Hobby has lost its ‘Magic’.

[FormelyKnownAsSmashyPants]

Hi all let me start by saying that I love the hobby and ultimately I feel we are in a great spot with regard to how we can spend our hobby money, even though at times it can be overwhelming with the frequency of releases. However, while pondering life and the many aspects of life including my hobby the other day, I came to the conclusion that there was a certain ‘magic’ that no longer seems to be there. Now I’m still enthused by the hobby but I remember when I was younger I’d be waiting with baited breath to buy the White Dwarf each month to see whether there’d be something for my army,. There was a child like wonderment and awe to it all. I don’t know what has caused this feeling, or rather lack there of or when it happened. I think it might just be age, or perhaps the fact that GW release schedule is like a freight train with no brakes. I liken it to how I felt as a kid when I realised Santaguinius was actually my parents, I was still incredibly happy cause I got presents, but the ‘magic’ was gone. How do other people feel?

[Captain Idaho]

Yeah the excitement isn't there for me anymore but that's because GW seldom release stuff I like anymore.

 

Getting excited for Custodes then they show us the rules for Katah and they're just terrible and look like a chore to play. I got excited for new Necrons and then their rules came out and the game just got deflated.

 

The rules are important to me.

 

Model wise there's just too much saturation of Nu-Marines, which aren't to my liking. So every new Marine release is just twisting the knife deeper.

 

So yeah, the magic has diminished for me.

 

Maybe if GW releases Epic I'd get that magic back, or if they made a concerted effort to sort out Firstborn for my Ultramarines again (I'd like some new models) or finally release that blooming HH boxed set.

[Redcomet]

Hi all let me start by saying that I love the hobby and ultimately I feel we are in a great spot with regard to how we can spend our hobby money, even though at times it can be overwhelming with the frequency of releases. However, while pondering life and the many aspects of life including my hobby the other day, I came to the conclusion that there was a certain ‘magic’ that no longer seems to be there. Now I’m still enthused by the hobby but I remember when I was younger I’d be waiting with baited breath to buy the White Dwarf each month to see whether there’d be something for my army,. There was a child like wonderment and awe to it all. I don’t know what has caused this feeling, or rather lack there of or when it happened. I think it might just be age, or perhaps the fact that GW release schedule is like a freight train with no brakes. I liken it to how I felt as a kid when I realised Santaguinius was actually my parents, I was still incredibly happy cause I got presents, but the ‘magic’ was gone. How do other people feel?

The weekly release schedule can be a bit daunting at times. But mostly I think it is just a case of life happening and ones interests wax and vane from time to time.

[Karhedron]

I have been in the hobby since 1st edition and I have played. My interest has definitely waxed and waned over the years. It depends on what is currently coming out, the state of my armies, the state of the background and of course the rest of life.

 

If a certain sparkle is missing, the best advice I can give is not to push it. Put your armies away for a while and do something else. Just drop by here from time to time to keep an eye on what is happening. When you are ready again, something will catch your eye.It might be a new model, new army rules, a new piece of fiction or simply a new idea. Relax and let the spark of inspiration come to you rather than exhausting yourself by trying to chase it.

 

As for things becoming less exciting, that is part of growing up I am afraid. You may find new hobbies and interests. Things may rekindle old interests. But things will never quite be as magical as they were when you were young. Your anaolgy of magic of Christmas is amusing and very accurate. I like Christmas and I try to keep it magical for my kids,but there is no way I can make it feel the same for me as it did when I was their age.

[Dark Shepherd]

I go through phases of which appeals out of building/painting/playing. But between covid largely killing playing 40k and the perennial 40k problems there has been an enthusiasm defecit

 

Was stoked for Kill Team but havent gotten to play it

 

Am trying to lean more towards the well fun sides of hobbying the systems that dont change all the time and are better balanced. Kitbashing characters and units out of models from Indomitus/Imperium/Start Collecting. Saving characters or display models as giftlist items

[Allart01]

If you were to follow GW's schedule, you would have to be constantly overexcited. It's normal to get tired after a while, especially with the corrent obsolescence in terms of rules. I barely have time to get comfortable with a codex before it gets changed. Edited December 28, 2021 by The_Bloody

[WarriorFish]

Nothing is constant in life, sometimes it's good to take your foot off the pedal or take a little break You can't force mojo and it's a very bad idea to try.

