Event at MOTAT in Auckland

Community
#1

Is anyone interested in running a steampunk styled LARP at MOTAT on the 22nd of May?

Please contact me ASAP, entry will be free of charge and steam engines as well as the beam engine at this stage will be opperating, we will be given a space that we can set up for lunch/bruch.

The only prereqisite is that attendees will need to be wearing the correct attire.

I am also pushing for an art area where people can display their steampunk related art and a fassion show. If this event goes well we hope to be able to convince the venue to allow us regular access for future events.

Regards
Prof. Boris van Galvin
aka: Andrew Hooper

evilgenius.net.nz

#2

How big a larp were you looking for? and is it during the day or in the evening? :slight_smile:

#3

Moar info!

#4

[quote=“vangalvin”]Is anyone interested in running a steampunk styled LARP at MOTAT on the 22nd of May?

Please contact me ASAP, entry will be free of charge and steam engines as well as the beam engine at this stage will be opperating, we will be given a space that we can set up for lunch/bruch.

The only prereqisite is that attendees will need to be wearing the correct attire.

I am also pushing for an art area where people can display their steampunk related art and a fassion show. If this event goes well we hope to be able to convince the venue to allow us regular access for future events.

Regards
Prof. Boris van Galvin
aka: Andrew Hooper

evilgenius.net.nz[/quote]

I know this nutter - he is a good bloke - well worth going to the event tbh.

#5

This will be a day larp at this stage however in the future if things work out well there is talk of motat allowing evening events. given the size of motat i dont think that there is going to be a space issue and the way i see it the more people that attend the greater the success is likley to be.

Well the info will realy depend on the person runnning the larp. I will add details as they become available.

Xcerus: Me? Nutter… well i guess if the rubber gloves fit :slight_smile:

#6

Though we need to be very careful…remember that this is a muesum…and there is machinery outdoors that your should not climb on and need to be very careful around.

Also the tram lines do cause the ground to be uneven at points and at night you need to be caeful (Trust me on this one we get like 1 person a week trip on the tram lines from running or not watching out and wearing heels or some other silly thing).

#7

I agree that care must be taken at all times however keeping in mind that this is a public place the layout has been created with this in mind. However that is not to say is would not be impossible to have an incident.

There have been some further discussions on the event and if this event goes well a larger and more intricate event will be organised further down the track with the goal of making such events a regular occurance. I see this as a stepping stone that will provide access to some unique facilities.

Regards
Andrew Hooper

#8

Cool! Colour me interested, I’ll just have to negotiate a day pass with the missus…

#9

Keeping in mind its also an active tram route - Even internaly - and has been created with that in mind (IE there are tracks and points and drainage sites and subsidences around the tracks due to the fact that westerns springs has an active aquafere). There are also regularly moving vehicles.

I also can not see the MET (Museum Enviroment Team) appreciating a combat game on the site.

Have you actualy talked to anyone there for permission or are you thinking of just rocking up??

#10

Cameron,

I have a meeting today with MOTAT, now let me express my position. I am not an active affiliate of any LARP group nor have I been involved with any games other than speaking to friends that have done so. A neo-Victorian styled LARP does not mean it has to be a combat event however I’m sure if there is need for a duel this would not be an issue.

I have been approached my MOTAT to assist in the development of an event and if you read the post from the star this would be evident in the fact that we are being given free entry in to MOTAT. I am not sure as to why your posts seem to be so negative however if the LARP group wish to pass on this opportunity then I will spend my time and resources working with other groups.

Our target is to try and attain a head count of around 100 people in theme, there are several other groups who are also interested in attending and who are not LARP related.

After my meeting with MOTAT at the latest on Monday their promotional team will kick in to gear and start promoting the event a little more, unfortunately there has been an issue with the operation of the steam trains however the printing press, trams and steam/beam engines will be operational. I believe that we will also have an experience co-ordinator who will be available to various groups to assist with things as well as specific areas that will be made available to groups to use for meeting areas and lunch.

SlackerJ has been putting pen to paper and writing the framework for a LARP and the theme at this stage is “The Great Tram Robbery” The concept has been run past the coordinator at MOTAT and they are extremely excited by the idea.

And so as to not waste SlackerJ’s time or my own as well as the MOTAT staff is you prefer the group not be involved in such an event of for there to be no affiliation let me know.

Regards
Regards
Prof. Boris van Galvin
aka: Andrew Hooper

evilgenius.net.nz

#11

I think you might be misreading Cameron, Andrew. It’s easy to do online.

He’s a larper that also works at MOTAT. Because he knows both areas, he’s in a good position to raise safety concerns, to make sure you’ve considered them. I don’t think he’s trying to quash anything.

