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'm a bit amazed by all these tales of gamer "funk" and extreme smell. I've almost never had issues at my FLGS with smelly people.

Okay, well maybe there was that one day where 50 people were there playing magic in a tight space and it smelled like a zoo...

Anyway, whenever I've visited gaming spaces with non-gamers they just get kind of bored and stand around until they can leave. Never seen them take any interest in it.

I haven't smelled gamer funk at the two stores I visit now. I have smelled it plenty of times in the past at the one I worked at. But God forbid you mention it: the unwashed cretins would get offended and leave and the store would have no business!!

To paraphrase Marie Antoinette: "let them smell smelly!"

Funny how this turned into a male/female thing.  

My wife used to go with me to Games Day every year, back in the day when that was a thing.  She's gotten me game stuff for my b-day, but mostly its shirts and stuff she thinks I need.  She doesn't play and wont paint figs, eventhough she does watercoloures for fun and profit.  I had a secretary buy me some game stuff too. Too bad I don't work for that company anymore.  There are ladies that play 40k at the FLGS in a near-by town. Lately I've seen more and more young girls playing MTG at the local FLGS.  I think it started with some of the older players getting their daughters into the game, then the daughters got their friends involved.  I think its great.

I am fortunate enough to call Game Empire in Pasadena my FLGS and I occasionally take my missus in when I'm just going to browse. I am pleased to report that I have found all of the stereotypes to be incorrect.

Took a friend of mine with me to the Geekery in Flagstaff this last Friday. Originally I was planning to go alone as I planned to do a binge night of gaming that night, but as I was leaving she ran into me and asked to tag along. Here's the conversation in a nutshell

Her:Hey MrMoustaffa where ya going?

Me:The nerdiest place you can imagine to get my nerd on.

Her:That sounds fun! Can I tag along

Me:....oooook. You realize I could be there for hours, surrounded by the nerdiest dudes in town, and I'm your ride. Which means you'll be stuck there till I'm done.

Her:Yeah ok!

Me:Allow me to reiterate, SEVERAL. HOURS. As in if everything goes to plan I'll be there till 1-2am. And its 7pm right now. And you will be a few miles from home in the middle of the night with no ride back. And there are no bars nearby.

Her:Yeah I know lets go!

I proceeded to play X Wing for over 5 hours, just as I warned her I would. And she got bored, just as I warned her she would.

Although for different reasons than I thought she would. Turns out she had forgotten her Magic deck and she had been stoked to play

She did get the classic "girlfriend/wife bored out of their skull look" though.

I WARNED HER! I WARNED HER BUT OH NO, SHE DIDNT LISTEN

Last month a gamer and his wife & young baby come into our FLGS, and while he went off and played a quick pick up game she sat down at the modeling table and proceeded to breast feed her baby. Now, having recently had kids I didn't bat an eyelid, but two or three guys at other tables almost blacked out...

Easy E wrote:

 Buttery Commissar wrote:

 Squidmanlolz wrote:
^Well said, Buttery Commissar. I'm really glad that the stores my girlfriend and I frequent are free of this kind of thing.

My FLGS has become incredibly friendly and very welcoming lately, due to new management. I always feel happy going there, the store radiates joy. I'd feel safe taking my Mum there too, which is my metre stick for good company these days.

I would be curious to hear how they make it radiate Joy.

Joyguns, 'natch

davethepak wrote:oh, and side note: next time someone whispers and mocks tell them "its like fantasy football, but for people with imagination and disposable income"

I have been looking for an adequately expressive quote to put down meatheads who have trouble understanding the appeal of war gamming. This is it. I thank you sir!

I think it's hilarious when my wife comes with me into a gaming store (which she rarely does)... she likes to see if guys will look her in the eye. As you may have guessed, most won't

My wife has gone to the FLGS a few times with me. She just looks around at the stuff. I introduce her to the guys they all act like normal gentleman and go about their business. Nothing out of the ordinary every time we have been there. Guess we live in a boring town

 Squidmanlolz wrote:

 Easy E wrote:

 Buttery Commissar wrote:

 Squidmanlolz wrote:
^Well said, Buttery Commissar. I'm really glad that the stores my girlfriend and I frequent are free of this kind of thing.

My FLGS has become incredibly friendly and very welcoming lately, due to new management. I always feel happy going there, the store radiates joy. I'd feel safe taking my Mum there too, which is my metre stick for good company these days.

I would be curious to hear how they make it radiate Joy.

I don't think it's that hard when you have a lot of friendly people who are passionate about their hobby. Sounds like a joyful environment to me.

Okay the guy running it, is like a bubble of genuine, distilled happiness. instead of that excited labrador effect you can experience in certain hobby stores that are there for hard-sell. He wants to know what your passion is, and remember is so that he can do his best for you. Even if the game you love isn't carried, or went OOP in 2008.
"Come in on wednesday evenings! I think a few of our players talk about that game, i bet we could set something up!" etc.