 

GW's hype machine is broken, being permanently stuck at 11, so it's easily to feel fatigued by it if you're trying to keep up. The trick here is not to I've found. Even if something you might be interested in sails by for it, it'll appear on your radar eventually. Practically speaking most of GW's output won't be for you as nobody plays that many systems/armies/etc so there's little to be lost

 

I have plenty of models to be working on so it's no skin off my nose if GW doesn't make anything I want, it's a good excuse to save some money and work on the plastic pile Maybe this is what you need to get back into things? No time frames or whatever, just you and some models you want to work on?

[Valkia the Bloody]

I have to say that in some points, I agree.

But I have been in the hobby since 1998 (yes, I am OLD).

I went through several phases where I sold my armies and thought I had finished with the hobby, but for some strange reason, I always keep coming back.

Right now, I am in a demanding day job, and hardly find the time and motivation to paint, and with all the COVID disruptions, finding time, place, people and opportunity to play is even less likely.

But I have found that sitting down, putting an audio book on and painting helps me to focus and to wind down after work. I think I owe it to my mental health to keep going with that.

 

I agree that the new setting and all that Primaris stuff also leaves me cold. I am not a fan of returning Primarchs and suddenly appearing super-supermen, coming out of nowhere.

I have not bought any of the new setting Black Library books, because I am not interested. It just leaves me cold.

Also, my favorite Astartes armor will always be Mark III.

I am however a huge fan of the lore of the Horus Heresy and I am still a big fan of 40k Chaos.

 

What keeps me going right now is slowly building my traitor legion of Night Lords using a mix of Forgeworld, Mark III and converted Primaris (because I got Indomitus and some friends gifted me some Primaris kits they did not want). It is a curious mix of 30k and modern 40k.

If I get tired of working on this, I recently bought a few Horus Heresy Character Models from Forgeworld- now with a secure day job, I could finally afford them.

I also have some very old models which I kept from the past, and I am looking forward to painting these.

I am not sure they will ever make it to the table, but I converted them years ago and I still feel the spark of excitement from when I put them together (even back then, they were intended as rule of cool/ just for fun).

 

 

 

 

 

I know this guy is utter bull but he is still way cooler than that ridiculous Primaris quad bike. By a mile.

[Doghouse]

For me it's become a bit of a grinder with all the hype, frustrating limited releases and the new direction of the models aren't really for me anymore. What I am doing now though is getting into 3D printing and doing personal projects for myself which I am enjoying immensely because I finally feel free of the GW conveyor belt and can make things the way I want.

 

I think it all depends on how you look at the hobby, as you get older it will lose it's shine like a lot of things in life do but as long as you are happy and it's not impacting other aspects of your life in a negative way then it's all good. :)

 

There are also tons of other model companies out there now so a break to try something else is always good, I normally go make some Star Wars Legion or Halo Ground Command for a change of pace.

[Valkyrion]

Your own personal experiences and expectations push you towards excitement or ennui and nothing anyone can do or say can change that, because they aren't you. There might be some absolute madman out there who prefers 4th edition Codex Chaos Space Marines to 3.5 edition, for instance. 

 

I'm collecting Crimson Fists and doing it in such a way that it doesn't matter what I build - I see a model I like, be it HH, old marines, or primaris, I'll buy it and paint it blue. But I'm not using them to game with and when I settled on that path it was weirdly liberating. 

 

To scratch my gaming itch, me and two mates play a sort of bastardised 2nd edition horus heresy kill team set up using the basic rules of 2nd edition, 10 model forces from the HH setting and homemade campaign growth, and it's pretty 'magical' to us. 

[Rik Lightstar]

I'm another of the Rogue Trader, Space Crusade & Epic Space Marine old timers having been into Games Workshop stuff since the late 80s meaning I've got over 30 years of hobby "history" and "experiences", but there's been gaps, some for weeks, some for months and one that was probably around 5 years around when I had kids.

 

It's a hobby not an obligation, you can and probably SHOULD step back from it every now and then when it starts to feel like a grind.

 

Stepping back doesn't even have to mean ZERO Hobby.

 

I also play Bloodbowl and Underworlds, I have enough for both that I can always get a game in when I'm not motivated for painting. If I "need" a new Warband for Underworlds it's no more than 9 models so not a big challenge to get them on the table. Aeronautica and Titanicus are also pretty good for this.

 

When the gaming side of things is burning you out, then do some painting, get a completely new but SMALL project, either a single Character model to work on, a force for one of the "skirmish level" games, or even branch right out and buy a resin bust to paint.

