Great Lake Tournie Trip

Community Larp discussion
#1

So how many people are going under the guise of NZLARPs?

I intend of attending and would love to go with a group of people from NZLARPs to have the image out there (even if our presence is only noted by the re-enactors and organisational staff).

I would prefer not to do a “senario” like we did last year but I think it may be good to work the event as assistants (watercarriers for grand melee, working the beer tent etc) where we can to foster a better relationship between “Foamies” and the “Steelies” as well as with the event staff.

I attended last year and it was Emmense fun (particularly once the public was gone and it was just the enthusists kicking round after dark) and encourage anyone with sutible garb (no fantastical stuff no elves or werewolves etc) to rock along to this event and represent.

#2

If you want to take the trailer, you’ll need a car that has a towbar.

#3

Hi there,

Just wanted to say, we would love to have as many people down there as possible, please do register so that we can put space aside for you, and also make a note on the registration form that you can provide non-combatants, and helpers, and you can guarantee that I can find things for as many people as want jobs, in fact my scheme is to have twice as many volunteers as we need, so that no one gets stuck in one place for the weekend.

Of course as I said in the other post, if you have any questions, suggestion, or just want to berate me for something, feel free to PM or email me

Cheers
Mat

#4

Funny you should post this, Cameron, you beat me to the punch!

All rightie. Hawkwind and I ran into each other on the Link bus and had a conversation about the involvement of nzLARPS at the Joust 08. Here’s the result of the brainstorm:

-> His idea was to have a literary theme like this year’s Robin Hood, so that the public can immediately latch onto it. I’m personally in favour of recycling Robin Hood because it’s just a such a well known, simple idea. The idea was we’d submit who was playing what character, along with photos, which would be printed on the event program, and people told to look out for us and to come talk to us as we wander around the event IC.

-> He also said there are plenty of roles to be sort of filled at the event. He’s keen to get some town criers, for example.

-> From our perspective, learning from last year’s mistakes, we definitely need a base of operations, like an in-character area where people can come and talk to characters, or a stand where we have a large nzLARPS sign and lots of promotional materials.

-> Alternatively, we could organise a Spookers-esque set up where we take small groups of people through a trail in the woods, giving them characters, chucking a tabard on them and having “an adventure” that lasts like, ten minutes, and costs $2.

-> Or combine them, and have an IC “inn” area with nzLARPS promo materials, the Stone Golem, characters to talk to and every so often, the Robin Hood bursts in and asks for brave volunteers to help him save Little John from the Sheriff (and then go on an adventure)

There are a lot of possibilities. The question is, do we think it’s worth making an effort to put together a publicity thing? Is this our audience?

Most importantly, I’d like to know what you guys would like to do, what you guys would be willing to do, and what you guys reckon is worth doing.

#5

That depends are the people attending Tournament likely to have interests wider spread than the activities offered at the Tournament?

If not then St Wolfgang’s is the only LARP currently catering to their interests.

If so then it would probably be a good idea to make them aware of Nightmare Circle, Ravenholme, 2014, Stargate etc.

Also I like the idea of an IC location and then taking people out for adventures. Maybe have the adventures on a schedule so those involved are free to roam between going out and about and so those wishing to go on an adventure know when to show up.

#6

Please forgive me for being negative…I feel we should be careful about what we do and how we present ourselves.

At the last tourney i did hear a lot of people talking about how “Gay” the Whole thing was, especially us, (One little twerp was bagging the whole event less than two feet from me, his parents were looking at me standing there in full kit with a steel sword on my hip, and trying to shut the little shit up), and i have heard some bad blood from some of the re-enactors that were there as well.

So [quote]have an IC “inn” area with nzLARPS promo materials, the Stone Golem, characters to talk to and every so often, the Robin Hood bursts in and asks for brave volunteers to help him save Little John from the Sheriff (and then go on an adventure)[/quote] would be my choice.

just offering an POV no need to shoot me

#7

That kid probably isn’t in the demographic. That said, if we could have handed him a foam sword, told him that he was Robin Hood, paired him with some other kids and sent them in to the wilderness to meet, fight, rob and have conversations with NPCs, maybe he’d come around on the whole thing just a little bit. Or maybe he’d drag the sword behind him, bend it as far as he could and refuse to play along. Either way, we’d probably get $3 out of his parents and ten minutes to impress him in a place he doesn’t have any reason to play up.

We’re discussing the possibility that we create a “Spookers-esque” linear follow-the-path Robin Hood larp with 8 or 9 “NPCs in the woods” and a storyteller/shopkeeper or two at a booth out the front. If we can get the “it’s a ride” mentality then people might not be so afraid to play along and have a good time. NPCs would adjust their performance accordingly - if the participants want to talk, talk. If they want to fight, fight. If they want to trick you, be tricked - with the aim of making the walk as satisfying as possible and showing some kind of insight in to what it is we do: Play pretend with noone else around.

#8

-I mainly will be going to hang out, meet the other groups in the country, chit chat and watch the jousting

-When talking to the re-enactors, I think its important to get across that the point on where we differ from them is not just the weaponry its the range of genres that we play over. 1930’s, victorian, medieval, near future, caveman.

