NZLARPS Auckland Regional Committee minutes 13/01/14
Present: Hannah Jackson, Dave Luxton, Dave Agnew, James Cooper, Vanya Essin (for Crucible section only), Prema Cottingham (Minutes)
Apologies: Clare Stones, Nikki Brown
Start: 7:30pm
Previous meeting minutes
James moved that the previous months minutes be accepted
2nd) Prema
Motion carried unanimously.
Matters arising (including matters resolved on the committee forum)
1001 nights has become an affiliate project.
Motion for buying lunch for Gear rationalisation passed
The expenses from the day amounted to:
$71.07 for new materials for gear excluding lunch
$46 for Pizza to feed helpers
Motion:Hannah moved that Nikki be reimbursed for the expenses occurred
2nd) James
Motion carried unanimously.
Action points from last meeting
James: following up Anna regarding report she wrote for last AGM
• She has posted it
James: Bank account signatory access
• National treasurer and Nation President will have signatory access to the account, Regional treasurers to regional accounts. Now James is chasing up the bank to action them.
Dave A: Retrieved marketing gear from Vanya
• Have discussed it but having picked up, in progress.
Nikki: Follow up crucible team for budget.
• Discussed in crucible update, still needs to be updated with the venue costs.
Nikki: Follow up on whether The Crucible team would like to use the fountain prop from Teonn
• Dave A will bring up at crucible meeting
• Gear requests coming through on the 19th for The Crucible day games.
• It was mentioned that its worthwhile getting it in touch earlier and to discuss, as Nikki might be away.
• Did Patrick get his chainmail back? None of the committee there knew.
Hannah: Send through invoice for gear shed
• work in progress
Nikki: provide Dave A with teonn email list
• hasn’t been done yet
Dave A: talk to Ryan about Marketing
• Dave A has been consumed by Crucible now that he has joined the GM team
• Dave A has spoken with America club about affiliation
Dave A: follow up about editable website
• work in progress
Hannah: To discuss Budget requirements with Cheryl.
• Cheryl has posted about using the public park
Nikki: To create a post asking for Community buy in to gear situation
• Done
Prema: To start Welfare/conflict discussion on diatribe
• Done
• Crucible has been compiling a Welfare document. Each faction will have a welfare officer, and there will be a dedicated OOC welfare room where they will be able to talk to someone.
• Hannah suggested the discussion on diatribe being stickied, but it was discussed and decided it wasn’t necessary idea.
Crucible status report – Vanya and Dave A
Things are on track. A bunch of small teams writing the day games, most of them are plotted out.
Weekend game: a process of writing random small plots to keep NPCs busy. Major plot taking backseat while focus is on day games.
Dave A and Gene (web support) have joined GM team.
Mike has expressed he wants to keep working on the character generator.
Gamma rules and Gamma codex released. Website hasn’t been updated yet, Dave L noted that it should be linked to on the website.
Rob is the herald so that there is a coherent person to go back and forth between community and GMs. Prema said she thought he was doing a good job.
Anna is not a GM but is advising the GM team and helping with NPC co-ordinating.
The question was posed whether a Project manager has been chosen:
There was a meeting where they set the responsiblilities. Also having weekly progress reports from everyone, with Porl (senior NPC/advisor) and Anna’s help. Its going well, have a good support team who are experienced in running campaigns. So don’t see a need for a project manager per say. Have put in self regulating systems like the weekly check in which take care of part of it.
Linda is in charge of the logistical side of things.
Day games are open to registration.
Early bird discount ends at the end of January, hasn’t been heralded enough, so team will get Rob to do that.
Hannah suggested encouraging people to get in touch if they won’t be playing so that player spots open.
Playtest feedback from Dave L – rules are really complicated and people take time to get used to them. There was one GM there (Mark). However Prema noted that after the end people felt more confident with the rules.
There is potential for players to get put off by the combat system at this game.
Vanya reported that Wellington has been doing regular practices and drip feeding the rules in
Hannah suggested the next playtest should be endorsed by the GM team, to encourage even more people to come along.
Follow up on feedback to players: people will submit character concepts and then a GM will read it and rubber stamp it.
Feedback on rules – Goes through herald
Day game being charged an event cost – the venue has been paid for, but we still need a budget submitted for Land’s end – Action Point: James to follow up
Clarification around day games: Two separate payments need to be made, $20 for Land’s end and $15 for all the landfall games.