 

You can still enjoy the background while not doing the rest, the Heresy series is on Audible and you can listen to those while doing other things.

 

I circle through those 3 stages plus the full hobby "frenzy" that some people (GW) seem to feel should be our default state.

 

If it's not making you happy, put it aside for a while, you'll enjoy it more when you come back to it.

[Slave to Darkness]

I think its called growing up mate. :( Does watching your fave cartoons make you feel the way they did as a kid?? 

 

What I have done to keep the hobby buzz going (its hard when you have been playing since 1st) is do a small project based on what you liked about the hobby when it still had its shine, I have felt the same way about GW for a few years now so I have started playing Rogue Trader again and have started a Squat army to use just for 1st ed, and when I have finished my current pile of shame Ill be doing 2nd ed again with World Eater and Legion of the Damned armies. Its not exactly returned the sparkle for me but looking through all the old books and magazines has bought back a nice fuzzy feeling. 

 

Or you could take a break as some others have said, but that might not work if what you return to isnt to your taste, my mate quit for a bit and when he showed an interest again Guilliman and Primaris were everywhere (and the Fantasy/AoS thing), he didnt like the lore or the minis so he flipped to Bolt Action whatever that mess is Mantic produce (the fantasy one).

 

 

Hope you get a bit of the sparkle back, sucks having no love for something you love. 

[Karhedron]

I know what you mean. 7th edition with its unbalanced "decurion" detachments everywhere put me off so I switched to X-wing for a couple of years. 8th edition brought back as it was a welcome reset and I was intrigued by the premise of advancing the setting. Even as an old-school player, I didn't mind the introduction of Primaris Marines. I just needed something fresh to reboot my interest.

[Joe]

On the flip side - imagine getting into new games that are legitimately a delight to play, with good rules and great miniatures to boot, only for the company to go under as it was already massively in debt and shouldn't have had the IP they took on in the first place. Looking at you, Spartan Games. At least the community have kept Halo: Fleet Battles and Ground Command alive.

 

Point here being; if you do wind up diversifying, be careful what you pick.

[phandaal]

Nothing is constant in life, sometimes it's good to take your foot off the pedal or take a little break You can't force mojo and it's a very bad idea to try.

 

GW's hype machine is broken, being permanently stuck at 11, so it's easily to feel fatigued by it if you're trying to keep up. The trick here is not to I've found. Even if something you might be interested in sails by for it, it'll appear on your radar eventually. Practically speaking most of GW's output won't be for you as nobody plays that many systems/armies/etc so there's little to be lost

 

I have plenty of models to be working on so it's no skin off my nose if GW doesn't make anything I want, it's a good excuse to save some money and work on the plastic pile Maybe this is what you need to get back into things? No time frames or whatever, just you and some models you want to work on?

 

Can confirm - Anti-FOMO is the way to live.

[Monstra Sumus]

We grew up mate. More responsibility and a more serious view of the world will naturally tarnish the wonders of our youth. 

 

For me, the same giddiness for the hobby doesn't exist, so I can relate. However, it has been replaced with a patient exploration of my talents and attention to detail. It has the same powerful impact on me, just in a different way and that is okay. It is okay to mourn the things that made you happy as a kid when they don't fulfill that purpose as an adult. It's okay to like things less but still be interested enough to continue them. 

 

I'm kinda the opposite of Captain Idaho at the moment, for me the Primaris are my jam after doing Firstborn since the 90's so I'm eager for the new releases. I don't particularly care for the other factions releases, but I am happy the players are getting them. I forward all the Eldar stuff to a friend and he is in full hype mode and that makes me happy.

 

Find what interests you about the hobby now instead of trying to hold it up to days gone by. Nostalgia is a liar and shouldn't be trusted. 

[Brother-Chaplain Kage]

Whenever I get burn out, but the hobby interest is still there, I turn to other avenues than GW. I grew up building scale model airplanes and tanks and then got into D&D and miniatures when I was in jr high and those are usually the places I try first.

 

Look for a cool mini that's not GW. They definitely have an aesthetic (and price point) uniquely their own and it's kind of refreshing to look outside that narrow path now and then. Maybe not just a different company, but a different type as well, like a larger scale figure or a bust. Paint something for a friend or relative where you can comfortably paint it to a less exacting standard than your own that an outsider would still be blown away by.

 

For me, I almost equate the GW funk I get into now and then like being cooped up in the house during Covid lockdowns. Stretch your legs, go outside the GW walls, and let the sunlight of the rest of the huge miniatures industry warm you.

