So Games Workshop have a pretty good reputation for helping hobbyists out with building and painting figures. I sent them a message to ask whether their shop assistants could help me out with Gunpla, since I've never built them before and could use some first-hand help when it comes to making and painting figures. I assumed the crossover from Warhammer to Gunpla isn't that big of a stretch so it wouldn't be much of an issue.
They said they cannot help with anything they don't stock on store shelves. Out of ideas and unsure of what else I could actually turn to, do any of /m/'s UK and Ireland based users know of any groups or retailers that could offer that kind of direct help?
I'm specifically in Belfast, Northern Ireland, though it's not a real issue to go to Britain proper or the Irish republic from time to time.
Anon, you're precious. GW only cares about GW stuff and pretend the modeling world at large simply doesn't exist. Stay away from them.
>>13510391
Getting that impression now. Though as far as I'm aware, they're the only decent source of modelling glue and paint in my area. I'd hoped they could at least tell me what stuff I'd need.
>>13510404
GW stuff is generally overpriced or way overpriced, you can source general modeling supplies like glue or clippers much cheaper from general hobby or art stores. The only thing you might want from them is paints, which are good but have the issue of dying up really fast.
>>13510404
>Though as far as I'm aware, they're the only decent source of modelling glue and paint in my area.
You got no postal service in your country?
>>13510421
I have access to it but I'd like the first hand advice.
>>13510364
Maybe 10 years ago they would have helped (if you asked a specific store), but nowadays? No chance.
>>13510430
i doubt there are going to be many places outside of japan who can provide first hand tutorials on gunpla. Maybe just try model shops of look for clubs that do scale model building. Pretty sure most of the skills will be transferable.
if not start a gunpla meetup yourself?
http://www.meetup.com/
>>13510364
GW only care about supporting GW stuff. That said if there's a store near you some of the red shirts might be nice enough to help. Certainly at my local one I've openly talked about painting gunpla and mantic models (one of their competitors) and haven't been given the evil eye or asked to leave. But the head office staff and things that are kept as a log like e-mail are the sort of things you won't get none GW advice from.
I know that Other Realms in Cork at least used to have some pretty helpful and enthusiastic staffers who helped out people new to tabletop gaming in order to help get the hobby out there. They were I think an official Games Workshop retailer as well as comic store, so they held gaming nights and showed people how to paint and shit. The owner is pretty friendly and put in orders for bulk stuff or stuff he otherwise wouldn't get on occasion for me and while I never saw any gunpla in the shop I did see some mecha figures on occasion (Eva stuff is all I remember off hand).
So while I don't know if it's a valid option I would suggest that if you look around comic shops and find one that also does more nerdy stuff like tabletop gaming (and I imagine that at least a few should since comic shops need the revenue frankly) you could ask the staff if they could help you or give some advice.
>>13510430
>>13510985
Look up any upcoming anime conventions in your area for the end of this year and into next year. Most likely there'll be one or two with a Gunpla tutorial or at least a Gunpla showcase where you can go and ask the people who made theirs what to do and where to get started.
>>13510404
Your in Belfast?
OK, go straight out the back of Castle Court where GW is and across the road to the Smithfield Market, in there is a shop called "My Old Toybox" which sells tonnes of paints and modelling supplies at a fraction of the cost of GW stuff.
Then go out the side entrance of Smithfield and into a small shop across the road, "The Modellers Nook" yet more paints and supplies and run by one of the finest scale modellers in the UK.
Finally go to the Queens University Students Union on Tuesday nights and join "QUB Dragonslayers" the universities gaming and Anime society, you'll find help from the painters who play wargames there and they have a Wargames convention Nordicon coming up at the end of the month where you can get more stuff from the retailers there.
>>13510364
There are still a few GW staff that are helpful. The one in Romford has only one member of staff, and he's given me consistently good painting tips.
Basically, if it's a small one with only one member of staff, maybe two, you might be able to get some tips on the sly, but you won't get away with outright building Gunpla there - though I did take in my Nu when asking for preshading colour selection and advice.
>Games Workshop has a pretty good reputation
haha, oh wow
>>13511865
They used to, way back when. It might still stick in the minds of people that aren't plugged into the /tg/ side of stuff.
http://www.iii.co.uk/news-opinion/richard-beddard/games-workshop-agm%3A-relentless-profit-machine
http://www.warseer.com/forums/showthread.php?413733-Investors-Time-at-GW-and-his-thoughts
>>13510364
>So Games Workshop have a pretty good reputation for helping hobbyists out with building and painting figures.
You're retarded.
>>13510364
>So Games Workshop have a pretty good reputation for helping hobbyists out with building and painting figures.
>>13515068
>>13514790
I should perhaps elaborate that I'm speaking as someone just getting into building models and who only has information from other people who make Warhammer figures. In my area, Games Workshop has been fairly decent to them. What would be retarded would be to take that at face value. That's why I asked /m/ first.
