Hi!
Kelvin's comment about the local people not wanting to play a non-supported
game and a similar thread on one of the newsgroups got me thinking about
gamer attitudes.
The main question is: "are we as gamers becoming more like collectors than
wargamers?"
It seems most games made today encourage the player to amass a number a
figures to the particular players liking then as an afterthought actual play
a battle. How many times have you heard "the rules aren't good, but the
minis are great!". Just think about how much effort goes in to buying,
painting, setting up a army list to your liking, then on how much time you
actually play the game. You will probably notice a large discrepancy between
the two. It seems to me that the "collecting" aspect outpaces the playing
aspect because once a game is not supported interest wanes and ultimately no
more games are played.
Of course its the definition of "support" that's the key argument. Ask most
gamers what that means and you get a simple and direct answer: "more
miniatures". In fact a game is not perceived successful unless it is
constantly pumping out more lead to its line. Support hardly ever means to
get you playing more, just buying more.
Another point is the ever increasing lack of creativity that this collecting
frenzy has engendered. Its becoming a rarer thing to see groups alter,
change or down right re-write rule to suit their style and more common the
"let's use what's in the official books no matter how poor they are"
mentality. Granted the "official" rules are easier to use when you march off
to another region and wish to play there, but even if you discuss beforehand
what should be adopted there is much resistance.
Home brewed sets or fan based sets (like our own humble project) while it
can gather a large following, it always carries that stamp of being some how
illegitimate. As if what is created by individual or non-corporate groups
hasn't that special something a regularly marketed game can have. Funnier
yet, while you may get someone actually to try such a game like net epic for
example, how hard is it to convince that person that newer originally
created stuff like the PDF, SOB and others is as good or better than the
original stuff? The battle becomes even more uphill when you start
recommending non-GW minis to make such army <oh the horror>.
I think its kind of sad that people let companies dictate what they play and
how. I have always thought that part of being a gamer was to have a certain
amount of creative streak and joy for the actual act if playing the game,
not just amassing stuff (which I think we all guilty to a greater or lesser
degree, especially me! <grin>)or playing by the book.
Quite frankly I would find it very hard to go back to playing games as
others have written it and not adding my own stamp or twist to it. Also I
rather enjoy our "little" group and the fact that we change and change
things as we all see fit, such direct impact is rare nowadays.
I was curious to know what others think on this and what is the reality in
your areas. Do gamers follow their own counsel and tastes or just follow the
leader?
Peter
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Received on Tue Dec 05 2000 - 15:59:39 UTC