Bad Behavior In Game Stores

[Xas]

Baseball bats work, too. Or plain old fists, if you're a little more patient.

Beeing quite a peacefull person myself and prefering psychical violence over physical I doubt I'd been able to controll my hands if someone anywhere would have spoken to a GF of mine like those *looks for words* entities, barely beeing worth the word "human", that eldargal apparent had to deal with.

You can only pray that some people do not come to replicate and return their poisonous nature into the public genepool.



I personally seam to have been gifted with a comparably well mannered local GW store. The worst we have to deal in this regards are people who look slightly shabby (but even them do shower!). Apparently all parties together do something well as we even managed to teach one or two of those "annoying kids" good manners. Dont ask me how but the results stand.

People who act like jerks are usually "introduced" into propper manners by the best four players of the store on the battlefield (and usually spit out in little pieces ). Those who can be saved are then absorbed into the playerbase with little left of their oversiced ego. Those which only game for ego do swiftly recognize that its the wrong place for them and leave for no return.

The worst we'd had happen once was a drunk homeless who wandered into the store and smelled like a whole graveyard full of freshle reanimated undead. He was dealth with by an employe who engaged him with room-refreshment spray (so we could breath again).

[novatomato]

First off, about the kiddies, most of them will be observing the behaviours of the older patrons of the store and will see them as role (or roll) models, if the kids are generally problematic then I would suggest there would be a deeper problem within the community of that particular store. If there is only one or two problem kids, then it might not be such a bad idea to try and teach them stuff about the game. Doing so will do several things; 1) it will give them a focus towards one aspect of the hobby 2) you will become a bigger role model and they will watch you and your behaviours, so hopefully that will influence them towards becoming constructive and active members of the hobby community and 3) you will get a solid idea of why the kids act out, this is important because some kids can not help it (ADD, ADHD etc).
If the kid continues to be a pest and a detriment to the game store/community after this then thats when you can ban them or whatever.

Secondly, if its the adults that are generally problematic then the community is going to continue being a bad environment down the years and you should look for alternative places/people etc.

Finally, this is aimed at Eldargal and Lerra, these creeps are the type of (insert a plethora of explitives) that make me ashamed to be male. I apologize on the behalf of all the decent men out there for the problems you have had and can only suggest that you alert the authorities about this atrocious and vile behaviour. Should I ever be in either of those stores you can be sure that these (insert a plethora of explitives) will need a proctologist to remove their heads from their backsides. It is a shameful display that needs to be ended immediately.

[eldargal]

Hive Mind, yes I am aware, but I thought I'd just hit him instead. I've found cultivating a reputation for violence has helped reduce the frequency of such incidents.

Denzark most of these happened at some stores in London and the North where we aren't regulars (staying with friends), even so I just limit myself to our club now.

MaltonNecromancer, there does seem to have been a disturbing rise in misogyny, I hope it reverses.


I should say these extreme examples are the minority, most gamers are percectly fine. If sometimes smelly, that does seem more common.

Oh I forgot, my brothers witnessed a young man try to steal a FW thunderhawk off an Apocalypse table and run off with it. He was caught quite quickly and proceeded to start screaming, rolling around on the ground and crying and whatnot. The store assumed he had a mental illness buthe didn't.

[Emerald Rose Widow]

So far the only LGS I have entered has nothing going on ever, the warhammer community in my area is atrocious, which is why im glad im moving to a better area.

The biggest thing I worry about is just people dealing with how I dress, I mean I already get some weird looks from the type of clothing I wear. I can almost guarentee that I will get weird looks because I will stand out like a sore thumb, not many gamers dress like I do hehe, but I was the one who got into wearing Gothic Lolita, so its my own fault.

Also I have worries because I am trans, so I have a tendency to run into some gamers who are uncomfortable around me. Though my friend out there is as well and she has no issues with it, so I guess that won't be a big deal, but hey, I worry, its what I do.

On a brighter note there are like 4 LGS's where I am moving, so if one is bad, I have 3 others to choose from.

[Lane]

I will say that as someone with post-grad qualifications in various media, there's been an alarming rise in misogyny in Western culture, and it's literally just been since I was a teenager.

Are you incapable of posting in a thread without using the word misogyny?

[scadugenga]

I guess I'm fairly lucky--there's no real asshattery going on anymore in the local battle bunker (save from occasional poor decisions by the GW employees themselves) and the one lone FLGS that's been around for almost 30 years seems to be where all the good peeps hang out. It's a definite plus.