[Slave to Darkness]

We grew up mate. More responsibility and a more serious view of the world will naturally tarnish the wonders of our youth. 

 

For me, the same giddiness for the hobby doesn't exist, so I can relate. However, it has been replaced with a patient exploration of my talents and attention to detail. It has the same powerful impact on me, just in a different way and that is okay. It is okay to mourn the things that made you happy as a kid when they don't fulfill that purpose as an adult. It's okay to like things less but still be interested enough to continue them. 

 

I'm kinda the opposite of Captain Idaho at the moment, for me the Primaris are my jam after doing Firstborn since the 90's so I'm eager for the new releases. I don't particularly care for the other factions releases, but I am happy the players are getting them. I forward all the Eldar stuff to a friend and he is in full hype mode and that makes me happy.

 

Find what interests you about the hobby now instead of trying to hold it up to days gone by. Nostalgia is a liar and shouldn't be trusted. 

I get you on exploring your talents, I have always been a 'gamer' over a painter, I loved converting and building my army and using it but I couldnt paint that well, now I dont get as many games in as Id like so I am focusing on painting so when I do play my army looks good and isnt in various stages of painting. 

 

As for nostalgia being a liar, now always, I am having more fun playing 1st edition than I did 8th and 9th. But I guess nostalgia hits different for everyone. 

[Monstra Sumus]

 

We grew up mate. More responsibility and a more serious view of the world will naturally tarnish the wonders of our youth. 

 

For me, the same giddiness for the hobby doesn't exist, so I can relate. However, it has been replaced with a patient exploration of my talents and attention to detail. It has the same powerful impact on me, just in a different way and that is okay. It is okay to mourn the things that made you happy as a kid when they don't fulfill that purpose as an adult. It's okay to like things less but still be interested enough to continue them. 

 

I'm kinda the opposite of Captain Idaho at the moment, for me the Primaris are my jam after doing Firstborn since the 90's so I'm eager for the new releases. I don't particularly care for the other factions releases, but I am happy the players are getting them. I forward all the Eldar stuff to a friend and he is in full hype mode and that makes me happy.

 

Find what interests you about the hobby now instead of trying to hold it up to days gone by. Nostalgia is a liar and shouldn't be trusted. 

I get you on exploring your talents, I have always been a 'gamer' over a painter, I loved converting and building my army and using it but I couldnt paint that well, now I dont get as many games in as Id like so I am focusing on painting so when I do play my army looks good and isnt in various stages of painting. 

 

As for nostalgia being a liar, now always, I am having more fun playing 1st edition than I did 8th and 9th. But I guess nostalgia hits different for everyone. 

 

 

 

I guess I'm a little jaded by the weaponized nostalgia fired at us from every direction by corporations these days! You're absolutely right though, not all nostalgia is tricksy. I recently fired up the old Master System and plugged in Alexx the Kid. Lost 5 hours! 

 

My hobby has turned to the narrative and modelling aspect. I have to drive over 40 minutes in any direction to get a game in and not reliable ones at that. I just don't have enough free time to not have something scheduled. I'd love to start gaming again locally but for now the hobby is painting and modelling.  

[Scribe]

I got excited for new Necrons and then their rules came out and the game just got deflated.

 

The rules are important to me.

Exactly my experience. I was hyped liked the model direction, got the starter sets, codex came out, flipped though it, and just put it in the closet.

 

The actual game doesn't motivate me at all.

[Noserenda]

Better to just think about what you actually enjoy in the hobby right now and focus on doing that rather than forcing it, so like ive been working on Expanding the SoS options (Converting some exo suits right now), tiny knights for AT, converting Primaris but apparently never painting them, rebasing my old Eshin army on rounds and clearing random old models off my backlog for 40k, necromunda and fantasy to fill hobby bingo grids :D 

i guess im more of a butterfly in my middle age but its a lot more satisfying than meta chasing or painting models i didnt like to fill out armies.

[mughi3]

I still get enjoyment from the hobby in general because i play so many different and varied game systems.

 

When it comes to 40K specifically i still have my epic (5 armies) by BFG fleet and my 3rd ed dark angels as well as my 5th ed DIY chapter that is pushing 8K points.

 

Of course, to get enjoyment out of the later we play 5th edition because that is the point where most of us at the FLGS found the game to be fun. no need to chase the updates/meta or worry about new releases.

