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If you only use Duncan Hines, then yes.

But would you seriously find anyone saying "I'm not a baker, I'm a Duncan Hines" or "I don't bake, I Duncan Hines".
That's how this sounds.

Baking and cooking is a poor comparison because baking is an activity distinct from savoury cooking. Other than the name/brand of the minis, 40k is in no way distinct from other miniature painting.

I suppose there is nowhere to go with this, then.

Some people self identify as 40k hobbyists, and some others insist that they are wrong.

Nothing more to be done, here.

Hecaton wrote:

 Blackie wrote:
I've got an aunt that doens't really cook for hobby, she just bakes cakes. Her hobby is baking cakes, which techincally is also cooking. But cooking in general is not her hobby. Same for me, I couldn't care less about anything that isn't GW in the field of miniatures. So saying that my hobby is GW is much more true than saying that my hobbies are building/painting miniatures and miniature wargaming even if both of those are also technically true.

The difference is that "cakes" are not an IP or corporate identity.

And? They're both nouns.


Automatically Appended Next Post:

 BlackoCatto wrote:
No, it would still be under modeling of miniatures.

Maybe, I can accept that. I would definitely consider "model building", wikipedia article, as my hobby (definitely not miniature wargaming) since it still sums it up pretty good what I do, although it really is quite generic and vague and doesn't provide an honest and appropriate idea about what my hobby is if I tell it to a stranger.

I've played 40k, among other games by other companies for almost 30 years now. The scope of whats available from GW has certainly expanded significantly in that time to such an extent that you could only play warhammer 40k (the game) only paint GW miniatures, only read Black library books and only play licensed GW computer games. and that encompasses at least 4 distinct hobbies, Miniature Wargames, miniature painting, reading, and computer gaming. GW has also and still does, published CCG's, board games and other things, like badges, bags, clothing etc.

Now inside the miniature wargames niche, there are lots of different games and lots of different miniature manufacturers of varying qualities which those of us who wargame know about, but for the external layman who may not be initiated, the differences can be confusing, if not completely irrelevant.

I've been asked many times over the years what i do for fun, what are my hobbies. I like reading sci fi books, i like to keep up to date with current affairs and i have a love of military history and ancient history, and i also play warhammer 40k. I play other games, but 90% of my table time is 40k mostly due to the community and the fact i have quite an extensive collection at this point, so when answering the question 'what is your hobby' the conversation will generally go as follows

RP (Random Person): What are your hobbies?
Me: I play miniature Wargames
RP: like monopoly?
me: I do play some board games there are lots of different ones, but miniature wargames are generally played on a Tabletop rather than a board
RP; Oh, so you play with little toy soldiers?
me: Yes, I collect miniatures, build convert and paint them, and then play games against my friends. there is quite a lot involved.

My answers would change little if the person in question switched monopoly for Infinity, mech warrior, bolt action or used a more generic term like 'historical games' or trivial pursuit or the like.

When looking into the miniature wargames/tabletop games/ miniature painting hobby as an outsider the differences between games and manufacturers is likely not known, but once you have broken the ice, you can get into the specifics. what games you play, which miniatures you collect, and so forth, and a lot of people will be interested, and want to see how you have painted your toy soldiers.

The hobby has grown and is more mainstream than it used to be, so while I personally may know exactly what someone means when they say 'my hobby is 40k' and be able to follow up with a question like 'playing, collecting, painting or fluff?' most normies will probably look at you and ask 'whats 40k?' at which point you would probably just say 'its a miniatures wargame'

Also, bear in mind, GW has had a massive amount of exposure in the UK so roughly half of people who ask what i do will respond with 'like warhammer?' when i tell them i play miniature wargames. so if i were to respond 'no, infinity' and they ask 'whats that? is that the disney game?' my response would likely have to be, 'its a miniature wargame, like warhammer' make of that what you will.

I would say, in conclusion to my rambling. When addressing a fellow gamer, its fine to say 40k is your hobby, but a layman will likely not know what it is, so miniature wargamer (or whatever aspect you like in general terms) is probably a more appropriate response when asked what your hobby is.

 Blackie wrote:
And? They're both nouns.

But the differences I described make a meaningful distinction.

Anyway, I know there are people who take specific pride in being GW stans, and not fans of other games, and this thread seems to be full of them.

Hecaton wrote:

 Blackie wrote:
And? They're both nouns.

But the differences I described make a meaningful distinction.

Anyway, I know there are people who take specific pride in being GW stans, and not fans of other games, and this thread seems to be full of them.

Sorry, but I don't get that distinction.

