"I never saw so many shocking bad hats in my life' - Wellington
David over at The Ragged Soldier (*) has wondered aloud if bloggers should wear name badges to wargames shows so that we could be identified by one another and presumably by our adoring fans as well. Obviously I am always dressed in the chiton and sandals befitting the philosopher and therefore tend to stand out in a crowd, but his suggestion makes sense for all the others. My proposal is that they agree to wear a specific and recognisable wargames bloggists' hat. This being 2025, and me being up with the latest fads as well as the eternal verities, I asked AI for suggestions as to what type of hat that should be. This is what it came up with:
"For a wargames blogger, the hat they wear can be a fun way to lean into their niche, show off their personality, or even subtly hint at their preferred wargame era or faction. Here's a breakdown of considerations and hat styles:
Key Considerations for Wargames Bloggers:
- Era/Faction Alignment: This is perhaps the most unique aspect for a wargames blogger. Do you primarily focus on WWII, Napoleonic, Sci-Fi (like Warhammer 40k), Fantasy, or historical periods? A hat can directly reference this.
- Humour/Inside Jokes: Wargaming communities often have their own memes and running gags. A hat with a humorous wargaming-related phrase or image can be a great way to connect with your audience.
- Practicality for Content Creation: If you're filming or taking photographs, consider if the hat will cast awkward shadows, obstruct your view, or be uncomfortable during long sessions.
- Branding: Like any blogger, you might want your hat to feature your blog's logo or name.
- Comfort: Wargaming sessions can be long! Choose something comfortable for extended wear."
On the matter of Key Hat Considerations for Wargames Bloggers, the AI is spookily accurate. It's like it's known me all my blogging life!
ReplyDeleteOh wow, I've inspired a blog post, fame at last, thank you!
ReplyDeleteDo you have adoring fans, then? I'm impressed, though isn't it a bit offputting for other players when every time you extend your tape measure, move a unit or roll the dice there's a wave of screaming and fainting from the audience?
As for the hats, I'm quite surprised to see ChatGPT came up with anything at all, since I thought AI 'learns' from existing texts. Presumably this means there is a body of literature out there discussing wargame blogger hat styles? Has this discussion been going on for many years? Who are the main contributors? Has the AI provided references?
At first thought it didn't seem a bad idea, but I fear the 'blogger hat' would be too easily confused with the 'Rock Star Hat' affected by middle-aged musos who are a bit sensitive about losing their hair. A man over 30 wearing a hat indoors is a dead giveaway, and as a slaphead of long standing I'm not going there. A shame, as I agree the 'Lonely' hat would be an excellent choice - and I suspect you are spot-on with your Lonely/blogger analogy.
The old URL/Blog Title mismatch thing : it's to throw The Man off the scent, of course! You may be wearing the chiton, but are those shiny black shoes peeking out?
p.s. leaving all that aside, it would have been great to meet and have a chat, 'put a face to the blogger name' so to speak. One of the best things about blogging for me has been the chance to make contact with other gamers from near and far, and to meet some of them 'IRL' ( or at least, at a wargame show).
DeleteA good point. I think a bit of planning might be the way to go.
DeleteAlways fancied a tricorn but it’d just single me out as the tosser. Accurate but not what I want to portray.
ReplyDeleteChris/Nundanket