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Well Dakka its been a while since I have poked my head around here and its time I though I share a dilema with all of you. It took a little while for this realization to hit me but its time I throw this little problem out there to see if anybody can relate. First of all I trust that most of us here go to gaming stores, participate in local events, mingle with other gamers, and enjoy doing it. However there are always those individuals that cause problems...

To be honest at the store where I play there are some people that are just great, nice, polite guys that are great to game with. But then there are those people, well to be blunt about it, the basement creatures, cellar dwellars, ect. people with a total lack of any social ability whose goal it is to be loud, obnoxious, and downright unpleasant.

This is where the dilema comes in, the second type of character is becoming more and more prevalent at the store, and these people are insufferable. they are hideous, unkempt and sometimes downright dirty, some of them constantly shout out internet jokes and outdated 4chan refrences until the conversation degenerates into something so immature I struggle to remain in the room. It really upsets me because some of the better players are deterred by their presence and the management gets fed up and has to issue warnings due to either foul language or the ever climbing volume level. The sad thing is that these people are in the 20's and older, they are not children and should know how to act and present themselves in public. This realization became all to real when in a recent visit to my FLGS I was forced to play with these people due to another day of poor attendence, and we could hardly get a turn finished without a vulgar conversation beginning or some 4chan refrence causing them all to cackle like 8 year olds. It was at this moment I started to fear I am becoming like them, that just being seen around them causes others to think I am just like them. I know that this hobby isn't just populated by immature morons but the more time I have to spend with these people the more faith I lose in this store, which is a shame because its a great place.

Is there truly another FLGS nearby that you can attend? Perhaps its best to simply find another circle of players to relate to if you think their culture is not something you accept.

You are 18 years old. Maybe you are acting a bit more serious for your age. Hard to tell (don't know you personally, but did trade with you once), but their immaturity is too over the top and if management won't deal with it, seek other like minded gamers elsewhere.

I totally understand your post. The only solution i can think of is , find a small group of people similar to youself or your standards and hang around with them.
Any attempt to change the ones you dislike... might end up like you said ... inevitably turn into one of them

Have you spoken to the store owners regarding them? You mentioned that management has done nothing but give warnings. It sounds like they should threaten to ban them from the store if the behavior continues.

Those aforementioned polite and mature gamers did not just disappear (conservation of matter). Talk to them, see where they play, or start up a private club between you few. You could work it out with a store owner for some club nights (might cause conflict with the immature people), play in one of your dwellings (or rotate so that all share the responsibility) or find out if they're playing at a new shop.

micahaphone wrote:Those aforementioned polite and mature gamers did not just disappear (conservation of matter). Talk to them, see where they play, or start up a private club between you few. You could work it out with a store owner for some club nights (might cause conflict with the immature people), play in one of your dwellings (or rotate so that all share the responsibility) or find out if they're playing at a new shop.

That is a great suggestion but unfortunetly many of us live in different towns and don't really get to play together until a really big event comes around. Back in High school I did have a group that I really enjoyed, but college, moves to other states, ect. brought that to an end. It would be really hard to find another store as well, this store is 20 minutes away while the only other store I hear good things about in Jersey is time warp, but that is over an hour away, I also go to college and have a part time job and time management is something I am struggling with.

It wasn't always like this however, those people were always there but recenly there has been a huge decline in good gamers, so most days I walk in with all my stuff and I find myself staring at a few unwashed 20 year olds gawking at some moronic crap... oh how things have changed.

AresX8 wrote:Have you spoken to the store owners regarding them? You mentioned that management has done nothing but give warnings. It sounds like they should threaten to ban them from the store if the behavior continues.

Dont forget , as obnoxious as they sound , they are still customers... unfortunate but never the less still vital to keep the store alive i imagine.

Hello,
I agree with the above, definatly talk to the owners, if they can not see your point of veiw, try to remind them that they are always looking for new customers, ( I have noted the "cellar dwellers" are loathe to part with thier funds), and that if some might come in especially with the younger desired demographic with parents, that they may choose not to ferquent that store due to the behavior of a few malcontents. At the store I assist at, I have sent some of these types packing for their smell, and in some cases lack of social graces (realize that is being nice about it), I have even had to physically remove them. So we can hope that the store owners see your point of view. Good Luck!

Regards,
Carl

Crikey.


A Dilemma indeed.

As a suggestion, an option could be, whenever you finish a sentence, end it with "As the prophesy fortells" whenever you do ANYTHING. This can be annoying, and somewhat creepy.

Alternitavely, you could enquire as to thier sexual status/preference, make suggestive remarks, and be creepy that way.

Or ask them "Hey - weren't you the guy that got busted in the park having relations with a Canine - I saw your pic in the paper"..

Every now and then, barely audible you mutter "Dogs....that's just sick" etc.

They will get sick of it and leave.

Anyhoo, worked for me with some punks who inundated my FLGS. Just be prepared to lose all dignity, and self respect-based on the peo[ple who make the call - this can be a good thing ..

"We can't go to that store anymore - there is a REALLY Creepy TFG there".

Problem solved.

i have an uncanny skill to kill conversations, maybe i could help?

Have you tried organizing a different day to game? My FLGS has a group of Naruto CCG players come in on Thursday afternoons, and they're loud, obnoxious, play loud terrible J-pop or death metal, and take up way too much space. However, they spend a lot of money at the store so they're at least good for business. As a result I started playing there Thursday mornings instead of afternoons, and just about any other day of the week.

