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Demise of wargaming

I read an article on a website, for the life of me I cannot remember what the website was, but it was basically about why the hobby of wargaming has had such a demise over the years.

It cited a number of reasons like computer games and consoles, role playing games (warhammer etc) and quite a few others. I certainly do think that computer games and consoles did indeed pull alot of people away from wargaming, and i was one of them, probably due to the lack of opponents I could find.

But one reason this guy gave was that wargames started to become too complex, making it less enjoyable and ultimately ruining gameplay. I must admit, he has a point. There were a number of games that i owned years ago that had huge learning curves, the ones that come to mind are stargate & mechwar '77.

I have just bought mechwar '77 again, assuming that it may have been my young age that may have caused me to not understand or to get "bored" with learning the rules ( and I hope it is), but I do think as game as designers sought new ways and different mechanics for their games to be played, they may have just sacrificed, in some instances, enjoyment for too much realism and depth

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Comment by Roger Morley on August 4, 2010 at 10:25am: You are right Carlos, no SPI games on Vassal, but I may well play other games on there

Comment by Carlos Alberto Laport de Miranda on August 4, 2010 at 9:20am: Is there a VASSAL module for Mech War 77 available ?

If I'm not mistaken, DG asked the VASSAL people to stop making any VASSAL module on SPI games "officially" available for download, even the old ones, long OOP games, as they want Hex War to be the only source for SPI games on-line.

Comment by Bill Wood on August 2, 2010 at 7:20pm: "The optimist dreams of a fresh wind, the pessimist complains about it, and the realist resets the sails."

I thought wargaming was dead, but I did something about it:

1. Created the space to play.

2. Looked everywhere for gamers.

3. Invited them over.

4. They had friends and they started coming over.

Of about 20 gamers located relatively close by, 10 of them have visited, and 6 of them are regulars.

Three of them have sons who are being introduced to the hobby.

5. We keep an active schedule and meet frequently.

6. We are flexible - we don't insist on one interest - we explore everyone's interest.

The hobby is dead for you only if you choose it to be; it's demise is your choice. The hobby thrives if you participate, and only if you participate.

I went from 0 to 10 in 2 years, and have been averaging 12 hours of FTF play per week for 4 years total, and we still find more players.

Truly, it is not that hard.

For a Podunk town as Eden, NC, I am quite amazed of the number and calibre of players.

Heck, we even got into the Greensboro Newspaper -

To play or not to play - you decide.

Comment by brian s. b. on August 2, 2010 at 6:41pm: lol i know. well, there's 2 things=there's boardgames-which i think we will have for a long time. then there's wargames. and,let's be honest,wargames did disappear up their own ass a bit. but its just a different time-i will give a example axis@allies-not my favourite but, now there are a lot of AA's out their,even some girls-a lot of girls ,no. way more girls then played panzerblitz-definitely! ppl now want the kind of euro,cards,area move,etc. it's just what is NOW. our now was hexes,crts, and wrist fractures from playing TOBRUK......

Comment by Roger Morley on August 2, 2010 at 6:20pm: Nothing like the Spirit of Agincourt

Comment by brian s. b. on August 2, 2010 at 6:15pm: you stole that speech from henry Vwell, if i was a programmer i would set up some A .I. on a vassal type system to get practice with games-it helped my chess. i appreciate your intent roger,but ultimately isnt this the game companies problem? like i said before, its just a more fragmented world, in most media/mediums-not to wizz on your parade,king henry!

Comment by Roger Morley on August 2, 2010 at 6:09pm: I am an eternal optimist, my cup is always half full!
If there is a true will to increase the popularity of wargaming, to bring new people in and even re-ignite the interest in gamers who have long since stopped playing, then there is a way. All we have to do is find common ground by which we can all pull together, in the same direction and with the willingness to pursue these goals, then it is possible!
(was that an election winning speech????)

Comment by brian s. b. on August 2, 2010 at 6:01pm: ROGER, is an optimist folks!

Comment by Roger Morley on August 2, 2010 at 5:53pm: LMAO at Grumpy.......
I still think that existing clubs, should open up their doors with welcoming arms and cookies, and these members should try and lower themselves to rookie level and train these people. Eventually, they to will become experienced gamers, and some may go for the more complex games that some gamers (grumpy...lol) live on.

Comment by Roger Morley on August 2, 2010 at 5:38pm: Okay...now we talked about the demise of wargaming, lets do some whining about how to make it more popular and bring new people into the fold.