian tabards
Brown monk robes

8: Army Box
Camo Pants
Camo shirts
Army Bag
Camo hats

9: Hats and Hoods
Hats
Hoods
NOTE: Only Hats and hoods not helmets

10: Skirmish Box 1
Only Skirmish stuff

11: Skirmish Box 2
Only Skirmish stuff

12: Tabbards
Tabbards and only tabbards

13: Misc Box
Little electronic devices
Plastic flowers
Random fabric
Odds and bits
Jewelery

14: Leather Scraps
Leather tabbard
Leather Armour

15: American Indian
Red leather boots
Flask
American Indian Costuming
Kitchen utensils
Straps
Mugs

16: Wigs and masks
Sci fi masks
Plastic masks
Feather masks
Wigs
Latex masks

17: Armour + Armouring
Leather armour
Anvils
Armouring apron
Bracers
Tongs
Leather boots

18: Treasure Box
Metal ware
Drums
Satchels and carrying items
Wooden Chests
Jewelery and ornaments
Glass ware

19: Roman Armour
Roman leather armour with red capes

20: Lighting Box
Black candles
White candles
Metal candle holders
Glass candle holders
Cement candle Holders
Christian style candle holders
Misc Candles

21: Black robes
Black robes of various discriptions

22: Inn Box
Wall hangings
Cloth decorations
Choping board
Bowls

23: Standard Peasant
Pregnancy cushion
Peasant tops
Peasant bottoms

24: Ragged Peasant
Ragged peasant clothes
Standard peasant clothes

25: Leather Armour
Leather armour
Armour with red capes

26: Fancy Clothes
Bodies
Shirts
Trousers
Pillow
Dresses

27: Standard Peasant 2
Peasant tops
Peasant bottoms

#2

Do we have an actual count of each item? What’s happening with the photos?

#3

No. Many of the boxes overlap in terms of contents (peasant, fancy etc) so a count of items isn’t overly useful, and would slow down the pack out. At any rate, the main issue is GMs etc actually taking the time to make sure the right things go in the right boxes. We often have free-for-alls at the end of a game, which is the real cause chaos in the boxes.

What would be good would be a gear type identifier that can be discretely affixed to items. I haven’t managed to think of a system that is cheap, quick to put on, durable and easily hidden. Any thoughts ? Nothing adhesive, needs to be pinned, sewn or riveted.

Getting photos of the boxes onto the web is on my TODO list.

BTW, can you (or Ayesha) sticky this post? Ta

#4

Note that my alu chainmail is on long-term lend to NZLARPS. One long-sleeved top, one short-sleeved, possibly a coif, and a huge brown gambeson and arming hood. I haven’t donated it but am happy for it to be lent to larps.

#5

Attaching a number, writing 25 in vivid discreetly in places or in the case of an armour, just knowing that it goes to certain places?

#6

I’m leery of encouraging the use of permanent markers on the costumes because the ink could leak through to the other side etc.

Ideally, I want a system that:

  • can be reversed if an item needs to be reallocated to a different box
  • is simple & quick enough that I can get GMs to affix the box number to box items when a box is checked out of the library
  • is discrete and durable

Would it be feasible to sew number tags to the inside collar of tabbards / shirts etc ?

I agree with things like armour - allocation for these can be easily determined from the description on the box.

#7

Could you get cloth tags and safety pin them to clothes? Hand sewing takes a bit of time, is all.

Steph

#8

I don’t know how much ‘stuff’ you have, but what about woollen thread stitched in a discrete area in different colours. Cheap to start, easy to change and easy as to do. Only needs to be a small stitch with a tail left.

#9

That’s a good idea NicNac. It’s something that could be quickly done at the next Gear Workshop.

Certainly worth a try, and is reversible if we decide it doesn’t work.

#10

For managing soft costumes it is better to hang them on racks rather than storing in boxes. This has a number of benefits, but the main ones are that you can find them and hanging means they get less wrinkled over time not more wrinkled.

#11

I wondered if we could have a little metal brand made up, perhaps shaped like the little guy/girl who hands off the end of the NZLARPS logo:

Then we could burn the marker into pretty much anything: inside of costume, pommel of latex weapons, etc. With latex weapons in particular, it’s quite easy to get confused as to whether an item belongs to the society and what is personal.

#12

Boxes allow more stock to be stored in a smaller space, and we have historically lacked storage space.

I we could get a really efficient rack system working in the new shed, this suggestion could be feasible. It certainly wasn’t feasible when the gear was in my shed.

The big issue is transportation. We could potentially rig the trailer with internal and hanging system, but this would not solve the need to have a rack system at the destination, especially in the war room for weekend games.

Perhaps the easiest solution is keep the current box-based system and to purchase an iron and ironing board ? That way nice costumes could be ironed as needed.

#13

Epiphany; I have a good condition ironing board and fairly decent iron that aren’t about to be used for a good 2 years. NZLARPS is welcome to them.

Otherwise a good rack system for storage can make life very easy for sorting/cleaning/gear rationalisations. Transport is an issue as Mike says, but one option would be to talk to the local theatre groups an see if they have any spare mobile racks to sell off for cheap (most theatres usually have them in excess as costuming wardrobes get moved a lot), though they wouldn’t be hard to make either

#14

Mobile hanging racks are available most everywhere fairly cheap - Basically just a rack on wheels… They are historically fairly flimsy, but i’m sure we have some crafty people who can add something to strengthen? I might still have a couple around here somewhere… unless they went out with the last inorganic…

#15

When I started with NZLARPS I provided a couple of these (cheap mobile clothes racks), and they collapsed under the weight… LARP gear is surprisingly heavy
Also there was a big problem at getting crew to hang the stuff up again