Not sure if this has already been posted, also not sure what store its from but saw this post on my FLGS facebook page
http://9gag.com/gag/aOKgddr?ref=fb.s
It's mostly the younger ones. I usually play with the othe 30+ people and we never had such a problem, it's just the youngbloods having probs with their hygiene.
Again, talking of a club here.
Bonus: At a tournament, I had someone report his opponent to me because he said he couldn't continue playing with the constant smell around. Before you start laughing: it was a really hot day. His opponent was REALLY fat and seemingly had a major problem with sweating.
Sigvatr wrote: Bonus: At a tournament, I had someone report his opponent to me because he said he couldn't continue playing with the constant smell around. Before you start laughing: it was a really hot day. His opponent was REALLY fat and seemingly had a major problem with sweating.
That's not uncommon, and also preventable. He may be fat, but basic hygiene (ie have a shower and use anti perspirant deoderant, preferably scented) will prevent this happening.
That's not uncommon, and also preventable. He may be fat, but basic hygiene (ie have a shower and use anti perspirant deoderant, preferably scented) will prevent this happening.
Oh, I don't disagree here and that's pretty much what we told him. It's just that it's the only time I know that someone officially reported someone to a referee for that reason.
Sigvatr wrote: It's mostly the younger ones. I usually play with the othe 30+ people and we never had such a problem, it's just the youngbloods having probs with their hygiene.
Smelly gamers are my pet hate. And over here in the US, it seems to have been kids that smell the worst.
The store nearest me, where we've gone to roleplay, the smell has been so strong that my wife just refused to go any more, there were 3 lads in there with a stench so strong it would hit you like a wall. I don't get it with these kids, these lads must be like every other young bloke and want to hump anything that moves, surely they possess the limited logical processing to realize if you want to get near a girl you should not smell like a mixture of wet dog, ammonia and months old stilton?
Then again, back in the UK, in Bristol, there was a guy we called 'wheezy pete', sweatpants, old woolen sweater, long rank hair, neck beard, wrist support and baseball cap. Now that mutha stank, he'd come into the shop to stand at the narrowest point in the store, telling tall tales of cooking sausages with electrodes and how he uses great old ral partha minis so doesn't need to buy anything. His smell was utterly toxic and would linger in the store for hours after he'd finally left.
I'd really like to hear from store owners in this thread on what they've done to combat this?
Sigvatr wrote: It's mostly the younger ones. I usually play with the othe 30+ people and we never had such a problem, it's just the youngbloods having probs with their hygiene.
Smelly gamers are my pet hate. And over here in the US, it seems to have been kids that smell the worst.
The store nearest me, where we've gone to roleplay, the smell has been so strong that my wife just refused to go any more, there were 3 lads in there with a stench so strong it would hit you like a wall. I don't get it with these kids, these lads must be like every other young bloke and want to hump anything that moves, surely they possess the limited logical processing to realize if you want to get near a girl you should not smell like a mixture of wet dog, ammonia and months old stilton?
Then again, back in the UK, in Bristol, there was a guy we called 'wheezy pete', sweatpants, old woolen sweater, long rank hair, neck beard, wrist support and baseball cap. Now that mutha stank, he'd come into the shop to stand at the narrowest point in the store, telling tall tales of cooking sausages with electrodes and how he uses great old ral partha minis so doesn't need to buy anything. His smell was utterly toxic and would linger in the store for hours after he'd finally left.
I'd really like to hear from store owners in this thread on what they've done to combat this?
Its a peculiar gamer thing. The Boy and his friends don't reek like that. They do something called...bathing.
angel of ecstasy wrote: I don't think it's fair that good decent people have to suffer and get nasally harassed over other peoples disregard for Hygiene and their smell equivalent to the stench of a 100 privies.
Fixed.
This is my pet hate as well. I hate the stench that's the result of unwashed bodies and/or poor hygiene. I used to work in a kitchen years ago. I worked many hours sweating away in the heat, getting covered in grease and I never smelled as bad as some gamers I've happened to be near. Seriously, clean your fething clothes, have a shower or bath and use soap and deodorant and you're good to go. No excuse really...
Bonus: At a tournament, I had someone report his opponent to me because he said he couldn't continue playing with the constant smell around. Before you start laughing: it was a really hot day. His opponent was REALLY fat and seemingly had a major problem with sweating.
I'm an overweight guy, and I was for 1 week in the 6th grade, the smelly kid (I hadn't quite grasped that I was blossoming into a beautiful young woman and as such my body was changing in funny ways, hair sprouting in places it hadn't before, and that I required more showers than I had in the past). It wasn't bad, but I was truly embarrassed because I didn't notice it, my religion teacher did (catholic school kid). Since then I've had a solid record of showering. The problem is that when I get competitive, a game is on the line, or it's just really fething warm, I sweat like melon fether, and yet I don't stink, but I always, especially when in confined space with other gamers, shower, put on a nice liberal layer of Old Spice Deodorant, and when I have it, some cologne (I'm out/finding a new scent).
I can certainly understand how the kids 11 to 12 can smell and not realize it, but anyone older should be dragged out and hosed down like Officer Farva in Super Troopers, especially adults. A shower takes 15 minutes tops, and keeps ya smelling fresh all day, pull yourselves away from your cheetos and porn, and clean yourself off! GAH!
Bonus: At a tournament, I had someone report his opponent to me because he said he couldn't continue playing with the constant smell around. Before you start laughing: it was a really hot day. His opponent was REALLY fat and seemingly had a major problem with sweating.
I'm an overweight guy, and I was for 1 week in the 6th grade, the smelly kid (I hadn't quite grasped that I was blossoming into a beautiful young woman and as such my body was changing in funny ways, hair sprouting in places it hadn't before, and that I required more showers than I had in the past). It wasn't bad, but I was truly embarrassed because I didn't notice it, my religion teacher did (catholic school kid). Since then I've had a solid record of showering. The problem is that when I get competitive, a game is on the line, or it's just really fething warm, I sweat like melon fether, and yet I don't stink, but I always, especially when in confined space with other gamers, shower, put on a nice liberal layer of Old Spice Deodorant, and when I have it, some cologne (I'm out/finding a new scent).
I can certainly understand how the kids 11 to 12 can smell and not realize it, but anyone older should be dragged out and hosed down like Officer Farva in Super Troopers, especially adults. A shower takes 15 minutes tops, and keeps ya smelling fresh all day, pull yourselves away from your cheetos and porn, and clean yourself off! GAH!
I agree completely.
I'll note also there is a different smell from men who have been working out (or just working). They smell like sweat. These kids smell like ass and Doritoes. There's a difference.
but I always, especially when in confined space with other gamers, shower, put on a nice liberal layer of Old Spice Deodorant, and when I have it, some cologne (I'm out/finding a new scent).
So in a confined space you lather yourself in chemical scents in this day and age where outrageous numbers of people have heightened sensitivities to these things (such as myself and my wife) and, in some rare cases (case in point a very good friend of mine) such a sensitivity that it could kill them (this particular friend of mine was sent to the hospital and in intensive care for several days just because she went to the movies and someone walked past wearing a bucket-load of perfume)?
Awesome.
As much as the stench of unclean/unhygienic people may be an issue, chemical scents is just as much of an issue for many people and, frankly, just as inconsiderate.
I find it's their clothes not so much bodies that smell.
I used to live with a flat mate that had a distinct hum about him if you got too close. The berk would wash and shower and deodorise as much as anyone else but never dried his clothes properly after washing them.
That's what that damp anomia smell is.
It's worse with kids as they want to were the same tshirts all the time and grab them before they're dry.
Sweat doesn't always equal stink. Excessive sweating is a possible problem for diabetics. I happen to be diabetic and while I don't always have an issue with sweating, there are times when I can be drenched by the end of the game.
I NEVER have an issue with smell because I bathe, shower, deodorize, wash my clothes, etc. even in a small room with 4 other guys recording our podcast episodes.
That being said, we have a few tropes we refer to from time to time on our podcast and one of them is Stink Ass Dude because of one of the players I played in my first mini-tournament. Maybe he was having an off day, but he will live on in HittingOn3s infamy as the inspiration for Stink Ass Dude.
I think a pet peeve of mine is smelling good or atleast not to smell bad around others... In a small confined space with a bunch of other people, i can understand, and in fact would want, the others around me to have sustained some form of hygiene and cleansing practice of their clothes and bodies. Im not OCD about it all, but I just dont want to stand around with a bunch of guys that smell of BO and have a lack of laundry skills for several hours.
but I always, especially when in confined space with other gamers, shower, put on a nice liberal layer of Old Spice Deodorant, and when I have it, some cologne (I'm out/finding a new scent).
So in a confined space you lather yourself in chemical scents in this day and age where outrageous numbers of people have heightened sensitivities to these things (such as myself and my wife) and, in some rare cases (case in point a very good friend of mine) such a sensitivity that it could kill them (this particular friend of mine was sent to the hospital and in intensive care for several days just because she went to the movies and someone walked past wearing a bucket-load of perfume)?
Awesome.
As much as the stench of unclean/unhygienic people may be an issue, chemical scents is just as much of an issue for many people and, frankly, just as inconsiderate.
