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.

The hobby has expanded faster than the rate it takes to teach someone complete hobby skills.

How long did it take you to get to where you are today? I imagine it took years. How
long does it take to start the game? It's a simple purchase away. I don't think people
are changing. I think there's just always going to be a smaller group of people willing
and able to put the time and effort into painting and terraining than there are people
who are willing to play the game.

I don't call that a problem at all.

Logged in today just to comment on this one. I started as a wide eyed kid being driven by parents. I had the visions of drums and warcries. Back then I would have (and did) hang around the stores and check out display cases when I was able. I bought some second edition stuff and I had the original space hulk. I had a white dwarf subscription when it had articles in it about scratchbuilding terrain. I still have some pringle can ork huts in storage somewhere. I was definitely a total gamer and I was definitely dependent on the magazine and the comic book store for influence because I didn't have many friends into the hobby. Somewhere along the way I fell out of gaming, and I didn't think about it for many years. Then the limited run of the new space hulk came out and I fell off the wagon back into addiction again. Now I have a rapidly growing ork horde, a homemade 6x4 table and lots of scratchbuilt terrain. I play with a small group of like-minded friends. I don't go into the stores. When I do, I don't encounter many people like my friends. I suspect (but could be wrong) the complete hobby folks have gotten older and crabbier and emmigrated out of the stores. The new players aren't seeing them and WD doesn't encourage terrain building anymore unless you buy it and put it together (full disclosure: I have some of this as well). It may well be partially our own fault, leaving the stores to have our own stress free, kid free, and "unusual" person free gaming zone.

Hi all,
I think it just depends where you look.
Inside a GW B&M store you are going to find more new players as GWplc is trying hard to recruite new players, while doing little to retain existing customers.

Where as looking inside this months Wargames Monthley we have ...

Bunkered Down.
(Fun with concrete at the French seaside.)
An article on how to make D-Day fortifications and terrain , which can be adapted for use in all sorts of games, not just WWII.

I agree there are more 'pre made' 'lazy options' for those with more money and less time than others. But the creativity and passion is still alive and well, but not necissarily as prominent as it was when it was the only option.

Variety is the spice of life...

TTFN

To OP: I am also one of those early-80s guys who plays more video games than sees the light of day, but I will say that over the past few months, I've grown into a decent 'total hobbyist'. I suppose it was my dad that got me into WWII plane models when I was a kid, but I would *never* think of coming to a game without having my army painted to the very best of my ability. During games, I take the time to imagine those Tau Missile Pod rockets streaking across the battlefield, exploding on target in freeze-frame, and having the following dice rolls determine how the rest of the impact plays out in my head. Maybe I've always been a romantic about this kind of thing, but I do hear those battle drums!

And I didn't get into the hobby because of either Dawn of War game... it was a friend who got me into it!

I guess what I'm trying to say is that, though we're likely fewer and farther between than we used to be, there are still people with the interest, time and dedication to love the hobby as much as the old timers do. Don't lose hope!

I understand where you're coming from OP, and to be honest, it does pain me to see a gray army or a black army (or as my friend joked when he was starting and considering Orks, a beige army, which would consist of him literally dunking every model in beige paint). But I'm totally guilty of that, and I feel like with the modern generation of gamers it just takes time to get out of that phase. And by that I mean, I think that the majority of people who get into 40k or Fantasy or Warmahordes get into it because of the game itself. Secondary to playing the game is the hobby involving the game, and often its the social pressure of having a non-painted army which forces people to start looking at taking a shot at painting their army.

I know thats how it was with me and all of my friends who play 40k. We got into the rules and the gaming aspect and the making of lists and really enjoyed that, but as time passed we began to look at painted models and go "Crap... I should probably paint mine..." And we did (I currently still am because I take my sweet time). But not everyone has the mindset of this being a hobby and wargame equally. Most of my friends have the mindset of it being a wargame first and hobby second. I happen to see them being about equal. I know of several people in my FLGS who are more into the hobby than the wargame.

And I think its awesome that we have that diversity. You can't expect everyone to become a hobbyist if their forte is in gaming, and vice versa. But I do know that if I hadn't started playing and hadn't had that social pressure, I never would have found out that I do in fact enjoy the hobby side as much as the wargame side.

Hello,

Im not a younger gamer, but 30 and married. Still an 80s Amstrad/Amiga gamer. Got heavily into online gaming during my 20s but hit 30 with plans for a family and said enough is enough.

Passed by a GW over Christmas 2010, yes 2 months ago and thought this could be a good alternative. Also something to play with my kids (if lucky) as im an only child (hence online gaming took over, psyc issues?). Wife supporting me as now im downstairs more often and read the rulebook/army book when shes watching tv. Now im going to a local gaming club and my local GW twice a week (ive got a garage tourney coming up). So yeah im enthusiastic.

Over these 2 months Ive gone from a chaos battalion box fully painted and added a sorceror, chariot, lord, extra marauders and warriors. Ive bought 5 army books to see what im up against. I suppose im in it for the battles, but I wont allow myself to go in unpainted.

I even ebayed a 2000 point Dwarf army already painted (badly) and im spraying and doing them again. I wont use them till theyre ready.

I think commercialism has taken over. Finding time to hobby/keep fit/see old friends etc is as hard as getting out of bed. I remember Sundays here where everything was shut and we'd go to the local carpark and mess about. Now everythings open 24hrs.

So when you do find time, I suppose you just want to game. The intention (to finish painting) may be there, but not the time/energy.

I certainly find my energy lacking these days. My job is really demanding, and I'm new at it, so I struggle at times. When I come home, painting or gaming seems like too much for me. It's killing me though because I love the hobby a tonne, and I really want to get out and game, but it's just tough going.

And even though I was born in 84, I was pretty much a carbon copy of you. I grew outside a rural irish village, and I had to order my white dwarves in special to the newsagent. the nearest GW or game shop of any kind was more than 100Km away. All my terrain was scratch built, and I was full of grand schemes and plots. When I went to college, I started the wargaming club and scraped together the scenery and so on.
Now, I don't even have the energy to walk down to the GW down the road on tuesdays and get a game in. Dunno where it changed...

It's been mentioned, but there's still quite a few dedicated hobbyists -- that is, people who love to paint, convert and create terrain. At my FLGS, there's more than a few accomplished sculptors / painters.

It does feel like there's more gray on the tabletop than before, but there also feels like there's more people playing. I guess shaky anecdotal evidence cancels out shaky anecdotal evidence?

For myself, I paint less now than I did 15 years ago -- but I have more hobbies / games to play now than I did then, too. I wouldn't be surprised, especially for more-casual crowds, if things like "World of Warcraft" and Magic: the Gathering are eating into painting / sculpting time.

And don't worry about the imaginative side of things either. I still hear the thunder of my Boyz footsteps, the wurr and humm of the Force Fields, and the rumble of the engines and Dakka Dakka of da shootaz. I'm not so much a player, as Da Biggest Mek of my Waagh!!, and no two of my boyz are da same, and neivver is any of the vehicles, most of which are scratch-built. Sure, none of dem's painted yet, but that's just cause I ain't done tinkering wiff dem yet.