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.

Older teenager... playing Astra Militarum... quietly reciting tenets to himself from the Imperial Infantryman's Handbook... while rocking back and forth as though he was in a trance.

 Shadow Captain Edithae wrote:
Was this at a gaming store, a club or just someone's house? Someone probably should have taken her to one side and asked her to leave before the Police were called.

It was at a gaming club, she left on her own but not without asking some of the teens if they want to come with her to a party. Luckily all of them got their senses together and declined the offer. The next day we just blew her puny miniatures into oblivion on turn one. She got bored and left quite quickly and never returned. Strangely, her state of possible inebriation was unchanged.

 oni wrote:
Older teenager... playing Astra Militarum... quietly reciting tenets to himself from the Imperial Infantryman's Handbook... while rocking back and forth as though he was in a trance.

That would creep me out.

Anyone mumbling anything while rocking back and forth would creep me out, to be honest.

I don't know if I would call it weird, but definitely the most irresponsible person I ever met was actually one of the local FLGS owners. My buddy and I came in one Friday to throw some dice around and generally just hang out. The owner was kind of an donkey-cave, but a likable donkey-cave, so we still came to the shop even though most of his player base was moving elsewhere because of him. Anyway, we're playing a game, not another soul in the store when the store owner told us he had to step out for like 15 minutes and asked us to cover the store for him. We had never worked there, but I know how to run a cash register and answer a phone, so it was no big deal to me since it was only 15 minutes.

15 minutes come and pass. We don't think much of it, just assuming he's running late.... a total of 45 minutes pass and now we are getting worried. FNM was due to start in about an hour and people were starting to show up for it. Me and my bud decided if we didn't hear anything from him in 15 minutes, we were gonna kick everyone out, lock the front door, and slip out the back. Thankfully, one of the store co-owners called up looking for the owner and after a very confusing phone call, he came in (quite pissed about it I may add), to cover FNM and relieve us.

By the time the co-owner came in, we had been left there about an hour and 15 minutes unattended, had finished our game 30 minutes ago, and we're trying to awkwardly ensure the Magic players that FNM would be starting tonight on time without informing them that there was no actual employees there. While I have no desire to rob the store blind, it doesn't mean one of them may not jump at the chance. Needless to say, we were pretty much out the door immediately the second someone that actually works there had arrived. He thanked us, we left and I think I've only been back like one time since. But never to play, just to shop. That FLGS finally found the way to encourage even me to not come back.

...Weirdest person in the local game shop...
*Waves*

The Auld Grump

I think I'm probably the weirdest person at my local game store. But I don't think I'm quite as out there as some of these stories are, so thank the Emperor for that. I just mostly like to banter with my opponents during games, which tends to confuse them a bit (most of them are nice guys, they just don't banter that much back). I also occasionally say "Blood for the Blood God" when I'm rolling for my CC attacks, but that's about it

this is a scary thread tbh...

I don't consider "weird" a bad thing, unless it's the kind of weird that makes you worry in a 'he might be a stalker' kind of way, then I have a problem.

Besides, normality is overrated.

 Gertjan wrote:

 Jehan-reznor wrote:

 jer155 wrote:
WOW. Reading you guys' comments really makes the Assassin's creed guy seem normal...

He is

Back in the Netherlands there was a guy who worked as an assistant at the gamestore, he was a really nice guy, but his thoughts were in a different plane, i played against him often because there was only a small group that played warzone and Chronopia. His armies looked like a psychedelic t-shirt, another guy had color blindness so his armies were a little off, but this guy just slapped paint on them with no logic. and went on monologues explaining why they looked like that and the armies history, he was an even worse tactical player then i am (and that says something). But it was always fun to play against him.

Sounds like a very familiar case, store was in the Southern part of the Netherlands? If so, the dude was a blast, his theories were pretty far out there but so much fun to hang out with.

