Anti Shiny Syndrome League

[captainventanusParticipant 4936xp 2]

I have a very simple policy these days. I don’t set any budget or other limit, the only provision is that I wait 1-2 days before putting in any order. That solves the impulse buy issue and for a couple of years I’ve bought little that I did not actually use.

Joan of Arc was one of the projects I withdrew from and a turning point. I wasn’t something I planned to get, but it’s an attractive looking game and I’ll admit the week here on OTT convinced me. By the pledge manager stage when I worked out what I would need to do what I wanted to it involved an objectively ridiculous amount of stuff. Just not worth it, let alone being able to store things. No idea how people store all these Kickstarters.

AoS is something I am packing up into the basement. Didn’t pickup the dominion box which I was planning for some Warcry stuff. Eldfall Chronicles looked great and nearly had me, but I just won’t have the time ever.

[danlee 22443xp 4]

My biggest weakness is the 3D print file patreons at the moment. I’ve always been reasonable with purchases, and got over going all-in on KS a couple of years ago.

 

But the Patreon’s have built up over the past year far faster than I can physically print. I’d literally need several printers running 24/7 to print all the stuff I’m getting. Printing the models for my Egypt project alone took over a month of running the printer and I didn’t even do everything in the release.

 

It would be cheaper to not subscribe and if I want the files later pay the premium to buy them off the creator’s store.

 

One of this weekend’s tasks will have to be to prune down the Patreons.

[horati0nosebl0wer 19645xp 4]

I think there is something to be said for a good PoO. When one is relived of some of it there’s an investment of sweat, some grunts/groans and a keen soreness of a passing effort. I think that the winding down of jumping onto the newest shiny is something I’ve been more aware of with getting about to painting the collection I have with care and tending to cultivating a collection. I enjoy the things I have more in developing painting/basing/modding unique things that aren’t all box art. I can forever try and spend on gaining the dopamine high of ‘owning’ but I can only say that naked material is only so interesting.

Wabi sabi and Marie Kondo are welcome with me.

[sundancer 42973xp 2]

You really took the PoO and ran with it @horati0nosebl0wer  XD

[jamescutts 6924xp 3]

I’ve been trying to get myself to a stage of joining this cult, I don’t think ill get to @oriskany levels but that is an aspiration.

Here is what I’ve done this last year:

• I stopped backing physical starters (almost).
• Trying to limit purchases of plastic crack, I must complete a thing before I buy a thing
• Stopped buying GW products, excluding the odd LotR minis.
• Unsubscribed from near all store newsletters.
• Created an in my head “hobby plan” for the year.
• Continued not backing any patrons that related to a product (e.g. STL files every month)
• Tried to focus on a few historical periods that interest me
• Sold off, or given away things I no longer use/want or purchases I never opened.
• Buying individual sprues for those extra few minis rather than a full box.

Here is what I still struggle with

• Rulebooks, I love books, I also love checking out rulebooks in periods or genres I’m interested in as much for the read and background information (I’ve not played any games over lockdowns)
• Bargains, I’m a Yorkshireman, I love a bargain and often cant resist seriously good deals
• Hoarding STL files, to someday be printed
• A new historical period getting my eye.

Some explanations

As I’m sure many others have discovered Kickstarter is a nightmare for the shiny syndrome, I back the second Joan of Arc release and got caught in the hype for it a bit, the only time I’ve done such really and I’m already regretting it before its arrived. Basically I now back very little on KS, with few exceptions, the Price of Crowns Napoleonic STL/Physical KS, it fits exactly the period I’m interested in and at €40 was very affordable for STL files I will someday use. The only other KS I’ve backed are a few STL files for a $1 and the Regrass Games wet pallet update, as I was considering buying a bigger one anyway so it will be useful when it arrives. I did also back more Barrons war and welsh minis, but I blame @panzerkaput for that.

Limiting purchases has been hit and miss, stopping buying any GW products has been great, while some models look amazing I’ve no interest in their games, with the exception of their LotR releases. In addition, focusing on a period, in my case, Napoleonics has been great, and I’ve managed to sort of keep to an only buy a box once one is finished. However I can’t resist bargains and if I’ve seen a box set in clearance price £20>£12 I’ve picked it up, so I’ve not got 8-10 boxes of Napoleonics in the backlog (alongside two starter armies I got less than half price). Focusing on one period has also let me consider what i want to have in my collection, I’ve sold off a load of minis I never used, many still unopened, thankfully due to my bargain purchasing habits, I actually turned a bit of a profit on them!

I had a thread a few months back about store newsletters, my main annoyance was the barrage of Saturday GW new release emails from every store selling the same stuff I wasn’t interested in, basically, I unsubscribed from them all, I now have one or two stores/manufactures in my mailing list and get much less tempted.

