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Khill

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I sure think Tom Morin should be mentioned for VotG, all the work he has done for MMP and of course everything he has done for
Dispatches from the Bunker for 23+ years plus we are working on Issue #50. He is a tireless contributor to ASL in general and the New England ASL Community for over 35 years in particular and the hobby would be less well off without him, Vic.
... pretty sure you Vic are right there with him so we gotta nominate you for your tireless efforts with Dispatches, Bunker, VotG, YASL, & etc
 

Eagle4ty

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Right here.

Of course, this being a forum in the net, these polls are always somewhat biased in favor of the 'electronic' side.
Yet, although a staunch supporter and user of VASL, I was surprised that (currently as of 10.08.2020) only less than 20% of around 90 participants have NOT used VASL.

von Marwitz
While certainly not an empirical study of the use of the VASL it is clearly indicative of its use and I do not believe too imbalanced or biased (subjective; I know). If one follows any of the other forums (Discord, Facebook, etc.) dedicated to ASL you will find a great many players not found on this forum and many (if not most) use VASL for various activities related to ASL as have been brought out by this poll and various responses; certainly enough to dispel Mark's assertion that "most ASL'ers don't use VASL" with a pretty good degree of certainty.
 

Faded 8-1

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Just anecdotal, but I've never met another RL player in my area (probably around 20 over the years) who gave a rat's ass about either VASL or ASL socializing on the internet. They hate all that shit. They order ASL online. That's it. I tried to get a couple of my buds to give it a shot. Basically, it sucked. They hated it.

For a lot of people, wargaming is a table-top social experience and always will be.

I am eager to try it again because all those guys have either quit playing, too busy, moved away, into other games, etc., so now after coming back to the game after a break of a few years I have no regular opponents. Been playing/designing SASL only, so VASL is starting to look more attractive than ever before.
 

Actionjick

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Just anecdotal, but I've never met another RL player in my area (probably around 20 over the years) who gave a rat's ass about either VASL or ASL socializing on the internet. They hate all that shit. They order ASL online. That's it. I tried to get a couple of my buds to give it a shot. Basically, it sucked. They hated it.

For a lot of people, wargaming is a table-top social experience and always will be.

I am eager to try it again because all those guys have either quit playing, too busy, moved away, into other games, etc., so now after coming back to the game after a break of a few years I have no regular opponents. Been playing/designing SASL only, so VASL is starting to look more attractive than ever before.
RL player? Sorry, OMOOT.
 

Faded 8-1

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BTW, I voted that I've played a game using VASL. But I wouldn't call myself a VASL player. Not quite yet anyway.

If my buddies that tried it once were to vote, they would probably vote that too, as the only other option is that they've never used VASL, which wouldn't be true.

Anyone that tried VASL once two decades ago would vote the top answer, even if they hate VASL.

So while the poll is fun, I think it's flawed not only because it's only respondents are GS diehards, but also because it's not actually measuring how many people actually currently use VASL. I don't think it indicates much of anything.
 

hongkongwargamer

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Every innovation runs into resistance from established bases of stakeholders. That’s not surprising. I mean Galileo got excommunicated for heliocentrism. I maintained for a while that the only proper way to sell is to do it in person.

Progress!!
 

Faded 8-1

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I don't buy that replacing ftf interaction and physical components with virtual interaction and VASL components represents progress. Not in the sense you seem to be talking about, where the latter is an objectively superior evolution of the former. I see it more as technology enabling a new, if inferior, alternative.
 

hongkongwargamer

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I don't buy that replacing ftf interaction and physical components with virtual interaction and VASL components represents progress. Not in the sense you seem to be talking about, where the latter is an objectively superior evolution of the former. I see it more as technology enabling a new, if inferior, alternative.
Good. I ain't selling. Just pointing out an ever repeating theme in life. Who am I to say how you should play?
 

Martin Mayers

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Just anecdotal, but I've never met another RL player in my area (probably around 20 over the years) who gave a rat's ass about either VASL or ASL socializing on the internet. They hate all that shit. They order ASL online. That's it. I tried to get a couple of my buds to give it a shot. Basically, it sucked. They hated it.

For a lot of people, wargaming is a table-top social experience and always will be.

I am eager to try it again because all those guys have either quit playing, too busy, moved away, into other games, etc., so now after coming back to the game after a break of a few years I have no regular opponents. Been playing/designing SASL only, so VASL is starting to look more attractive than ever before.
There's a delicious irony in what you've said there mate...
 

