Dealing with pile of shame - my experience

[Sigmarusvult]

I would love to help you clear that Khorne bloodhound battleforce 😄 

4 hours ago, Kaleb Daark said:

 

The shocking thing is that I've got warscroll cards and things from previous editions that are still in their celophane 

 

 

 

 

[EonChao]

17 hours ago, Kaleb Daark said:

well, this thread has been very interesting.

Reading all your insights has hopefully stirred some motivation in me, but for some time life has taken some turns for me that have made my mind just seem like a fog at the best of times and motivation just seems the most distant thing on my mind.

here's what I've got that is still boxed and unmade and still in celophane.

As you can appreciate, I'm hoping for some major enthusiasm injection soon as I still find myself wanting and buying.

The shocking thing is that I've got warscroll cards and things from previous editions that are still in their celophane and unopened, and are now obsolete!

That's a pretty impressive pile of potential, thing is it's probably good for getting into a mix in getting stuff worked on. It can seem insurmountable but it's not/ Just pick something to start with that's small and seems fun like an Underworlds warband or smaller starter set/board game and just try to make time to work at it little by little. Don't focus on the mountain, just on the molehills you can manage. The best thing to aim for is getting into a small routine about it to get started but it's also fine to just chip at it bit by bit

[Nos]

I moved back to GWs consistently excellent LOTR game last year and found its had a hugely beneficial impact on my to do pile for several reasons

 

1) Size + details.  

GWs models just seem giant these days, a basic infantry trooper is now approximately the height of an old Stone Troll and about 18x as detailed. From a basic scientific viewpoint there's just More To Do when painting an AOS model compared to painting an MESBG or Oathmark etc equivalent. It's not an exaggeration to say I can paint a small MESBG army in the time it takes one AOS regiment. 

 

2) Off the hype train. 

MESBG gets a few new things a year, as thankfully GW have the sense to leave their impeccably balanced and comprehensive game pretty much alone. As a result, I'm not experiencing FOMO every Sunday and Monday (at least) every week with new reveals. GW are (as I predicted with WH +) more and more pushing the Marvel model of a comprehensive infastructure in which you collect AOS, as opposed to just one faction. Sure, if you're disciplined you *can* just do your thing but more and more of their products are designed with the idea of a buy in to the license as a whole. This in my experience leads to a curious oscillation between hype and then fatigue almost simultaneously. The sense of MORE STUFF 😁 becomes more stuff 🫠 and you drown underneath it. All this is compounded by the fact that the online Hobby Community are for the most part involved in this ecosysyem and Content Creators and Influencers increasingly invested in it, like literally dependent on it for money. 

Step outside of the Big Two though and stuff is pretty chill and there's more space for you to enthuse or step back as your mood takes.

 

3) More painting begets more painting. 

I really like painting models but I was terrible at consistently painting them. Mainly because I was never "Finished". But it turns out thar a smaller less detailed surface to cover, plus the absence of weight generated by FOMO and keeping up with whatever is going on in AOS this week etc, leads to actually finishing stuff. And the more you paint and finish stuff the better and quicker you get, most of the below models are at 40 mins now. Its not "Speedpainting" as I see it because I rarely ever paint for longer and im not going for fast; it's just my painting window, where I'm content and engaged with creativity, much longer per model and I lose interest. 

And the thing with finishing stuff is you get to do new stuff. The Last 8 months or so I've painted men, ghosts, trolls, multiple species of orc, wargs, heroes, banners, siege weapons. With that has come different opportunities to try all sorts of textures, different ways to paint skin and different skin tones, leather, metals, colour schemes, basing and so on. In the equivalent time with AOS I would have started and stopped multiple things without ever finishing them, at best.

Please dont read this as an attack on AOS. If you enjoy it then great, all that matters. But if you're finding all the hobby abit too much, just some thoughts as to how often the product and its culture can be as much of an impediment to motivation as anything else. Could be that you enjoy the hobby just as much but you need to give yourself an easier approach like i did.

I've found that the issues around size and detail also apply to basically anything 3d sculpted. The more is more school of thought seems to dominate among 3d sculptors where the thought seems to be more about creating a fantastic image and very little thought goes into the idea of translating that as a 3D object. 

If you feel overawed or overwhelmed, my advice is paint something simple, finish it, and repeat, see where it takes you. Just like when you were a kid. Paint a wee guy with a face and Shield and armour or whatever. Enjoy bringing them to life. 

If you don't enjoy painting and finishing something basic, chances are you'll never enjoy painting, let alone finish, something complex and intricate.

 

[EccentricCircle]

29 minutes ago, Nos said:

I moved back to GWs consistently excellent LOTR game last year and found its had a hugely beneficial impact on my to do pile for several reasons

 

1) Size + details.  

