Newsletter

nzLARPS
#41

It means something to larpers. Who are kind of a significant part of the target audience. I get the impression that you find the word “larp” distasteful. I don’t think this is the platform to rebel against the term larp, given that the society has already adopted it into its name and this magazine will be an organ of the society.

I don’t hate Tuakoi but I find the fact that it means nothing to almost anyone (including larpers) worrying. I think coming up with a word in Maori that some people would recognise, or an evocative word in English that almost everyone would recognise would be a better alternative.

I’d like to hear some more brainstorming before we settle on a name.

In terms of the cost of the magazine, we just need to keep in mind that the money comes out of NZLARPS project profits, just like the money for the NZLARPS and Diatribe websites. In this way the projects contribute to the advertising that they receive from the websites & publication. That means:

  • All project events really do need to make a profit, because that money isn’t just for investment in future larps but also for the society’s general advertising outlets.
  • The projects have a right to expect advertising in the outlets, including the mag
  • The cost of producing the mag needs to be commensurate with the proftits being received from projects.
  • We could also advertise unaffiliated groups in the mag, for a cost.
#42

What is so particular important about having Maori name? Why “NZLARPer” is not good?

#43

I think it’s fair to say I find the word “larp” not useful, especially in terms of making things interesting and cool. But it’s interesting that Ryan points out (rightly) that I find myself constantly fighting against it.

He’s also right that the readership is meant to be mostly nzLARPS members - we plan to post every edition to them for free after all. So if they’re already going to get the magazine, maybe something cute will get them past the cover :wink:

We don’t have to have a Maori name, Lucy.

We had a fairly hard time naming Diatribe because of the requirements larp has (I listed some above) in terms of accessible but attractive and meaningful language. There were a few voices insisting it got a non-mundane name and I’m really glad it did.

#44

A Maori name would emphasise the New Zealand-ness of it. That is an advantage, but I don’t think it outweighs the disadvantages I’ve mentioned.

Some people don’t like NZLARPer because they think it sounds dry and technical, I think.

I think some more brainstorming would be a good idea. That’s how we come up with a lot of stuff for Mordavia, especially event names.

Some mag name ideas. These would also need subtitles (anything without “larp” in the title will). I’m not saying these are good - brainstorming is the time for lots of ideas of mixed quality.

  • Play
  • Imagine
  • Ersatz (pity it has negative connotations, nice word)
  • Faker (again, negative connotation but kinda funny)
  • Pretend
  • Masks
  • Masquerade (good word, pity about the Vampire link)
  • Interactive
  • Interact

Feel free to take any of these names and riff off them.

#45

Faker’s a good one.

Character
Enstage
Larphter
larp-zine
…

#46

How about “Facade”?

Or some kind of twist on the popular newspaper name “The XYZ Truth” would be “Lies” of the “nzLARP Lies”

It’s just not imaginative. I think our name should convey the fact that larpers are in fact very imaginative and creative people, and something like ‘The nzLARPER’ is so very devoid of anything creative and it has connotations of being clique-y.

I’d like the name to convey “This is larp” rather than “This is for larpers”

#47

How about it doesn’t have a name! And just to really mess with people, it should never mention that it doesn’t have a name in the actual content either!

#48

I quite like ‘Facade’ as well. This wins on artsy points, but seems to lack something.
‘Tuakoi’ wins on NZ-ness and cleverness, but is obscure.
‘nzLARPer’ wins on unambiguity and directness, but is boring.

I’m OK with any of these, so far.

#49

See folk, that’s what brainstorming is all about.

However if we really want to mess with people we’ll call it " ". Imagine the carnage.

“Have you seen the winter edition of ?”
“What? Of what?”
" “
“What?”
” “
”…"

and

“How did they go renaming that newsletter?”
“Oh they got a name.”
“What is it?”
" "

#50

" ", the final frontier…

#51

How about:

  • magine It has an invisible “I”, and should be typeset as such (i.e. you have to imagine the “I”)

  • Mindset

  • Alternique

  • Purakau (Maori for “story” and likely more familiar than tuakoi)

  • Larpernomicon

  • The Masque which I read in a psych textbook is derived from ancient Greek for persona. Less White Wolf than Masquerade :wink:

#52

Ah, after that mentioning of making Diatribe not sounding mundane I understood what I don’t like about Maori stuff in this particular case:

IT IS MUNDANE!

Really, we see it all around, and in daily life it’s nice and cool (me particularly likes the fact that all NZ government institutions have that Maori name written together with English one (Te Ratonga Manene, etc. :slight_smile: ), however that’s exactly what looks normal and usual (and I have nothing against it!).

Me likes Larpernomicon - it sounds impressive and does make sense. I would now agree that just “NZLARPer” is not too creative (thanks to people for all those interesting arguments), but I still think “larp” should be somewhere in the name.

“Nameless Magazine” would be funny. There is a fantasy book “Nameless Sword” - and this particular sword’s name make sense. But doesn’t really apply for this situation :laughing:

#53

I like this, but I’d drop the “the”.

  • Masque

That’s my favourite so far. Subtitle required, but then they all need one except for NZLARPer.

Masque. It’s French for mask. :wink:

Facade, like ersatz, has the negative connotation of something that isn’t a good replica, it’s a crappy copy or a thin veneer.

#54

‘Masque’ is OK, but it just still makes me think of Vampires (in the same way ‘Masquerade’ does).

On a separate note, maybe the cover design could be delegated out to Craig as he’s in posession of all the necessary software/skills/ideas/experience/talent? But that would be a decision for the Newsletter editor to make.

#55

“Larpernomicon” wins so many geek points :smiley:

How about “The Paper Face”? It’s a reference to the Masquerade song ("…paper faces on parade…") and thus means mask, but it also says that this magazine is nzLARPS’s ‘paper’ face, our front in print.

…okay, that’s all perhaps too convoluted.

[quote=“Steve Shipway”]
On a separate note, maybe the cover design could be delegated out to Craig as he’s in posession of all the necessary software/skills/ideas/experience/talent? But that would be a decision for the Newsletter editor to make[/quote]

I’ve asked him but it’s up to him to take it on or not (no pressure, Craig)

#56

[quote=“Steve Shipway”]maybe the cover design could be delegated out to Craig[/quote]Yeah, that seems to be the plan. I could basically start making it now I guess…

#57

How about
Pathos - a quality that arouses emotion
Chimaera - fanciful creation
Volition - the act or power of willing
Vagary ( or prehaps: Vagus Mens - Latin for “wandering mind”)
Gemynd - Old English for memory
Nacent - beginning to exist, or Nacency the moment of existence.

#58

Diegesis - a fictional reality
Persona - a role that is played

#59

Chimaera sounds great!

#60

The Paper Face, :smiley:

I really like this for some reason.
This has my vote.