-I’m thinking it may be an idea to try to get across that NZLARPs is there in support of the Re-enactors and the event, and that were not trying to pass ourselves off as a “ligitimate” re-enactment group. And in this vein, it may be an idea to have the MC introduce NZLARPs in the procession at the opening as “and members of the live action roleplaying society who will be helping out around the event this weekend” or similar…I’m just thinking that we should try to defuse any tension between what has been in the past a little bit of an “us and them” situation.

-Although one of the most impressive things we have I dont beleive that the stone golem should be taken along…I can see us getting more complaints about it than praise from the re-enactors. After all this is an event to showcase medieval life. Elves, Orcs and Golems are no more part of that life than tommy gun toting gangsters.

#9

Can you elaborate ? Was it to do with us not being re-enactors as such, or was it our activities ?

#10

Do you have any suggestions on how we could present ourselves in a way that doesn’t antagonise people?

#11

Ok I will try to answer Anna and Mike together,

first of all re-enactors look at Larping as something good only for kids, or adults who don’t have the balls to pick up a real sword, some even think that we should just be ignored in the hope we will go away.

(Now Adam dont get up in a twist, I know sword and sheild larp, as well as the argent lords, but remember some people think as&ss are just pretenders as well)

some groups (I do not wish to say which) hate the sight of us and will have nothing to do with us, and believe that we should never be allowed to attend re-enactment events.

as for what we should do, I think a display with lots of photos, info, some props (such as the Golem) weapons, and some members who are willing to talk up Larping to the public. Include an adventure for sale type thing as well.

this is an re-enactment event, or to be more precise a Living History event, we dont want to pull focus from that and step on toes, and besides Graham is defending his title so we should be cheering him on as well.

however i am simply offering a devils advocate opinion here, please dont put any wieght on my words that is not there already. I will not be involved with NZLarps (Other than an affiliate who is willing to offer a helping hand if needed) as I will be heavily involved with the steel weapon side of things.

I have heard rumblings in the past, and i wanted to let you guys be aware of what i had heard.

#12

Wow. Sounds like a wholly unpleasant bunch of people-who-we-don’t-even-know.

#13

[quote]first of all re-enactors look at Larping as something good only for kids, or adults who don’t have the balls to pick up a real sword, some even think that we should just be ignored in the hope we will go away. [/quote]Hi Carl, I seriously don’t think that opinion is universal. I mean, I’ve never heard a negative comment about Larping, and I speak as someone who has recruited re-enactors and run a Larp at NAAMA. Given the degree to which reenactors like to bitch, I’m pretty sure I would have heard something if we’d been bothering people.

#14

If anyone is actually thinking like that it sounds kind of retarded.

So I play near-future and 1920s horror games because I don’t have the balls to pick up a real gun (because the whole game is about shooting)?

#15

Hi Steph

never intended to imply that it was, I simply do not want to name names or single individuals out, as i get into trouble when i do that… thats all

it was concerning that event that I have heard most of the negativity.

check your PM.

#16

Sorry to stick my nose in when I didn’t actually get to the Joust, just giving another perspective.

If there were complaints from that NAAMA I’d guess that it was around the non-historical nature of the larp. The organisers invited us to run a Mordavia scenario there. I thought that it was a bit dodgy running a fantasy scenario at a historical event, but we’d been invited to so we went ahead. But the organisers don’t speak for all the participants and it’s not just the organisers that you want to impress. You have to use your intuition to guess what people will think.

I reckon that if we’re going to make a presence at historically-focused events we should make it entirely historically-focused. Then there would be no basis for complaint. So no golem present, and no hint of pseudo-history. You can mention that larp can be in any genre without showing it with costumes that may be perceived as disrupting the mood of the event.

Taking groups one at a time from a homebase tent out on an adventure in the woods seems like a good idea, it makes for a subtler presence that’s harder to get offended by (and perhaps less likely to be perceived as “gay” by the YouTube generation) than playing roles in public areas.

What if a bit of historical research went into the scenario, and it was placed in a real place and time rather than Robin Hoodsy pseudo-history? Players could be a bunch of British folk fleeing from or defending against something like Norse invaders. A gritty, scary, pressure-cooker scenario with well-briefed NPCs that make the historical aspect come to life.

#17

Bags being one of the Norsemen.

English are gay.

#18

Ryan has hit the proverbial on the head here, if you read some of the comments on Gathering darkness currently there is a direct link back to Naama 2004 where the larp was run, Admitantly the person making those comments is not exactly held in high esteem, but nevertheless he is vocal.

historical basis on the adventures sounds like a great idea, we could base them on a different history for each of the groups represented at the event of on just one.

hmmmm i have ideas :smiling_imp: he he he he he

#19

[quote=“FauxCyclops”]Bags being one of the Norsemen.

English are gay.[/quote]

David Harrop, born UK Aylesbury, buckinghamshire…

Care to rephrase?

#20

[quote=“Carl”]
historical basis on the adventures sounds like a great idea, we could base them on a different history for each of the groups represented at the event of on just one.[/quote]

Maybe we could go for adventures from several different time periods that will be represented. We could pick some historical stories or events and go with those. We could have some with monks and nuns in, it would be good to have a bit of connection between what we show to people at the joust and the larps the society runs.

I love the idea of taking people out for adventures in the woods, it sounds like it will have lots of potential for getting the public to participate.

I think I’ve been recruited into helping Dawn Reivers with their stuff at the joust so will only be able to help a bit with the NZ larps things.