GWs models just seem giant these days, a basic infantry trooper is now approximately the height of an old Stone Troll and about 18x as detailed. From a basic scientific viewpoint there's just More To Do when painting an AOS model compared to painting an MESBG or Oathmark etc equivalent. It's not an exaggeration to say I can paint a small MESBG army in the time it takes one AOS regiment. 

 

2) Off the hype train. 

MESBG gets a few new things a year, as thankfully GW have the sense to leave their impeccably balanced and comprehensive game pretty much alone. As a result, I'm not experiencing FOMO every Sunday and Monday (at least) every week with new reveals. GW are (as I predicted with WH +) more and more pushing the Marvel model of a comprehensive infastructure in which you collect AOS, as opposed to just one faction. Sure, if you're disciplined you *can* just do your thing but more and more of their products are designed with the idea of a buy in to the license as a whole. This in my experience leads to a curious oscillation between hype and then fatigue almost simultaneously. The sense of MORE STUFF 😁 becomes more stuff 🫠 and you drown underneath it. All this is compounded by the fact that the online Hobby Community are for the most part involved in this ecosysyem and Content Creators and Influencers increasingly invested in it, like literally dependent on it for money. 

Step outside of the Big Two though and stuff is pretty chill and there's more space for you to enthuse or step back as your mood takes.

 

3) More painting begets more painting. 

I really like painting models but I was terrible at consistently painting them. Mainly because I was never "Finished". But it turns out thar a smaller less detailed surface to cover, plus the absence of weight generated by FOMO and keeping up with whatever is going on in AOS this week etc, leads to actually finishing stuff. And the more you paint and finish stuff the better and quicker you get, most of the below models are at 40 mins now. Its not "Speedpainting" as I see it because I rarely ever paint for longer and im not going for fast; it's just my painting window, where I'm content and engaged with creativity, much longer per model and I lose interest. 

And the thing with finishing stuff is you get to do new stuff. The Last 8 months or so I've painted men, ghosts, trolls, multiple species of orc, wargs, heroes, banners, siege weapons. With that has come different opportunities to try all sorts of textures, different ways to paint skin and different skin tones, leather, metals, colour schemes, basing and so on. In the equivalent time with AOS I would have started and stopped multiple things without ever finishing them, at best.

Please dont read this as an attack on AOS. If you enjoy it then great, all that matters. But if you're finding all the hobby abit too much, just some thoughts as to how often the product and its culture can be as much of an impediment to motivation as anything else. Could be that you enjoy the hobby just as much but you need to give yourself an easier approach like i did.

I've found that the issues around size and detail also apply to basically anything 3d sculpted. The more is more school of thought seems to dominate among 3d sculptors where the thought seems to be more about creating a fantastic image and very little thought goes into the idea of translating that as a 3D object. 

If you feel overawed or overwhelmed, my advice is paint something simple, finish it, and repeat, see where it takes you. Just like when you were a kid. Paint a wee guy with a face and Shield and armour or whatever. Enjoy bringing them to life. 

If you don't enjoy painting and finishing something basic, chances are you'll never enjoy painting, let alone finish, something complex and intricate.

 

This is so true. The year before last I got really burned out painting highly detailed warcry warbands. I love those models, but it became a chore. I took a break, did Lego stuff for a few months, then got back into things painting historical models and stargrave stuff. That gave me the confidence to tackle the gw kits again, and not stress the details when I did. I now have untamed beasts, splintered fang done and some cool ancient Egyptians and a steampunk spacer crew! Win win.

[wargames101]

Great post and an important thread. "Pile of Shame" posts pop up with shocking regularity and highlight some uncomfortable truths about the hobby, namely that there is a reasonably large portion of the customer base with a tendency towards hoarding. I don't think this is unique to GW. I've seen a lot of scale modelers have this issue, with widows trying to unload a basement full of unopened boxes. Funko Pop fans are much the same. There's a certain personality type that just loves the idea of amassing huge troves of plastic tchotchkes. 

For many, this is a manageable compulsion. It's their hobby dollars and while a weird use of funds has no further impact. I get the sense that for many others amassing these collections is a kind of coping mechanism. I've certainly spent time in my FLGS as a form of retail therapy. Much like OP, I've recognized that this kind of behavior is unhealthy and taken steps to limit it.

As a community, I think we should discourage hoarding. I don't think folks posting their piles of shame should literally be shamed, but nor should their clout chasing be rewarded. I'd wager that many of these folks are dealing with much bigger issues and using these posts as a form of cope. If nothing else, I'd suggest whenever someone posts their pile, that they be sent this video which does a great job diagnosing the underlying issue and offering some proactive remedies: 

 

[JackStreicher]

As of late I‘ve been tackling my pile of shame thanks to my Air Brush:

23 Chaos Warriors, 10 Namarti (+10 half finished), Chaos War Mammoth, 10 Chosen

also: Stop hoarding. I am still selling and gifting away stuff I doubt I need.

