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.

KingCracker wrote:None of the people in my group smell. Ever. Thats just gross. Seriously you know your going out to a public event, why wouldnt you wash up? I mean at least a clean up in the sink or something. Ive been to stores and such where people playing just reek of nastyness and its not fun.

Im kinda scared to light a match sometimes.

my flgs has a sign up that if you dont shower you will be ejected.

and hes done it.

he did expand it to the mary juwanna smokers that would go to their car and toke it up then come back in too.

amazing how many of those people start taking showers before they come to the game store if they know they cant get their fix without it.

lixulana wrote:my flgs has a sign up that if you dont shower you will be ejected.

and hes done it.

he did expand it to the mary juwanna smokers that would go to their car and toke it up then come back in too.

amazing how many of those people start taking showers before they come to the game store if they know they cant get their fix without it.

^
That is what I gotta see

My FLGS is a converted shopfront, used to be something else. The back rooms are a bit run down, and there's the bathroom. Generally a few of us will surround the smelly kid, cover his mouth and drag him out into the room as quietly as possible. There we order him to strip, and then hose him off. Problem solved.
They usually refuse to comply, but you show them you mean business by shooting the Yu-Gi-Oh cards out of his hand with the hose. They go crazy sometimes when the cards get wet. Had to put a couple down last week... shame. They buy a lot of snacks.

I bathe every other day and shower on the days i dont bathe, I havent really started puberty and so dont really stink.

Its a younger crowd at my FLGS and so most kids dont `find` the time to wash so it can get bad.

i have a beard and dreads and all the "rocker" clothing you are talking about and i shower every morning and if im going to a club or GW for games i take deodrent with me. Just because i look a certen way doesnt mean i have to smell, your just unlucky with the few people you have.

in my local shop after a night of gaming (its a small shop with loads of people) the hole place smells a little bit evan more in summer.

why not take your own spray and put some on it might hide there smell a little bit

Once there was this place I played where some of hte people were really stinking it up right in the middle of a hot humid summer. I got some tissue paper, balled it up & plugged my nostrils. Some people were really pissed off but I won the tourney. Never ever went back there again.

G

Some people just stink. I don't know what to say. Ironically, the two smelliest people I've ever met were a cheerleader (who always smelled of doo doo), and one of those guys who primarily identified as a Christian, as in church was the most important thing is his life. He always smelled like BO and pee.

Yes, many gamers are stinky, but most have the decency and self-respect to keep clean.

I've never really noticed overly smelly Warhammer players. However, let me tell you, the average Magic the Gathering player smells like they use body odor scented cologne.

I frequent a bi-weekly hobby collection show called Frank and Sons and that place smells like garbage. Considering that I live in SoCal and it is usually in the 80s, a few hundred men in their late teens to adulthood crammed in a large warehouse with little to no ventilation can be quite nauseating.

Common at my GW, which is pretty sad.

It's just shameful.

at my GW gamers smell so I try not to stay in there long

If you're going to be any where near people, please shower. Keep your house smelling nice if your hosting games night. Kick the smelly's out of your store.


I carry around febreeze just in case.

I met a friend from Dakka last night for a game and about halfway through I realized that I smelled distinctly of swampy ass. I thought of this thread and pulled up a chair so I wouldn't be pointing my stench-blaster at innocent bystanders.

Oopsie DX

Mylocal GW store used to have a list of rules up one of which was that if your personal hygene wasnt of an acceptable standard you where not allowed in. Sadly it didnt last. Thats certainly how id run the store if i ever had one.

at my flgs people complain about some other guys smelling(i am not one of them i asked) i honetly cant smell it. Maybe it is because i am 14

Some people have an amazing sense of smell. Others not so great. Gawd help ya if you have a good nose!!

In my experience (Im nearly 34) a lot of people just dont realise how smelly they are. They need to be told otherwise they will keep doing what they do. No one wants to tell them but you should.

The worst is those who dont brush their teeth. That type of smell can make one puke. Not only that, but if its real bad the smell will cover a large area. OMG gross.

Wash clothes in washing machine - 30 min.
Hang up cloths outside on hot day - 1 hour.
Thats 1.5 hours of which you can still do whatever around the house.

During the above time wash yourself.
Shower - 5-10min. Use soap people!!!
Brush teeth - 2-3min. Brush your tongue.

Tell people this.

I had a friend who always had smelly breath, I one day just said to him "Do you not brush your teeth or something, your breath reeks!" and he claimed he had brushed :-/

There is no FLGS near me, so I cannot speak to the "Wargamer specific" smell.

However, I once took my stepson to a gaming store that played RPG/card based games for a MTG tournament. Posted prominently on the front door was a sign much like the one previously posted, indicating that gamers play in close contact with each other and good hygiene is required - offenders will be asked to leave.