You could always speak to them and ask them to shut the frack up! Tell them it's childish, offputting and neither clever nor relevant to snigger at silly jokes when you're there to murder their army.

You need someone like me who isn't afraid to tell them to STFU.

One of my mate even had some business cards made that had

"It has been brought to our attention that you need a wash."

and then listed a number of items to purchased from the shops

Use language they understand; tell them they're newfag cancer and tell them to GTFO of your store.

Time Warp is a great store, i highly, highly recommend it.

NJ is a pretty lucky state, we have alot of good game stores in the area. For more information check out NJ Gamers facebook page.

When you say 4Chan reference, what do you mean?..Like shouting something Chuck Norris? or "Do you likz mudkipz?" things along those lines, "Trollolololol" stuff? *Slightly worried at having found that kind of stuff funny*

I have encountered people like them in the UK, although what happened in my case was far more serious and involved someone getting punched over there "Dungeon Dwelling" behaviour!

I think what's important is, trying to set up your own "Gaming Group" around that store, maybe having a specified time where you'd all meet up 2 times a week?..Sure it may mean less games, but it would also mean less "U HAZ MAH BUKKIT?"

How about putting up a sign up sheet or something at the store stating you're interested in getting together a group of mature, intellectual gamers who can all come to play at the store at the same time. That way you don't end up at odds with these other gamers.

Also, have a chat to the store owner, perhaps get them to have players agree to a few terms before they play; volume kept to a sensible level, basic level of personal hygiene etc.

Thanks for the advice, it seems that others have this problem as well, I really don't have the time or resources to start my own group though. I guess I just have to hope that the situation will improve, and if it doesn't I guess I will take less trips to the store.

Did you ever get the phone numbers or emails of the people that you enjoyed playing? Send an email to 4 or 5 and have a "mini-tournament" for just that small group.

If you're into RPG's, ask if one of them is interested in GMing.

Hoping it's going to improve isn't going to work, I'll bet. Grab life by the short hairs and tell it who's boss!

The Night Stalker wrote:Thanks for the advice, it seems that others have this problem as well, I really don't have the time or resources to start my own group though. I guess I just have to hope that the situation will improve, and if it doesn't I guess I will take less trips to the store.

How much time and resources will it take to speak to the other good guys and arrange that you'll all turn up for a game on the first weekend of the month or something similar?

you said there were others that don't like their behaviour, just try and game with them at a private location (one of your houses) if someone has a large garage, and everyone throws in a few bucks you'll soon have a couple of tables and alot of terrain. it's what happened to my club and we're going very strong right now.

I am loud, and can be obnoxios (but only when im trying to annoy a cartain person, a guy called jonny at my FLGS, and its just for fun) , but I know when to tone it down, I have a very outgoing and am a very confident person (and the most Humble person i know, Im alot more Humble than any of you lol) and like you OP I find it very hard to deal with "Those guys". The only advice i can give is, try talking to them, this is what i did to a very very annoying kid and now he is pretty cool, you shouldnt have to move groups just because of a few loudmouth punks

I have this same problem, it seems like saturdays, which are the main gaming day at our flgs, are filling up with the scum of the earth. So much so that all the regulars and normal folk are forced to pretty much barricade ourselves in the painting area and hope to make it through the night. At this point I'm probably just going to create a table and play only with friends and people I want to be around.

Brother Heinrich wrote:I have this same problem, it seems like saturdays, which are the main gaming day at our flgs, are filling up with the scum of the earth. So much so that all the regulars and normal folk are forced to pretty much barricade ourselves in the painting area and hope to make it through the night. At this point I'm probably just going to create a table and play only with friends and people I want to be around.

And so a gaming club is formed. Before you know it you'll be renting a space somewhere and 40 people'll be turning up.

It'll be so much better than playing in a store - no obligation to buy something, no-one that annoys everybody, etc, etc.

MunkeyKungFu wrote:You need someone like me who isn't afraid to tell them to STFU.

One of my mate even had some business cards made that had

"It has been brought to our attention that you need a wash."

and then listed a number of items to purchased from the shops

i take my hat off to you sir,what is it with some wargamers and soap dodging.

Scott-S6 wrote:

Brother Heinrich wrote:I have this same problem, it seems like saturdays, which are the main gaming day at our flgs, are filling up with the scum of the earth. So much so that all the regulars and normal folk are forced to pretty much barricade ourselves in the painting area and hope to make it through the night. At this point I'm probably just going to create a table and play only with friends and people I want to be around.

And so a gaming club is formed. Before you know it you'll be renting a space somewhere and 40 people'll be turning up.

It'll be so much better than playing in a store - no obligation to buy something, no-one that annoys everybody, etc, etc.

thats the idea, minus the 40 or so people lol

Night Stalker, what part of Jersey are you in? I've got a couple of good places in/around Hunterdon and Mercer counties, and a cool spot over the river in Pennsylvania. Sometimes a change of scenery can do wonders, and it's surprising how often you'll find some of the "old guard" in a new haunt.

So wait. Let me see if I understand the situation. There is a setting where a majority of the people there get along, share a hobby and have a good time laughing with each other while partaking it. You go there and look down at them, think of reasons you're superior and claim what the group (besides well, you) is enjoying is vulgar and they "Cackle like 8 year olds".


...and they're the immature morons with no social skills?

You could always embark on a holy crusade to purge the 'unclean'.

Goddard wrote:You could always embark on a holy crusade to purge the 'unclean'.

With the Pope on a Rope Soap!