As with any hobby, it might seem difficult at first to get into hobby gaming.
Everything from confusing slang to the high cost of some game pieces could easily be a deterrent for newcomers, so it would be no wonder if someone with a passing interest in the hobby was confused about how to get into it in the first place.
But, according to the owners of some local game stores, now might be the best time to get into the hobby.
Chris Ormando, 41, is the owner of Tactical Advantage, a game shop in the Gateway Shopping Center in Edwardsville, which will be celebrating its fourth anniversary of operation later this year. According to him, gaming as a hobby has blown up in recent years, and the limits to what games you can play are totally based on what you’re interested in.
“If you like it, there’s a game for it,” he said, explaining that nearly every major intellectual property has a board game based on it, and that doesn’t include the hundreds of roleplaying, strategy and card games that also exist.
“Your horizons are so broad; everything that the sun touches is yours,” he joked.
Sean Mancuso, 49, owns Adventure Games, a similar gaming store that’s called Dickson City home for nearly 20 years. Mancuso claims its the oldest computer tabletop game store on the continent.
Both owners said they often talk to people who are interested in learning popular games such as “Dungeons & Dragons,” “Magic: The Gathering” or “Warhammer 40,000,” but don’t know where to begin.
“I ask people, what do you like doing the most? Painting models, interacting with players,” Ormando said, listing some of the possible options, adding that, based on potential player’s interests, he helps steer them to what game is the best fit for them.
“Once we get that direction, we’ll figure out where we’re going and how hard and heavy,” he said.
Mancuso said something similar, saying that he’s been running clinics on how to play “Dungeons & Dragons” for over 20 years.
“You can learn off YouTube or podcasts, but I think the best way is face to face,” he said.
Obviously, as hobbyists themselves, both Mancuso and Ormando have strong feelings about the games they play, and they both passionately encouraged new players to get involved.
“I’ve run ‘Dungeons & Dragons’ games where people have cried, people have cheered,” Mancuso said, saying that “D&D” is more like theater with your friends than a standard game.
Ormando said every gamer’s goals are different, saying some people just want to play casually “with chips and dip,” while others are more hardcore, needing to know every detail of the game. He said there’s room for everyone in the hobby.
Both store owners say their stores are environments that promote positivity, saying they’re willing to help new players along — especially since game publishers often provide stores with products specifically designed for new players to be given out for free.
Mancuso describes the player base at Adventure Games as a community of sorts.
“I’ve watched kids come in at 12-years-old, grow up, have kids and bring them in,” Mancuso said.
Both Mancuso and Ormando encouraged those with an interest in games to reach out to their local game store and get started.
Perhaps the best advice is to just dive in.
