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Author Topic: How do you know when it's time to leave the hobby?  (Read 3994 times)

Offline Blackwolf

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Re: How do you know when it's time to leave the hobby?
« Reply #15 on: September 20, 2019, 08:37:47 PM »
Hi Joroas

I’ve pinned you a message. I’m Tetbury based so not far from you. If having the odd game might help your mojo - get in touch.

Cheers

Ian

You sir,are a gentleman.
« Last Edit: September 20, 2019, 08:40:02 PM by Blackwolf »
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Offline flatpack

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Re: How do you know when it's time to leave the hobby?
« Reply #16 on: September 20, 2019, 10:10:38 PM »
This is it. Like has.been says, you need people to bounce ideas off, and that will keep the mojo going.
Well done that man down the road from you...good lad.
Flatpack

Online syrinx0

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Re: How do you know when it's time to leave the hobby?
« Reply #17 on: September 21, 2019, 12:56:46 AM »
Not sure when I will give it all up or if I ever will do so only voluntarily.  At the moment I am in the hording stage building up to my being made redundant/retired in October.  I have quite a few projects on the shelf, a Sudan effort underway in conjunction with hopefully another LPL.  That said my output varies greatly year to year. If I didn't enjoy painting and couldn't game with any regularity... I would probably sell my unpainted hordes and look for something different to enjoy.

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Offline Norm

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Re: How do you know when it's time to leave the hobby?
« Reply #18 on: September 21, 2019, 05:15:58 AM »
Not sure that I am remembering correctly, but I seen to remember you starting a similar thread some time ago. That being the case, then the way you feel about this is not a flash the pan thing and it probably needs you to take some decisive or positive steps to break the cycle / loop of this thinking.

It may be worth you moving the next batch of things on to feel like you are getting some control of this. I think the advice above of visiting a show is very good, even if you build it into a treat weekend and do other things, like a mini break is possible.

I would also consider picking up a nice colourful set of rules such as the osprey series. Lion Rampant or Rebels and Patriots would get a small game going in a small space, not needing too much time and this might break the cycle of non-play in a very practical way. The Neil Thomas One Hour Wargames might do the same, it has 2 - 3 page rules for 9 periods.

Finally, I think it can be helpful for any gamer to have one or two small footprint board wargames, that are easy to get into, can beleft on the end of a table and again just creates that discipline of actually playing. There are now plenty of boardgames that are solo based.

Offline joroas

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Re: How do you know when it's time to leave the hobby?
« Reply #19 on: September 21, 2019, 10:19:39 AM »
Wow! Thanks for all the replies and PMs, I will respond in due course.  Suffice it to say that the situation I continue to be in is self-inflicted. I had been hoarding and that created unrealistic ambitions that have destroyed the muse. To be fair, I have sold vast quantities in the last couple of years but not enough to achieve the balance I expected. My wife has been persuading me for years to go out to clubs and shows, even to offering to make a weekend of it, but the will just isn't there. The owner of Incom Gaming lives 5 doors' away, even that has not attracted me!
I have decided to clear out anything not 28mm and sell the Napoleonic Prussians and French that will never be done. As many of you said, I will concentrate on smaller skirmish games like FIW, Pulp, Saga and TWD and keep a few things to complete. Painting gangs of 20 figures is achievable, the thought of creating large armies is just not going to happen.   
'So do all who see such times. But that is not for us to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that we are given.'

Offline mcfonz

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Re: How do you know when it's time to leave the hobby?
« Reply #20 on: September 21, 2019, 01:44:42 PM »
If unsure about shows, consider Salute. I'd be happy to introduce you to the RP crew, one is over your way in Brizzle.

We tend to stay down the night before too - as we come from all over, inc internationally, so if you want to plan for that drop me a PM and I can share more details so you aren't kicking your feet on your own. That is, if you like having a couple of jars and laughing and yacking and possibly playing a couple of small games the night before the show itself.

I suppose eventually I'd love the idea of finding somewhere we could actually do a proper pre night drop in pop up gaming cafe at some point... 8)
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Offline Duncan McDane

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Re: How do you know when it's time to leave the hobby?
« Reply #21 on: September 21, 2019, 03:34:10 PM »
Interest waxes and wanes in a lifetime. Real life taking over, Murphy who has sets his eys on you, family matters, health issues and so on, and so on. That goes for many things so of course also for wargaming. For me the same. I've learned not to look back in regret too much and if real life's taking over just to  let it happen and we'll see when the hobby sticks out it's head again. The only mistake I've made ( 2 times ) obo the hobby is just selling off stuf. If you don't need the cash, keep it. Ypu never know when the inspirational muse starts singing again and in the rare event I really want to part with it I hand it to friends, to make them happy ( that goes vice versa ) or swap it for something on my list.
Even with the ridiculous "oldhammer"prices nowadays, I' d rather have my old box of Orcs with the memories attached to them than sell it and get a shopping cart of food instead.  ;)
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Offline Condottiere

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Re: How do you know when it's time to leave the hobby?
« Reply #22 on: September 21, 2019, 04:24:07 PM »
Someone mentioned significant others. Perhaps a joke, but a bit lame to be honest. Our hobby is pretty mainstream now. My wife actually insisted on there being a 'space' for me to have my hobby in when it came to buying the house we live in. Mainly because she didn't want it in the rest of the house but also because she understood how important it is to me and my close friends. I know I am lucky for it, but it gives me the opportunity to have 'geek days' where a few like minded folks head over and we do some painting, modeling and gaming.
Grim gormless gits it is then... lol

This hobby isn't as mainstream as you claim it is and even if it were, based on the threads here and elsewhere, it wouldn't make a difference: the SO might want you to get rid of a record collection, for instance. I recall someone on TMP mentioning that coming in home from work, he found all his hobby stuff had been hauled away during trash collection - the mother in law had convinced the wife to get rid of everything.