Man, damned if I do, damned if I don't.
1) Outrageous numbers is not a fact, it is as they say in the OT, an appeal to emotion. If you were to say, "95 million people in this country have sensitivities to fragrance products" then you might have a better leg to stand on, and even then... 2) Notice how you said rare cases. If we were to consider Fragrance Sensitivity a "rare" condition we would have to determine what constitutes a rare condition in the United States and the easiest would be to see what the FDA considers a rare disease, which is something that affects less than 200,000 people in the United States. So that means that out of the 316 million people that live in our country, the chances of my deodorant causing someone to go to the hospital is like you said... next to impossible.
While I have heard of people having issues with body sprays, perfumes, aftershaves and colognes, I have NEVER heard of anyone having a sensitivity to a deodorant they weren't wearing. I have a feeling you're finding more issue with my usage of cologne than my usage of deodorant, something I said I don't use because I'm out.
but I always, especially when in confined space with other gamers, shower, put on a nice liberal layer of Old Spice Deodorant, and when I have it, some cologne (I'm out/finding a new scent).
So in a confined space you lather yourself in chemical scents in this day and age where outrageous numbers of people have heightened sensitivities to these things (such as myself and my wife) and, in some rare cases (case in point a very good friend of mine) such a sensitivity that it could kill them (this particular friend of mine was sent to the hospital and in intensive care for several days just because she went to the movies and someone walked past wearing a bucket-load of perfume)?
Awesome.
As much as the stench of unclean/unhygienic people may be an issue, chemical scents is just as much of an issue for many people and, frankly, just as inconsiderate.
Hey if those people can't handle clean smelling freshness, then frankly they are in the shallow end of the gene pool and aren't fit to survive. Where's a cheetah when you need one.
(Sudden image of a cheetah running down a herd of cheeto stained gamers in the savannah) Yes!
but I always, especially when in confined space with other gamers, shower, put on a nice liberal layer of Old Spice Deodorant, and when I have it, some cologne (I'm out/finding a new scent).
So in a confined space you lather yourself in chemical scents in this day and age where outrageous numbers of people have heightened sensitivities to these things (such as myself and my wife) and, in some rare cases (case in point a very good friend of mine) such a sensitivity that it could kill them (this particular friend of mine was sent to the hospital and in intensive care for several days just because she went to the movies and someone walked past wearing a bucket-load of perfume)?
Awesome.
As much as the stench of unclean/unhygienic people may be an issue, chemical scents is just as much of an issue for many people and, frankly, just as inconsiderate.
Man, damned if I do, damned if I don't.
1) Outrageous numbers is not a fact, it is as they say in the OT, an appeal to emotion. If you were to say, "95 million people in this country have sensitivities to fragrance products" then you might have a better leg to stand on, and even then... 2) Notice how you said rare cases. If we were to consider Fragrance Sensitivity a "rare" condition we would have to determine what constitutes a rare condition in the United States and the easiest would be to see what the FDA considers a rare disease, which is something that affects less than 200,000 people in the United States. So that means that out of the 316 million people that live in our country, the chances of my deodorant causing someone to go to the hospital is like you said... next to impossible.
While I have heard of people having issues with body sprays, perfumes, aftershaves and colognes, I have NEVER heard of anyone having a sensitivity to a deodorant they weren't wearing. I have a feeling you're finding more issue with my usage of cologne than my usage of deodorant, something I said I don't use because I'm out.
Yes, it is the usage of cologne moreso than deodorant. Deodorant generally does not cause issues because people (generally) do not stick their nose in your armpits. Cologne on the other hand (and perfumes) are frequently worn so heavily that you can smell them several feet away.
As for the numbers, because it is "next to impossible" (but still possible) you have no issue with causing others undue physical distress? Good to know. Rare or not, probability, etc, is irrelevant. People do have sensitivities to chemical scents. Most often the result is a severe migrane (which is certainly worse than dealing with people who just "smell bad" in my own experience .. you can leave that behind, you cannot leave the migrane behind) rather than anything worse. Does that make it ok?
You don't use cologne because you're out? For now, sure. That is a temporary statement. It implies that, sometime in the (probably near) future you will no longer be out of cologne and will again be wearing it. I have no issue with cologne, when worn in small amounts (you really should not notice it unless you are so close to the person that you're kissing them). People don't wear it in such small amounts though. It makes leaving the house a horrible experience for many people. Numbers are irrelevant. You WILL find people with a sensitivity of varying degrees. They WILL be affected.
The fact of the matter is, people who wear too much of a chemical scent are just as bad as those who smell bad because of a lack of hygene, or worse. By all means, wear cologne/perfumes. Just wear them responsibly in consideration of your fellow human beings (just as you would request that those with poor hygene consider their fellow human beings). THAT is the entire point of my reply.
The thing is that it's not kids who tend to smell this way, but grown men. We all known the type, straggly breads, greasy hair and the same stained t-shirts/combats trousers combo that they wear for 4-5 days straight. We are no talking about a slight smell either, we are talking about the sorts of smells that a normal person could only emit after a week of not washing in hot weather.
I know there is the stereotype of the anti social misfit gamer, which I generally attempt to fight, but you can’t ignore the fact that a significant minority of gamers do fit in with it.
All houses have running water and shower gel and deodorant is available in pound shops. There is no excuse to be smelly these days. It’s simply a sign of selfishness and lack of self respect.
but I always, especially when in confined space with other gamers, shower, put on a nice liberal layer of Old Spice Deodorant, and when I have it, some cologne (I'm out/finding a new scent).
So in a confined space you lather yourself in chemical scents in this day and age where outrageous numbers of people have heightened sensitivities to these things (such as myself and my wife) and, in some rare cases (case in point a very good friend of mine) such a sensitivity that it could kill them (this particular friend of mine was sent to the hospital and in intensive care for several days just because she went to the movies and someone walked past wearing a bucket-load of perfume)?
Awesome.
As much as the stench of unclean/unhygienic people may be an issue, chemical scents is just as much of an issue for many people and, frankly, just as inconsiderate.
Hey if those people can't handle clean smelling freshness, then frankly they are in the shallow end of the gene pool and aren't fit to survive. Where's a cheetah when you need one.
(Sudden image of a cheetah running down a herd of cheeto stained gamers in the savannah) Yes!
Really? It's not the clean that is a complaint .. it's chemicals.
People that over-use cologne (teens with axe body spray, old ladies at the mall) are just as painful to me as gamer funk kid (the teen/pre-teen with moldy clothes).
Both should be shunned. Or simply told that they need to work on their smell.
In college (and high school) there were lots of boys that thought cologne was a replacement for showering instead of something you added after showering. Good times.
Short answer, tell the kiddos to clean up their act, and if you must wear cologne, do so sparingly.
but I always, especially when in confined space with other gamers, shower, put on a nice liberal layer of Old Spice Deodorant, and when I have it, some cologne (I'm out/finding a new scent).
So in a confined space you lather yourself in chemical scents in this day and age where outrageous numbers of people have heightened sensitivities to these things (such as myself and my wife) and, in some rare cases (case in point a very good friend of mine) such a sensitivity that it could kill them (this particular friend of mine was sent to the hospital and in intensive care for several days just because she went to the movies and someone walked past wearing a bucket-load of perfume)?
Awesome.
As much as the stench of unclean/unhygienic people may be an issue, chemical scents is just as much of an issue for many people and, frankly, just as inconsiderate.
Hey if those people can't handle clean smelling freshness, then frankly they are in the shallow end of the gene pool and aren't fit to survive. Where's a cheetah when you need one.
(Sudden image of a cheetah running down a herd of cheeto stained gamers in the savannah) Yes!
Really? It's not the clean that is a complaint .. it's chemicals.
Rorschach9 wrote: As for the numbers, because it is "next to impossible" (but still possible) you have no issue with causing others undue physical distress? Good to know. Rare or not, probability, etc, is irrelevant. People do have sensitivities to chemical scents. Most often the result is a severe migrane (which is certainly worse than dealing with people who just "smell bad" in my own experience .. you can leave that behind, you cannot leave the migrane behind) rather than anything worse. Does that make it ok?
If I'm causing someone duress with my cologne they better be adult enough to tell me. If they sit in agony because they can smell my cologne and are having adverse affects by it and they don't tell me, then it becomes their fault. How can I fix something if I don't know I'm doing something wrong?
You don't use cologne because you're out? For now, sure. That is a temporary statement. It implies that, sometime in the (probably near) future you will no longer be out of cologne and will again be wearing it. I have no issue with cologne, when worn in small amounts (you really should not notice it unless you are so close to the person that you're kissing them). People don't wear it in such small amounts though. It makes leaving the house a horrible experience for many people. Numbers are irrelevant. You WILL find people with a sensitivity of varying degrees. They WILL be affected.
I've been out for 2 years, I haven't been able to find the cologne I used, and I haven't found something that I enjoy the smell of, and that works with my body's natural chemicals. When I did have it, it was 1 mist into the air that I would walk into. I would then put on my undershirt and my t-shirt/dress shirt. No one ever complained of me really swimming in my cologne. And I can see why you would think I would be getting some more in the near future, I didn't say how long I've been out though. No harm no foul. I do agree that people to wear too much should be told to tone it down, that's my main reason with Axe body spray, is that people live in that gak.