I don't see anything bad in being GW stans and not fans of other games. I fit this description for example, except I'm definitely not a fan of the company, but in my case I simply tried a few other games over the years (Warmarchine, Infinity, SW Legion, Kings of War, X Wing, This is not a Test are those that I remember) and never liked them. At all. Just like the vast majority of plastic non GW miniatures that I've ever seen, I simply don't like them at all or enough to justify my money. I don't consider myself a fan of other games, or having "miniature wargaming" as my hobby, simply because outside a few GW games I've never found any interest in playing with miniatures, and very rarely in painting and collecting non GW stuff, outside scratch built terrain. When those few GW games I enjoy don't give me fun anymore I simply switch to other hobbies, I wouldn't play something different because my need is not playing a miniature game that I like, it's being into 40k (and Necromunda and WHFB). I love the 40k, WHFB and Necromunda universes and I'll play as long as I consider thoses game good enough and find opponents with the same mentality. But I don't have any pride (or shame) in that, it's just how things are.

To me people who play only (or mostly) 40k and have "miniature wargaming" as their hobby are people who love playing with miniatures in general and stick with 40k because they like it or consider it the most accessible game due to its wide popularity, but wouldn't mind playing something else assuming they find opponents.

 Blackie wrote:

Hecaton wrote:

 Blackie wrote:
And? They're both nouns.

But the differences I described make a meaningful distinction.

Anyway, I know there are people who take specific pride in being GW stans, and not fans of other games, and this thread seems to be full of them.

Sorry, but I don't get that distinction.

I don't see anything bad in being GW stans and not fans of other games. I fit this description for example, except I'm definitely not a fan of the company, but in my case I simply tried a few other games over the years (Warmarchine, Infinity, SW Legion, Kings of War, X Wing, This is not a Test are those that I remember) and never liked them. At all. Just like the vast majority of plastic non GW miniatures that I've ever seen, I simply don't like them at all or enough to justify my money. I don't consider myself a fan of other games, or having "miniature wargaming" as my hobby, simply because outside a few GW games I've never found any interest in playing with miniatures, and very rarely in painting and collecting non GW stuff, outside scratch built terrain. When those few GW games I enjoy don't give me fun anymore I simply switch to other hobbies, I wouldn't play something different because my need is not playing a miniature game that I like, it's being into 40k (and Necromunda and WHFB). I love the 40k, WHFB and Necromunda universes and I'll play as long as I consider thoses game good enough and find opponents with the same mentality. But I don't have any pride (or shame) in that, it's just how things are.

To me people who play only (or mostly) 40k and have "miniature wargaming" as their hobby are people who love playing with miniatures in general and stick with 40k because they like it or consider it the most accessible game due to its wide popularity, but wouldn't mind playing something else assuming they find opponents.

O' so you are boring.

kirotheavenger wrote:Why do we bother with a common language if everyone is free to just make it up as they go along?

That's kinda how language works - all words are made up, and people choose which ones they want to use. Or are you suggesting that words don't get wholesale invented?

Hecaton wrote:I know there are people who take specific pride in being GW stans, and not fans of other games, and this thread seems to be full of them.

Is that a problem, that some people prefer GW products over those from other companies?

BlackoCatto wrote:

To me people who play only (or mostly) 40k and have "miniature wargaming" as their hobby are people who love playing with miniatures in general and stick with 40k because they like it or consider it the most accessible game due to its wide popularity, but wouldn't mind playing something else assuming they find opponents.

O' so you are boring.

Why?

 kirotheavenger wrote:
Why do we bother with a common language if everyone is free to just make it up as they go along?

What we're dealing with hear is a degree of nuance that goes beyond basic communication.

Common language is about communication, and when I say "40k is my hobby" you know what I mean, even if you think I should have said it differently. Since you know what I mean, the purpose of the common language has been fulfilled.

What we've been doing here- nitpicking about the finer points of semantics and syntax via the medium of analogy- has almost nothing to do with basic communication (the purpose of common language) and more to do with the egos, identities and emotions of those involved in the debate.

Some are going to pronounce it to-MAY-to and some are going to pronounce it to-MAH-to, but we all understand the idea being communicated.

If someone told me 40k was their hobby, I'd have to ask what they meant. I'd ask if they play the video games, board games, tabletop games, paint the minis, collect the action figures, read the comics, watch the shows, read the books, or what? I'd be curious. If someone told me they paint minis, I'd understand immediately. I might ask for more information, but not out of not understanding, but wanting to talk about it.

 Sgt_Smudge wrote:

kirotheavenger wrote:Why do we bother with a common language if everyone is free to just make it up as they go along?

That's kinda how language works - all words are made up, and people choose which ones they want to use. Or are you suggesting that words don't get wholesale invented?

Hecaton wrote:I know there are people who take specific pride in being GW stans, and not fans of other games, and this thread seems to be full of them.

Is that a problem, that some people prefer GW products over those from other companies?

BlackoCatto wrote:

To me people who play only (or mostly) 40k and have "miniature wargaming" as their hobby are people who love playing with miniatures in general and stick with 40k because they like it or consider it the most accessible game due to its wide popularity, but wouldn't mind playing something else assuming they find opponents.