Yes his son is/was a very good eldar player.

 cuda1179 wrote:
I remembered two more.
Imagine a gaming store across the street from a major college campus, two doors down from a major college bar, and less than three blocks from Fraternity row. This normally wasn't a problem unless gaming lasted unusually long into the night, when it was a crapshoot if you'd get hassled by drunken frat boys. On one of these fateful nights a drunk thought it would be funny to kick my model case out of my hands, a case filled with about $2500 of models. By instinct alone I turned and punched, the only punch I've thrown in my life. I actually knocked the guy out.

...Mayhem Comics in Ames?

On my list before I had totally forgot my favorite one.....

the shop closed for lunch and most went to get a slice of pizza around the corner. this kid orders some pizza and looks at it and says "this pizza needs bacon" he proceeded to open his wallet, yes a tri fold leather wallet, pulls out a paper towel which contained 3 slices of thick cut cooked bacon. he pulled bacon out of his wallet. he is still often asked if he has bacon on him. the waitress told him that they had bacon and he said "nah I got some right here" dumbfounded she walked away. I can't even write this without busting out laughing thinking about it.

My store has a guy who seems to be in late 20s and insists he only wears sweat pants. And every time he sits down, his ass crack shows. He's not hugely large either. A couple of people have spoken to him about it, usually nicely, and he'll adjust for the moment...then as soon as he has to stand and sit back down, the problem comes back. While his opinions on a few things are strange, he's able to interact fine enough that I'm not sure I could even consider a possible handicap...just odd social skills and a lack of awareness of what is considered polite. It's like nobody taught him that the only ass crack anyone EVER wants to see is that of a hot college girl, and nobody over 14 wears sweat pants; except around the house/gym.

 namiel wrote:
On my list before I had totally forgot my favorite one.....

the shop closed for lunch and most went to get a slice of pizza around the corner. this kid orders some pizza and looks at it and says "this pizza needs bacon" he proceeded to open his wallet, yes a tri fold leather wallet, pulls out a paper towel which contained 3 slices of thick cut cooked bacon. he pulled bacon out of his wallet. he is still often asked if he has bacon on him. the waitress told him that they had bacon and he said "nah I got some right here" dumbfounded she walked away. I can't even write this without busting out laughing thinking about it.

That might be the most American thing I have ever read.

War Kitten wrote:I think I'm probably the weirdest person at my local game store. But I don't think I'm quite as out there as some of these stories are, so thank the Emperor for that. I just mostly like to banter with my opponents during games, which tends to confuse them a bit (most of them are nice guys, they just don't banter that much back). I also occasionally say "Blood for the Blood God" when I'm rolling for my CC attacks, but that's about it

Sounds like you and me are very much the same kind of weird. I sometimes will, in the middle of a game, comment on my opponent's models' paintjob or other random stuff. I also sometimes make engine noises when I move vehicles/bikes. I don't think I've ever offended anyone with this behavior, so there's that.

Guildenstern wrote:this is a scary thread tbh...

I don't consider "weird" a bad thing, unless it's the kind of weird that makes you worry in a 'he might be a stalker' kind of way, then I have a problem.

Besides, normality is overrated.

Yes, normality is indeed very overrated. Have an exalt! You are right about some of the weird people described on this thread being scary though...

I'm not seeing how simply making conversation during a game makes one weird. Wargames are an inherintly social hobby, regardless of the sociability of the players. You're standing there for an hour or two playing a game - I'd consider it weird, and even rude, to not make conversation.

However, with my group, sometimes that conversation will stretch a 2 hour game into a 4 hour game because we get too involved with the conversation.

I don't know if this is weird or just rude...but me and friends (we'll call them D and H) went to a FLGS to play a tutorial game. Myself and D had played with each other for a long while, and H was interested and wanted us to teach him how to play. So H got some Dark Eldar and was going to play against Ds Blood Angels while I oversaw and helped with rules.

Well there was a guy I know was a regular at the FLGS but I had never really interacted with who decided to come over and ask what we were up to. I explained and we chatted for a bit. Nothing wrong there, we're all social guys who don't mind hanging out with some new people.

Then the guy starts to very vocally tell H (who is playing his first ever game) that he's not using his units optimally and that his list (which was 2 troops and an HQ) was no 'tournament ready'. We explained this was his first game, which he seemed to understand. Then a few minutes later, H moves units in a way that this gentleman can simply not abide and physically takes the tape measure from H and inserts himself into playing H's army. We tried to explain to him again but we eventually just gave up and went home.