The fact of the matter is, people who wear too much of a chemical scent are just as bad as those who smell bad because of a lack of hygene, or worse. By all means, wear cologne/perfumes. Just wear them responsibly in consideration of your fellow human beings (just as you would request that those with poor hygene consider their fellow human beings). THAT is the entire point of my reply.
Would have been a fantastic point to have made in your original post instead of attacking me for being a horrible human for not considering that my deodorant or cologne is attacking someone's sensitive nose
Automatically Appended Next Post:
kronk wrote: People that over-use cologne (teens with axe body spray, old ladies at the mall) are just as painful to me as gamer funk kid (the teen/pre-teen with moldy clothes).
Both should be shunned. Or simply told that they need to work on their smell.
In college (and high school) there were lots of boys that thought cologne was a replacement for showering instead of something you added after showering. Good times.
Short answer, tell the kiddos to clean up their act, and if you must wear cologne, do so sparingly.
Dammit Kronk take your logic elsewhere, this is Dakka afterall!
If I'm causing someone duress with my cologne they better be adult enough to tell me. If they sit in agony because they can smell my cologne and are having adverse affects by it and they don't tell me, then it becomes their fault. How can I fix something if I don't know I'm doing something wrong?
In the majority of cases it doesn't take any time for the problems to hit. Merely walking past someone with a sensitivity can be enough to bring on issues. Are those people going to stop you ("you" as in anyone wearing too much of a scent) and say "Hey, tone down the cologne would you, you just caused me a migrane"? People just aren't like that. I personally have many times, but I'm not fool enough to think that just anyone will. Usually it's met with anger of some level, no matter how polite you are about it.
The fact of the matter is, people who wear too much of a chemical scent are just as bad as those who smell bad because of a lack of hygene, or worse. By all means, wear cologne/perfumes. Just wear them responsibly in consideration of your fellow human beings (just as you would request that those with poor hygene consider their fellow human beings). THAT is the entire point of my reply.
Would have been a fantastic point to have made in your original post instead of attacking me for being a horrible human for not considering that my deodorant or cologne is attacking someone's sensitive nose
It would have, but I was rushing and have a tendancy to not make myself perfectly clear when I'm writing on forums. I apologize if that's the impression given out. It wasn't meant to be, but rather a PSA of sorts regarding chemical scents and the way people bathe in them.
What is the percentage of the population who suffer migraine from scent vs the percentage of the population who suffer repulsion at gamers smelling of knob cheese?
Poor Spock here fell victim to the smell of a rank gamer's miasma and explains why we should all shower every day...
If I'm causing someone duress with my cologne they better be adult enough to tell me. If they sit in agony because they can smell my cologne and are having adverse affects by it and they don't tell me, then it becomes their fault. How can I fix something if I don't know I'm doing something wrong?
In the majority of cases it doesn't take any time for the problems to hit. Merely walking past someone with a sensitivity can be enough to bring on issues. Are those people going to stop you ("you" as in anyone wearing too much of a scent) and say "Hey, tone down the cologne would you, you just caused me a migrane"? People just aren't like that. I personally have many times, but I'm not fool enough to think that just anyone will. Usually it's met with anger of some level, no matter how polite you are about it.
We are and have been talking about people in confined spaces that we game with yes? These are generally people you know far more than just someone that walks by you in a movie theatre. If people tend to wear too much, and need to tone it down, it's more of an issue with people not wanting to seem like they smell bad so they swim in the stuff instead of being just a gamer issue.
It would have, but I was rushing and have a tendancy to not make myself perfectly clear when I'm writing on forums. I apologize if that's the impression given out. It wasn't meant to be, but rather a PSA of sorts regarding chemical scents and the way people bathe in them.
MeanGreenStompa wrote: What is the percentage of the population who suffer migraine from scent vs the percentage of the population who suffer repulsion at gamers smelling of knob cheese?
Dunno, but on perfume allergies, Wackipedia says 1.7-4.1%. I'll let the article speak for itself as I'll probably mince the meaning.
cologne sets off my Mother's asthma, quite severely...
she better watch her back for that cheetah...
most cleaning products give me an instant headache...
the plastic fires people love to burn here in Mexico give me a migrane...
come at me, cheetah...
the smell of burning weed is one of my favorite smells in the world...
the cheetah agrees...
after i broke my arm and back on a 20 foot wave in Costa Rica, i put on a lot of weight...
when i was heavy, i noticed that my sweat reeked...
now that i'm back in shape, my sweat doesn't smell so tangy...
shoulda got me while i was fat, cheetah...
all joking aside, Gamer Funk is easy to remedy with a shower, and some clean clothes...
the problem is, most of the offenders don't care...
it's not like we go to the flgs to meet girls...
conventions are where all that action goes down...
maybe GenCon should put Star Wars soap on a rope in the swag bag this year (there's a Han Solo shower joke in there somewhere)...
Is the real issue the stinky neckbeards, teens, etc, or is it the gaming community who collectively (both gamers and shop owners/staff) fail repeatedly to enforce and encourage mature standards of behavior and bating.
Maybe a no-stink sign is a good thing, but are we doing our part to verbaly encourage our peers toward acceptable behavior, or do we just go to forums and gripe about the smell?
On a different tack, the Cologne debate seems like a bit of a smokescreen.I've encountered alot of folks with too much cologne, but none of them were at a FLGS.
Yes, I think we can all agree that too much Cologne is a bad thing, and such a person should be discouraged from doing so. However, someone with a severe cologne allergy is likely to be so sensitive that any scent of cologne is going to set off their immune system. Are we going to ban all cologne from the FLGS. I don't think so.
I loathe the smells of the unwashed masses. I am a husky sorta guy like many gamers and can work up a smell especially after a long hot day but personal hygiene comes before games. My longtime girlfriend and mother of my 2 kids gives me a hard time when I get ready to go to the FLGS, that I am “getting ready for a hot date.” I also have a handle bar mustache and a beard. This doesn’t sound important but to have my mustache looking presentable grooming is a must on the daily.
Maybe a no-stink sign is a good thing, but are we doing our part to encourage our peers toward acceptable behavior, or do we just go to forums and gripe about it?
I think we should all wear a t-shirt at tournaments, game stores, and conventions with such slogans as "Wash your ass daily!" and "Put on new socks every day!" I think it might help get the word out.
the smell of burning weed is one of my favorite smells in the world...
the cheetah agrees...
I was fascinated to come to America to discover that weed does indeed smell like skunk. I don't consider it a terrible smell, just a strong one like frying onion or tarmac. The smell we're all talking about here is unchanged clothes and funk smell on a human being who has not showered or changed clothing in more than one day. It's particularly strong on men but I also met a girl the other day at our nearby store who came in for a magic game (which seems to attract a gamer of an even lower social dysfunction than our hobby) and smelled like tuna left in the sun.
Take a shower every day, use soap or something to clean, ensure you are cleaning the difficult to reach bits, put on clean clothes.
Maybe a no-stink sign is a good thing, but are we doing our part to encourage our peers toward acceptable behavior, or do we just go to forums and gripe about it?
I think we should all wear a t-shirt at tournaments, game stores, and conventions with such slogans as "Wash your ass daily!" and "Put on new socks every day!" I think it might help get the word out.
A humorous suggestion to be sure, but essentially still a cop-out that lets us avoid potential confrontation.
I was thinking more about the more socially intimidating step of gamers politely drawing stinky gamers aside and letting them know they smell and -if the confront-er is a FLGS employee- letting them know that they need to fix it if they are going to frequent the FLGS.
It may be a tall order for a group of people who don't tend to be the most socially assertive, to step right into an awkward social situation, but if a person doesn't know they stink, a sign isn't going to get their attention.
I was thinking more about the more socially intimidating step of gamers politely drawing stinky gamers aside and letting them know they smell and -if the confront-er is a FLGS employee- letting them know that they need to fix it if they are going to frequent the FLGS.
That's the more adult approach, and one that people should be taking.
MeanGreenStompa wrote: ... It's particularly strong on men but I also met a girl the other day at our nearby store who came in for a magic game (which seems to attract a gamer of an even lower social dysfunction than our hobby) and smelled like tuna left in the sun. ...
That is tragic. I always believed that more women in the hobby would help reduce the funk instances - apparently not...
Of course in rare cases people smell bad for genuinely medical reasons they just can't help (I knew of somebody stuck with the issue below and I'm sure there are others)
I was thinking more about the more socially intimidating step of gamers politely drawing stinky gamers aside and letting them know they smell and -if the confront-er is a FLGS employee- letting them know that they need to fix it if they are going to frequent the FLGS.
That's the more adult approach, and one that people should be taking.
I would like to claim the adult approach would be taken at my FLGS, but sadly we would ridicule the kids that smell and make fun of them till they left.
MeanGreenStompa wrote: It's particularly strong on men but I also met a girl the other day at our nearby store who came in for a magic game (which seems to attract a gamer of an even lower social dysfunction than our hobby) and smelled like tuna left in the sun.