Vic Provost

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... pretty sure you Vic are right there with him so we gotta nominate you for your tireless efforts with Dispatches, Bunker, VotG, YASL, & etc
Thanks Keith, much appreciated, I've spent my life trying to make my corner of the hobby as best as it can be, especially trying to get more players involved and to make our time as well spent and as FUN as can be. My mission is being accomplished one player, one game or scenario and one day at a time and I hope that the hobby will be a better place for myself being in it, Vic.
 

Actionjick

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Thanks Keith, much appreciated, I've spent my life trying to make my corner of the hobby as best as it can be, especially trying to get more players involved and to make our time as well spent and as FUN as can be. My mission is being accomplished one player, one game or scenario and one day at a time and I hope that the hobby will be a better place for myself being in it, Vic.
Our goal was to get people together to play as much as possible. Oktoberfest was successful in that respect, In Contact not so much so. Keep up the good work and thanks for all your efforts, commitment and dedication to the game and it's players. Well done.
 

olli

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Thanks Keith, much appreciated, I've spent my life trying to make my corner of the hobby as best as it can be, especially trying to get more players involved and to make our time as well spent and as FUN as can be. My mission is being accomplished one player, one game or scenario and one day at a time and I hope that the hobby will be a better place for myself being in it, Vic.
Vic Despatches is the one thing I always wait in anticipation for
 
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Yuri0352

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BTW, I voted that I've played a game using VASL. But I wouldn't call myself a VASL player. Not quite yet anyway.

If my buddies that tried it once were to vote, they would probably vote that too, as the only other option is that they've never used VASL, which wouldn't be true.

Anyone that tried VASL once two decades ago would vote the top answer, even if they hate VASL.

So while the poll is fun, I think it's flawed not only because it's only respondents are GS diehards, but also because it's not actually measuring how many people actually currently use VASL. I don't think it indicates much of anything.
Same here regarding the poll choices... I voted truthfully as having played on VASL although after using it a few times, in general I regarded VASL as being an unpleasant experience. I'm glad that program exists for the people who enjoy using it, however VASL will never replace FtF or physical components as far as I'm concerned.
 

Michael Dorosh

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BTW, I voted that I've played a game using VASL. But I wouldn't call myself a VASL player. Not quite yet anyway.

If my buddies that tried it once were to vote, they would probably vote that too, as the only other option is that they've never used VASL, which wouldn't be true.

Anyone that tried VASL once two decades ago would vote the top answer, even if they hate VASL.

So while the poll is fun, I think it's flawed not only because it's only respondents are GS diehards, but also because it's not actually measuring how many people actually currently use VASL. I don't think it indicates much of anything.
All valid points. The poll was specifically worded to capture anyone who tried it once - even if just to watch someone else play - as a yes.
 

Houlie

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Without VASL there would be no Dispatches from the Bunker, plain and simple.

It was what kept things together when Tom moved to FL and I moved up to the Berkshires and now in Pittsfield,
without it I would have thrown in the towel years ago without Tom and other Bunker crewmen nearby.

VASL is an awesome tool and a decent substitute for ftf play when a real opponent is not available for ftf, there is no
reason if you can't find ftf opponents nearby not to take the plunge and give it a try. Many opponents await if you do,
and it is just plain ASL FUN for sure, the software is not that hard to install or use.

I am old school and would prefer ftf play but VASL works in a pinch, and helps keep Dispatches going, Vic.
Without VASL I would have most likely stopped playing ASL a long time ago. I enjoy FTF gaming as much as anybody, but sometimes finding an opponent and coordinating time to play can be difficult. For these same reasons, I dropped out of SL in the early-1980s. I sold my SL gear and moved on. After a long gaming hiatus, I heard about ASL in 2001 and looked it up and bought the RB and BV. I got hooked, but opponents were (still) hard to find. I might have been on the same trajectory as my SL experience and given up. However, I found VASL. Introduction to VASL allows me to play people around the world, meet new people, play my FTF friends when we can't find 4-7 hour blocks of time, play in structured on-line tournaments, etc. I have likely played well over 325 games via VASL. I am sure this is not an uncommon theme for a meaningful subset of ASLers.

I would have to agree that the VASL crew deserve a prominent place in the ASL Hall of Fame.
 

Vic Provost

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Our goal was to get people together to play as much as possible. Oktoberfest was successful in that respect, In Contact not so much so. Keep up the good work and thanks for all your efforts, commitment and dedication to the game and it's players. Well done.
Thanks so much, fighting the 'good fight' for this hobby is what I and my ASL Comrades do here in southern New England. You guys did an awesome job with Oktoberfest and will always be remembered for your efforts in doing so. Thanks for the kind words and continued good luck to you and everyone in the hobby, let's hope we are all still here for ftf play when this damn pandemic is over, in the meantime, VASL is the way to go much of the time. Be safe and well, Vic.
 
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