I don't specifically ban politics or current affairs, but for most part it has absolutely nothing to do with our hobby discussions. Of course there will be circumstances where politics intersects with our wallets or our freedoms, but I try to avoid those subjects. Don't get me wrong, I'm a political animal. I follow politics, I vote, I support a political party... But that's got absolutely nothing to do with my love of wargaming and doesn't belong on this channel. I have no desire to bore everyone to death with my political opinions, no matter how strongly held they are. This channel just isn't the correct forum for those sort of conversations (as important as they are) and I don't think any of my subscribers would want it to be.

SALUTE was a clear showcase of where the hobby is going. There were a lot of Young'uns at the show, and a lot of small skirmish games across all genre. Of course I want to encourage new blood into big battle historical gaming, but if that's through a gateway drug like a skirmish fantasy game, then so be it.

@@MiniatureAdventuresTV Yes, I saw the Salute episode. Like you, I am a fan of battles rather than tiny skirmishes... but whatever gets newbies interested is a good start from which they can be shown other 'strings to the bow'

Here is the link palousewargamingjournal.blogspot.com/2024/04/fornovocating.html?m=1

You've hit the nail on the head. I think we all forget that the 'Internet' is still a new technology and as a society we are still learning how to use it responsibly... all the more important to re-read what we have written before hitting the send button!

Thank you

Lol. Comment Moderation does give you a chance to filter what hits the page.

All my subscribers are thoroughly fine chaps 😆

I admire your optimism about people learning to change their behaviours.

I tried to be optimistic. My generation (I've just turned 55) experienced the birth of social media and had no idea how to use it. My children's generation have never known anything other than social media in their lives. They are the ones learning the hard way the pitfalls of the still new technology. And I want to believe that my grandchildrens generation will have learned from everything that's gone before... But as I said I try to be an optimist, so I'm probably wrong. Maybe online interactions will never be perfect but it doesn't mean to say we can't all try just a little bit harder.

@@MiniatureAdventuresTV I'm known for trying, or is that for being trying? ;-)

Thank you

Thank you

Glad you enjoyed it

I think for me that is the crux of the problem with online discussions. All those non-verbal clues that you pick up on when you were talking to someone face to face don't exist online. So when someone leaves a harsh comment or is sarcastic or just plain nasty they have absolutely no conception of how that will be received by the person at the other end. It's like lobbing a hand grenade but not hanging around to see the damage. It's still possible to offer a critique or makes suggestions, without impinging on any freedom of expression, simply by rephrasing how it is written.

@@MiniatureAdventuresTV Good point. Even with friends there is a lot of misunderstandings with WhatsApp or Discord, which wouldn't happen in presence.

Thank you.

I didn't overdo it on Saturday. I sat down whenever I had a chance, and ended the day listening to a Panel so had another sit down during that. My knees were hurting, but not nearly as much as the last time I did Salute.

@@MiniatureAdventuresTV Good to hear!

I'll look it up, cheers.

Agreed. I have seen young gamer's put off by perfectly valid but thoughtlessly composed criticism. Offer support and suggestions by all means, but take a deep breath, re-read what you have written and re-compose it to be be a little less adversarial and a little more supportive.

It'll happen eventually, its an unfortunate side effect of being online. But Trolls aren't real gamer's, just people that want an argument, so its OK to ignore them (or block them) and focus on real readers and real comments.

@@MiniatureAdventuresTV I've worked in late-night retail once the pubs have shut, so hopefully I have a tough hide! Thanks for the advice.

I've added in chapters now so you can jump to sections by club.

I think it depends on the type of social media and the audience that inhabits it.

I'm not suggested we need rules to moderate comments, or limit free speech. But as the saying goes, freedom comes with responsibility and I often wish some people online would think twice before posting comments. I'm old enough, and ugly enough to ignore the odd harsh comment but if we want to encourage a newer and younger generation of gamer's we all need to be 'nicer' online. Just because someone has put themselves out there and posted their creativity online, doesn't automatically mean they have the emotional and mental maturity to handle harsh criticism. As viewers we have no idea what that persons backstory is, and an unnecessarily harsh comment can do a lot of harm. As my late Nan would have said, if you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all (or at least say it politely!).

I would counter by saying that there are some who believe free speech is free of consequences and others who are incapable of dealing with change. Both my kids and my son in law GM and there are things that are perfectly acceptable to me in my games that would never appear in theirs - and vice versa. This is normal and an expected part of a growing and increasingly diverse hobby. Orcs are born evil - go for it. Combat wheelchairs are a thing in a fantasy setting? Your game, your rules. Where I agree with you broadly is that the most strident voices in any online discussion get the most attention and that is not always a good thing. There are a few folks yelling very loudly about "goblinoid monsters typifying the racist-colonialist paradigms inherent in classical role playing games", while others shout red-faced about "how in their day there was none of this here woke BS and we should all play exactly as Gary intended!". The noise of the two camps can be overwhelming, but most of us are just struggling to get 2-6 people in one place at one time, and to have a game and a bit of fun. Anything we can do to improve the chance of that happening is a good thing.

I get what you're saying, but it does get a little tiresome when you see there's been a hundred new comments on a thread you've been following and you have to read them all to find out it was just a flame war and nothing actually of interest. Reasoned debate trumps shouting matches every time in my opinion.

@@MiniatureAdventuresTV I don't disagree about the responsibility part. I think the community is fairly self moderating in that regards. In fact I'd say wargamers are overall a respectful bunch aside from a few off comments here or there. Its when the social media and miniature / gaming companies get involved....Battletech is a good example of that. Great game, generally great community, generally very accepting but recently got coopted by the side that will not be named that ensured the only speech is their speech. Not a fan of that because they take everything as an affront to their sensibilities and then all conversation is killed because of it. But liek I said, I get what you're saying. Respectful is good and we should strive for that.

Sadly its a global phenomenon and asking where it started is a chicken and the egg scenario.

Pity but l understand. It's a big show and physically demanding for anyone with back or leg problems.