Take a shower every day, use soap or something to clean, ensure you are cleaning the difficult to reach bits, put on clean clothes.
My FLGS relegates card gamers to the basement of his store, that way the main floor is quieter, cleaner, and smells a million times better. I walked downstairs on Friday night to put away our terrain, and it stunk like hot sweaty butt mixed with a hint of jock strap and... I think a zest of McDonalds. I opened the door to the room the terrain is stored in, and my nostrils were assaulted by the above scents AND sharp onion and garlic. Also the glares from the kids as I had interrupted w/e they were doing. I left the door to that room open so it could air out (as I had more terrain to put away), and as I walked away, they slammed the door. When I went back down, I opened the door again, and as I put terrain away, I said. "Guys, I'm sure you want your privacy for your game, but it reeks to high heavens in here, and I was trying to air it out because some of us have terrain and models we store in here. We'll give you the privacy you wish if you can give us the cleanliness we wish."
They weren't too thrilled with my words, and slammed the door again after I left the room.
There are definitely a few distinct categories of people you'll find with problems like these.
1. Smelly Kids: Either ignorance or overly permissive parents, has led them to a hygiene-deficient existence. They need deodorant, rarely bathe, and believe that faring in cramped public places is a god-given right.
2. The Sweaty Dude: The sweaty dude doesn't exactly smell, and, in fact, may be acutely aware of his hygiene. However, if the temperature is even slightly above normal, he'll be instantly drenched in sweat. It's not his fault, but short of swimming in antiperspirant there's not much that can be done.
3. The Bachelor: Moving out of his parent's house/away to college has granted The Bachelor, the ultimate freedom. With no one to remind/force him to pay attention to his hygiene, he will neglect bathing, washing his clothes, brushing his teeth, and consuming anything other than pizza, ramen and mt. dew. Eventually such people will either discover that most others dislike their newfound stench, and start bathing at least once a week, or go fully over to nurgle.
Rainyday wrote:2. The Sweaty Dude: The sweaty dude doesn't exactly smell, and, in fact, may be acutely aware of his hygiene. However, if the temperature is even slightly above normal, he'll be instantly drenched in sweat. It's not his fault, but short of swimming in antiperspirant there's not much that can be done.
I sweat at room temperature... I've taken in the past 2 years to wearing an undershirt to mop up anything that might leak out of my body in such a fashion and carrying a paper towel or rag in my gaming back to wipe sweat from my brow.
ArbitorIan wrote:To be honest, it not just the lack of washing or the size, but probably something to do with all those Cheetos and Mountain Dew...
This, I have found that I sweat less smelling odors since changing my diet. I'm still an overweight guy (need more exercise to shed the weight), but a steady diet of fruits, leafy greens/dark green veggies, chicken, fish, and turkey have led to me not getting the meat sweats or anything else associated with bad diet.
angel of ecstasy wrote: I don't think it's fair that good decent people have to suffer and get harassed over other peoples OCD.
"Cleeaan. Everything must be cleeaan. Everything smells! Everything stinks! Must cleeeaaan!"
I'm with you on this. I've been playing this game for roughly 13 years up and down the East coast and I've yet to encounter this mythical beast known as the smelly gamer. Maybe I've just been extremely lucky to have dodged the legions of players with heinous, intolerable odors, though this sounds like a case of hypersensitive noses more than anything else.
Having just been to a show I can exhalt that sign to non end. ...Its a kind of ...ah... ...spicy? smell that they omit. Whatever it is its in no way warranted. It require's feth all effort to have a shower x amount of days a week or even, heaven forbid, spray deodorant on yourself.
It was so bad at that show that my friend started calling people on it. Though he'd been having to deal with it for two hours without any fresh air like I had, and said people were also typically pretty rude.
Calling them on its probably not polite, but really, its one of the basic social practices (though perhaps they're all secretly larping as Tudors). =P
I'm with you on this. I've been playing this game for roughly 13 years up and down the East coast and I've yet to encounter this mythical beast known as the smelly gamer. Maybe I've just been extremely lucky to have dodged the legions of players with heinous, intolerable odors, though this sounds like a case of hypersensitive noses more than anything else.
I was at an Ard Boys tourney here at a GW in the STL area, when I noticed that the guy behind me had the worst smelling pits. It had been a long hot day and, thankfully, we were near the end. I figured I could power through it.
Every time I moved, though, he seemed to be moving with me.
It wasn't until I had my hands full with models and went to scratch my itching nose with my forearm that I realized it was MY pits.
When I showered that morning, in a hurry, I simply forgot my antiperspirant. :shocked:
Guess who stopped by the store right after leaving the store?
Ugh.
I realized in my early 20's that deodorant just wouldn't work for me. My pits will exude a funk like you wouldn't believe, no matter how clean I am, when I start sweating. I have to use antiperspirant/deodorant to keep from sweating, or the effort is useless.
Sadly, there are not enough people in the world who realize they need ANTIPERSPIRANT, instead of DEODORANT.
One of my friends showed up to the game store I used to work at and suggested to another guy and me that the owner needed to start putting bars of soap in the prize bag for Magic tournaments. A Magic player came down as soon as he left, flew into a rage and swore to beat the crap out of him if he ever said something like that again. The owner then agreed with the Magic player and said that the local cop who works out at the YMCA before gaming and the smokers all smell worse than the non-bathers. It's truly pathetic. We didn't have any gaming funk WH players, but 90% of the M:tG players smelled after an hour of sitting.
timetowaste85 wrote: One of my friends showed up to the game store I used to work at and suggested to another guy and me that the owner needed to start putting bars of soap in the prize bag for Magic tournaments. A Magic player came down as soon as he left, flew into a rage and swore to beat the crap out of him if he ever said something like that again. The owner then agreed with the Magic player and said that the local cop who works out at the YMCA before gaming and the smokers all smell worse than the non-bathers. It's truly pathetic. We didn't have any gaming funk WH players, but 90% of the M:tG players smelled after an hour of sitting.
The issue I'm seeing with what the store owner said revolves around the fact that Magic players keep the lights on and the doors open. These are people that will spend just randomly 20 bucks at the chance they get a single card. Then they do this for a few months, and when a new set drops they spend 25 to 50 bucks at pre-release, and then at least a hundred bucks on release night hoping to get the cards they need... That's more money in the store owner's pocket. And a 6x4 table can hold more MTG players than it will 40k/WHFB/WM/Malifaux/Infinity/etc... I mean assume that a player spends 50 dollars a month on tournaments and single booster packs, and then once every four months drops 150 dollars on fat packs, tournaments, and single boosters. In a single year, that 1 player will spend 900 dollars on JUST boosters, tournaments, and fat packs. I mean you can add in more money for buying singles from the store, and you're breaking a thousand dollars per magic player with ease. I know my store has at least 15 magic players that spend that kind of money in a year, and another 10 that spend maybe half that. So that's 22,500 in a year. While I have no numbers to back this up, simply my observations, the links here, here, and here suggest that I might not be too far off the mark .
So if you've got 22 grand coming into your store (not profit), and your 10 wargamers spend maybe 500 dollars each in a year at your store, then who are you going to cater to? The people that bring more money or less money into your store?
As disgusting as we may find some magic players, they help keep our stores open so we can continue to play. I realize I was deriding them a few posts ago, but I'm not a store owner, I don't have to cater to the magic players. Not saying I agree with that store owner, simply staying as to why he may have said what he said.
Rainyday wrote: With no one to remind/force him to pay attention to his hygiene, he will neglect bathing, washing his clothes, brushing his teeth, and consuming anything other than pizza, ramen and mt. dew.
Have we met?
I've been living like that for the past 9 years. However, in my defence, I did live with several strippers for a year. So I couldn't have been that bad.
No I live with a friend and his girlfriend. She showers for about an hour and 20 minutes everyday. Then she spends 2 hours getting her make-up on and combing her incredibly long hair.
If she has to work at 1pm and there is a tournement I want to go to at 11am, I have to wake up around 9 to get ready to leave the house. I go to bed at 5am (I work nights).
Usually I got to a tourney with brushed teeth and some Brute.
As much as I agree with the message of the sign, this seems like a REALLY bad message to sent to curious highstreet shoppers. Sure, most people coming in will probably already know a bit about your products, but it seems dumb to have it in the window
This exact sign (probably the source of the image) is at Pegasus Games in Madison, WI. Here's my take on the sign: If you think of this in terms of class and acculturation it makes sense. In Madison you have a slew of stores to go to. The Last Square ( a favorite among war gammers), Misty Mountain ( a favorite among Magic players), and Neutral Groud (Magic but might have the name wrong) are where all the very competitive players gather at. Those players are more likely to spend money to get things to make their army/deck better and to spend more money you have to have a decent paying job. I might be pigeon holing here but the only place left for less income and advancement driven players to gather is Pegasus Games. Good hygienic behavior in the professional world are almost assumed; those who are lower income (and by rights less competitive) are less likely to value good hygienic routines. As I said, not to put down Pegasus players but when you look at the theoretical data and the climate of Madison you begin to see the supportive pattern.
