I am sickened by narrow mindedness. I refer to those who do not stray out of their comfort zone. Those who denigrate others for trying something new while snickering under the umbrella of nostalgia or expedience. Those who show disdain for something they never tried or experienced. It fosters an elitist attitude that is oddly counterproductive to the point of gaming – that is having fun.
Sadly, and indeed it is so, this mentality also applies to some in the gaming community. Whether it is gaming with computers or lead miniatures there are those who slavishly follow one game, one rules set, or one company above all others. This devotion allows no deviation nor brooks dissention of any kind.
Now this is not to say that there’s anything wrong with playing just one game as long as you are willing to try other games and be a good sport about it. If only one game does it for you, that’s fine and more power to you. The rub is when someone adamantly refuses to ever try a new system, miniature company, or whatever. They game with blinders on and often times it’s evident in how they play and what kind of sport they are.
In the gaming community, specifically the small segment of board and miniature wargaming, narrow mindedness is the bane of growth, success, and longevity. Certainly playing successful and fun games is completely what the hobby is about. But surely if there’s one great game chances are there probably is another. And chances are it’s published from a different company. If we want the hobby to not only survive but flourish creatively and financially, the more diverse we are the greater we are.
One ring may rule them all but one company could be the death knell of us all.
No comments:
Post a Comment