Real-life WoW-style name tags
by Eliah Hecht 
Jul 12th 2009 at 8:00PM
Now this is the sort of thing YouTube was made for. Aram Bartholl, a German artist "famous for his exploration of the relationship between the digital and physical world," did a WoW-inspired project at the Laguna Art Museum in Laguna Beach, CA yesterday afternoon. It looks like it was a repetition of the project in the video above, which took place in Germany Belgium (sorry!) in 2008.
Essentially, he has participants construct big floaty name tags, like the names that show up over your characters' heads. The people then walk around the city with the tags floating over them, held by additional participants. The overall effect is pretty cool. If anyone was in Laguna yesterday, I want pictures and/or video, please.
Filed under: Events, Odds and ends
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
Shifthappenz Jul 11th 2009 8:13PM
LOL i was just in Laguna today and saw some of those guys going around with the big green names... was thinking those seemed familiar XD
Colin Jul 11th 2009 8:16PM
cool idea
terrible execution
Magresda Jul 12th 2009 8:14PM
This article popped up yesterday and then disappeared, how come?
William S Kent Jul 12th 2009 8:16PM
GC and the devs should be forced to go around Blizzcon like this.
Guernia Jul 12th 2009 8:35PM
Would be better if it was a hat. With a whole nother person following you 'round, how are you supposed to stealth?
joerendous Jul 12th 2009 9:22PM
their applications to the guild "And Two Stealthed Rogues" would get rejected. although their applications to the guild "And One Stealthed Rogue" would be under heavy consideration.
Malfural Jul 12th 2009 8:36PM
I love it when Sofie De Backer gets into her car and the guy following her has to run after. And also when Eva De Groote stands up and knocks the G off her name tag. It would be cool if there was a more practical way of doing this.
Tumleren Jul 12th 2009 8:49PM
I'd think that using some kind of strap-around-your-torso device, with a stick being attached to the back of it, would be a far better choice than this. Of course, it makes it less dynamic (maybe you can't use a car or get through doors), but it makes the illusion last longer
Malfural Jul 12th 2009 9:08PM
Maybe a plexiglass post with a plastic name, possibly smaller than the ones shown above so that it weighs less and doesn't get in the way. Also, you could choose what colour you want it to be, or let it change colour. If you're having a bad day, use the red name to make people leave you alone etc.
Although tbh I would settle with the method shown just for the awesomeness of having a floating name :)
BioHazard Jul 13th 2009 1:59PM
> If you're having a bad day, use the red name to make people leave you alone etc.
If it was anything like WoW, having a red name will make people do anything /but/ leave you alone. :)
I noticed everyone's name was green: In real life, everyone is flagged.
Malfural Jul 13th 2009 2:15PM
"If it was anything like WoW, having a red name will make people do anything /but/ leave you alone. :)"
Good point. Perhaps the next project should be for character portraits, then I could have elite status and be level ??. Then again, people would probably come at me in groups of 40 :(
McBurnsie Jul 12th 2009 9:09PM
Dude, Germany ?? That's my city ! Gent ! Which, obviously, is in Belgium ! Bad Eliah ! Bad !
Darias.Perenolde Jul 12th 2009 9:14PM
I actually considered this when we had our guild gathering at my house. For those that were arriving at the airport, I was going to have
Darias
over my head. Then, I realized that I haven't really been to an airport much since 9/11/01, and that whole concept wasn't gonna go over well with airport security.
Darias.Perenolde Jul 12th 2009 9:15PM
Dang filters. Removed the "Sleeper Cartel" tags like it was HTML.
< Sleeper Cartel >
Sleutel Jul 12th 2009 9:19PM
"It looks like it was a repetition of the project in the video above, which took place in Germany in 2008."
Then why does the video say "8.2.2007"?
McBurnsie Jul 13th 2009 12:47AM
Belgium ! *mumbles*
William S Kent Jul 12th 2009 9:25PM
Make a hat with post to hold up one of those clear tubes that have a light in the end, have a place to slide clear plexi letters in to make a name or whatever. Put a switch on the light so that you can switch from a pale blue LED to a green or even a red if you want to flag for PvP :). Let the convention fun begin.
Frank Jul 12th 2009 10:23PM
i wish it was individual headgear too, and i really miss seeing guild names. i like your idea a lot. it needs to be able to change color! :D
Guild of Utter Dust Winners Jul 12th 2009 9:50PM
Is it wrong that my first thought after "oh wow, that's kind of cool" was...
"this would be an awesome BDSM roleplay..."
Joey Joe Joe Jr. Shabadoo Jul 12th 2009 9:54PM
Yeah, but the achievements they have to do while in Laguna to get any titles are a real bitch.