A friend of mine has been very blah about the hobby recently. When he and I got into the discussion about why, he had a few reasons. They struck me so much that almost 5 days later I am still thinking about them. So I figured if they interest me this much, they might interest you.
His first concern was that he feels the local community is too formulaic. I'm not sure I completely agree with this, but the store we used to frequent alot has become a bit of a breeding ground for tournament players and lists. Now, some of you will notice that I am preping for a tournament at the moment. In truth I have run tournaments in the past. But it shouldn't dominate your hobby. If fact it shouldn't really be that big a focus on your hobby. Competitive play like tournaments have a place, but if they are the end all and be all of your hobby, I feel sorry for you. He is one of the better players so he feels the game has become stagnant and he knows how to handle most of the armies he will face. Like I said I'm not sure I agree that it's the same game over and over... but has had a bad stretch of opponents that are all very similar.
But then the conversation swung around to the topic of him being a hobby snob. His term I swear. What he means by this is simple, he is a fairly high level painter and converter. My current Hell Pit Abomination is his conversion. He said in this conversation that he hates fielding his army against unpainted models. The snob part came next and I'm paraphrasing, "Why should I deign to put my models on the table if you can't be bothered to paint yours?" At first I thought he was being a bit harsh. I mean not everyon can paint to his degree. I can't... yet. But as the conversation progress I came to realize it wasn't that they had to painted to competition levels, but he just doesn't like seeing unpainted models on the table.
He and I both used to work for GW, and while I didn't play back in the days of unpainted armies could not be played in the shop, he did. And you know what he was on the opposite side of this argument back then. And not because he didn't paint his models, but because he thought it was standoffish. The change in policy was designed to make the game accessible to new players. And while it does accomplish that, it allows people to be lazy.
And that is the problem. Gamers are lazy. Give them a chance to do less effort to play and they will, most of them at least. So now we live in the advent of the grey soldier syndrome. The unpainted realm. I have exactly 1 fully painted army of the 3 I own. I'm just as guilty. And you know why that army is painted? 'Cause it had to be to enter an event in my shop. 3000 points painted in 2 weeks.... of Skaven.
People will say they can't paint, or don't have the time, or what ever.... you know what? Bullshit. To the point of not enough time all I can say is 3000 points of Skaven with no bell or plague furnace, and only 1 WLC and 1 Abomination. In 2 weeks. While working full time. If you are motivated you will find the time. To the part about not being able to paint... again BULLSHIT! One of my favorite customers when I worked at GW was a guy with a severe deformity. He was born with only one arm past his elbow and hands missing fingers and only a surgically made thumb. He was at the old GW Academy every week, and within 2 months had 500 points painted. One arm, missing fingers, and one thumb. Tell me again why you can't paint?
It cheapens everyone's hobby when you refuse to participate in one third of it. It doesn't take that much to get an army painted and on the table. Especially now. Base coat and wash. Anyone can be taught how to do that. I'm currently repainting my Skaven as part of this quest to become a better hobbiest. Partly because I love the newer models, and partly because I know I am capable of better than what I did in those 2 weeks. In the end a game played between 2 fully painted armies is beutiful to behold, and as hobbyists we need to strive to make that happen as much as possible.
I'll get off my soap box now.
