What was supposed to be a 20-minute interview with the man behind Games Circle, turned into a one hour plus chat about the vision, story, games and gamers and this unassuming shop lot in Damansara. Get this - it's meant to be low profile (but read on).

Mr. Richard, or Hansen as he is known in the gaming circle, has been an avid gamer himself for over 10 years. Who more qualified to be the heart and spine of a space dedicated entirely to miniature gaming (namely, the Warhammer series)?

First of all, there is a noted difference between a gamer and a collector. While they both scrutinise the beauty and sculpting quality of a miniature (figurines standing at 2 inches while some are up to 6 in either plastic of metal), gamers are more personally involved with their miniatures or more correctly termed: their soldiers. Each soldier stands for a part of his or her bigger army collection. This army is in turn used for gaming purposes (battle simulation), and with each soldier attributed a different skill, function, weakness, and personality.

Toys in motion

Most gamers paint their own miniatures. Now if you take a good look at any one of these miniatures here in this workshop, you will notice how intricate the painting can get this is by no means an easy task. The One Utama branch which serves as a service centre for gamers can help you with that. Look for the shop named Toys in Motion (TIM) in the new wing of One Utama, second floor.

Seasoned gamers are willing to teach hopeful beginners not only how to paint, but also how the games are played. And battle simulations like Warhammer and Warhammer 40K (both with their own fans respectively) are not without rules and regulations how to manage your troops, conquer others, and a range of other options in that vein. It's like chess, but with more complex settings and interesting possibilities.

The Games Circle comes to life Friday nights and Saturday noon onwards (until midnight). Seasoned gamers high school and college students, working adults alike - gather here to pit their skills and strategies amongst one another, in a fantastical or futuristic landscape - picture a chess board but with mountains, lakes, stadiums, space centres, and so forth - built by the gamers themselves.

Once the miniatures are set on this terrain, they come to life, and all war breaks loose. In the gaming world of Warhammer, knights rally into battle formation, eleven archers strike miles away with their arrows, and wizards summon storms to engulf the battlefield. Warhammer 40K is the futuristic version of the former. You will find alien races (Tyranids, Necrons) against the humans, and war technology is brought to new heights.

I'm a warrior

The front portion of Games Circle is the Role Playing Games (RPG) room. In RPG you play the role of one character (a warrior, an elf, or a sorceress, for example) attempting a quest, as opposed to Warhammer which is a battle simulation that consists of many characters at one time on the battlefield. Games Circle also doubles as a workshop where gamers come to paint their miniatures, while war is taking place on the other side of the room.

For about RM300, you can get a starter's pack, which consists of a squad of miniature armies, some paint and brushes. The metal miniatures can range from RM40 to RM70 per piece. The paints cost about RM11. All materials are imported. Sounds costly? Not to worry - you can play for free (!) at TIM. In line with the gaming spirit and objective of Games Circle, Hansen has made it so that anyone should be able to have access to miniature gaming.

Other than Warhammer, another favoured game is Bloodbowl. Much like the superbowl ala the English Premier League, this is football played by fantasy characters (like monsters and orcs). Each gamer has gold crowns (gaming 'cash') to manage their team, whether to train and develop the players, attract fans, or buy star players is up to the strategy of the gamer. Unforeseen events like having a crazy fan stabbing one of your players adds to unpredictability of the game.

If you think miniature gaming makes as a good business, think again. Hansen assures us that Games Circle is merely a space for gamers, by gamers. It is born out of passion rather than profit. The gamers themselves finance even the maintenance and rental cost of the outlet.

Very good for the mind

On a more optimistic note, such games are slowly gaining acceptance (and understanding) in Malaysia, despite having been here for more than 15 years. Some parents have even encouraged their kids to play these games, recognising that not only is it a healthy hobby, but it also teaches one to think and manage one's resources. Hansen even says that one's proficiency in the subject of probability sharpens due to the fact that these games require the use of dice (not only the standard 6 sided die, but also up to a D20 the 20 sided die).

Miniature painting had become a genre on its own, one that Hansen enjoys as a calming hobby. He hopes to pass on his 10 years of experimenting with colours, brushes, and techniques to the younger generation, and is proud to say that many kids have grown into excellent painters.

TIM also hosts tournaments about two times a year. While prizes are given to the winners and for best-painted miniatures, winning is not the main focus of these gamers. They are not playing for money (or fame). More often than not, it is the experience that matters most. Imagine conquering kingdoms, wielding magic and deploying soldiers of massive proportions. Let all creative inhibitions run free. Seldom will one find a frustrated gamer. Lost in a battle is followed by rethinking of one's strategy.

This is a creative challenge in itself. Gamers come and go, only to return when they are older. They grow with their game, becoming better and wiser. Remember, more than a decade ago, Hansen himself was a young, hopeful gamer.

The Games Circle, 8A, Jalan SS22/25, Damansara Jaya, 47400 Petaling Jaya. Speak to Hansen: 016 451 0940 or email him at gamescircle@hotmail.com. There is a website too: www.geocities.com/gamescircle. Toys in Motion is at Lot S 328E, Level 2, One Utama Shopping Centre (new wing), Bandar Utama, Petaling Jaya.

SHERWIN NG's fascination for unfounded pop superstition sparked his journey into the study of Chinese Metaphysics, which turned out more than he had expected. Today he consults for residential and office settings in the science Classical Feng Shui - without the hoo-blah of village soothsayings.

Questions and curiousities can be directed to ng_sherwin@yahoo.com or ShenGeomancers@yahoo.com.