Then again, back in the UK, in Bristol, there was a guy we called 'wheezy pete', sweatpants, old woolen sweater, long rank hair, neck beard, wrist support and baseball cap. Now that mutha stank, he'd come into the shop to stand at the narrowest point in the store, telling tall tales of cooking sausages with electrodes and how he uses great old ral partha minis so doesn't need to buy anything. His smell was utterly toxic and would linger in the store for hours after he'd finally left.
Every store has at least 1 like this. My local had a guy given the nickname "Dog gak Dave"; who's name was quite self-explanatory. I remember one of the staffers actually ask him straight up if he's been bathing in sewage.
We had another guy who smelled really bad and dressed like an old 70's/80's punk and for some reason kept putting on a John Lydon voice. Good lord that guy was as annoying as he was smelly.
Then we had one last guy whose name escapes me right now. Apparently him and his housemates managed to fill up their entire back garden with bin bags full of rubbish. So much so the council had to come clear it out due to complaints about the smell. So we can see what kind of hygiene he'd keep. I found it incredibly funny and ironic when he relocated to Bath! (Yes, really)
MagickalMemories wrote: I realized in my early 20's that deodorant just wouldn't work for me. My pits will exude a funk like you wouldn't believe, no matter how clean I am, when I start sweating. I have to use antiperspirant/deodorant to keep from sweating, or the effort is useless.
Sadly, there are not enough people in the world who realize they need ANTIPERSPIRANT, instead of DEODORANT.
Eric
Yeah, this is basically how I am. I learned early to use anti perspirant, and haven't since had an issue.
Though I primarly get sweaty drom drinking. I have no idea why - as soon as alcohol hits my mouth, I start sweating.
My wife refuses to go to one of our LGSs on Friday because it is magic night.
Honestly, I don't think there's really a good reason for an adult (18+) to smell like gak. But then again, I know when I've got a bit of stank going on and am self aware enough to not want to subject someone else to It. I guess I just don't get how there are folks that can't also recognize when they smell like ass.
MagickalMemories wrote: What? I'm just 'fessing up.
I mean, this IS the Dakka confessional and everything I say here is private and just between us.
Right?... Right?...
RIGHT?
Eric
Absolutely. Just us, and our lawyers from Brit Con Ltd. A Cease and Desist will be issued to you shortly
At my local store, Im scared to go on card days.
The stink it is horrible.
I always treat going to a game like im going on a date, I wear nice clothes(Aka, the ones without bleach and grease stains) and my good hat.
hotsauceman1 wrote: I always treat going to a game like im going on a date, I wear nice clothes(Aka, the ones without bleach and grease stains) and my good hat.
You sound like the kind of person I'd want to play.
There's a hygine requirement in the floor ground rules that AEG uses for their CCG tournies, players that reek upon arrival can be asked to leave and not allowed to particpate. (and its been envoked more than you'd think) . On top of that our cardgame TO often brought a bottle of freebreeze with him to events and would ocassionally blast somebody with it if they were particuarly heavy on body odor. The bottle was on hand for several years at gencon.
It often prompted a "hey wtf man?" comment and he'd reply "wtf dude you stink! and if you show up smelling like this next time you won't play" (and the TO was dead serious). Rude perhaps, but no less rude than some stinky bastage showing up and reeking while seated in between a bunch of other people tring to concentrate. Some people need a reminder that hygine shouldn't be passed on and if you can't meet an acceptable like the rest of society then you shouldn't be allowed to participate.
One of my local group was ejected twice before he got the point. He would often work a 16 hour shift and then drive 4-6 hours to the event without even the forethought to bring a fresh shirt. He'd do a double shift because he refused to take any time off at work despite having a stock pile of vacation time, his work even had showers available in their lockeroom which he likewise passed on. If you can manage to plan to take a weekend off to game, and are commited to spending several hundred dollars to cover gas hotels food and tourney enterance how is it you somehow can't fit in a 5 minute window to take a hooker's bath in a washroom before the event starts? (wash in the sink) He knew he reeked but he simply didn't care, and thus I had no sympathy for when he was blasted with the bottle then ejected.
People sweat under the stress of events or the room tempature that's not controllable. However showing up before the event begins reeking like a dead cat on a sumemr day is an avoidable situation, it's called soap, water, and a fresh shirt, seriously it's not too hard. (these same smelly gamers wonder why girls avoid them like the plague, go figure)
Bonus: At a tournament, I had someone report his opponent to me because he said he couldn't continue playing with the constant smell around. Before you start laughing: it was a really hot day. His opponent was REALLY fat and seemingly had a major problem with sweating.
I'm an overweight guy, and I was for 1 week in the 6th grade, the smelly kid (I hadn't quite grasped that I was blossoming into a beautiful young woman and as such my body was changing in funny ways, hair sprouting in places it hadn't before, and that I required more showers than I had in the past). It wasn't bad, but I was truly embarrassed because I didn't notice it, my religion teacher did (catholic school kid). Since then I've had a solid record of showering. The problem is that when I get competitive, a game is on the line, or it's just really fething warm, I sweat like melon fether, and yet I don't stink, but I always, especially when in confined space with other gamers, shower, put on a nice liberal layer of Old Spice Deodorant, and when I have it, some cologne (I'm out/finding a new scent).
I can certainly understand how the kids 11 to 12 can smell and not realize it, but anyone older should be dragged out and hosed down like Officer Farva in Super Troopers, especially adults. A shower takes 15 minutes tops, and keeps ya smelling fresh all day, pull yourselves away from your cheetos and porn, and clean yourself off! GAH!
I agree completely.
I'll note also there is a different smell from men who have been working out (or just working). They smell like sweat. These kids smell like ass and Doritoes. There's a difference.
, I'm 17 and ive known people like this for years . Stale sweat, and other gross stuff. They just don't wash, and for some reason they refuse to use deodorant (i think its a combination of laziness and.....i dunno).
I'm overweight and also have the same problem with sweating when shiz gets intense, but i don't stink. That only happens when you don't bathe and deodorize
( I also had a week or so when i was younger when i started smelling really bad but i picked up on it and shut it down.)
However, in my experience the Magic Players have the same ratio of smelly people as the wargamers, Just more of them in the room at the same time
LuciusAR wrote: The thing is that it's not kids who tend to smell this way, but grown men. We all known the type, straggly breads, greasy hair and the same stained t-shirts/combats trousers combo that they wear for 4-5 days straight. We are no talking about a slight smell either, we are talking about the sorts of smells that a normal person could only emit after a week of not washing in hot weather.
I know there is the stereotype of the anti social misfit gamer, which I generally attempt to fight, but you can’t ignore the fact that a significant minority of gamers do fit in with it.
All houses have running water and shower gel and deodorant is available in pound shops. There is no excuse to be smelly these days. It’s simply a sign of selfishness and lack of self respect.
Thats been my experience. Its more the old fatbeards that are the ones reeking of sour milk and cigarette smoke.
Here's the deal bout sweat, though: very rarely does fresh sweat really "stink." If you haven't showered before sweating, whatever is sticking around on your body or in your pores is what comes wafting out. All that ass-stank you haven't washed out for a while? The sweat exasperates it.
This is why rugby scrums often smell like bar bathrooms.
And honestly, a de-stinking shower really isn't hard. You hit the trifecta (ass, balls, armpits) and you're typically good to go.
Rainyday wrote: With no one to remind/force him to pay attention to his hygiene, he will neglect bathing, washing his clothes, brushing his teeth, and consuming anything other than pizza, ramen and mt. dew.
Have we met?
I've been living like that for the past 9 years. However, in my defence, I did live with several strippers for a year. So I couldn't have been that bad.
I'm not sure that's an incredibly high hurdle to clear, given the clientele they deal with on a daily basis...
I can't do anything about anybody else but I am OCD about not stinking. I shower every day and twice when I go to game night. I use bar soap becuase I don't feel clean after using liquid soap i just feel slimy. Wash your hair and brush your teeth. Most important don't put back on stinky clothes.
paulson games wrote: There's a hygine requirement in the floor ground rules that AEG uses for their CCG tournies, players that reek upon arrival can be asked to leave and not allowed to particpate. (and its been envoked more than you'd think) . On top of that our cardgame TO often brought a bottle of freebreeze with him to events and would ocassionally blast somebody with it if they were particuarly heavy on body odor. The bottle was on hand for several years at gencon.
This is a really good policy. It may seem a bit harsh at first, but I bet the learning curve is really short, you don't get many re-offenders.
While the real stankers need to go, a quick blast of fabreeze freshens up the slightly-stinky, gives him a reminder for next time and makes life better for everyone else.
Try living on a tank for a month or two at a time when you and the other three crew members are spending between 22-23 hours a day on and in the tank. You learn that brushing teeth, taking a whore's bath and using antiperspirant are critical tasks. By the end of the field problem/gunnery/deployment your uniforms can stand on their own, your socks have developed personalities (and not good ones) and your funk bothers even yourself. One guy has feet that smell like burnt BBQ Corn Nutz, one guy spills his spit bottle of dip juice into the turret subfloor by accident, MRE flatulence has coated the inside of the turret in a greasy layer, and the grime from hydraulic fluid, JP4, mud, dust, gun powder takes weeks to scrub out of your hands.