It's sad because H would still want to play but we'd end up just having to play on the kitchen table at one of our apartments because H refused to go back to the FLGS.

 Quarterdime wrote:

 cuda1179 wrote:
I remembered two more.
Imagine a gaming store across the street from a major college campus, two doors down from a major college bar, and less than three blocks from Fraternity row. This normally wasn't a problem unless gaming lasted unusually long into the night, when it was a crapshoot if you'd get hassled by drunken frat boys. On one of these fateful nights a drunk thought it would be funny to kick my model case out of my hands, a case filled with about $2500 of models. By instinct alone I turned and punched, the only punch I've thrown in my life. I actually knocked the guy out.

...Mayhem Comics in Ames?

Uh.....yeah, actually that is the store I was talking about. I haven't gamed there in several years. I wonder if the atmosphere is still the same around 12 AM.

Not a weird gamer, but in the early 1990's Danny Lilker of Nuclear Assault played 40k and blood bowl at the Imagination Workshop in north jersey with our group.
Funny thing was, you had to talk real loud because his hearing was shot.

 timetowaste85 wrote:
My store has a guy who seems to be in late 20s and insists he only wears sweat pants. And every time he sits down, his ass crack shows. He's not hugely large either. A couple of people have spoken to him about it, usually nicely, and he'll adjust for the moment...then as soon as he has to stand and sit back down, the problem comes back. While his opinions on a few things are strange, he's able to interact fine enough that I'm not sure I could even consider a possible handicap...just odd social skills and a lack of awareness of what is considered polite. It's like nobody taught him that the only ass crack anyone EVER wants to see is that of a hot college girl, and nobody over 14 wears sweat pants; except around the house/gym.

I have a hunch this kid was autistic. Some autistic kids only wear certain types of clothes or refuse to wear others. A woman I dated had an autistic child who would never wear jeans. She didn't like the way they felt on her skin.

 jonolikespie wrote:

 namiel wrote:
On my list before I had totally forgot my favorite one.....

the shop closed for lunch and most went to get a slice of pizza around the corner. this kid orders some pizza and looks at it and says "this pizza needs bacon" he proceeded to open his wallet, yes a tri fold leather wallet, pulls out a paper towel which contained 3 slices of thick cut cooked bacon. he pulled bacon out of his wallet. he is still often asked if he has bacon on him. the waitress told him that they had bacon and he said "nah I got some right here" dumbfounded she walked away. I can't even write this without busting out laughing thinking about it.

That might be the most American thing I have ever read.

he didn't have a gun on him so....it wasn't that American but pretty stellar nonetheless.

 namiel wrote:

 jonolikespie wrote:

 namiel wrote:
On my list before I had totally forgot my favorite one.....

the shop closed for lunch and most went to get a slice of pizza around the corner. this kid orders some pizza and looks at it and says "this pizza needs bacon" he proceeded to open his wallet, yes a tri fold leather wallet, pulls out a paper towel which contained 3 slices of thick cut cooked bacon. he pulled bacon out of his wallet. he is still often asked if he has bacon on him. the waitress told him that they had bacon and he said "nah I got some right here" dumbfounded she walked away. I can't even write this without busting out laughing thinking about it.

That might be the most American thing I have ever read.

he didn't have a gun on him so....it wasn't that American but pretty stellar nonetheless.

Maybe he had a gun in his wallet.

 Shadow Captain Edithae wrote:

 namiel wrote:

 jonolikespie wrote:

 namiel wrote:
On my list before I had totally forgot my favorite one.....

the shop closed for lunch and most went to get a slice of pizza around the corner. this kid orders some pizza and looks at it and says "this pizza needs bacon" he proceeded to open his wallet, yes a tri fold leather wallet, pulls out a paper towel which contained 3 slices of thick cut cooked bacon. he pulled bacon out of his wallet. he is still often asked if he has bacon on him. the waitress told him that they had bacon and he said "nah I got some right here" dumbfounded she walked away. I can't even write this without busting out laughing thinking about it.