 

Edit: Conversions also keep me interested 

Edited March 20, 2023 by JackStreicher

[EonChao]

I finished some Gutrippaz last night which puts me at 60 models painted this year, with some Iron Golems just in need of tidying up. Having those figures next to my desk as I've been working at them has helped with the motivation so much. Next step is to start tackling the Stormcast backlog. I've set myself a target of trying to balance both Orruks and Stormcast armies in terms of points as I work at them which is a fun way of encouraging me to dig out older stuff I need to paint still.

[Gitzdee]

Setting a reasonable target for painting is very helpfull imho. The monthly painting topic here helps me manage this in a healthy way and also share my progress to help others find their motivation. Setting the bar to high could have a very negative impact. 

I like to paint a set number of models per month and if i manage to finish more thats just a bonus. Not buying new models untill i finish the old ones is still one of the harder things to do.

Edited March 20, 2023 by Gitzdee

[JackStreicher]

50 minutes ago, EonChao said:

Next step is to start tackling the Stormcast backlog

The crazy thing is that Stormcast should be really fast to paint - Idk why I am having such a painting barrier when it comes to them. As of now all my Stormcast are at least 50% painted (air brushed teal for the armour), there isn't that much left to paint really. 

[CommissarRotke]

2 hours ago, JackStreicher said:

The crazy thing is that Stormcast should be really fast to paint - Idk why I am having such a painting barrier when it comes to them. As of now all my Stormcast are at least 50% painted (air brushed teal for the armour), there isn't that much left to paint really. 

I can tell you it's because they have so many smaller bits and greebles to take care of when you inspect them I'm having the same trouble.

[Gitzdee]

6 minutes ago, CommissarRotke said:

I can tell you it's because they have so many smaller bits and greebles to take care of when you inspect them I'm having the same trouble.

Yeah this is a thing thats happening to all newer models. Minis just take more effort with all the details. Just look at the basic skeletons.

Edited March 20, 2023 by Gitzdee

[JackStreicher]

1 hour ago, Gitzdee said:

Yeah this is a thing thats happening to all newer models. Minis just take more effort with all the details. Just look at the basic skeletons.

True! I try to dodge the issue by using as few different colors as possible. (My Namarti at the top of the page have the same color for trousers, and their skirts, while ignoring the embroidery)

[Kaleb Daark]

On 3/19/2023 at 11:30 PM, wargames101 said:

Great post and an important thread. "Pile of Shame" posts pop up with shocking regularity and highlight some uncomfortable truths about the hobby, namely that there is a reasonably large portion of the customer base with a tendency towards hoarding. I don't think this is unique to GW. I've seen a lot of scale modelers have this issue, with widows trying to unload a basement full of unopened boxes. Funko Pop fans are much the same. There's a certain personality type that just loves the idea of amassing huge troves of plastic tchotchkes. 

For many, this is a manageable compulsion. It's their hobby dollars and while a weird use of funds has no further impact. I get the sense that for many others amassing these collections is a kind of coping mechanism. I've certainly spent time in my FLGS as a form of retail therapy. Much like OP, I've recognized that this kind of behavior is unhealthy and taken steps to limit it.

As a community, I think we should discourage hoarding. I don't think folks posting their piles of shame should literally be shamed, but nor should their clout chasing be rewarded. I'd wager that many of these folks are dealing with much bigger issues and using these posts as a form of cope. If nothing else, I'd suggest whenever someone posts their pile, that they be sent this video which does a great job diagnosing the underlying issue and offering some proactive remedies: 

 

well that's ten minutes of my life I'll never get back.

As a community 'we' should just be there enjoying the game / hobby/ whatever in whatever form we choose and not getting obsessed about a dude that can't be effed to crack a box open before buying another.   No different to a guy that has more watches or socks than he knows what to do with.

As for going out and actively shaming, really?   Keeping it in perspective, it's hardly taking food out of the mouths of the starving or preventing world altering medical research, it's just pushing plastic toys around a table. One day when I can be bothered I'll crack some boxes open and paint them, until then they can stay where they are until something comes an wows me for me to get the ultra mojo back, but truth is that nothing is inspiring me to bust out thise models at the moment, and honestly -  I'm really not losing sleep over it.

Now that said, with some of that stuff, were I to sell it off, with GW price rises of late, I can get my full 100% return on it, so all in all it's win win for me.

And when that big burst of inspiration arrives It'll all be there waiting.

Edited March 21, 2023 by Kaleb Daark

[Fairbanks]

I've had a pain of a time writing something for this topic, because there's about a hundred different ways I could go with discussion; My personal story as to how I got here, why I have such a massive pile, what my hobby is to me, where I think there are "concerning mental problems" aka Red Flags, any advice I would give. So, I'll just start.