I was a little embarrassed to be there and left soon after dropping him off and buying the Order Of The Stick board game. Not because I smelled, but because I didn't want to be in the company of what were clearly going to be no-social-skill Aspertastic neckbeards. As a big guy with a beard who does shower, I'd like to be thought of as "one of the good ones" and the sign made me sad.

I have virtually no sense of smell and cannot determine when I have an offensive odor. As such, I assume I do and wash carefully and frequently.

I can understand where a lot of the complaints come from but I would just like to say in my younger days I suffered from bad body odour.

*waits for screams of abuse*

In my defence it was nothing to do with bad hygiene, I used to have to shower three or four times a day, I suffered from a condition called hyperhydrosis which is where the body produces too much sweat. This led to many times when small minded and petty people would insult me over something I had no control over.

So before you start having a go at people think for a second, not everybody who smells offensive doesn't wash.

Oh and before the hate starts I had the condition treated with special roll on deodorants and medication but it took about 2 years to clear up completely.

Remember people think before you hate. Bullying people over something this petty isn't really worth it.

I sympathise but even if it is beyond someone's control, they're still impacting other peoples' experiences (think someone with teretes in a cinema)... And thus the utilitarian in me would go for the "greatest good for the greatest number" logic and ask the minority (the unfortunate individual) to have to make a sacrifice for the enjoyment of others.

It really isn't nice I know, but I see it as producing the greatest utility amongst everyone else.

Though I guess that leaves you with the moral dilemma of "well people who affect others don't necessarily choose to do so and it's immoral to mistreat people due to circumstances they can't control": Of course, I would like to think I subscribe to that too... I guess that the fact such hypocrisy exists is why there's no real consensus on such matters.

Bah, perhaps a balanced approach is best... tolerate an unhygienic person for an hour and THEN say "Man, you stink..."


Automatically Appended Next Post:
But if we're going to use examples, when I was at Sixth-Form, in my politics lessons, I used to sit next to a fat girl who must've had some kind of urinary problem... you could smell her from several seats away and it was like sweat, urine and gone-off milk all in one sick odour... Putting up with her for 1-2 hours every day REALLY did affect me negatively... Obviously I'm not suggesting there was any horrific traumatising damage, but I used to feel like I would wretch in my mouth and always try to edge away as far as I could from her.

Now of course, the poor girl could wash (we thought about buying her soap for Christmas) or she might have had a problem we didn't know about: But should I have treated her like I would everyone else? When I and several other people privately complained about her and couldn't stand her odour?

Ah, I understand we can now discriminate against certain individuals depending on the opinions of the majority

How far we have come along the path of acceptance and understanding.

I suppose the only question left now is what other groups of people can we prevent from enjoying a game? Smokers? Well they do smell like ashtrays. Short people? If you aren't this high you can't game here.

Elitism at it's best, thank you for renewing my faith in the tolerance of the gaming community

Justicar Alaric wrote:In my defence it was nothing to do with bad hygiene, I used to have to shower three or four times a day, I suffered from a condition called hyperhydrosis which is where the body produces too much sweat. This led to many times when small minded and petty people would insult me over something I had no control over.

So before you start having a go at people think for a second, not everybody who smells offensive doesn't wash.

Oh and before the hate starts I had the condition treated with special roll on deodorants and medication but it took about 2 years to clear up completely.

Remember people think before you hate. Bullying people over something this petty isn't really worth it.

My ex-fiance had a similar condition. Her hands were always really cold and clammy and she had to use similar medications. This is not the case with every person at the shop that happens to reek. It happens. Tournament is at 9 am, you drank enough the night before to embalm a racehorse, and then wake up late and not have time to shower. I always try to be able to, but sometimes it just does work out. I typically make sure to hit up the deodorant prior to taking off. The litmus test for me is if the guys I drive over to the LGS yell at me about not showering. Usually I don't get any flak, even if I ask, but then again, I'm not really a sweaty guy. Other times I just hit the deodorant harder and hope for the best.

Justicar Alaric wrote:Smokers? Well they do smell like ashtrays.

I resent this. Smokers that hotbox in their cars and in the little "smokers boxes" you see at colleges smell like ashtrays. Most people I work with were surprised to hear that I smoke, and I've been working with them for years.

I smoke myself I was just trying to point out how ludicrous it is to say that a particular person/group should be stopped from playing just because of a few, and I mean a few, individuals are too quick to judge somebody on there outward appearance.

Well Alaric, I would hope you could at least empathise with the troubling nature of the dilemma? Surely you're being just as arrogant to suggest that people should *blindly* tolerate detractions from the experience of the majority?

On the one hand you have someone who can't control the fact that they smell who will obviously not be very happy with being chastised.

Then on the other hand you have the rest of the shop who have to put up with the god-awful smell.