That might be the most American thing I have ever read.

he didn't have a gun on him so....it wasn't that American but pretty stellar nonetheless.

Maybe he had a gun in his wallet.

as American as that would be, god I love America, we still don't let 14 year olds carry weapons.

I guess we mainly avoid any real weirdos where I game. I can think of a few mild cases, though.

One guy would take his shoes and socks off and walk around the store barefoot.

Another guy apparently brought in his entire airbrush kit to paint miniatures in the store, which isn't so much weird as it is strange that he couldn't do it somewhere a little less public and a little more well ventilated.

I saw a guy at my old LGS the last time I was in there, with a full home computer set-up that he'd brought in to take advantage of the free WiFi.

 DarkTraveler777 wrote:

 oni wrote:
Older teenager... playing Astra Militarum... quietly reciting tenets to himself from the Imperial Infantryman's Handbook... while rocking back and forth as though he was in a trance.

That would creep me out.

Anyone mumbling anything while rocking back and forth would creep me out, to be honest.

Not saying it's always the case, but rocking mumbling and tucking their arms to their body are signs of an autistic person significantly out of their comfort zone. Sensory overload such as a gaming store or loud group can cause it.
It's a self-soothing involuntary response that releases de-stressing chemicals.
So uh, nothing to be frightened of.

If you're feeling overly kind and you see someone in that position, see if they'd like to go outside for a breather and a snack maybe. Or don't, I'm a random commissar, not your mom.

 SlaveToDorkness wrote:
I saw a guy at my old LGS the last time I was in there, with a full home computer set-up that he'd brought in to take advantage of the free WiFi.

My wife wanted a cup of coffee so we went into a Starbucks. As we waited for her coffee a guy was bringing in his home computer and setting it up. He started to play WoW on his computer.

That... Might be me. I wear a long trenchcoat and a broad hat (my eyes are quite sensitive to light and in the cold months I wear a buff around my neck which I bring up over my mouth and nose when outside.

That said, a week ago I turned up and opened my bag to find that I had at some point packed my GP-5 gasmask. This was not helped by the fact that my carry case of choice for my tanks is a 5.56mm ammunition box.

 Buttery Commissar wrote:

 DarkTraveler777 wrote:

 oni wrote:
Older teenager... playing Astra Militarum... quietly reciting tenets to himself from the Imperial Infantryman's Handbook... while rocking back and forth as though he was in a trance.

That would creep me out.

Anyone mumbling anything while rocking back and forth would creep me out, to be honest.

Not saying it's always the case, but rocking mumbling and tucking their arms to their body are signs of an autistic person significantly out of their comfort zone. Sensory overload such as a gaming store or loud group can cause it.
It's a self-soothing involuntary response that releases de-stressing chemicals.
So uh, nothing to be frightened of.

If you're feeling overly kind and you see someone in that position, see if they'd like to go outside for a breather and a snack maybe. Or don't, I'm a random commissar, not your mom.

Good to know, but I stand by my comment.

Being creeped out doesn't necessarily translate to fear. Mumbling and rocking would make me uncomfortable. The person could be autistic or have some other issue, but regardless it wouldn't be something I'd want to deal with from a stranger.

 master of ordinance wrote:

That said, a week ago I turned up and opened my bag to find that I had at some point packed my GP-5 gasmask. This was not helped by the fact that my carry case of choice for my tanks is a 5.56mm ammunition box.

Surprised you didn't get a visit from the flippin' flying squad!

 DarkTraveler777 wrote:

 oni wrote:
Older teenager... playing Astra Militarum... quietly reciting tenets to himself from the Imperial Infantryman's Handbook... while rocking back and forth as though he was in a trance.

That would creep me out.

Anyone mumbling anything while rocking back and forth would creep me out, to be honest.

I only do that while mumbling the lyrics to Video Killed the Radio Star

[MOD EDIT - COMMENTS OF THIS TYPE ARE AGAINST THE RULES OF THE SITE - ALPHARIUS]