Is it okay to be left behind – Pondering post lockdown

[civilcourageParticipant 11134xp 2]

Hi All,

Like many over lockdown i got absolutley no gaming done. Now we have come out of lockdown ive realised im just not bothered about playing some of the games i eagerly picked up before and during. In fact ive gone back to 6th ed warhammer and eyeing up 8th ed. Also been collecting 2nd ed space marines, on a real nostalgia hit recently.

This got me thinking, am i okay being left behind in all the hype of new games? Do i mind never picking up a new game again?

Ive built up quite a library of games and rather than spreading myself too thin over them should i just try and focus on a few favourite games?

I went through my collection and things like frostgrave i played about 2 games before 2nd ed came out, am i really getting value from these games? Am i enjoying the games if i spend half my time trying to relearn the rules. Ive played one game of warlords of erehwon

How many of you stick to a few favourite games over trying everything your local gaming group gets excited over?

Now to me models are a different matter, i love playing old games with new models.

[nogginthenog 3472xp 2]

The pandemic has been a real challenge for me, as it meant more work, less free time and a lot more stress.

 

I sort of drifted away from the hobby too, in fact, I’ve only logged into this site three times since march last year, and I just haven’t had the energy for it.

I’ve been trying to get motivated again recently, in the past painting which I’m never that good at but enjoy, has been a really good way to destress from everything, and I want to get back to that.

I find myself looking at so many new games appearing, and wondering what is going on.

I think sticking to what you love is always the best approach, even if its not the current hot trend.

 

Looking back at the hyped kickstarters of 2019, few if any are still around as supported games, and that tells its own story.

 

[sundancer 42978xp 1]

This got me thinking, am i okay being left behind in all the hype of new games? Do i mind never picking up a new game again?

I think I am. Battletech, SW:L, and Blood Bowl are more or less the only games I have a higher interest in currently. There is also Fallout Wasteland Warfare but since nobody is playing that in my circles it’s on a hiatus currently.  [*]

Also I don’t really see me going out to play with other people any time soon. I feel uncomfortable thinking about hanging in a “small’ish” space with other people. I might go over to the place of my former FLGS owner to play with him but other than that.

Also, hanging on to “tried and tested” games usually means you know someone you can play with. With every new shiny game you are gambling on other people picking it up.

Basically: play what makes you happy. Cut away what doesn’t. Focus on the things that bring joy.

[*] If AMG for some reason really would release a 6mm version of Epic Star Wars Legion I’m not guaranteeing anything!

[warhammergrimace 13766xp 1]

I’m looking at cutting back some of the games I’ll play going forward. I’ve realised I have far too many things on the go. Most of the games I’ll be playing in the future will be skirmish sized ones.

[limburger 21707xp 2]

There is no “left behind”  or a need to get the latest releases just because they are shiny and new.
Ain’t nothing wrong with playing old games if you like them and the new one doesn’t add anything worth having.

There is only one question that matters : am I having fun?

If I were to pair down my collection to just the games I’ve played (enough of) I’d be down to 0 (zero).
Reducing it to just the ones I have played at least more than once I’d end up with 2 (Flames of War + Bolt-Action) and both were bootcamps …

I simply can’t say ‘no’ to games that have great art and interesting concepts/mechanics.
And then there’s the games that I want an army for simply because it looks like a fun project.

I’ve tried to start making a list of games I ‘must have’ and ones I could afford to throw in a bin, but I keep getting distracted simpy by browsing through my collection or reading the (gaming)news. Even if I pair it down to just one style of game per setting I find ways to add ‘more’ to the list…

[tankkommanderParticipant 6423xp 1]

With boardgames it seems to be that people rate how much of a gamer they are by how many games they own. The ‘cult of the new’ means that they hardly ever play the games that are months old because the shiny new takes all their attention.

Finding people to play previous editions of games can be tricky though.

[civilcourageParticipant 11134xp 3]

I’ve decided because I have less time after a newborn during lockdown I really need to focus on what I play so I spend as little time as possible reading rules and as much time as possible rolling dice.

I think lockdown has helped me decide what games I’m really into, it’s those I was most excited to play once we were free again.

It’s also getting into some tried and tested games and really getting k ow the games I like to play.

For example I know I don’t get on with games that aren’t wysiwyg, I cant remember the myriad of strategems in 40k for example I want to see a space marine and know what it can do rather than have some external special rules suddenly apply for a turn. This is why I really like bolt action.

