From: bob@werple.apana.org.au (Bob Blanchett)
Newsgroups: news.groups,rec.games.board
Subject: Re: RFD: rec.games.miniatures Bob's 2 cents
Date: 23 Jan 1993 19:19:29 +1100
Organization: Werple, Public Access *NIX, Oz
NNTP-Posting-Host: werple.apana.org.au
Keywords: miniatures figures ancients napoleonics renaissance naval

In article <C19L6G.MGK@usenet.ucs.indiana.edu> charbonn@silver.ucs.indiana.edu (gary charbonneau) writes:
>>FAQ, news.answers).  Mailing lists also have fewer distribution problems than
>>do newsgroups - more people can't read a newsgroup than people who are not
>>allowed to suscribe to lists (this was shown in a recent ASL list debate).

50% of the direct mail I have had on this topic said "WHAT OTHER LISTS?"

>>While I would also like to see more miniature stuff on usenet, I think that
>>the way to get it is not a new group (which if present volume is a good
>>barometer, wouldn't have much traffic), but to post more about it on r.g.b.  A
>>discussion in the wider forum of r.g.b. would reach more people and
stimulate
>>more interest than the same discussion on a dedicated newsgroup with a smaller
>>readership.
>>
>>	Alec
>
>Alec, I disagree.  A separate and clearly titled newsgroup might encourage
>more discussion of miniatures than rec.games.board generates.

R.G.M. IS what miniatures players need, at the moment discussion is
fragmented and cast to the four winds. The groups is an attempt to give
miniatures players and THE HOBBY a separate image to the board gamers and
the frp crowd, a distinct voice and a place to exercise it...together.
Our hobby is desrved of a place of it's own, Alec isn't belittling the
following, I'm sure I simply think that there exists an as yet untapped
resource of gamers who don't know anyone else is around.

The net is a reflection of the hobby everywhere. players are meeting in small
 isolated groups which aren't aware of anyone else. the only reason for this
is that nobody provided a meeting place. the R.G.M. proposal is the meeting p
place for a new group to come together, not empire building, I would hope tha
t the n/group complements the lists not the other way around. It's the best
thing for the hobby.


>
>However, if I might muddy the waters a bit, let me say that I would also
>support a rec.games.war group that would include discussion of both
>board and miniature wargames.  Others may find fantasy and sci fi games
>interesting; to me, they're all noise and no signal.  To say that one
>can "simulate" something that isn't real is something of an abuse of the
>language.  But perhaps I am being a curmudgeon this morning....
>
Gary, A LOT of people share your attitude but the young people playing
warhammer are the gamers of tomorrow. At my club they play warhammer
but don't worry they drop out or they grow out of it. It *really* is just a
phase. As long as people are ENJOYING themselves, I don't care if they play
tiddly winks. there will always be what some people see as snobbery, the
right rules WRG/EMPIRE 6th vs 7th, bucket of dice vs ultimate realism,
the realism vs simulation vs game vs fun argument can never be won  to 
anybody's satisfaction so I stopped worrying about it long ago

I run a club with two rules: have FUN and laissez faire.

>Back to the main point: Absent a rec.games.war, I support this proposal,
>although without a lot of enthusiasm -- the discussion will probably be
>dominated by Warhammerites, etc.

rec.games.war, (going off-topic) is something that I wouldn't want to see,
it's a diversion and a split for split's sake. the warhammer people have a
right to post there, and I think they should be encouraged in R.G.M. should
it get up. we can pass on some useful knowledge to the 40K/epic newbies and
win converts for the more mainstream periods. As far as the N/S ratio goes,
my killfile solves the problem.

I want to help the net miniatures community get together and share with each
other. RGB is a start, the mailing lists identified the need, R.G.M is a
progression from there. The door is open to any and all who want to come in.
It's good for the net hobby and forthe hobby in general, We may even solve 
a few old WRG flamewars! 

bob.