 

Sadly GWs current behavior and 9th ed in general has led to an exodus of formerly hardcore players leaving GW all together.

 

One guy switched over to Star Wars legion, another has gotten big into infinity, and yet another has gone full into flames of war. with a few others opting for specter operations, classic battletech and DUST 1947.

 

 

 

 

 

You just have to find what makes you happy and go with it. As long as people are having fun and a good game that's what is most important.

Edited December 29, 2021 by mughi3

[Special Officer Doofy]

People just get older and priorities change. I saw a video talking about video games cashing in on the nostalgia but not getting the results they wanted. Back when MMORPGs were coming out in the early 2000's I was in high school with no job or responsibilities, same with my friends. Now we are all in our 30's with families and careers. It wasn't how amazing the games were back then, it's how easy people's lives were back then.

 

My oldest brother played 40k from 2nd edition and the rest of us joined in 3rd. But we ALL quit in 6th. Some of us came back in 8th because we liked the new rules and direction it was going. Some never came back because now they are older with families and they don't care to buy over priced plastic and spend hours painting when they can just put on a head set and get on Xbox or something.

 

I will say GW is going to have a hard time with the newer younger generation getting into the game. They grew up in a world of touch screens, high-speed internet and instant gratification. Not alot of these kids are going to want to spend that much money and time getting into the hobby I feel with all the other stimulation being thrown at them. My daughter is 9 and doesn't give a hoot about painting models but she paints other things. I was 8 when the 3rd edition starter came out and my brother gave me the marines to paint (I did a terrible job too). But all I had then was a n64 and ps1 I had to share with two brothers and dial up internet with one family computer. My 9 year old has her own Xbox, TV, phone, high-speed internet and everything at her fingertips. 40k will be a hard sell to these new generation of kids.

[Redcomet]

People just get older and priorities change. I saw a video talking about video games cashing in on the nostalgia but not getting the results they wanted. Back when MMORPGs were coming out in the early 2000's I was in high school with no job or responsibilities, same with my friends. Now we are all in our 30's with families and careers. It wasn't how amazing the games were back then, it's how easy people's lives were back then.

 

My oldest brother played 40k from 2nd edition and the rest of us joined in 3rd. But we ALL quit in 6th. Some of us came back in 8th because we liked the new rules and direction it was going. Some never came back because now they are older with families and they don't care to buy over priced plastic and spend hours painting when they can just put on a head set and get on Xbox or something.

 

I will say GW is going to have a hard time with the newer younger generation getting into the game. They grew up in a world of touch screens, high-speed internet and instant gratification. Not alot of these kids are going to want to spend that much money and time getting into the hobby I feel with all the other stimulation being thrown at them. My daughter is 9 and doesn't give a hoot about painting models but she paints other things. I was 8 when the 3rd edition starter came out and my brother gave me the marines to paint (I did a terrible job too). But all I had then was a n64 and ps1 I had to share with two brothers and dial up internet with one family computer. My 9 year old has her own Xbox, TV, phone, high-speed internet and everything at her fingertips. 40k will be a hard sell to these new generation of kids.

People have been saying “tech will kill the hobby” for years and years now. If anything covid and lots of time at home has made analog hobbies even more popular. People have flocked to model building and Gunpla too

[Special Officer Doofy]

People have been saying “tech will kill the hobby” for years and years now. If anything covid and lots of time at home has made analog hobbies even more popular. People have flocked to model building and Gunpla too

How many kids do you have and what's your experience with their attention span, laziness and hobbies? I'm not saying video games are better then 40k and technology will win. I'm saying the newer generation has a shorter attention span and more access to technology. Yes 40k is doing great, but how much of it's success is from new people 8th Ed and onward and how much of it is people from 1-3rd with multiple armies? Certain things in the US like baseball and Harley Davison are slowly dying because of their failure to attract younger people.

 

They got rid of Slaanesh for a bit in Sigmar to try to appeal to younger people (their parents) right? I don't think that worked. At all. And Slaanesh is back anyways. My statement was not about technology killing 40k, it's that kid's attention spans are getting shorter and shorter, technology gives them instant gratification which just makes it worse. Most kids don't want to spend their money on something they have to sit there and assemble and paint and go somewhere to play when they can just put on a headset and turn on the TV. You can feel free to think what you want but I see it. Late 90's early 00's when I would go to a hobby shop it was all sorts of people, lots of teens. Now it's all older people, 20+ 30+, and the few parents I saw bring kids in looked at the price tags, laughed and walked out.