[panzerkaput 33943xp 3]

What can I say I am a wargaming whore @jamescutts lol

[collins 16358xp 3]

This is a really interesting topic for me as im at a strange point of my life.

Ive recently moved to an area that appears to be devoid of interesting people (gamers) having left an area with a thriving gaming scene which is a bit of a shame. I expect its partly down to the event but even when looking online I don’t see much going on in the immediate area.

so, new area, no friends, no motivation and no need! what do I do…

well before the move I did sell off a load of stuff, quite a lot actually, but also kept a lot. Legion, imperial assault, walking dead, modern Afghanistan stuff, terrain, rulebooks, role playing books, maps, comics, quite a lot! I then bought and painted an old ork force (see projects) and backed the savage frontier and blue light models kickstarters because I thought they were cool. I already have 40 or so blue light models (mostly UK police and civilians) but given how life has changed I don’t really have a need to buy more. Stupid shiny syndrome…

so what’s the plan? Well, I am determined to finish my imperial assault. that game is brilliant and I want it complete…14 models to go! then its probably onto Afghanistan but also walking dead is calling…. what’s likely to happen is savage frontier will arrive and I’ll get distracted by that. given how im building a table for it (see projects) I’ll forgive myself for that distraction.

I recently cancelled the titan forge minis Patreon. they’re models are excellent… love them… haven’t printed one for 9 months though so binned it off in favour of another Star Wars Patreon (im a Star Wars addict… sorry!).

so should I be a member? yes! do I qualify, hell no… still suffer that shiny syndrome!

[hobbyhubParticipant 4169xp 1]

@collins – As with any addiction – it is called plastic crack for a reason – I’m not sure we ever truly fully recover.

Perhaps one or two people like @oriskany could seem to be recovered, but I think we are all in danger of falling off the wagon, to borrow a term.

Frequenting sites like this could be seen as tempting fate, but it is also a place where we can support each other in our journey to kick the shiny habit.

 

[seldon9 12954xp 2]

My local gaming has been mulling over this problem. I’ve largely sworn off miniatures from Kickstarters after Dark Souls and Kingdom Death. Too much stuff I’ll likely never paint. A few of my friends like GW stuff but the never ending churn is getting them down.

Over lockdown we got caught up in the idea of playing several games and started armies for them. I have armies for Saga Age of Vikings, Age of Magic and am planning a force for Age of Hannibal. I’ve not played a single game of Saga yet.

Dana Howl released a video about gaming to get through her backlog. You gain points when you buy miniatures and take heavy penalties when you buy within 30 days of release. That includes Kickstarters. FOMO is heavily penalised. You can take points off when you complete your minis. A score near or below 0 means you’ve earned enough credit to buy more stuff.

I’ve added project talking about it here.

I’ve not reached a state of hobby zen where FOMO doesn’t affect me. But the hobby league has slowed my impulse buying. The discipline shown by some here is very impressive. I am not there yet.

[seldon9 12954xp 2]

@collins have you checked on BoW for any members near your new location?

[warhammergrimace 13766xp 2]

I’ve picked up rule books in the last year, several actually nut miniature wise I don’t think I’ve bought much in all honesty. The last miniature purchase was actually the 1st issue of the new partworks so I could get the SM and Necron minis. I bought a few Celtos minis a couple of month back for a Warcry warband. That’s pretty much it apart from a few 15mm tanks and that’s all for this year. I’ve had a few sent to me for reviews but otherwise my mini purchasing since March 2020 has been very little. I realized in the last 18 months that I have plenty of miniatures to paint already.

I have projects that I’ve bought for in the past and haven’t started so I’ve been kickstarting those recently.

[collins 16358xp 1]

@seldon9 yeah, there are a few within driving distance but the move happened during COVID. its a bit hard still to see whether clubs exist without randomly tipping up at them. once all the panic subsides fully I’ll get out and about

[admiralandy 1647xp 2]

@oriskany, as ever a guru for us all.

But if one may enquire, which is your favourite game from 1974, Chainmail, D&D, wasn’tBattletech 1984….

Whats the game you played from 1989 recently in the first time for 4 years or was the army that last marched upon a table in 2017 using a different system?

What are the 4 wargames publishhed since 2000 you think are good, I know Battlegroup Kursk is 1.

I’m sure I’ll disagree as I don’t imagine Lion Rampant/Pikemans Lament are in your list but always good to get your take on a subject.

 

BTW I’m in no position to be joining your league at present, its a hope one day, I do need to manage shiny like at all though 🙁

 

[warhammergrimace 13766xp 0]

@collins Where are you located?

[collins 16358xp 0]

Sutton Coldfield. there are a few shops in Brum or over towards Wolves and a club towards Staffordshire or coventry.

 

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