Not Back to gaming/Still Shielding Thread/Sound Off :>)

[Atheling]

Hi,

I find myself looking around the various fora positively green with envy as well as being filled with a little sadness that I can't get out there, push some mini's around and roll some dice.

I thought it might be a bit of a moral boost if I started a thread for those of us for whatever reason are still finding themselves in the situation of having to shield.

Mods- Please feel free to use this thread to vent emotions (though not one one another please!), gripe a little and have the odd grumble.

If another such thread has been started please feel free to delete- I did a search but for some reason it is just not working at my end.

[fred]

My wife is on the vulnerable list, and we have been shielding since March, and are likely to continue to for some time.

We have been doing regular remote gaming, typically once a week much like pre-Covid. We started with lots of grand ideas, but have basically gone to playing our standard games over Google Meet. We have shrunk game sizes to 4’x4’ as these suit video better, than our more typical 6-8’x4’. We have even linked back up with one of our group is working overseas, who has been able to join in just as well as the more local players.

We have found that smaller playing groups work best, we did have some early games with 6 or so people on, but it didn’t work that well, as lots of people were sat around in silence for a while. One of the downsides is that you can’t just have a quick side conversation. Our typical format is a host (who needs both lots of figures, which is perhaps the biggest limitation) and two remote players. We have gone with trusting the players on their dice roles.

We have played a few games with just the host and a remote player and these have worked well - we even did an all day game one day.

While its not the same as face to face gaming, its not bad, and based in the risks, I’m in no rush to change

[dwbullock]

I have yet to venture back out for gaming.  Poke my head into a game store now and then, but the idea of sitting down at a table... no.  My wife's family has some risk, but her grandparents are pushing 90.  We want to try and keep ourselves as 'clean' as we can, should she have a sudden need to make the 3 hour drive home for visits.

We were doing a little RP game through Discord for a bit, which worked well for me.  I live about an hour from my group, which makes a short game take half the day.  Once the orders were eased, one guy all but demanded in person gaming again, so I've been left out.  I've talked to a few of the guys about trying something through table top simulator, but just can't seem to get a ton of interest.

I've got a serious case of gaming blues, and have pondered more than once just offloading my crap since it's just collecting dust right now.

[Sir_Theo]

I very rarely get a chance to game with friends physically. I have a board game group and I tend to meet my wargaming friends a few times a year. None of that have been possible this year.

I have recently played a few games of 40k and some of Relicblade on tabletop simulator on the Laptop. Unless you absolutely hate using a computer its well worth looking into. it doesnt replace the face to face contact but its a lot better than I expected.

[BeneathALeadMountain]

I’m in a similar (if not leakier) boat. As I’m already seriously ill I’ve been in lockdown with my wife since March (I think, time has become odder than normal) and I’m not likely to be able to go back to my club for some time. They’ve made the necessary changes but it’s a busy club in the upstairs of a pub and even though it was the one thing I did each week (if I was up to the drive/standing/appearing social) it just isn’t a very sensible/worthwhile risk currently. Sadly my wife has no interest in gaming or the patience required (she’s a bad winner if that’s a thing). On top of that my regular opponent (who has always been a hobby butterfly) has given up on our main project (WW2) after very little actual effort and I’m left with having to cover both sides so I don’t just own half of a useless thing (sadly I saw it coming and was already planning to carry on alone). Luckily the club has allowed me to make more gaming friends but none of them playing much other than mainstream GW or PP so I’m having to convert them to all the other excellent games out there.

So for now I’m just trying to tackle my own projects when I feel up to it, push them a little further towards completion and living vicariously through other people’s hobby here and on YouTube.

Thank you to every hobbyist that has posted on their progress here or elsewhere, it has made the dearth of wargaming in my life a little more bearable.

Keep up the good work and stay safe,
BALM

[fred]

For those of you missing gaming - I would encourage video based gaming - it works surprisingly well. An iPad is a good option for hosting, but a laptop, a PC with a web cam or even a phone will work to video the game - a mini tripod or something can help to position the camera . Your opponent needs just a device to view the video and talk to you from. And as we have found they don’t even need to be in the same country.

[Atheling]

My wife is on the vulnerable list, and we have been shielding since March, and are likely to continue to for some time.

We have been doing regular remote gaming, typically once a week much like pre-Covid. We started with lots of grand ideas, but have basically gone to playing our standard games over Google Meet. We have shrunk game sizes to 4’x4’ as these suit video better, than our more typical 6-8’x4’. We have even linked back up with one of our group is working overseas, who has been able to join in just as well as the more local players.

We have found that smaller playing groups work best, we did have some early games with 6 or so people on, but it didn’t work that well, as lots of people were sat around in silence for a while. One of the downsides is that you can’t just have a quick side conversation. Our typical format is a host (who needs both lots of figures, which is perhaps the biggest limitation) and two remote players. We have gone with trusting the players on their dice roles.

We have played a few games with just the host and a remote player and these have worked well - we even did an all day game one day.

While its not the same as face to face gaming, its not bad, and based in the risks, I’m in no rush to change

I can appreciate what you're suggesting Fred and it's a great idea, though not one I have managed to try as of yet.

The things that can be a real grind, is the sense of isolation. I live on my own and haven't spoken to anyone 'face to face' in months.

I think one of the biggest problems is the uncertainty. When, perhaps even if, we are going to emerge into a position where people can freely socialise again.