If a stinky gamer once in a while is all you have to deal with, you are blessed.
Hey if those people can't handle clean smelling freshness, then frankly they are in the shallow end of the gene pool and aren't fit to survive. Where's a cheetah when you need one.
(Sudden image of a cheetah running down a herd of cheeto stained gamers in Savannah) Yes!
Can't help with a cheetah, but I can sic my Bull Terrier on them if they are in the Savannah area.
angel of ecstasy wrote: I don't think it's fair that good decent people have to suffer and get harassed over other peoples OCD.
"Cleeaan. Everything must be cleeaan. Everything smells! Everything stinks! Must cleeeaaan!"
I'm with you on this. I've been playing this game for roughly 13 years up and down the East coast and I've yet to encounter this mythical beast known as the smelly gamer. Maybe I've just been extremely lucky to have dodged the legions of players with heinous, intolerable odors, though this sounds like a case of hypersensitive noses more than anything else.
Alfndrate wrote: As disgusting as we may find some magic players, they help keep our stores open so we can continue to play.
Best summary of the role of MtG in the table top ecosystem that I have ever read. This thread is truly full of, how do you say, refreshing comments!
So, you're saying they're like the slime molds, worms and such that break down organic material so that the plants can grow that the animals eat....the circle of gaming life.
CptJake wrote: Try living on a tank for a month or two at a time when you and the other three crew members are spending between 22-23 hours a day on and in the tank. You learn that brushing teeth, taking a whore's bath and using antiperspirant are critical tasks. By the end of the field problem/gunnery/deployment your uniforms can stand on their own, your socks have developed personalities (and not good ones) and your funk bothers even yourself. One guy has feet that smell like burnt BBQ Corn Nutz, one guy spills his spit bottle of dip juice into the turret subfloor by accident, MRE flatulence has coated the inside of the turret in a greasy layer, and the grime from hydraulic fluid, JP4, mud, dust, gun powder takes weeks to scrub out of your hands.
If a stinky gamer once in a while is all you have to deal with, you are blessed.
*Sigh* I hate that argument "You have never been in war or lived in barracks, so you cant complain"
Its like saying "Dude, you have never been shot, you shouldnt complain about having that knife in your foot"
You go to a place where you cannot take regular baths, so that is expected.
If im going to a Wargame tournament, or card game, Im not going to assume the guy im playing just came from a warzone in iraq to the game, He probably came from home or work where he can shower.
CptJake wrote: Try living on a tank for a month or two at a time when you and the other three crew members are spending between 22-23 hours a day on and in the tank. You learn that brushing teeth, taking a whore's bath and using antiperspirant are critical tasks. By the end of the field problem/gunnery/deployment your uniforms can stand on their own, your socks have developed personalities (and not good ones) and your funk bothers even yourself. One guy has feet that smell like burnt BBQ Corn Nutz, one guy spills his spit bottle of dip juice into the turret subfloor by accident, MRE flatulence has coated the inside of the turret in a greasy layer, and the grime from hydraulic fluid, JP4, mud, dust, gun powder takes weeks to scrub out of your hands.
If a stinky gamer once in a while is all you have to deal with, you are blessed.
*Sigh* I hate that argument "You have never been in war or lived in barracks, so you cant complain"
Its like saying "Dude, you have never been shot, you shouldnt complain about having that knife in your foot"
You go to a place where you cannot take regular baths, so that is expected.
If im going to a Wargame tournament, or card game, Im not going to assume the guy im playing just came from a warzone in iraq to the game, He probably came from home or work where he can shower.
*sigh* I never said you can't complain, I tried to show that there are similar if not worse smell offences out there and it is not unique to gaming. *sigh*
Saldiven wrote: So, you're saying they're like the slime molds, worms and such that break down organic material so that the plants can grow that the animals eat....the circle of gaming life.
Pretty much, yes. They are an integral if disgusting part of our ecosystem.
Automatically Appended Next Post:
CptJake wrote: If a stinky gamer once in a while is all you have to deal with, you are blessed.
I don't know why anyone should consider themselves blessed for needing to put up with a lack of hygiene when said lack is totally unreasonable.
but I always, especially when in confined space with other gamers, shower, put on a nice liberal layer of Old Spice Deodorant, and when I have it, some cologne (I'm out/finding a new scent).
So in a confined space you lather yourself in chemical scents in this day and age where outrageous numbers of people have heightened sensitivities to these things (such as myself and my wife) and, in some rare cases (case in point a very good friend of mine) such a sensitivity that it could kill them (this particular friend of mine was sent to the hospital and in intensive care for several days just because she went to the movies and someone walked past wearing a bucket-load of perfume)?
Awesome.
As much as the stench of unclean/unhygienic people may be an issue, chemical scents is just as much of an issue for many people and, frankly, just as inconsiderate.
Man, damned if I do, damned if I don't.
1) Outrageous numbers is not a fact, it is as they say in the OT, an appeal to emotion. If you were to say, "95 million people in this country have sensitivities to fragrance products" then you might have a better leg to stand on, and even then... 2) Notice how you said rare cases. If we were to consider Fragrance Sensitivity a "rare" condition we would have to determine what constitutes a rare condition in the United States and the easiest would be to see what the FDA considers a rare disease, which is something that affects less than 200,000 people in the United States. So that means that out of the 316 million people that live in our country, the chances of my deodorant causing someone to go to the hospital is like you said... next to impossible.
While I have heard of people having issues with body sprays, perfumes, aftershaves and colognes, I have NEVER heard of anyone having a sensitivity to a deodorant they weren't wearing. I have a feeling you're finding more issue with my usage of cologne than my usage of deodorant, something I said I don't use because I'm out.
Just remember...moderation. We have a guy at work who drowns himself in cologne. Apparently he smokes a lot, and tries to use it to cover the cigarette smell. When he walks past my station I can smell him for several minutes afterwords. Sometimes the initial blast is so strong I have to hold my breath until it fades a bit. Dont be that guy.
CptJake wrote: Try living on a tank for a month or two at a time when you and the other three crew members are spending between 22-23 hours a day on and in the tank. You learn that brushing teeth, taking a whore's bath and using antiperspirant are critical tasks. By the end of the field problem/gunnery/deployment your uniforms can stand on their own, your socks have developed personalities (and not good ones) and your funk bothers even yourself. One guy has feet that smell like burnt BBQ Corn Nutz, one guy spills his spit bottle of dip juice into the turret subfloor by accident, MRE flatulence has coated the inside of the turret in a greasy layer, and the grime from hydraulic fluid, JP4, mud, dust, gun powder takes weeks to scrub out of your hands.
If a stinky gamer once in a while is all you have to deal with, you are blessed.
*Sigh* I hate that argument "You have never been in war or lived in barracks, so you cant complain"
Its like saying "Dude, you have never been shot, you shouldnt complain about having that knife in your foot"
You go to a place where you cannot take regular baths, so that is expected.
If im going to a Wargame tournament, or card game, Im not going to assume the guy im playing just came from a warzone in iraq to the game, He probably came from home or work where he can shower.
*sigh* I never said you can't complain, I tried to show that there are similar if not worse smell offences out there and it is not unique to gaming. *sigh*
Well, they're different situations. You're on deployment, in an active zone, and only able to do the barest necessities for hygiene. These are people in the comfort of their own home, with access at all times of the day to a shower and laundry, and yet feel it's a good idea to simply not bathe or wash their clothes before going to a social gathering.
One is barest hygiene by necessity, the other is no hygiene by choice.
Try living in an Oberon Class Diesel Electric Sub for 3 years lads - then you will appreciate the idea. I was in the R.A.N from '88-92. I cannot smell cooking fish without gagging a bit - truly awful - to this day! BO to me is just a minor annoyance if I smell it lol. This Gaming store needs an EXALT for such forthright social policing
akira5665 wrote: Try living in an Oberon Class Diesel Electric Sub for 3 years lads - then you will appreciate the idea. I was in the R.A.N from '88-92. I cannot smell cooking fish without gagging a bit - truly awful - to this day! BO to me is just a minor annoyance if I smell it lol. This Gaming store needs an EXALT for such forthright social policing
Again, there's a difference to being in this situation, and being in your own home with access to a laundry and bathroom. If someone walks into the store and says 'Sorry, just got off my Oberon, haven't had time to go home' then sure. If they just didn't bother showering for the last 3 days because they were too busy playing CoD, and threw on week old clothes from their hamper because they're their favorite clothes, they need to go home and, you know, bathe.
It's simple common courtesy. If someone does stink on a consistent basis, I'd just pull them aside away from everyone else and let them know. Some people honestly might not be aware of it, or have thought about others in terms of their stink.
I've always been the sweaty guy. I sweat standing, no matter the temperature unless it is obviously cold, and sometimes even then. I've always been pretty aware of the possibility of my stinking, sometimes I'll take two showers a day. I use anti-antiperspirant regularly as well.
No excuse except ignorance. I can't believe that someone would just be stinky on purpose, but then it takes all kinds I suppose.
Some folk just dont know they smell so taking the time to nicely and discreetly let them know is doing them a favor.