He fosters this charming atmosphere, and encourages people there to be their best. The air is clean, even walking in, after a day of card tourneys. There are even designated 'snacking tables' with signs and bins next to them, so nobody gets crud on other folk's stuff if they need to eat. It sounds incredibly anal, but in person it's sweet.

I hadto buy some paints once and brought two of my friends along, they got caught up in watching a game of Warmachine, then a match of 40K. Both started playing with me shortly after.
I don't regret it!

 Chute82 wrote:
My wife has gone to the FLGS a few times with me. She just looks around at the stuff. I introduce her to the guys they all act like normal gentleman and go about their business. Nothing out of the ordinary every time we have been there. Guess we live in a boring town

Good for you guys . To be fair, it's the same with my gaming group now - they're basically all married, after all!

We have about 33% women and 67% men in my club. One of wich is my wife. So no embarasing situations when women come in.

Regulare nn gamers are interested in minis, but can't handle to look full game. Wich is understandable.

Edit: we have 6 players in my club, 2 of them are women, one of them is my wife, lol)))

My wife refuses to go into the LGS at all and is only rarely willing to go into the hobby shop. She says such places make her feel uncomfortable.

 RiTides wrote:

 Chute82 wrote:
My wife has gone to the FLGS a few times with me. She just looks around at the stuff. I introduce her to the guys they all act like normal gentleman and go about their business. Nothing out of the ordinary every time we have been there. Guess we live in a boring town

Good for you guys . To be fair, it's the same with my gaming group now - they're basically all married, after all!

Almost everybody I game with is married with kids in their late 30's early 40's. Never have seen anyone one not act like a total gentleman when a lady or kids are present. Even the highschool kids act like normal kids their age. One of the guys who works at the shop part time is a local teacher at one of the schools, he invites the high school kids to come out for DnD Wednesday at the FLGS. Even at the last warmachine tournament my buddy made the comment that nobody stunk of BO and we had people show up from Cleveland and Columbus, Ohio. Been to some tournament in Pittsburgh and Iam yet to run into one of these guys that everybody claims to see.
Guess being 40 years old and working at a state prison for so many years that nothing surprises me anymore and Iam just happy not to be around inmates.

Also the warmachine guys play games right next to the 40k guys and no fist fights break out as other claim. Most just ask questions and or watch the games.

 RiTides wrote:
Ishe likes to see if guys will look her in the eye.

Lots of stores I go to, like Wal-mart, Target, Macy's etc. no one actually wants to look anyone in th eye, whether they are male, female, teen, senior, attractive, ugly, etc.

Heck, even the long time friends in my town don't look each other in the eye. They stand perpendicular to each other and look out across the street when they are talking to each other.

I guess we are just too passive-aggressive for eye contact.

 Easy E wrote:

 RiTides wrote:
Ishe likes to see if guys will look her in the eye.

Lots of stores I go to, like Wal-mart, Target, Macy's etc. no one actually wants to look anyone in th eye, whether they are male, female, teen, senior, attractive, ugly, etc.

Heck, even the long time friends in my town don't look each other in the eye. They stand perpendicular to each other and look out across the street when they are talking to each other.

I guess we are just too passive-aggressive for eye contact.

Yeah yeah, but don't you get it? Socially awkward nerds are funny man; I know I get my jollies laughing at people being uncomfortable. Not as funny as cripples though, they are a pure hoot. Not because they're nice people, you understand, but because I derive enjoyment from other people being uncomfortable or miserable.

^
How people who talk about how funny(as in laugh at, not with) nerds are come across to me.

RiTides wrote:she likes to see if guys will look her in the eye. As you may have guessed, most won't

Why would they?

Yodhrin wrote:Yeah yeah, but don't you get it? Socially awkward nerds are funny man; I know I get my jollies laughing at people being uncomfortable. Not as funny as cripples though, they are a pure hoot. Not because they're nice people, you understand, but because I derive enjoyment from other people being uncomfortable or miserable.

^
How people who talk about how funny(as in laugh at, not with) nerds are come across to me.

Yeah, that's how it sounds to me too. It's also hilarious how no one on the internet is one of these "gamer guys"

I've walked into the FLGS a few times with non-gamer friends, and it's been pretty cool most of the time. The exception was when my friend made a remark about the people that were there, commenting on their age, weight and the fact that they played with tin soldiers and "Pokemon cards". The store went dead silent. Never brought him around again, and kinda laid low myself for a while after that.

I feel very uncomfortable looking at people in the eye too if it's a 1v1 thing, like a meeting. I really dislike to be in meetings with just one other person. Unless they are family or very close friends I really dislike the 1v1 situations, I never feel natural.