Archery – Dave A
As a result of the playtest on Sunday, Callum has proposed that NZLARPS runs some larp archery training, and at the end get a certificate that qualifies you.
5 people were using bows out of 15-20 people there, so they are gaining in popularity.
He suggests that someone good with bows to run sessions, so that people can pass the training. Callum is going to try and find someone to run them.
The committee brought up a couple of suggestions: Zara Parson (has some training), Linda Cormack (has lots of practical experience).
Crucible may be looking at purchasing new weapons after the first game.
Prema – is making an archery target for the rerun of Robin Hood and the Golden Arrow, and is happy to donate it, if needed for this training.
Committee is happy with this idea to run these training days.
Action Point: Dave A to follow up with Callum regarding progress
It was suggested to have a controlled archery training and area in game.
Hannah brought up the issue of allowing archery at night time, and whether it was a good idea or not.
The committee can sanction the training certificate. Games can choose to require it or not, but possibly need to include it in their game info.
We will add it to the list of question when they apply to be a project
What happens when someone experienced at archery joins larping? Because shooting in larp is a different skill we will encourage them to come along anyway and possibly help out with the training of others
Motion: Hannah proposes that we introduce a larp safety certification, in principal, with details to follow. See linked documents
2nd: Dave A
Unanimously passed
We would like to thanks Callum Boyce for the initiative and look forward safer fighting in our community
Combat safety
On the topic of James brought up the issue about some scenarios when PCs are defending a position and some OOC safety about players having nowhere to retreat to. It was discussed.
Gear discussion
Discussion in a healthy state on diatribe.
Finance report - James
Anna has sent through end of year summary.
Sabbat has sent through a budget – Estimating 20 crew and 20 players
Only costs are catering and costumes
Price: $30 crew and $45 with discounts
She’s planning on pushing it to May.
Prema suggested the catering costs seem high
Dave L suggested the expected number of participants seem high, going off the numbers from last game.
It was suggested that they budget for low number to prove that they can meet those and then move up from there
The suggestion came up that if its only going to be over one day, then can it be run in a public remote park.
In terms of the gear section, do we want to apply a stepped approach.
Action Point: We would like more info on the details in the budget – Hannah to follow up.
Teonn: did the final money get sorted out – Action Point: James to follow up
Anna got contacted about the venue cost, apparently the rest of booking (minus deposit) hadn’t been paid, James has now paid it.
James brough up that we need to be careful about spending, we are now at around $4000 in the account.
Hannah asked has Motu Moana been paid for Chimera, as some was being transferred from Sabbat booking from last year.
Discussion: we are at a good place in the community because there is a range of games with differing rules which means there lots of options.
Discussion about gear costs and how it’s impacted by Crucible performance – it was noted its worthwhile waiting till after the first game before relying on outcomes
Action point: Dave A to ask Patrick regarding the container
Gear Report
Nikki’s not here to give one.
Hannah reported that Gear Rationalisation day happened, had a good turnout. They introduced numbering the costumes to boxes.
Marketing report – Dave A
Has not done much lately, but got lots of new people coming to Crucible. Did some talking at party, sent then the link the next day, they liked it.
Speaking with America club, we are on good standing with them. Possibilities at O week.
Suggested that Battlecry, put out some fliers. There was discussion about who to contact, Dave will find out.
Recent larps
1001 nights had their second games. Quite small numbers for mercer bay, but fun.
Changeling Christmas special, reported as good fun.
Upcoming larps
Robin Hood and the Golden Arrow – Prema wants to run it as a fundraiser for NZLARPS, at $10 a head for 19 players with minimal costs of drinks, as it will be run at Western Springs park. Committee was happy with this
Incident register
Discussionwas had around having an incident register at NZLARPS events.
It was suggested to include:
• Any incidents like accidents
• Any interpersonal issues regarding welfare
The question was posed: Who has access to that information? It’s quite sensitive information
With privacy laws we have to show persons concerned any information we have on them.
Hannah suggested that we may have to pass it up to the National Committee? Do we need cross communication between the cities.
Prema - Its almost more important that we know that something happening and the GMs are dealing with it.
However the important thing is to keep monitors on incidents with recurring people involved
Action Point: Hannah to post this in National forum to seek a discussion of it becoming a National policy.
Meeting closed at 9.30pm