O' so you are boring.

Why?

I personally don't trust your opinion on linguistics.

If someone tells me their hobby is golf, my immediate question is miniature, putput, or full size?

Not these:
What clubs do you use?
What tees do you hit from?
What's your handicap?
Do you find PGA rule 17.5-3 useful?
Would you rather be driving a Titleist?

It's really dumb for anyone other than yourself to define what YOUR hobby is, if they insist...feth 'em

Racerguy180 wrote:
If someone tells me their hobby is golf, my immediate question is miniature, putput, or full size?

Not these:
What clubs do you use?
What tees do you hit from?
What's your handicap?
Do you find PGA rule 17.5-3 useful?
Would you rather be driving a Titleist?

It's really dumb for anyone other than yourself to define what YOUR hobby is, if they insist...feth 'em

How many people have ever said, oh yeah I meant miniature golf, though? When someone says their hobby is golf, it's pretty likely he or she means golf, as in regular 18 hole golf. Now if someone were to say their hobby was "hitting small balls with a specialized stick in order to get it into a hole", then you'd have some questions!

40k is so all encompassing that I need answers on what someone means. I know people who never touch the miniature side of 40k. I know people who never touch the video game side. Since we're on a miniature hobby site, we take the distinction for granted.
40k isn't a hobby. It's what some of their hobbies center around.

 TheBestBucketHead wrote:
40k is so all encompassing that I need answers on what someone means. I know people who never touch the miniature side of 40k. I know people who never touch the video game side. Since we're on a miniature hobby site, we take the distinction for granted.
40k isn't a hobby. It's what some of their hobbies center around.

So if you ask someone their hobbies and they say "40K", is that somehow preventing you from asking them further questions? Like, I don't get what the problem is here. I engage in the hobby of playing games. Does having a preference mean that I am no longer engaged in the hobby of playing games? No, it does not.

 Blackie wrote:

Hecaton wrote:

 Blackie wrote:
I've got an aunt that doens't really cook for hobby, she just bakes cakes. Her hobby is baking cakes, which techincally is also cooking. But cooking in general is not her hobby. Same for me, I couldn't care less about anything that isn't GW in the field of miniatures. So saying that my hobby is GW is much more true than saying that my hobbies are building/painting miniatures and miniature wargaming even if both of those are also technically true.

The difference is that "cakes" are not an IP or corporate identity.

And? They're both nouns.

Her hobby is baking, as you said. Baking is a verb.

The hobby is playing games. If you told me your hobby was Star Wars, it would be just as unintuitive. I only say this because of the earlier argument about clarity for 40k being a hobby. I'm arguing that it's less clear. I still see it as a collection of hobbies without this argument.

Gerunds are verbs as nouns.

 JNAProductions wrote:
Gerunds are verbs as nouns.

And 40k is not a verb, so cannot be a gerund.

You would say "I played a game of 40k", or "I painted my 40k miniatures", or "I assembled my 40K miniatures", not "I 40ked"

 TheBestBucketHead wrote:
The hobby is playing games. If you told me your hobby was Star Wars, it would be just as unintuitive. I only say this because of the earlier argument about clarity for 40k being a hobby. I'm arguing that it's less clear. I still see it as a collection of hobbies without this argument.

If someone said their hobby was "Star Wars", wouldn't that make you wonder what they meant? Are we asking people these questions while stopped at traffic lights or something that we can't ask a follow-up?

From Oxford.
hob·by
/ˈhäbē/
noun

1.
an activity done regularly in one's leisure time for pleasure:
"her hobbies are reading and gardening"

Clearly hobbies can be anything that people do for pleasure in their leisure time. Thus 40K can be a hobby, and if that isn't a sufficient answer for people then, oh gee I dunno... ask them more about it?

 A Town Called Malus wrote:

 JNAProductions wrote:
Gerunds are verbs as nouns.

And 40k is not a verb, so cannot be a gerund.

You would say "I played a game of 40k", or "I painted my 40k miniatures", or "I assembled my 40K miniatures", not "I 40ked"

Wait. English can't make a gerund from every word. Because in polish I can very much Warhammerować or Przewarhammerować someone or something.
That is very interesting thing to know. Thank you for that knowladge mr Town.

 Hairesy wrote:

 TheBestBucketHead wrote:
The hobby is playing games. If you told me your hobby was Star Wars, it would be just as unintuitive. I only say this because of the earlier argument about clarity for 40k being a hobby. I'm arguing that it's less clear. I still see it as a collection of hobbies without this argument.

If someone said their hobby was "Star Wars", wouldn't that make you wonder what they meant? Are we asking people these questions while stopped at traffic lights or something that we can't ask a follow-up?

