Nurturing a (war)gaming community
I'd like to hear what others have experienced or conceived as systems for developing a strong wargaming community. Also, feel free to mention common pitfalls, critique my view, anything constructive.
The following are three brands I've had some small experiences with and will use to illustrate various techniques.
YGO: From what I've observed, the extensive merchandising allows for organized play to focus on maximizing butts in chairs without much concern for negative play experiences. It also doesn't seem to attempt to create bonds between players. Entrance fees and the eventual booster/shot at winning are a stick and carrot, with opposing players usually being the dirt under ones hooves. One thing I believe Konami does right is their aesthetic and prestige prizing (have not verified). Instead of giving the winners better cards, it's foil versions, exclusive play mats, special sleeves, etc. They also seem to document their majors decently. (1/2)
Pokémon: Aside from its colossal merchandising, strong intergenerational appeal, and wildly popular video games (which they've incorporated into their organized play), the Play! Pokémon system seems to be their strong point.
Last I saw, there were player sheets with a point tracker and a special challenge mode track. The themes and challenges change monthly corresponding to a gym leader. 2 points are awarded for winning a game, 1 for losing (or learning :v), bonuses for challenge attempts, then some for completing trades, teaching/helping players, and (occasionally at the TOs discretion) things like being voted funnest to play or most creative deck/team. A sheet may 60 points, with every 15 rendering a small prize (alternate art, foil, special 3 card booster) and the last a pin for the respective gym.
While this exact system might be patronizing for (young)adults, I feel it does a decent job of facilitating a positive environment. Someone may being interacting with their peers only for points, but studies show serving others is where humans feel the most fulfilled, and the odds of feeling joy for others improvements or engaging personally improves. It can also introduce a bit of theme and narrative to further engage tepid or purely mechanical players. Still, points must be balanced to control for those attempting to game the system.
Amway: A family friend got involved with this scheme. Though I don't support them I believe they utilize an interesting framework which, if adjusted, could be very useful for community building.
If unfamiliar, they recruit people to: 1. Recruit others, 2. Sell Amway products through their own online store. Everyone has an 'uplink', which is their recruiter, and the uplinks get a percentage of every sale. Baked into the scheme is the idea of buying products you already use from your store at 'wholesale' which gets you credits to 'reinvest' in your 'business.' Every uplink has a vested interest in the success of those they recruit, so they usually have each other's personal numbers, meet for evaluations to suggested improvements, or refer you to other uplinks who can assist you with weaknesses. They have inspirational meetings at locations an uplink will refer you to, insist you buy ebooks from them as learning material, focus on positive language, social manipulation, and the dreams you will fulfill by succeeding in their system.
You probably see it's devious nature, and it's potential. Though Amway fools people into spending money and proselytization, we try to convince others to invest time (((and money, but we obviously don't benefit directly from that and can even bring down cost of entry))) and eventually proselytize. Analog games need local recruits, and more recruits increases opportunity. Although Actual gamplay may be the most sought-after opportunity, I feel there are two more, and each reinforce the others: Social (personal/game talk) and Physical (constructing, converting, painting). Similar to Amway forwarding recruits to specialized uplinks, you want 'specialists' in each of the aforementioned areas to ensure recruits are competent when they attempt to recruit. Not only will this assist in the recruit recruiting others, they will provide a better experience to those already involved. Also, instead of an uplink system, where old recruiters stand the most to gains, this is more like a web, where we all benefit from the growth of others.
Obviously much work would need to be done to streamline such a system, but I hope to see one in my lifetime.
Thoughts?
Didn't realize it was so much text when writing, bit I don't believe I could adiquatle tldr the ideas. Maybe:
focus on developing the Actual (gameplay/tournaments), Social (personal/game talk) and Physical (constructing, converting, painting) elements, with competition rewards having no mechanical impact on play or disparity while casual focuses on community for the betterment of all.
>>46475026
that puke yellow on those russes
Fucking why.
>>46475306
Any feedback on the proposed system?
>>46475535
very interesting.
With Amway, people are motivated to try hard as uplinks because of money.
The reward for your idea is 'muh hobby'. not nearly as good of a motivation.
