Quote from: Seanchai;386911Oh, these aren't people I play with. They're people like you - edition warriors; other self-important folks; people with nothing better to do that argue about who is more bad ass, Orcus or Lolth; people who are convinced they are arbiters of all that gaming should be - who happen to be hanging out at the FLGS, looking for people to latch on to and argue with.

Seanchai

Not that I'm characterizing benoist as this exactly, but I do get the feeling when I run across these guys that often enough, this is as close to actual gaming as many of them ever get anymore.

Quote from: thedungeondelver;386905We pumped xanax into his water supply at a rate of 1 part per 500 and were able to juuuuuuuuuust take the edge off.

That, or he took lessons at ENWorld.

Quote from: Seanchai;386911.................people with nothing better to do that argue about who is more bad ass, Orcus or Lolth; people who are convinced they are arbiters of all that gaming should be - who happen to be hanging out at the FLGS, looking for people to latch on to and argue with.

For those of us that have to work at the FLGS and try our best to be neutral - those guys are really annoying to have there as background noise.

...and when they do find someone to argue with - the arguments are pretty damn boring, Plus, if they act really stupid we either got to yell at them to cool it or threaten to call Mall Security in. Thankfully that last option practically never happens.  


- Ed C.

Quote from: Koltar;386957For those of us that have to work at the FLGS and try our best to be neutral - those guys are really annoying to have there as background noise.

...and when they do find someone to argue with - the arguments are pretty damn boring, Plus, if they act really stupid we either got to yell at them to cool it or threaten to call Mall Security in. Thankfully that last option practically never happens.  

- Ed C.

How often do you have to yell at people for them to drop whatever argument they're having? Are these the same people, regulars of the store, or just troublemakers passing by or... quid?

The entire extent of my discussions of 4e in a game store was one exchange some years ago when I was looking at some stuff, and a guy took a look at other Fantasy stuff around there. The guy asked me what I thought about 4e. I answered something to the extent of "I like D&D, so I'm not really impressed with 4e". The guy smiled, we exchanged a few opinions on various, completely unrelated stuff, and that was it. No argument. No fuss. It was all in good spirit.

Heck. I've never seen an argument in a game store. Maybe once with people playing HeroClix or something like it. But nowhere near the degree of annoyance you guys describe.

Quote from: Benoist;386959How often do you have to yell at people for them to drop whatever argument they're having? Are these the same people, regulars of the store, or just troublemakers passing by or... quid?

Maybe twice in the whole past year I've had to say either : "Cool it" or "Guys, keep your volume down." in a polite and hushed yet slightly angry tone.

My manager doesn't tolerate bad behavior at the store, so at this point word has gotten around for people to be polite.


- Ed C.

Quote from: Koltar;386961Maybe twice in the whole past year I've had to say either : "Cool it" or "Guys, keep your volume down." in a polite and hushed yet slightly angry tone.

My manager doesn't tolerate bad behavior at the store, so at this point word has gotten around for people to be polite.

- Ed C.

I would imagine many stores have the same basic ground rule. Heck, it's just social common sense.

Quote from: Benoist;386962I would imagine many stores have the same basic ground rule. Heck, it's just social common sense.

These are gamers we're talking about here. Common sense varies... greatly.

Quote from: Benoist;386898Keep digging dude. Make a show of yourself.

Come on, points for the subtlety lessons.  At least the 'you are irrelevant' vibe is kind of a hidden undercurrent.  I doubt it will last, but it's kind of like a break in the clouds, and you get a warm bit of sunshine before the rains move in again.

Quote from: Koltar;386957For those of us that have to work at the FLGS and try our best to be neutral - those guys are really annoying to have there as background noise.

- Ed C.

This is why I nearly refuse to interact with other gamers in my real life. I'm sick of hearing about "funny" gaming stories where the punchline is inevitably "well, you would have had to be there I guess" or about how their half-dragon/half-fiend Dread Necromancer stormed the gates of celestia and raped Pelor's face.

I was riding to work one day on a local tram and flipping through a D&D book, when some sweaty, unwashed neckbeard tried to start up a conversation:

Him: Hey...is that a D&D book?

Me: (clearly flipping through a D&D book) No.

Him: Uh...may I ask what it is?

Me: The Book of Mormon.

Him: Then why does it say Dungeons & Dragons on the cover?

Me: That kind of question is better answered through faith and prayer.

Him: Okay well...I think 4E sucks.

Me: What's a 4E?

Him: 4th Edition Dungeons & Dragons. It isn't really D&D.

Me: Dungeons & Dragons is for perverts and devil worshipeprs. I'm reading the Book of Mormon. Would you like to hear the good word of the Heavenly Father?

At that point he changed seats : )

Shazbot,

 Hate your fellow gamers much?

Or just your fellow human beings?

By-the-way, my Aunt , Uncle and cousins are all members of the Church of Latter Day Saints - they have no problem with D&D that I've heard of or roleplaying games in general.
For that matter, I believe my Uncle was a major fan of STAR TREK and STARGATE SG-1.

- Ed C.

Quote from: Koltar;387032Shazbot,

 Hate your fellow gamers much?

Or just your fellow human beings?

By-the-way, my Aunt , Uncle and cousins are all members of the Church of Latter Day Saints - they have no problem with D&D that I've heard of or roleplaying games in general.
For that matter, I believe my Uncle was a major fan of STAR TREK and STARGATE SG-1.

- Ed C.

I'm pretty much a misanthrope...but I especially hate gamers.

Anyway, that wasn't intended as a slight against mormons...it's just the first thing that popped into my head when the guy started talking to me. If I had it to do over again I would have said the book was "Dianetics".

*Edit: That is to say, I don't hate ALL gamers. Just the ones who have nothing to talk about BUT gaming.

Quote from: Koltar;387032Shazbot,

 Hate your fellow gamers much?

Or just your fellow human beings?

By-the-way, my Aunt , Uncle and cousins are all members of the Church of Latter Day Saints - they have no problem with D&D that I've heard of or roleplaying games in general.
For that matter, I believe my Uncle was a major fan of STAR TREK and STARGATE SG-1.

- Ed C.

He's just being an idiot. *shrug*

Quote from: Koltar;387032Shazbot,

 Hate your fellow gamers much?

Or just your fellow human beings?

By-the-way, my Aunt , Uncle and cousins are all members of the Church of Latter Day Saints - they have no problem with D&D that I've heard of or roleplaying games in general.
For that matter, I believe my Uncle was a major fan of STAR TREK and STARGATE SG-1.

- Ed C.

When you're destined to be a god of your own planet, I can see Sci-Fi being more interesting.

Quote from: Shazbot79;387035I'm pretty much a misanthrope...but I especially hate gamers.

Anyway, that wasn't intended as a slight against mormons...it's just the first thing that popped into my head when the guy started talking to me. If I had it to do over again I would have said the book was "Dianetics".

*Edit: That is to say, I don't hate ALL gamers. Just the ones who have nothing to talk about BUT gaming.

Watch out for coaltar's attack sock now.

Quote from: Benoist;387090He's just being an idiot. *shrug*

No, he's being smart. Assuming the conversation went basically as described, it's pretty damn clear Shaz didn't want to talk to the other person. But that person persists, because he wanted to share his opinion of the edition Shaz was reading. Wanting to avoid engaging with folks who want to pee in your cornflakes isn't idiotic - it's makes being a gamer bearable.

Seanchai