For reference, This is currently my pile (There is another large box of stuff not pictured):

These are the armies I collect, which are mostly unpainted minis:

I have very little mental stress from my pile because all of it fits into what I know motivates me in this hobby.

What is my Hobby Motivation? Collect a decent sized force for every army in the games I have shown a major interest in. 'Completion/Having' it is goal #1, Built to play with is goal #2. Painted is a goal, but I don't get itchy over unpainted models. To be completely frank, I think painting youtubers who push "Slay the Grey" are a major cause of the 'Mental Unrest' problem.

I've collected over 7+ years and spent relatively little of my personal budget. Hobby Motivation led to building spreadsheets and development of my End Goals. Then a combination of Pattern Recognition, Patience, and Selective Buying helped me grow it. I don't care for most secondhand models I've bought, so Christmas Bundles being 30% off pre-discount were a goal. Often times while everyone is excited for the new stuff, I've filed a lot of it away as "Better Deal". For instance, the Seraphon Box coming out in summer isn't high on my list, as I have the Lord Kroak I can proxy as a Slann, I already have 40+ Saurus Warriors and don't need new ones, and while the Skinks on Raptors are cool, I don't want 2 squads, so the box is a pass. Yes, FOMO can be an issue, but I'm secure in my own personal finances that I can buy when I need to.

I don't get the 'mental load' of so many projects because I don't consider it several hundreds of projects. It's 5-6 projects (5-6 different games) with hundreds of minor achievable goals. Each also have their own priority (Ex: I have Infinity models, but I'm not going to bother with them until I have someone I can play).

Do I have a spending issue? Yes and No. Yes because I have several times dropped relatively large sums of money ($2000-3000), but typically this is to get to the end of a collection. No because once I reach the end goal, I don't really buy any more. My AoS purchases last year were the StD box and a number of models to fill out a armies for a campaign (which I've thought about, but sadly not found the time to act upon).

I do have regrets. If I knew I wasn't going to finish 2 of the collections, I probably have avoided purchasing everything. Likewise, I've got Infinity CodeOne all-in-one boxes, but not touched them and probably won't for a while. I also regret getting into Fantasy/AoS, but only because I would have done 40K first. My local scene was devoid of Fantasy players until a Warhammer store popped up in the area ~4 years ago, so I would have been a bit more in the scene with 40K. I've moved into 40K since, so that's a bit more moot.   

I'll return focus to my point though: What is your Hobby Motivation? Once you know, then look at your resources, do you have time, do you have the money, what is stopping you? Focus on that.

[Painbringer]

Almost 9 months after I opened this topic, I wanted to provide a hobby update. My goal for this year was to have fully painted Khorne Daemons army that I can use for both AoS and WH40K, Here are the models that I have painted since the beginning of the year: 

I've painted this using the approach I've described in the opening post - painting in small sessions few times a week (usually 30 - 60 minutes, with occasional longer sessions). Currently, I am painting unit of Flesh Hounds. After that, I need to paint 10 more Bloodletters, and that's it! 

However, not all of the things I've painted are shown on the picture. Besides Khorne models, I have also painted:
- Chaos Knight Rampager 
- Daemon Prince (for Warhammer 40K) 
- Several Stormcast Eternals models (Bastian Carthalos, Lord-Imperatant, Knight Vexillor with Banner of Apotheosis)
- Kairos Fateweaver (almost done)

My main reason for posting this was to try to motivate people who might be struggling with painting their armies and models. As I already described at the beginning of this topic, I've struggled with this for years (and left many armies for several different games unfinished). However, now, despite work and family taking most of my time, I am (paradoxically) able to paint more models than ever. It's a slow process, but the results just keep piling up - and it's great when you take a look at what you have accomplished after some time

Edited September 13, 2023 by Painbringer

[Painbringer]

AND HERE IT IS! I have managed to paint my Khorne army this year - I'm so happy because of this! The best thing is that the models shown below are not the only ones I've painted - there's actually quite a bit more. I will now decide what will be my main painting goal for next year. 

[Gitzdee]

Fun idea, im joining. Things i finished this year:

AoS: 32 dryads, 3 kurnoth hunters + weapon options. In the process of painting Awlrach and a unit of Bladegheists. Finished building the Warsong revenant.

40k: MANz unit with all weapon options, Deffkoptas and a unit of Boyz with shootas.

Things i received: Hunter and Hunted Warcry box, Hedkrakkas Madmob, the Bladegheists and Awlrach.

Out: 9 units

In: 5 units

Overall i would say i did good this year. I also painted and build a lot of terrain for my games. I did cheat a bit and bought my first gunpla kit (MG Ginn) with more on their way for Xmas. I definitely need more shelves. Now some pictures.

Edited December 9, 2023 by Gitzdee