And ERW--there's a trans there too, and she gets zero hassle, so it's a plus in my book.

As for the growing misogyny? My first guess would be because parents in general are not parenting. They're not role-modeling, nor taking much of an interest in their kids and their activities.

If your kid's learning more about what to do from TV than from an actual human being--you can expect problems.

But on the flip side, society (as a whole) is actually getting more accepting of nontraditional lifestyles and different people than in the past. So that is a plus.

Now on to the gritty--repercussions for inappropriate behavior. My take on things:

1) Under almost* no circumstances is violence warranted by an adult directed against a minor. If you can't get the offending minor to stop what they're doing, then you aren't the adult for the job.

2) My personal belief is that the all-opposing crusade against fighting-as-conflict-resolution is inherently flawed. Some people react well to proactive and constructive criticism. Others believe that they have an inherent license to be as evil and cruel as they want with no repercussions--because today's society encourages this behavior. Most people can be reasoned with. Rarely, you will find someone who cannot be, or whose actions are so heinous that might warrant a "cause & effect" lesson.**

3) Ultimately (as I believe someone else mentioned earlier) kids will look to the adults within their social group for cues on how to behave. If they see an adult being a complete jackass, then they'll see that as acceptable behavior. Gamer police thyself.

* Unless said minor has a weapon and is intending harm. Self-defense laws are very (thankfully) clear on this.

** Remember that cause & effect works both ways: Should you choose to physically "correct" someone's behavior--be prepared to accept the potential legal consequences of your actions too.

[Lane]

.Then a really filthy (literally) man threw five pounds at me and told me to come out behind the store because he wanted a f***.

Should have taken the money and told him you just F*** him out of five pounds.

Then I had one guy threaten to tell everyone I was a pornstar* if I didn't agree to be his girlfriend (to put it politely).

In his case you had a lot in common with a porn star. He probably beats off thinking about you and he is never going to sleep with you.

.
Oh and on one of the rare occassions I played a game in a store the opponent I defeated said I 'was just asking to be raped'.

In my store that would have got his A** kicked, even if we didn't know person it was directed at.

[Astral Platypus]

I was under the impression that the gaming community as a whole was becoming a little more sophisticated than that. Lately, at the place I play at, we have had a few guys that become withdrawn and quiet when women are around but not implying rape and whatnot.

As an interesting side note the tournament I played in today had about 12 people involved and all but one maintained at least average hygiene standards. When you factor the heat (Texas) in that is pretty respectable.

Still quite a few ill mannered children, however.

[Lane]

As for the growing misogyny? My first guess would be because parents in general are not parenting. They're not role-modeling, nor taking much of an interest in their kids and their activities.

One of the advantages of military service. You see that women are capable of being equals. There are still a few women in the military that try to advance in a horizontal posture or avoid work but the vast majority are capable and willing to pull their own weight.

Unfortunately there are a lot of people I would not want in the military but need the discipline and enlightenment the most.

But on the flip side, society (as a whole) is actually getting more accepting of nontraditional lifestyles and different people than in the past. So that is a plus.

I'm not sure it's more accepting. Some groups are more vocal and open about their lifestyle.
They are also quite willing to attack anybody that that dares say anything negative about them. In efect they have become the bullies.

2) My personal belief is that the all-opposing crusade against fighting-as-conflict-resolution is inherently flawed.

I agree. When you convince someone that all conflict is bad you set them up to be dominated by others. I for one do not want to live in a society of P****** (wimps).

[eldargal]

The clothes might help, I know people started reacting far more positively when I started dressing vintage. Its like gamers find it easier to relate if they see you as a 'fringe girl' rather than a mainstream girl or something like that. I tried gothic lolita myself as it happened, it didn't work for me. I think I'm too tall.

So far the only LGS I have entered has nothing going on ever, the warhammer community in my area is atrocious, which is why im glad im moving to a better area.

The biggest thing I worry about is just people dealing with how I dress, I mean I already get some weird looks from the type of clothing I wear. I can almost guarentee that I will get weird looks because I will stand out like a sore thumb, not many gamers dress like I do hehe, but I was the one who got into wearing Gothic Lolita, so its my own fault.

Also I have worries because I am trans, so I have a tendency to run into some gamers who are uncomfortable around me. Though my friend out there is as well and she has no issues with it, so I guess that won't be a big deal, but hey, I worry, its what I do.

On a brighter note there are like 4 LGS's where I am moving, so if one is bad, I have 3 others to choose from.