From Oxford.
hob·by
/ˈhäbē/
noun

1.
an activity done regularly in one's leisure time for pleasure:
"her hobbies are reading and gardening"

Clearly hobbies can be anything that people do for pleasure in their leisure time. Thus 40K can be a hobby, and if that isn't a sufficient answer for people then, oh gee I dunno... ask them more about it?

Yes, if someone said their hobby was Star Wars, it would make me wonder what they meant. That's what I said. Please understand what I said before you respond, it's common courtesy. And please stop being rude when I'm just clarifying my point. I'm not saying people are wrong, or dumb, or anything bad. 40k isn't a hobby, because it's not an activity. The activity and hobby would be the activity you do. Like playing the miniature game. Or reading the books. Note that when someone says "I'm playing 40k," playing implies the game, meaning the game is the hobby in this scenario, not 40k.

A lot of people in this thread seem to have a side hobby in pedantry.

 Sim-Life wrote:
A lot of people in this thread seem to have a side hobby in pedantry.

It's the internet.

 TheBestBucketHead wrote:


Yes, if someone said their hobby was Star Wars, it would make me wonder what they meant. That's what I said. Please understand what I said before you respond, it's common courtesy. And please stop being rude when I'm just clarifying my point. I'm not saying people are wrong, or dumb, or anything bad. 40k isn't a hobby, because it's not an activity. The activity and hobby would be the activity you do. Like playing the miniature game. Or reading the books. Note that when someone says "I'm playing 40k," playing implies the game, meaning the game is the hobby in this scenario, not 40k.

All true. The point is some activities might be too generic to describe someone's hobby properly. Someone that read magazines about a specific matter is techincally a reader but when I say reading is my hobby I would never think about someone reading (say) cars magazines. Someone that is a strong supporter of a team would never say: "my hobby is watching sports", rather "my hobby is that team". Not even watching one specific sport, but watching games of a specific team.

When people say "my hobby is miniature wargaming" I never think of someone playing 40k, rather someone being interested in multiple games. And typically 40k is not one of them since it's not considered a good enough one for those who enjoy trying multiple games.

So while saying "my hobby is 40k" might not be techincally correct, also saying "my hobby is miniature wargaming" is not correct to describe the hobby of someone playing just (or mostly) 40k. That guy's hobby is playing 40k, specifically 40k, not playing miniature wargames.


Automatically Appended Next Post:

 A Town Called Malus wrote:

 Blackie wrote:

Hecaton wrote:

 Blackie wrote:
I've got an aunt that doens't really cook for hobby, she just bakes cakes. Her hobby is baking cakes, which techincally is also cooking. But cooking in general is not her hobby. Same for me, I couldn't care less about anything that isn't GW in the field of miniatures. So saying that my hobby is GW is much more true than saying that my hobbies are building/painting miniatures and miniature wargaming even if both of those are also technically true.

The difference is that "cakes" are not an IP or corporate identity.

And? They're both nouns.

Her hobby is baking, as you said. Baking is a verb.

Baking cakes, not baking.

Baking cakes is still baking.

Her hobby is baking, not caking.

I totally agree that it can be vague either way. I don't really mind how the word hobby is used, though. I really only wanted to share my input. If someone, out of the blue, told me that they thought of their hobby as 40k, I'd ask what they meant, but I'd never enter this argument.

 Sim-Life wrote:
A lot of people in this thread seem to have a side hobby in pedantry.

Pedantry is a verb?


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Regardless, almost three quarters of respondents claim 40k as more hobby than game.

I would have also claimed that WHFB was one of my hobbies, but that died, or was rather murdered.

Now, keeping up with 40k even without a place or people for games is about the extent of my free time, that and listening to some chess tournaments when I can… not sure how saying that mini war games are my hobby when I only pay attention to one setting. Just seems to me that saying that 40k is my hobby is a better answer than mini war games should someone ask. I mean, I know almost nothing about mini war games in general… it is difficult enough to keep up with what I can about this one system. I suppose with HH 2.0 I might shift a bit, but even then I would feel it more accurate to answer that my hobby is 40k though I recently got into HH for the models and better rules. But, anyways, no matter.

 A Town Called Malus wrote:
Baking cakes is still baking.

Her hobby is baking, not caking.

But it's not. Baking and baking cakes are two different activities, which might have (not even guaranteed) something in common.

Do you think watching football and watching baseball are the same activities? They both fall under the "watching sports" category. But at that point, why not considering watching a movie the same hobby? It's still "watching tv" after all, and that might be the activity that defines the hobby.

And what about playing 40k or playing a boardgame, a card game, a sport or a videogame? They all fall under under "playing", which is definitely an activity. Who decides how generic or how specific an activity has to be to define someone's hobby?

My point is that for someone a hobby might be defined by the generic verb, for someone else is something more specific. And there's nothing wrong about that.