Wow, this journal's all dusty. Better clean it off...

[flashqz]

I've been neglecting my blogging duties, it's true! Other, less-thought-required social networking methods have taken over, I'm afraid. But I still like to come back occasionally. Like now. Sometimes, something makes me want to write passionately, because I disagree with what it says. Here we go then!

A friend of mine posted a link on Twitter to

Comments

[mippy]

The quote on video games was written as a hypothetical response to child from parent - many people who want to get into tabletop gaming do so at an age where someone needs to finance their hobby for them. I think you missed the point a wee bit on that bit.

I'm not a minatures person, but I'm always surprised GW has a branch in each city - it isn't a mainstream hobby, and so struck me as the kind of thing that would exist in cities where people went especially to visit, like railway modelling for the most part. I knew one minatures person in my teens - if that's one per class, per school, in my town (and that's being exceptionally generous) then each kid would have to be spending a lot to keep those stores going week in week out.

[flashqz]

I re-read the article, and yeah, I see your point about the video games analogy - but still, it's one you hear an awful lot, whether quoted from a parent's point of view or not. I'd still argue the point that wargaming as a hobby for kids / young teenagers is no more expensive than console gaming, skateboarding, playing a musical instrument, et cetera

[mippy]

(and you could liken minatures to, say, BJDs or Blythe dolls - people buy them to customize, or to dress, or to photograph, and it can be a great hobby - but it's still seen as niche, nerdy, expensive and vaguely useless by many. Not to disparage, mind! I know Alan and he was a tabletop gamer in his younger years.)

[moiread]

Tons of my friends are miniatures gamers, and my brother was way into it all through his teens. I don't get it -- and I did try Warhammer, but eventually gave up and just did my brother's painting for him -- but most of them don't get why I spend hours photomanipulating images of real people to use as fake people for a sub-hobby of a sub-hobby of a fringe hobby that combines roleplayers with lit geeks and aspiring writers, so I figure we're even. ;)

Also: Hi!

[flashqz]

Each to their own, I say! Some people give it a go and love it, others look at it and screw their faces up in utter astonishment that anyone could derive such pleasure from little bits of plastic! Everyone's got a bit of geek in them somewhere, though, I reckon, even if that manifests itself in memorising football league tables, or keeping a meticulous make-up collection, or making sure all your socks are stored in balled pairs and alphabetical colour order.

Incidentally, your sub-hobby of a sub-hobby of a fringe hobby sounds an awful lot like something I spent several years of my life doing until other things got in the way. Mind if I ask what it is you get up to?

And yes! Hi!

[keletkezes]

Thanks for posting!

I've a lot of friends who've 'left' wargaming for boardgaming over the years: there's less initial outlay, a variety you just can't get with tabletop wargaming, no time to learn rules or paint miniatures or anything like that. It's what they want. But having been wargamers, they know what it's all about. Equally, these friends have got their Shadows over Camelot miniatures painted, have tried to get super-customisable games (like Dominion) and always go for the roleplaying aspect of the games, not pure gameplay.

And then there are the pure miniature collectors: what must boardgamers think of model railwa enthusiasts or people who just build Airfix kits?

I'd liken this to having a partner who's never been to Uni and when you say 'no, I can't come round today, I've got work to do' they just don't understand...

[flashqz]

We generally look at model railway enthusiasts and airfix builders with a gentle fondness. Bless 'em. If it weren't for them, a lot of what we do wouldn't be at the stage it is, but still, aren't they quaint? :P

Are you still gaming, then? And in Nottingham? Because if so we are LONG overdue for a game. About six years overdue.

[keletkezes]

Yep, still here, still 10mins walk from Warhammer World, now a member of 1st Co. Vets. (the Thursday night group at WHW) and currently Vice Chairmistress. Still a regular at UoN RPGSoc and still running Inquisitor there (starting end of this month). Me and the other half ain't going nowhere soon!

I recently dusted off the Dark Eldar (like, Thursday!) and re-learned 40k. I've still got a Fantasy army or two but I'm currently roving around Mordheim at Uni with some Beastmen. I still can't believe it took 2.5hrs to play a 1000pt-game of 40k because I was relearning the rules AND having to work out how many shots/attacks things were getting: it was ludicrous!

I'm also on Facebook but not Twitter if you want to look me up :)

[renface]

You make some very good points about the GW mystique and gaming in general. Thanks for posting this.

[flashqz]

Thanks for reading it! Have you experienced GW at all yourself?

[renface]

I have only experienced the website because they don't have any GW shops here (that I'm aware). We have a whole room of our house full of miniatures and painting and sets, though.