This again stems from the lack of time thing again, I haven’t got time to focus on learning too many rules, I’m after a simple fun game.

I’m sure a lot of people are in the same boat or have been as they’ve progressed through life so maybe it’s actually a time of life thing and once time frees up I’ll become another gaming butterfly but for now it’s time to cocoon up with my favourite games.

[pagan8thParticipant 10863xp 3]

I have an abundance of RPG’s, board games and skirmish games. I could probably play a different game every week for two years without repeating.

I don’t need more stuff. I’ll probably buy more stuff. But I’m trying to only buy things that I have an immediate use for.

[danlee 22443xp 2]

The lockdown has forced me to focus less on the game and more on the models. In reality most of what I collected would only get used a few times in games before it was cycled out anyway. So now I just accept I’m painting to add to the hoard rather than to game, and therefore I’m happier buying a model purely for looks. My entire Conquest: Last Argument of Kings force was purchased purely as a painting project.

[captainventanusParticipant 4936xp 1]

Behind and in front are relative. For people used to gaming with outside people a lot I can see how the pandemic just killed things off for them. After a few months initially where hobbying was a good distraction I can see how that eventually got to some people too.

I did a lot less hobbying than I expected and played more games than I expected. Also started to get rid of things that were on the sidelines to focus on a few main systems. Picked up a Blitz Bowl on the way which was not on the plan either 😉

[demonsub 12746xp 2]

I think due to the nature and physicality of table top games it’s perfectly fine to be left behind. If you’ve got the book you can play the game, even more so with miniature agnostic games. Last year I discovered Frostgrave when Osprey made the pdf available for free along with solo rules. This was at the very end of the first edition, 6 months later they released 2nd edition. I’d been left behind for, say, five years.
I do feel left behind with 40k. I picked up the 9th edition rules last year but because of lockdown never got a chance to play. In fact we’ve only very recently started gaming in person again. Because of this we’ve seen so much change in 9th with the metric ton of stuff that’s been corrected and released that it feels a little bit intimidating to get back into the game. Right now it’s much easier to play something else. Then again if you don’t play Space Marines I guess you are waiting for 40k to catch up ?.

[darkvoivod 7112xp 2]

I’m dialing back on the variety of purchases I’m making because of reasons already stated:
I have a reasonable library of boardgames I haven’t played nearly as much as I’d want, especially considering the ammount of money I spend on them. I’ve played my complete firefly game but once and have yet to play a single full campaign with any dungeon crawler, indluding my complete imperial assault collection which is over 600 euro’s worth.

I do find it’s extremely addicting to open en nose through a giant new box of shinies, but every game I get means another game will be played less. My aim the coming years is to focuss primarely on the games I currently have. That means it’s fine to add to existing armies, but those tend to not be the giant purchases as a new one is.
I’m also in the market for new rulesets for mini’s already in my collection. Some of my old games, no longer hold my interest, while the models are still great. I’ve even made the beginnings of a ruleset with a friend f mine that should scratch a huge itch if we get it to work, Which is almost a new hobby itself.

I do kinda miss surfing the internet of late. I still spend quite some time on this site and others, but it’s just no longer so exciting to see all the new stuff that comes out, if it’s not already in the games I have.
It’s still cool to see what others do as seeing fellow hobbyist showing of their work remains a huge inspiration.

There’s still plenty

[ced1106Participant 6224xp 2]

> This got me thinking, am i okay being left behind in all the hype of new games?

Too many new games are just iterations of old ones. Too many Ameritrash games can be described as IGO/UGO dice-throwing skill-checks with a $50 price tag just for the rules book. I’m pretty sure when an academic can’t get students to purchase the next edition of their overpriced textbook, they apply for a job at GW to write “new” game rules.

Although I like the CYOA of Solomon Kane, I hope my old gaming group will go back to Gloomhaven. Only played Dungeonworld twice, but its player-investment worldbuilding was a great change from waiting at the table to roll a die. While I’ll continue to collect and paint miniatures for games I’ll never play, I’ve at least found that handful that I actually enjoy playing.

[civilcourageParticipant 11134xp 1]

Great to see the discussion featured on the XLBS hopefully good food for thought. I know I’m personally going to start focusing on playing the games I have.

Always a place for new games but need to be mindful that they need to prove their value before investing not just jumping in off the back of some hype and ending up with another expensive rulebook sitting on the shelf.

Now to convince my local games group, wish me luck.

 

[sundancer 42978xp 1]

Now to convince my local games group, wish me luck.

Good luck!

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