It's hardly an easy problem to solve.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
To summarise, just as it may be wrong to block the minority (and I would expect the minority to complain about that), it's just as wrong to waltz in and not expect to be goaded for a bad smell... though, of course, it's likely humiliating and embarrassing for the individual, but at least they can explain the problem?

Henners91 wrote:Well Alaric, I would hope you could at least empathise with the troubling nature of the dilemma? Surely you're being just as arrogant to suggest that people should *blindly* tolerate detractions from the experience of the majority?

On the one hand you have someone who can't control the fact that they smell who will obviously not be very happy with being chastised.

Then on the other hand you have the rest of the shop who have to put up with the god-awful smell.

It's hardly an easy problem to solve.

How bout you just bite the bullet? OR better yet, if you have your heart set on believing that they are bringing their acrid stench the LGS just to be spiteful, then you should respond in kind and carry a can of Fabreeze around.

Henners91 you say that the person could explain, but are you going to listen? Er no because you have already made that person feel so bad about themselves they have likely already left never to return because of your attitude.

Austragalis carry a bottle fabreeze around? How to make an already bad and embarrassing situation worse.

At the end of the day while it may seem unpleasant to some, the fact of the matter is you cannot and should not try and enforce you views on other people however well intentioned you feel you are.

People have the right to live how they want, no matter how distasteful you may find this.

So to summarise if you have a problem with it find somewhere else or better yet just shut up at leave people alone.

One day you may find somebody who finds fault with you and starts bad mouthing that one character trait of yours they don't like. In which case karma is a .

Justicar Alaric wrote:Henners91 you say that the person could explain, but are you going to listen? Er no because you have already made that person feel so bad about themselves they have likely already left never to return because of your attitude.

Austragalis carry a bottle fabreeze around? How to make an already bad and embarrassing situation worse.

At the end of the day while it may seem unpleasant to some, the fact of the matter is you cannot and should not try and enforce you views on other people however well intentioned you feel you are.

People have the right to live how they want, no matter how distasteful you may find this.

So to summarise if you have a problem with it find somewhere else or better yet just shut up at leave people alone.

One day you may find somebody who finds fault with you and starts bad mouthing that one character trait of yours they don't like. In which case karma is a .

I agree with you - mostly. The question of whether somebody stinks or not isn't an issue of social justice. It's just "hey, you're stinking up the place. Next time you show up, please wear clean clothes" (which, by the way, is a much less offensive thing to say than "take a shower").

I do believe that people have the right to live how the want, but the caveat is that if I choose to separate myself from that element than they should respect that as I have respected them. Respect is a two way street.

And for the record, I was trying to be snide with Henners - I wasn't agreeing with him.

Sorry just had the red mist rise. I was personally subjected to Henners type for years until I got my problem sorted. For about 3 years I wouldn't go anywhere enclosed because of his type and their constant comments and abuse.

"Type"

I wouldn't say I'm abusing, I'm simply being honest (or stupid) enough to bring up the ethics of the situation. To be honest, in real-life I'm so reserved that if someone *really* stank I'd probably just give them looks and try to space myself away from them rather than say anything... and even then, telling someone they stink (when you are ignorant to the cause) is hardly bullying them: Most people would probably imagine they're doing the person a favour, assuming they live in that kind of smog and must therefore be used to it/ignorant of it.

Is telling someone I like having the air around me to be clean "enforcing my views" on them? We're not talking religion, politics or sexuality here... I'm pretty sure a pleasant gaming environment is a universal wish for most people.

I'm sorry you got abused where you went, but I think you should understand that there's a difference between being honest about how I feel about smelly types and making personal attacks on you as a person...

At the end of the day why should the majority "find somewhere else" if one person is the problem? This applies to if, like you said, I was ever annoying people: If I'm whipping out remarks, or behaving in a way that others find uncomfortable then, yes, it's best for everyone that they act gutsy and tell me to my face: If I'm raving on about some crap they should just say "shut the hell up": I don't think you've bothered to actually understand the principle that I put forward, which is the greatest good for the greatest number. Although I wouldn't live my life by that creed I'd still consider it when looking at situations and that includes those of which I am a part.

To be fair, there are things that can be done to minimize the issue that don't involve attacks on others or embarrassing anyone. In the case of a big tournament, you can turn down the AC or invest in better ventilation. I seldom ever see this actually done though, to such an extent that it's uncomfortably stifling without taking stench into account. I turned the second bedroom in my apartment into the "War Room", containing bookshelves for all the 40k stuff my friends and I own and a 6x4 table to play on. We typically have 2vs2 matches. Four (or five if we have a spectator) fat guys and a dog in a 10 x 12 room start to reek after a while, no matter how recently you showered and how much deodorant you've applied. My solution was to put a large box fan in the doorway and turn down the thermostat about 5 degrees. It worked wonders and doing it for 6 hours out of the day doesn't really cause much damage to the power bill.