If you know anyone who is a sweater recommend them a an antibacterial deodorant like Roll On Silver Protect Nivea its kills sweat odours dead and has a nice neutral smell.
Also make sure they are actually using deodorant and not a body spray that may be nothing more then spray on cologne and will just make them smell like hot garbage with a hint of colonge around the sides.
Another problem I find is some folk shower alot but for some reason never bother to soap themselves up just standing under hot water aint gunna get your ass clean.
I really really try to help folk with BO problems because it WILL effect the quality of there life no woman is going to want to go near a smelly man and no employer is going to want to hire a stinky applicant (outside of IT)
Also recreational drugs, bad food will make the problem worse so if you know you sweat allot try to eat healthy.
Jubear wrote: I really really try to help folk with BO problems because it WILL effect the quality of there life no woman is going to want to go near a smelly man and no employer is going to want to hire a stinky applicant (outside of IT)
Guess what, not even IT departments want smelly people... Because, get this... you're still working in close proximity to people
Source: I work in IT and we had a smelly guy... We no longer have a smelly guy.
I knew a guy who got sacked for stench related issues.
He was on agency - they sent him home to shower twice in one week, the third time they just said don't come back.
I have never choked because someone else stood too near me before.
The worst guy I've known was when I did an a-level at nightschool. You could smell him 15-20m after he had been somewhere (he was about 45 too)
I was in the local library and I realised I could smell him. I hadn't seen him in there. I stuck my head round the aisle and saw he'd come in after me - but I smelt him before I ever saw him.
Smelled like a dead cat, marinated in ammonia.
I've never smelt someone that bad in a gw (or anywhere else) so I'm thankful.
Serious question for the group: has anybody had the idea that smelly gamers are being smelly on purpose?
We all know how uber competitive wargamers are at tournaments. Maybe some people are deliberately not washing in order to put their opponents off
Back in the old days of English Rugby Union, players in the scrum would eat garlic before a match so they could breath it into the faces of their opposite number in the scrum. This was known as the black arts!
Jubear wrote: I really really try to help folk with BO problems because it WILL effect the quality of there life no woman is going to want to go near a smelly man and no employer is going to want to hire a stinky applicant (outside of IT)
Guess what, not even IT departments want smelly people... Because, get this... you're still working in close proximity to people
Source: I work in IT and we had a smelly guy... We no longer have a smelly guy.
Jubear wrote: I really really try to help folk with BO problems because it WILL effect the quality of there life no woman is going to want to go near a smelly man and no employer is going to want to hire a stinky applicant (outside of IT)
Guess what, not even IT departments want smelly people... Because, get this... you're still working in close proximity to people
Source: I work in IT and we had a smelly guy... We no longer have a smelly guy.
I was more relating it to code monkeys =)
Hahaha, my post still stands . I work for an EH&S company that develops a program that manages and authors Safety Data Sheets, we're all fething code monkeys
Jubear wrote: I really really try to help folk with BO problems because it WILL effect the quality of there life no woman is going to want to go near a smelly man and no employer is going to want to hire a stinky applicant (outside of IT)
Guess what, not even IT departments want smelly people... Because, get this... you're still working in close proximity to people
Source: I work in IT and we had a smelly guy... We no longer have a smelly guy.
I was more relating it to code monkeys =)
Hahaha, my post still stands . I work for an EH&S company that develops a program that manages and authors Safety Data Sheets, we're all fething code monkeys
Hehe fair enough I am retraining as a systems admin at the moment and I have nothing but respect for my code monkey brothers (my code is a clusterfeth at best)
I've never really encountered this smelly gamer that people talk about. If there was one at the store I assume people would be pretty bummed out.
One thing though I don't understand is people bitching over peoples beards? Excluding people over their smell is fine in my opinion. Excluding people over their looks is pushing it.
A gaming store not allowing ugly dudes in is an empty gaming store.
angel of ecstasy wrote: I've never really encountered this smelly gamer that people talk about. If there was one at the store I assume people would be pretty bummed out.
One thing though I don't understand is people bitching over peoples beards? Excluding people over their smell is fine in my opinion. Excluding people over their looks is pushing it.
A gaming store not allowing ugly dudes in is an empty gaming store.
It's the neckbeard aspect, not the beard aspect. A neckbeard goes back to the whole thing about taking personal care of oneself. If you can't take the time to shave your facial hair, and you can't take the time to shape and shave the beard to keep it looking nice, then you also probably don't shower as well... It's hygiene.
LOL and people wonder why there are not more women that play table top miniature games. This thread is kind of a testament to when single males fail at life and why many gamers need to prioritize finding a girl friend over some other activities.
Males in groups left to their own devices usually means that the lowest common denomiator type behavior will occur. When a lot of public universities went to more co-ed dorms in the seventies they found that vandalism went down sometimes by more than 90%.
To me, (and pardon this, it's going to be a little disgusting) the worst part is "second day con farts". Day one at a convention, you likely eat some crappy fast food, and then go to the pub for a heap of beer afterwards. If you're like me, you probably end up drinking a lot of dark, thick stout and eating another burger afterwards.
On the second day, your body decides to punish you for this behaviour by producing enough gas to float the shield helicarrier. If the room is not well ventilated, people may well die before the days gaming is over.
While I always make a point of showering or bathing before I go anywhere, and I do wear deodourant, shave and wear clean clothes, I have to admit, some of the things I've read have been a bit unfair to me.
I am a fat guy, yes. I'll get that out of the w(eigh) first. I keep deodourant on me and I do my best to avoid situations where I'll be sweating a lot, but I live in Brisbane, Australia. We get very Humid summers and sometimes, no matter how much I try, I will sweat quite profusely. It's probably not as bad as the natural stink that some gamers come around with, but I definitely do sweat. (though, not as much when playing 40k - most of the places I play at are airconditioned.)
I'd just like to point out that it isn't necessarily that fat people are just lazy when it comes to grooming, it is the case that we can't help it. (I'll be the first to admit though, I have smelt some particularly off people.)
I'm not trying to guilt trip anyone here. I just think that you should take a step back and just think about what you're saying. If they stink of ungrooming, sure. Be disgusted. But if they stink of sweat, and you can smell the sweat, give them some leniency. It isn't always because we don't groom ourselves properly.
Having read through this thread there are some real horror stories out there! My job practically demands that I shower twice a day. Once before work and once after. It's a habit that I carry into my rare days off as well. Having used anti-perspirant for years I've never really had a problem with bad smells about my person.
Other people though? Holy gak on a cracker....As far as I'm concerned there is no excuse for smelling like week old sweaty pits and stale Stilton. None. I have taken my wife with me once to my local GW's games night. And only once, she had a hissy-fit at the total funk that emanated from the store. It was disgusting...
Now, I use cologne and I smoke. But, only one squirt of cologne should do it, if it's good quality cologne. I'm talking Armani, Hermes or Issy Miyake. If its cheap cologne don't bother. Spend the money on a solid anti-perspirant instead.
Unless You have a medical condition and the side effects are odious odors coming their pores (seen this with terminally ill and those going through cancer treatment, etc), There is no Excuse. None. Zero. For those people who work hard and are sweaty and then come to a closed confined area, without cleaning up first? That is just feething laziness. It is called extra clothing and a G.I. Shower. No freaking excuses. None.
I have out right fired people with bad grooming habits. If you are coming to work with the Funk, (unless a medical condition certified by a physician) you have no disregard for your peers, or the public in general. You will not work for me regardless of your qualifications.
When I had my storefront in Oregon my business partners got upset at me for asking several people to leave due to their odor. If my dogs are trying to hide their noses in trash because of the smell you know its bad.
jason1977 wrote: I have never had a problem with a person's hygiene as far as their body.
However, at my FLGS, there are some players who smoke pot. Lots of pot. That....makes me sick.
I remember going to my first concert and SURPRISE it smelled like weed, I knew it would so i soldiered through it, But my friend didnt so he whined the whole way through, 7 times we had move because he didnt like it.
On the second day, your body decides to punish you for this behaviour by producing enough gas to float the shield helicarrier. If the room is not well ventilated, people may well die before the days gaming is over.
On the second day, your body decides to punish you for this behaviour by producing enough gas to float the shield helicarrier. If the room is not well ventilated, people may well die before the days gaming is over.
That's when you go crop dusting around the con...
Is that why I smelled Mexican during GenCon? Were you crop dusting nearby?
Do_I_Not_Like_That wrote: Serious question for the group: has anybody had the idea that smelly gamers are being smelly on purpose?
We all know how uber competitive wargamers are at tournaments. Maybe some people are deliberately not washing in order to put their opponents off
Back in the old days of English Rugby Union, players in the scrum would eat garlic before a match so they could breath it into the faces of their opposite number in the scrum. This was known as the black arts!
But yeah, it's about time somebody took a stand!
I'm sure there's a few odd balls out there who do indeed make sure they smell rather offensive to give them that perceived competitive edge...
For example, both years of playing Midgit age, (so 15-16 year old girls), competitive hockey, our team had a goalie who hadn't even aired her equipment out for over 3 years!!! Her equipment had latterly turned completely yellow at best, half of it was brown going on black.