BALM, I can really emphasise. I've got two potentially deadly comorbidities and if I contract the virus I'm almost certainly a goner. This is the main reason for me starting the thread- the idea was for people who are still having to shield for medical reasons and are suffering psychologically to whatever degree as most of the world seemingly return to some kind of 'normal'.

I've tweaked the title of the thread to suggest this though anyone is welcome to pipe in

[Citizen Sade]

Why not set up regular Zoom calls to chew the cud with other gamers in the same situation?

It’s not the same as real face-to-face, but Mrs Sade certainly seems to enjoy using it to keep in touch with her sisterhood. That might be due, in part, to me feeding her wine before and during the calls.

[fred]

I'm kind of surprised this thread hasn't got more responses. In my gaming group, there are 3 of us either shielding or with spouses that are shielding - which is out of around 8-10 total. And considering the age profile of most gamers, I would have thought a lot would be in or around the vulnerable categories.

The things that can be a real grind, is the sense of isolation. I live on my own and haven't spoken to anyone 'face to face' in months.

I think one of the biggest problems is the uncertainty. When, perhaps even if, we are going to emerge into a position where people can freely socialise again.

My wife has been doing approximately weekly catch-ups with her friends in the garden, with a lot of social distancing, and typically just 1 visitor at once. We have a side gate, so visitors can go directly to the garden, and we setup a garden chair for them, and my wife sits at the far end. Which lets her actually see and speak to people directly. On top of this there have been lots of video calls.

I do so many video calls with work, that I hardly feel the need to add many more. But every couple of weeks I might join a painting chat - which is something we did pre-covid. And typically I try to host a game on a Friday - I seem to generally prefer to host, rather than play - perhaps because its doing something physical not just another video call!

As I said above what we have found (rather obviously) is that geography is irrelevant a video call works just as well across half-the-world as it does just down the street (and sometimes better than just down the street dependant on the IT kit involved).

So if your local gaming group is all back to face to face, then perhaps links on LAF can be used to setup new groups for remote chats or gaming?

[Cat]

We're hunkered down pretty hard here at home, and expect to be until there's a working vaccine.

We have been doing weekly Zoom board gaming with a group of friends and it's very nice getting to see and chat with folks, and even get some games in with more than just the two of us.  This works pretty well with our main chat channel on an Ipad, and then my phone set up (without audio) as a separate camera focused on the board if we're the ones hosting the game.

Sometime soon I'll try organising some Zoom miniatures gaming, I'll host as GM and do all the figure movements as requested by the players.  DBA Romans v. Britons should work pretty easily in this format as a starter.

[syr8766]

Don't usually comment but thought I'd chime in.

My gaming group died (and was reborn somewhat further away) about  year before COVID. Was just starting to venture back out when the Pandemic hit.

My teenage son and I get some games in occasionally. We played a little Muskets and Tomahawks but I'm waiting for the Brigade Games Kickstarter figs to make it to me. For his birthday he got Black Sea: Master And Commander and has been assembling and painting the ships. We've also been playing D&D with my high school buddies and their kids over Roll20 and Discord, which has been nice, though at times a little stressful (he's just 13 and still figuring out social niceties).

Honestly he's gotten more gaming than me these last 6 months. The Smithsonian ran a diorama camp this summer (over Zoom) that was really a wargamers camp. Each week was a different historical period/battle (he did World War I and World War II) and would get a big box of materials and a pile of 1/72 scale figs. They'd build and paint before lunch, and then game in the afternoon. He had a terrific time.

I've been painting like mad; this site and the Isolation Painters group on Facebook have been a great source of inspiration and esprit des corps. I don't want to jinx myself but my "Lead Mountain" is barely a hill these days, which is kind of amazing.

[Atheling]

I've been painting like mad; this site and the Isolation Painters group on Facebook have been a great source of inspiration and esprit des corps. I don't want to jinx myself but my "Lead Mountain" is barely a hill these days, which is kind of amazing.

Yeah, the Isolation Painting Group is a godsend. I've been posting there too.

It actually took me a long time to get over the shock of what had happened when the pandemic hit. I spent a number of weeks leading into months in Limbo then one of my closest friends went missing in late March (probably partly due to the pandemic- he still has not been found) and I just couldn't bring myself to paint at all. It just seemed so trivial compared to the reality outside.

I gradually pulled myself back from what was probably the brink and got painting again.

I realise that this post is starkly honest; this is what I had in mind when I started the thread.

[warwell]

My gaming has actually increased lately due to shielding. But then I am a solo gamer.

Where the pandemic has hit me is with my other major hobby - LARPing. My LARP group has not met since March, and I really miss it. We tried keeping in touch with an online D&D game, but that fizzled (a paladin and a thief don't mix well). So now we are on indefinite hiatus.

Fortunately I have my minis. They have been keeping my mind occupied.

[Jack Jones]

I was shielding, and still am really … nothing really changes as I still have to be very careful, because a lot of people are cavalier in the Johnson/Cummings mode.

I work at home (and am lucky to be busy) and model and game (model mostly at the moment) solo.

I am not sad. Honest! 😬🤔🤣

Cheers
JJ

[Von Trinkenessen]

We've been in lock down/ shielding since my wife had a hip replacement in Feb. My youngest lad is clinically extremely vulnerable so staying in .Manage to work from home despite works hysteria about going back to the office. Been painting a lot rediscovered a project from many years ago 25 mm sci fi so prepping for next years convention season nice to take a break from landsknechts. Working on adapting some skirmish rules to "Old school mayhem from back in the day."
Some of the figures are so 1980's ( cyberpunk ,shadowrun) at times the painting turns into a dodgy flashback......