The closest analogy is that some martial arts schools encourage a sempai (advanced student) to be involved with a kohai (underclassman) and help them learn the system outside of formal class time. It is not done for money, but for a love of the hobby.
Maybe if the wargame manufacturers sponsored the concept and paid 'uplinks in little army men or even cash to expand the customer base it might work.
>>46475038
A shop owner gave me and a friend free Pokemon cards if we would go to the Monday night games. He couldn't run the shop and the event easily at the same time, so we basicly played babysitters.
Turned out the kids weren't the issue, it was the 4 autistic adults who would spend the whole night beating the kids as quick as possible to get the promo cards and trying to scam the kids out of good cards. After we joined though, they stopped most of it because we would keep an eye on them. Hid in a corner and played with themselves.
We would play the kids with our crappy decks and let them win sometimes to keep the atmosphere positive. It was a lot of fun working with the kids when they asked for help with decks and stuff. One of my favorite gaming experiences.
Most wargaming communities subsist on a diet of semen, tears, and paint fumes.
>>46475026
>I'd like to hear what others have experienced or conceived as systems for developing a strong wargaming community
My FLGS has an unwritten rule - if you bring Eldar, Decurion or Knights you don't get a game.
All of a sudden the 40k community there improved no end.
>>46476025
>the 4 autistic adults who would spend the whole night beating the kids as quick as possible to get the promo cards and trying to scam the kids out of good cards.
Unless those people spend a fair amount in store, you can just speak to the owner about their behavior and how it's hampering growth/decency for the event.
>>46475879
In a practical sense Amway participants are motivated by money, and they have had different iterations, but my experience with the family friend bringing me to a meeting was denying that as the motivation and hard focusing on the dreams and personal growth.
Our reward can just be the hobby, but that is why I feel we need to capitalize on humans need to belong and make the reward a community (which would facilitate the hobby). Amway typically garners a negative response from regular people. Amway knows this and attempts to preemptively protect themselves from detractors during the recruitment meetings. They also provide the participants with a lot of positive reinforcement and human interaction. This leads to many of the participants social circles transferring into Amway. I've occasionally seen some of those people around town and interactions have always been pleasant because they stress the interpersonal and being positive, but how much of this behaviour would remain if it wasn't founded on indoctrination and selfishness? I wouldn't want be manipulative, but the value of focusing on growing and maintaining a community is what I feel is most helpful, even if the 'real' goal is games.
I'm trying to avoid the uplink system where veterans stand the most to gain and at the end of the day motivations are purely selfish, but have been set up in such a way to mimic concern. I also feel the system is a red flag for average people. Amway also frames their insincerely (baked in purchases, self-help material, misdirections of positivity)
In a web structure, I would want the framework to inherently be communal and transparent, with a social control for leeches, indiscriminate/unhelpful power gamers, etc. I believe veteran participants would have more capital initially (their behavior has been recorded by other members), but recruits should be encouraged by the system to show their value by contributing.
>>46476025
Great job with maintaining the mood. I used a similar strategy to shape the kids at my venue. 1. I (or a skilled, but poor child I lent to) use a terribly oppressive deck to smash the ego of the well off powergaming kids. 2. While playing them I always stated my game plan and offered strategies against it. 3. I encouraged kids to decline games they felt would be truly terrible by giving reasons, but also providing alternatives (like playing a different deck, with a handicap). This approach usually got those buggers to play nice and become a bit more helpful/considerate of their opponents. This obviously wouldn't work as well with adults, but enforcing a shared social contract has its uses.
>>46476127
I'm all for powergaming as competition and optimization is what I find most fun, but it's hard to grow a community if it is the focus. If strategic/tactical improvement is encouraged between players and hyper competition has explicit/specific times separate from the weekly league or what have you, I think it would be easier to slowly draw others in. Player support is also a part of this. I think the consistent base and prospective players should be rewarded, while the win/loss ratio and titles are what the competition player receives. Though they also need a bit more as rewards, venue hopping for grabbing prize support should be discouraged.
>>46476095
Arguably true, which is why I feel thinking about these concepts and how to best utilize them would be helpful. Though treating antisocial behaviour can be difficult, a caring community can be very helpful and instrumental towards socialization.
Any lessons from MTG?