Never did visit a FLGS with non-gamers, but sometimes they show up. I can't say I've watched anything terrible but some guys really sound annoying, and it's not even their fault: They are excited, they are happy, they want to share and talk with people about their hobby and why they find it fun and why you probably will. I'm a gamer / hobbyist myself, so I understand and I do talk with them but I can imagine "normal" people, for the lack of a better term, would feel uncomfortable.

The BO... well, never met any GUO myself, but when it's a tournament day you MUST expect BO. It's a tournament, the place is packed with people, the body heat is through the roof and you will sweat. A damn lot.

 Buttery Commissar wrote:

 Squidmanlolz wrote:

 Easy E wrote:

 Buttery Commissar wrote:

 Squidmanlolz wrote:
^Well said, Buttery Commissar. I'm really glad that the stores my girlfriend and I frequent are free of this kind of thing.

I would be curious to hear how they make it radiate Joy.

Okay the guy running it, is like a bubble of genuine, distilled happiness. instead of that excited labrador effect you can experience in certain hobby stores that are there for hard-sell. He wants to know what your passion is, and remember is so that he can do his best for you. Even if the game you love isn't carried, or went OOP in 2008.
"Come in on wednesday evenings! I think a few of our players talk about that game, i bet we could set something up!" etc.

He fosters this charming atmosphere, and encourages people there to be their best. The air is clean, even walking in, after a day of card tourneys. There are even designated 'snacking tables' with signs and bins next to them, so nobody gets crud on other folk's stuff if they need to eat. It sounds incredibly anal, but in person it's sweet.

Thanks for answering. So, it is the personality of the owner that starts the process, and as the owner/leader of the store is it trickles down to everything that happens there. That makes sense to me.

I played sports from youth through high school varsity. I went through puberty. I lived in a fraternity house with 17 guys. I worked in a massive public (university, but open to all) library in a city with a large homeless population. I know people-stink. Of the several stores I've visited (3 FLGSs, 2 combo, and a pure comic store), none have had an omnipresent miasma of gamer-stench. Of the dozens of patrons and staff I've passed by, only one or two were beyond the realm of common decency, if not outright Nurglings. Granted, I haven't wedged myself into a table for Friday Night Magic on release day for a new set or entered a wargame tourney, but it seems I've lucked out...

As for bringing non-gamers into 'our haunts,' it's just been my wife (still girlfriend at the time of the earliest visits). She's accommodating, but in no way interested in wargaming. She's tried a game of 40k, one of Infinity, and brief stints in D&D campaigns that petered out during college, but it's just not her thing. Couldn't even get her into painting, even though she's quite the artist (or was, before grad school sucked out her energy and interests ). She does enjoy a good boardgame, though, so generally browses those on the rare occasion that we enter a game store together. More generalized craft and hobby shops (more in the Michaels, Hobby Lobby, etc. vein), she can always find something else to look at - she has her interests, even if she doesn't act upon them enough to still count them as 'hobbies.'

My current FLGS, little as I visit it, has a relatively 'outsider'-friendly setup. They have an alternate location where they host big events (wargame tournaments, big M:TG releases, etc.) and the main store is split between the front desk/merchandise shelves and an equally sized side room, where the painting and playing tables are. If any stink or off-color chatter were to arise, there's a bit of a buffer for the casual shopper. Likewise, the hardcore gamers are less likely to have to fend off handsy kids or deal with people shuffling by and leering over their shoulders. When we've been in there, together, we haven't run into enough people to even gauge how awkward, sexist, or stinky the locals might be.

 Easy E wrote:

Okay the guy running it, is like a bubble of genuine, distilled happiness. instead of that excited labrador effect you can experience in certain hobby stores that are there for hard-sell. He wants to know what your passion is, and remember is so that he can do his best for you. Even if the game you love isn't carried, or went OOP in 2008.
"Come in on wednesday evenings! I think a few of our players talk about that game, i bet we could set something up!" etc.

He fosters this charming atmosphere, and encourages people there to be their best. The air is clean, even walking in, after a day of card tourneys. There are even designated 'snacking tables' with signs and bins next to them, so nobody gets crud on other folk's stuff if they need to eat. It sounds incredibly anal, but in person it's sweet.

Thanks for answering. So, it is the personality of the owner that starts the process, and as the owner/leader of the store is it trickles down to everything that happens there. That makes sense to me.

There's an FLGS like this near me, too. The owner is super enthusiastic and positive, and he hires people who have similar attitudes. The store is also always kept showroom clean, brightly lit and nice smelling. It's not just neat by gamer standards, it's neat by the standards of any professional retail store, like you might find in an upscale mall. Even the bathroom is clean, has painted walls and nice fittings, and has air fresheners. It's amazing what a contrast this can be to some stores which are run like a private clubhouse by someone who doesn't treat it as a real job and a place of business. Not that most stores are bad, but there are some out there where you see why gaming and comic stores can have a bad rep.