That was how I was greeted this morning (with accompanying handshake) when I popped into GW to pick up some brushes. I'm so used to this now it just sort of washes over me.
I got to thinking about this when I read this post at fighting fantasist, where he notes that on a recent visit none of this happened to him. I suppose they do this to most people - the matey sales pitch - but I always feel as if they make an extra bit of effort for, shall we say, the older customer with independent means (i.e. a job and doesn't live with their parents).
I've found going in with a toddler to be a very interesting experience, as they've even tried to suggest that I might like to get an army started for him (he's two). While I do see him as a future gaming opponent, it might be asking a little bit too much to get him into WFB just yet, as he may have trouble calculating save modifiers.
As a final thought, my brother was once approached in a GW store when looking over a box of miniatures by an eager chap who said (and I kid you not): 'So, a chaos man, eh?'
I have always found GW staff to be a little bit tiring. They're clearly employed for the level of energy they can project, but it really doesn't work on me.
ReplyDeleteYour observations about them going the extra mile with older gamers probably runs counter to what most people feel, about the targeting of kiddies and their parents' credit cards.
My more recent experiences with GW stores has been coloured by the fact that the staff all seem to creepily recognise me, even though I generally don't know who they are (and almost never go into the stores). Apparently some of them came to our club many years ago, before growing up and becoming unrecognisable to me. Others, though... I think GW are stalking me. :O
Haven't gone into a store with my son yet (slightly younger than yours). That might be some fun for another day. :)
A friend and I thought of a new game - might post it on here sometime. It's called: GW Staff Battles! The rules are simple: go in and see how defensive you can get them by talking about topics such as 'stripping miniatures' or 'problems with finecast' or 'mantic games' or 'army painter spray' or, well, you get the picture! Then rank them on a table I will define in a spare moment over the weekend...
ReplyDelete"Yeah, the Finecast models do look really good, but I like the fact that I can strip a bad paint job off a metal model pretty easily. I'm guessing you can't strip paint off Finecast resin?"
ReplyDelete"Er.. ah... er... I can't say anything about stripping miniatures. We can't say anything at all about stripping miniatures... we're not insured to talk about stripping miniatures."