Worst case scenarios aside, the community has a bigger impact on whether it's time to leave the hobby or part of it.

Offline FramFramson

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Re: How do you know when it's time to leave the hobby?
« Reply #23 on: September 21, 2019, 05:43:50 PM »
Haven't done a thing with minis for the better part of a year. Haven't had the least thought of tossing them though.

As some have already said, for many of us our interest in the hobby waxes and wanes. Almost felt the bug once or twice in the past months, so I'm sure it'll be back again.

The only real consideration IMO is not being packrat-hoarder and hanging on to things you honestly know you won't do anything with and which are actively taking up too much space.


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Offline Tactalvanic

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Re: How do you know when it's time to leave the hobby?
« Reply #24 on: September 21, 2019, 09:00:33 PM »
Real life caused my mountain to move to the attic of several homes for 20 years or so.

Never once thought to get rid of it. Just moved them boxes from one to another each time.

come 2012 ish, i think, got an itch, scratched it.

Mountain now out of attic and bigger and healthier than ever, and damn it cheers me up after a hard day at the computer-face...

Almost as much as the better half does   :o

Do as you wish with it, but do keep something back for a while, you just never know, when something has been part of your lifescape for so long, it may well trigger more interest again.

Most of all though do something you get enjoyment out of, then do it more   :)

Offline vodkafan

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Re: How do you know when it's time to leave the hobby?
« Reply #25 on: September 22, 2019, 08:17:25 AM »
You can never leave , we will send the boys round for your "re-education"  ;)
I am going to build a wargames army, a big beautiful wargames army, and Mexico is going to pay for it.

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Offline mcfonz

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Re: How do you know when it's time to leave the hobby?
« Reply #26 on: September 23, 2019, 12:33:26 PM »
Grim gormless gits it is then... lol

This hobby isn't as mainstream as you claim it is and even if it were, based on the threads here and elsewhere, it wouldn't make a difference: the SO might want you to get rid of a record collection, for instance. I recall someone on TMP mentioning that coming in home from work, he found all his hobby stuff had been hauled away during trash collection - the mother in law had convinced the wife to get rid of everything.

Worst case scenarios aside, the community has a bigger impact on whether it's time to leave the hobby or part of it.

It is infinitely more mainstream now than it ever has been in the UK, where this gentleman is from. So yes, what I 'claimed' is true. Evidenced by increasing numbers of GW stores, Warhammer being a household name and the tabletop industry now booming compared to 20odd years ago.

Where I live now has 5-6 shops that are dedicated to tabletop games. 20 years ago it was maybe 3.

Offline fastolfrus

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Re: How do you know when it's time to leave the hobby?
« Reply #27 on: September 24, 2019, 07:10:48 PM »
The hobby is relatively mainstream in the UK. WHSmiths stock several hobby magazines. We have a local department store that stocks Valejho paints. More than one local club (although it's sometimes not easy to work out how many).

If you ever get to Scarborough on holiday you're quite welcome to call into the club on Roscoe Street (Roscoe Rooms snooker club Monday and Thursday evenings) either for a game, or just a casual pint and a natter.

Gary
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Offline Lost Egg

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Re: How do you know when it's time to leave the hobby?
« Reply #28 on: September 25, 2019, 08:53:33 AM »
I have had lot of problems with motivation, though mine is down to the overload associated with autism rather than retirement.

I think the best way to deal with a lack of motivation is to start small and set a really tiny target...maybe something you can do in a day, that way you quickly get a sense of achievement for what you have done. So I'd say just pick and paint one mini.

After that I decided to build and paint a squad of 5 guys.

Next the release of Warlords of Erehwon caught my attention so I got a bit carried away and decided to build a small warband for that; I bought one box of Oathmark Elves and painted those up in a couple of months. Haven't played a game of it though.

Now, my latest venture is to return to 2nd edition 40k with an almost Kill Team size of game (200pts each pretty much); so I have created a really simple 4 page booklet with three linked missions, a little fluff and the army lists. The marine force is 5 guys and the Orks are 12 and a Dreadnought. I've also started building some terrain. I've been working on this project for a few months and so far I've managed to get on track.

That's my advice any way, set small achievable goals one after the other, they don't need to be linked together for some grander plan. You could even just paint up one miniature at a time, with no overall goal at all...maybe SciFi today, another day a Napoleonic mini, then a western or maybe fantasy mini and just flit about like that. Just don't try to force anything, try to find something that gets you salivating about the hobby and go from there.

Good luck to you sir!
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Online Harry Faversham

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Re: How do you know when it's time to leave the hobby?
« Reply #29 on: September 25, 2019, 10:39:51 AM »
The hobby is relatively mainstream in the UK. WHSmiths stock several hobby magazines. We have a local department store that stocks Valejho paints. More than one local club (although it's sometimes not easy to work out how many).

If you ever get to Scarborough on holiday you're quite welcome to call into the club on Roscoe Street (Roscoe Rooms snooker club Monday and Thursday evenings) either for a game, or just a casual pint and a natter.

Gary

Same here if you ever get to our pokey little seaside (Cleethorpes!) resort. There's always lunacy of some type set up in the New Emporium By The Seaside. If you're that desperate, the Grimsby Wargame Club's onlt a two inch mortar lob from our Hovel too.

:)




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