So I've never been to GenCon, but Smelly Gamers???

[DonTadow]

This year smelly gamers (at least for me) seemed to be down. I came across a couple people who had ahorrible whiff but not like the bulk in previous years, again probably because the event was better organized and not as crowded.

However, I did encounter more pyscho members this year. A person in my blackmoor game was highly serious about the game and walked away when we didn't play at the (rpga open/ lving greyhawk) level that he wanted. We were all from michigan having fun and he was very very upset that we wouldn't go to the second floor with his level one rogue.

Then in my shadowrun game I ran into three militia looking gun toting guys whom wanted to blow everything up, which is fine if that was the mission, but the adventure clearly suggested stealth.

 

[devilbat]

I didn't find the gamer stank that bad this year. I did let out a few " whooo, somebody hears knows BO" in the dealers room. I couldn't imagine not showering in that heat. Everytime I went back to my room (2-3 times a day) I headed straight for the shower.

 

[Desdichado]

Joshua Dyal.

I don't know where the truckstops are, but I can tell you where all the rest areas are.

Wait... I just stop there to take a piss. I promise!

 

[shaylon]

If I was going to guess, I'd say many of the stinky gamers don't really have a place to shower everyday, driving up to the con and sleeping in their car or wherever. Perhaps they schedule themselves to play in so many events that they figure they can just catnap here and there between sessions.

If there are any truckstops nearby, maybe the con could give directions - many truckstops have showers for interstate truckers who sleep in their trucks.

I can agree with you that some people may camp out or sleep in a truck but it can't be that many people who do that and there is a larger percentage than that who stink. It also doesn't take away the fact that there were people who reeked on Thursday morning in line to the dealer hall. Thursday morning? That means that they didn't shower before they came either.

Playing RPG's isn't a disgusting habit, and it doesn't usually associate itself with poverty, so why don't these people bathe? That's what I want to know.

Oh, and saying something is a difficult subject to approach. I generally won't say something to them but I don't approve of it. Get a shower!

-Shay

 

[Henry]

I can appreciate someone strongly desiring to attend an event and saving money on it, but if the only way I can do it is to sleep in my car or just not shower for the day, I'M NOT GOING. There are some things just not worth sacrificing, "lone wolf" or not.

Glad to hear the gamer funk was not as bad this year.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I haven't been to GenCon, but I've been to a number of smaller cons and also to many a ComicCon International. The stinky comic fan/gamer (there's a significant overlap) is no myth, unfortunately, and they don't just show up at the largest events -- WonderCon in Oakland, CA is a relatively small show and there are some stinkers there.

Now, I've slept on the floors of hotel rooms and once in the doorway of a room, long ago. I don't buy that stinkiness is something inevitable or excusable. OK, you can't afford a shower (although, having been in 10-to-a-room con arrangements before, I find the notion that someone can afford to go to a con but not a piece of a room to be a pretty dubious one), can you afford deodorant? A quick wipe down of the pits with a wet paper towel in a restroom, a quick brush of the teeth, a hairbrushing (and donning of the ritual ballcap if your hair is too nasty), a clean t-shirt and a reapplication of deodorant will take care of all but the prescription-required stink and sweat problems.

If you are making people want to flee your presence, you've crossed a line.

 

[Scribble]

Man... I can't even imagine what I would do if one day I woke up and realized I was:

"The Smelly Gamer."

 

[Jupp]

First, that Mr. Adkison put a remark about this on a flyer, second, that this is even discussed on ENWorld in its ->own thread<-, third, that I actually thought that this is indeed some fun insider joke among gamers visiting GenCon....I mean...uhm...words fail me

Good thing we all have our full military equipment at home all the time so should I ever make it to GenCon I can take the gas mask with me

 

[WhimsyTheFae]

My wife ran into a young man (late teens, early twenties) who did not have a room. In order to avoid offending his fellow con-goers, he swallowed his pride and very politely asked her if she would let him use our shower. Because she was going to be in the room, she agreed (yes, this did bother me a bit - sure, she probably could have kicked is butt, but it still made me a bit nervous because I wasn't there).

He was very polite, and even though he did not have a room, he was still concerned about his appearance and smell.

 

[Xath]

I became immune to the "stinky gamer" funk during my 2 year stint working retail for WotC. Not only that, but in my family flatulence is an art form, so I've been raised to cope with...unusual smells.

I'm also rather nonconfrontational in general, so I'd rather just ignore the funk than make someone upset.