Auckland larpers are all individuals and will be involved or not as we choose. It’s not an “all in or all out” thing, so no one person is going to tell you whether we’re all coming.

If you’re looking to officially affiliate with a NZ larp body, then NZLARPS is what you’re after. See this page on the NZLARPS website:

nzlarps.org/affiliates.php

NZLARPS is a society that promotes and supports larp. Again, you don’t need its sanction, affiliation is just a way of showing friendliness with the community

I for one am really excited that you’re opening up the possibility of hosting larps at MOTAT, they have some great spaces for larp. Even that little church in the corner would make an awesome larp venue.

Cheers,

Ryan

#12

It sounds like a great thing to play at. Just the pendant in me wants to point out that this topic was initially calling for someone to run the game, rather than just participate. So its good to hear that SlackerJ has taken up the reins. If you want more participants to register as interested in playing, I expect you might get more players, like myself coming out of the woodwork.
[Andrew, just so you are aware, that there is a big larp being run the following weekend, which may be taking up quite a few people’s time and energy at the moment. Larps are usually scheduled several months in advance to book the venue, so in some ways this a bit of a last minute thing.]

#13

Hey I think its a great idea I was just trying to raise issues (that as a regular at MOTAT I know about) that I may think need be raised with the players as well as with you personaly. Making it clear that it is an active museum, And and active engineering site, and not just a regular venue and as such there are extra concerns that need to be taken and followed to the letter (this is more a note to the players as im sure you’ll get them drilled into you by the MET team).

I was also concerned as an NZLARPS committee member about the club being affiliated with the project as (no offence) not alot of people know who you are and the only person that came out to vouch for you was the (self admitted) community rabble rouser. I was making sure that a possible affiliate was taking proper precautions into mind, Particularly if the NZLARPS name was to be used, as up until your first post we knew nothing about it and I was trying to be fully clear in my understanding of the event you are organising.

Also it wasn’t made clear about “Entry” being free weither it was entry into MOTAT or the larp itself, So when I asked if you had MOTAT’s involvment and concent it was a serious question. Now I know MOTAT is on board I’m a little less iffy about the idea.

I do not want to quash any event…hell this sounds like fun to me. Frankly if you are just looking for people to commit on a personal level to chipping in and helping with the body count…if things are all cool and its good with the MOTAT director and the MET team then I am good and all in and be more than willing to be part of the event. :slight_smile:

I loves me steam punk…hell I work with antiquated technology.

#14

6 month old computer equipment?

Sorry - nothing to do with on topic, just a dig at the fact computer equipment is redundant pretty much as soon as it hits the shelves :stuck_out_tongue:

#15

My bet on who this is going to be is Andrew (not you vangalvin the other one that works at MOTAT who is also a larper and into steampunk)

#16

Cameron,

I compleatly understand and as one that one upon a time ran the forge both in Motat and Howick Historical Village know only too well some of the associatd saftey concerns. This also extrended to another event that myself and a couple of others organised some years ago called “The Gathering”.

My involvement in this has become a little more than I initially intended, my hope was that I would come vorward with the opportunity to use the venue to the LARP group and someone there would pick up the ball and organise the LARP end of things. My only hope is to have a high head count and a great experance for participants so I can then work on a more indepth project along the same lines with a better time frame.

My contacts are at management level and this event allready has preapproval from them as well as their full support. An internal meeting with MET has taken place and they have reiterated that they see no issues with this event.

#17

Well if you have the approval I’m on board. Lets hope for fine weather and we may be able to get one of the heritage trams out instead of just the regular weekend service trams.

#18

My bet on who this is going to be is Andrew (not you vangalvin the other one that works at MOTAT who is also a larper and into steampunk)[/quote]

Hey guys, yes Cameron is correct I will be assisting with the development of this event from the MOTAT side of things. We will be working closely with Andrew to make this an awesome event, and yes we are hoping that if this goes well we will able to do more events along these lines in the future and potentially on a greater scale. I have personally been pushing to do something like this for a while and the museum is fully on board so we are dedicated to making this a success.

The concept of the event is ‘A Time-traveler’s day out’ so while we are going with steampunk for the theme there is scope for travelers from other periods as well. As Andrew has already touched upon we will be working on getting as much of our stuff up and running as possible for the day as well as some cool displays and activities. We really want the community to get behind this, so if you have any suggestions or things you’d like to see there let me know, I’m happy to hear them. I can’t promise I will be able to implement them all but I will see what I can do.

So basically guys, come and join us for an awesome opportunity to have some fun and show off your steamy finery in good company and an amazing location :smiley:

#19

It is Official :slight_smile:

THe date has been changed so as to allow a little more time for marketing and people to get their kit sorted out, The new date is 12th June.

#20

Fantastic! How do we sign up?