Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you:
No adverts like this in the forums anymore.
Times and dates in your local timezone.
Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance.
Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely.
Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net.
If you are already a member then feel free to login now.
I've seen how gaming and converting forces one to become more adept at building things and retooling existing elements. Innovation runs in my family, as does engineering. Thus many of my family are socially inept. I also see this is true for gamers. My question for you is this: Do you see yourself as having an engineer mindset? Are you technically minded? Or are you a gamer as well as a marketing type person?
Tired of reading new rulebooks... Just wanting to play.
Originally going to be a graphic designer, but i do now edit and look over blueprints for an injection molding company. May still go to school, considering that job was just on job training that i picked up. But yea, other than being socially inept i think that miniatures has given me that point of view. When you start young reading instructions for say military models I think it makes it far more possible to wire that into your natural thinking.
DR:70+S+G-MB-I+Pwmhd05#+D++A+++/aWD100R++T(S)DM+++ Get your own Dakka Code!
"...he could never understand the sense of a contest in which the two adversaries agreed upon the rules." Gabriel Garcia Marquez, One Hundred Years of Solitude
@ OP: WTF is an "engineering mindset"?!??? Consideirng that engineering is essentially applied science - i.e. specialized problem solving - doesn't everyone have an "engineering mindset" to a certain point? Your poll might be more interesting if it differentiated between:
Actual engineers - Those with acredited training.
Those working in engineering and engineering related fields - i.e. Engineering technicians, systems engineers, mathematicians, software engineers, plant process managers, CAD/CAM specialists etc.
Those with engineer in their title, despite working in completely non-engineering related fields: Sanitation Enginner, Microsoft Certified Software Engineer, Locomotive Engineer etc.
Non engineers.
Unfortuantely, the perception of actual engineering is definitely watered down and devalued these days with everyone and their dog using the term "engineer" in their job title.
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2010/05/19 17:20:18
Hey keezus. I'm an "attendance taking and sometimes paper-grading engineer."
DR:70+S+G-MB-I+Pwmhd05#+D++A+++/aWD100R++T(S)DM+++ Get your own Dakka Code!
"...he could never understand the sense of a contest in which the two adversaries agreed upon the rules." Gabriel Garcia Marquez, One Hundred Years of Solitude
keezus wrote:@ OP: WTF is an "engineering mindset"?!???
Spend a decent amount of time around engineers and you'll see it.
When I was at uni I had a course that required me to go to the history campus (one of the engineering buildings burned down) - they were aliens. Now that I spend a lot less time around engineers it's shifted my viewpoint around but there is still a definate type.
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2010/05/19 17:36:26
DR:70+S+G-MB-I+Pwmhd05#+D++A+++/aWD100R++T(S)DM+++ Get your own Dakka Code!
"...he could never understand the sense of a contest in which the two adversaries agreed upon the rules." Gabriel Garcia Marquez, One Hundred Years of Solitude
I take offense at this thread. I'm not spending 100k USD and working my ass off at school so that I can be called socially inept and compared to someone who converts plastic and metal miniatures for fun.
That being said, I am NOT socially inept, except when women are involved :(
CoALabaer wrote: Wargamers hate two things: the state of the game and change.
But that's the only social ineptitude that matters!
DR:70+S+G-MB-I+Pwmhd05#+D++A+++/aWD100R++T(S)DM+++ Get your own Dakka Code!
"...he could never understand the sense of a contest in which the two adversaries agreed upon the rules." Gabriel Garcia Marquez, One Hundred Years of Solitude
- Frosty Hardtop - - 4000 points - - 1000 points and rising.
"Live a good life. If there are gods, and they are just, they will judge you based not on how devout you are, but by the virtues you've lived by. If they are unjust, then you should not worship them. If there are no gods, you will have lived a noble life that your loved ones will remember."
keezus wrote:@ OP: WTF is an "engineering mindset"?!???
Spend a decent amount of time around engineers and you'll see it.
When I was at uni I had a course that required me to go to the history campus (one of the engineering buildings burned down) - they were aliens. Now that I spend a lot less time around engineers it's shifted my viewpoint around but there is still a definate type.
Haha. I'm assuming you're referring to the "Tunnel minded arrogance"? I've noticed that enginnering asshattery and social ineptitude seems to decrease proportionally as you trickle down to the more downtrodden enginnering disciplines - I'm a "civil" engineer.
Back on topic - While engineers might do optimizations, I don't see list optimization as being particularly indicative of applying an engineering mindset to wargaming. While one might use mathematical models to predict expected battlefield performance, the same result can often also be achieved through trial and error, as GW has no idea how to (or refuses to) balance power levels within army books.
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2010/05/19 18:12:54
keezus wrote:Haha. I'm assuming you're referring to the "Tunnel minded arrogance"? I've noticed that enginnering asshattery and social ineptitude seems to decrease proportionally as you trickle down to the more downtrodden enginnering disciplines - I'm a "civil" engineer.
Civil and chemical engineers are definately at the nicer end of the spectrum. Software engineers and structural engineers seem to be worse with physcists and mathmaticians being the worst.
Automatically Appended Next Post: Out of my group there are four guys with history degrees, all are teachers, three plumbers, an electrician, a sales exec, a doctor, a few pizza biz managers, two OTR drivers, an insurance customer service guy, a preacher, and a newspaper graphic designer. Also, a guy who has worked in the Wargame industry for over 20 years.
So, among them, there is not an engineering stereotype.
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2010/05/19 19:11:22
Bam, said the lady!
DR:70S+GM++B+I+Pw40k09/f++D++A(WTF)/hWD153R+++T(S)DM++++ Dakka, what is good in life?
To crush other websites,
See their user posts driven before you,
And hear the lamentation of the newbs.
-Frazzled-10/22/09
Chaos Space Marines, The Skull Guard: 4500pts 
Fists of Dorn: 1500pts 
Wood Elves, Awakened of Spring: 3425pts 
- 4000 points - 
- 1000 points and rising.