The stench was so awful, even the on-ice officials would comment about how our goal area just plain reeked! (and they weren't talking about the quality of our goaltending either...)
Gamer funk may be bad at times, but old, unwashed hockey equipment, (especially goalie equipment), will get infinitely worse!
Even our old GW store's most offensive customer we'd simply reffered to as 'Grossie' was less offensive (well, at least their smell - their highly inappropriate antics on the other hand...*shudders*), than those two hellish years of having to put up with ancient, wet, stale ass-stink hockey equipment.
My girls used to be into figure skating and whenever the boys from hockey walked by it stunk to high heaven. They'd be chased out of the party rooms too while trying to change in there because of the funk.
Some gamers do it perpose. There is a guy in our local area that shows up whenever there's magic releas or tournament. He stinks like he's wearing a diaper with a full load. If that's not bad enough he eats strong smelling food and will proceed to burp and casually blow it at you from across the table. I dot bother playing him. It's not worth it.
wowsmash wrote: Some gamers do it perpose. There is a guy in our local area that shows up whenever there's magic releas or tournament. He stinks like he's wearing a diaper with a full load. If that's not bad enough he eats strong smelling food and will proceed to burp and casually blow it at you from across the table. I dot bother playing him. It's not worth it.
Maybe get your local IG player to play a recording of Ride of the Valkyries while your local Tau player throws bars of soap at him while screaming "for the Greater Good"?!
Do_I_Not_Like_That wrote: Serious question for the group: has anybody had the idea that smelly gamers are being smelly on purpose?
We all know how uber competitive wargamers are at tournaments. Maybe some people are deliberately not washing in order to put their opponents off
Back in the old days of English Rugby Union, players in the scrum would eat garlic before a match so they could breath it into the faces of their opposite number in the scrum. This was known as the black arts!
But yeah, it's about time somebody took a stand!
I'm sure there's a few odd balls out there who do indeed make sure they smell rather offensive to give them that perceived competitive edge...
For example, both years of playing Midgit age, (so 15-16 year old girls), competitive hockey, our team had a goalie who hadn't even aired her equipment out for over 3 years!!! Her equipment had latterly turned completely yellow at best, half of it was brown going on black.
The stench was so awful, even the on-ice officials would comment about how our goal area just plain reeked! (and they weren't talking about the quality of our goaltending either...)
Gamer funk may be bad at times, but old, unwashed hockey equipment, (especially goalie equipment), will get infinitely worse!
Even our old GW store's most offensive customer we'd simply reffered to as 'Grossie' was less offensive (well, at least their smell - their highly inappropriate antics on the other hand...*shudders*), than those two hellish years of having to put up with ancient, wet, stale ass-stink hockey equipment.
One of these days, somebody in a gaming store is going to get hosed down!
GW now allows fanboys to wash up with their favorite heros. If fact they make it maditory to use bathhammer soaps before entering their stores.
Each finely sculpted soap has been injected into old finecast molds, for unprecedented soap detail, these are truly the finest cast soap bars ever released!
Let Kharn the betrayer wife out pit smells!
Farseers, mystically wash you of your sins and stink.
Extra strength available in the Inquisitorial set.
Bad boys can wash themselves clean with the sisters of battle.
Get yours today. Each set of six soap bars is only $30.
Redshirts will be checking to se if you smell appropriately of fanboy before you enter
GW now allows fanboys to wash up with their favorite heros. If fact they make it maditory to use bathhammer soaps before entering their stores.
Each finely sculpted soap has been injected into old finecast molds, for unprecedented soap detail, these are truly the finest cast soap bars ever released!
Let Kharn the betrayer wife out pit smells!
Farseers, mystically wash you of your sins and stink.
Extra strength available in the Inquisitorial set.
Bad boys can wash themselves clean with the sisters of battle.
Get yours today. Each set of six soap bars is only $30.
Redshirts will be checking to se if you smell appropriately of fanboy before you enter
angel of ecstasy wrote: I've never really encountered this smelly gamer that people talk about. If there was one at the store I assume people would be pretty bummed out.
One thing though I don't understand is people bitching over peoples beards? Excluding people over their smell is fine in my opinion. Excluding people over their looks is pushing it.
A gaming store not allowing ugly dudes in is an empty gaming store.
It's the neckbeard aspect, not the beard aspect. A neckbeard goes back to the whole thing about taking personal care of oneself. If you can't take the time to shave your facial hair, and you can't take the time to shape and shave the beard to keep it looking nice, then you also probably don't shower as well... It's hygiene.
I have a neckbeard for two reasons - I dislike grooming my facial hair (the reason I grew a beard in the first place), and my fiancee loves it. Any time I trim it, she gets gakky with me. So yeah, I'm going to turn up to my FLGS with a neckbeard. I do shower, and make a lot of effort to reduce the amount I sweat. But the neckbeard stays most of the time.
If someone won't give me a game because of my beard, it's not someone I want to have a game with.
angel of ecstasy wrote: I've never really encountered this smelly gamer that people talk about. If there was one at the store I assume people would be pretty bummed out.
One thing though I don't understand is people bitching over peoples beards? Excluding people over their smell is fine in my opinion. Excluding people over their looks is pushing it.
A gaming store not allowing ugly dudes in is an empty gaming store.
It's the neckbeard aspect, not the beard aspect. A neckbeard goes back to the whole thing about taking personal care of oneself. If you can't take the time to shave your facial hair, and you can't take the time to shape and shave the beard to keep it looking nice, then you also probably don't shower as well... It's hygiene.
I have a neckbeard for two reasons - I dislike grooming my facial hair (the reason I grew a beard in the first place), and my fiancee loves it. Any time I trim it, she gets gakky with me. So yeah, I'm going to turn up to my FLGS with a neckbeard. I do shower, and make a lot of effort to reduce the amount I sweat. But the neckbeard stays most of the time.
If someone won't give me a game because of my beard, it's not someone I want to have a game with.
I think you misunderstand what exactly a neckbeard is. It is, quite literally a beard that just covers the neck.
This is not a Neckbeard, this is Daniel Bryan's face of manliness.
I'd like to point out, as someone on disability at the moment, that I have to have assistance showering and shaving. That being said, I STILL find the time and a way to get that done before going out in public, let alone to a game store.
angel of ecstasy wrote: I've never really encountered this smelly gamer that people talk about. If there was one at the store I assume people would be pretty bummed out.
One thing though I don't understand is people bitching over peoples beards? Excluding people over their smell is fine in my opinion. Excluding people over their looks is pushing it.
A gaming store not allowing ugly dudes in is an empty gaming store.
It's the neckbeard aspect, not the beard aspect. A neckbeard goes back to the whole thing about taking personal care of oneself. If you can't take the time to shave your facial hair, and you can't take the time to shape and shave the beard to keep it looking nice, then you also probably don't shower as well... It's hygiene.
I have a neckbeard for two reasons - I dislike grooming my facial hair (the reason I grew a beard in the first place), and my fiancee loves it. Any time I trim it, she gets gakky with me. So yeah, I'm going to turn up to my FLGS with a neckbeard. I do shower, and make a lot of effort to reduce the amount I sweat. But the neckbeard stays most of the time.
If someone won't give me a game because of my beard, it's not someone I want to have a game with.
I think you misunderstand what exactly a neckbeard is. It is, quite literally a beard that just covers the neck.
This is not a Neckbeard, this is Daniel Bryan's face of manliness.
Spoiler:
This is a neckbeard
Spoiler:
Holy gak there's some bad beards on that page.
Yeah, so I don't have a neckbeard, I just have a normal beard that happens to also cover my neck. Crisis averted.
The worst I know about is the Magic player at my FLGS that couldn't be bothered to get up from the table for a bathroom break and peed himself. He just sat in it, continuing his game.
Relapse wrote: The worst I know about is the Magic player at my FLGS that couldn't be bothered to get up from the table for a bathroom break and peed himself. He just sat in it, continuing his game.
Da Boss wrote: What the hell? Some guy pissed himself in the game shop? That is completely outrageous!
Yup, IIRC there's a more detailed retelling of this story somewhere on this site, complete with the gem of a line of "We finally realised what was happening when we heard the distinctive sound of a pressurised liquid hitting an empty plastic bottle".
Or that could've been a guy at a painting table in a GW. I might be misremembering.
I've already posted the stinky guys I've come across. The smelly gamer that went to live in Bath still cracks me up though.
good to know i have a face of manliness, and not a neckbeard...
of course, i also have an AK-47, so nobody has complained about the beard...
i have a surf every morning before i open the shop, and have to rinse afterwards, or i look like a salt-encrusted Captain Ahab...
not a good look for running a business...
unless, of course, you are selling harpoons...
Anyone who's ever been to an Anime Convention will know all about the poor hygiene, poor diet and even worse manners.
And that's just the gals!
Of course, it comes to something that going to a video gaming store (privately owned), which was small and packed out one saturday and I could smell something awful. I left and went to go to a few other stores to wait out the mid day rush. Upon re-entering, the store was a lot less busy, but the smell had gotten worse. Having managed not to chunk, I found what I was looking for and went to the counter to pay and realised that the smell wasn't the multitude of gamers.
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