Players from an assortment of games. Ranging from role playing paper and pencil games, strategy board games, strategy video games, and multi-person shooter video games. And in the hyper loretastic novel scene, there are many things that don't work well together, but great for their independent missions.
Getting into Battletech isn't easy. Most avid gamers play their game of choice as their main game title and their knowledge is mostly of what their exposed to within that realm. Countless times their is confusion within changes and require hours into understanding the Battletech Universe. The deep universe also has steep learning curves with lengthy amounts of knowledge needed for customization and discussion that people have been studying and imagining for decades. The last wall to break through would be the large crowd of older middle aged to late aged males which are set in their particular lore and a newcomer needs to go in, be apart of this longstanding community, when there are not many who aren't within that target audience at the table. While there are younger audiences and women who are interested in Battletech it is definitely a whole discussion itself on balanced appeal. While this lack of diversity is not uncommon in robot themed stories, you would currently in 2018 find it hard press to find full groups of younger or female faces in the hardcore ranks. But a unique aspect against all odds of toxicity of other game groups there is one thing that Battletech as broken through - the open gate of passing on information about Battletech as grand-father like figure members as a apprentice of a committed unit. ALL ACROSS THE GLOBE The Battletech Universe Community, or BUC, is an entity that developed through the international network that is online social media. It consists of multiple discussions, from tiny groups of gamers with only a handful of people, to the larger amount of people who attend Conventions. These groups take place in community members garages, local video game cafes, college game arenas, and group event pot lucks, or even the less common hobby store. Within the BUC, the atmosphere is unusual in comparison to other gaming communities due to the mix match of strategy players and competitive esport players. It has a large impact upon entering the community to see the powerful message of "were real people who will be playing on a table" or on the other end "we need to talk on microphones to have a chance at winning". Its designed to feel the aura of being with other people in most situations instead of practicing or playing alone. The factions really emphasize it. Battletech in this case can be said to have a connection as well as a division among players in its bond of tabletop gamers and video gamers. The human-to-human aspect of gaming helps bring people together in game and more so on message platforms. This human-to-human aspect that came from tabletops is one of the most important things to have traveled into other parts of the BUC with its diverse spread of games. This makes serious gaming in the BUC more of an option rather than a point of entry and is mostly seen at mostly the highest level of competitive play. Its contrasting from the game communities of League of Legends, or Call of Duty. Its dishonorable at times to hide behind a keyboard and in serious matches of fandom or competitive play will always involve hearing another player talk back. While each game has its own toxic keyboard warriors it is a bit different in the lack of respect people give those people in the Battletech comm. Those who have strong and valid points with clear intentions are seen as more respectable due to their clear communication that is most valued. Prevention is not possible for all occasions, and has its fair share of community members that want everything the way they envision it... but, the environment doesn't get its kicks from bullying and asks members to show their point or skill of their trade and see how the universe can improve. The BUC has its motivators that lean to creative subjects to talk about or display through artistic talents of expression. This much more arms open approach draws in many players while feeling welcomed and they stay if they jump down the lore texts to understand what community members are discussing from each time era in the story. Which then traces back to history of the franchise that has its roots in tabletop gaming at the hobby stores. BRICK AND MORTAR HOBBY SHOPS It used to be quite common to find a hobby shop in a city that sold tabletop games. People use to play in the store and at malls as a common go to thing for entertainment and socializing. For much of the 1980s, there was a thriving market of hobby shops that while not making it rich, sure had its hands full with an eager player base. Whether it was Battletech Tabletop, or Battletech CCG, and or the Click System there were many Battletech game products and in the way of books. When compared to the modern day availability of such items is scarce. Many young adults were raised on these games, since video games were still a niche market for so called geeks and not yet widespread and mainstream as they are today. People saw plenty of piloted robots with Battletech, Macross, and later on Exosqaud, so it would only open more interest into the love of robots as anime brought Votom, Gundams, and Evangelion. Back then it could be a secret group of friends that just talked about the passion of cool looking robots without fear of being harshly judged. For some these would be the Golden Age of Hobby shops. People thought a lot about the possibilities of the battles and the stories when not actually playing. When community members walked away from the match or the products it would be all week that they would have time to think of what could be or what if in the ways of combinations of weapons or lore direction. Ideas would be like the what could be for a clans fate being forced death in the story, or what would happen if you placed what loadout on what mech, or stewing on a game loss in hopes to have a chance at trying a different strategy to find a way to victory of better builds. Each person has had their own stories at their local hobby shops, some even just stayed around to paint their miniatures with discussion on colors and load outs. It was very important to know what a mech was made of and its capabilities to see what the potential could be through tinkering. It was even more stimulating sometimes than the outcome of the match to see the creation in action on the battlefield on tabletop or even on the computer screen. AGING WITH THE ROBOT ERA There are plenty of reasons why the community went for critical thinking and creative experimentation that led to its unique gaming scene. First off: tabletops and the card game were expensive at the time with a moderately high cost entry which made sort of a shield from those not already involved with miniatures or cards. This ment people werent able to easily access the products with being limited at the time to brick and mortar stores. If a store didn't carry something the player couldn't buy it. Secondly the popularity of the video game had made people interested in straying away from the tabletop and the card game. This meant many critical thinking and discussions with people were traded for a single player experience in story modes and training missions that were much less time consuming in comparison to other game types. It also allowed for quick and easy customization and spread of ideas on builds with less emphasis on lore. And as games got older they became cheaper and then economically easier to try. This would start the divide of tabletop players and video game players into two distinct trend types of gamer. ROOM TO MOVE FOREWARD Nowadays the investment for a game might mean a thousand or two thousand dollar computer, or a whole army of figures painted, or scrounging for collector worthy cards... all taking huge losses in just entering the scene upon entrance. It just seems more trapped then having meaningful discussions with people and learning about their opinions and builds that they have tested, but with the internet and the era of information the whole scene had changed. What didn't change was the heart of the community in its person to person approach. It then causes a sort of elite membership club scenario that puts it at odds with other games that are less expensive. This starts showing the dark side of things when community players identify too closely with their faction as apart of who they are in real life and not as their character. And then it would lead to entitlement or demands on what should be made from their creative point of view without much a defense of why other then because it was their opinion. Despite its shortcomings there is always a lesson to the banter. When it comes to making the community come together it is to concentrate on what people have in common and not concentrate on their reason to divide. Understanding that new players come and need guidance as well as affordable ways to have their entry into the BUC as a enjoyable experience. And to remain in a how to improve state of mind as a place to have fun and be safe while enjoying the content of the rich universe that is Battletech.
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December 2018
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