Do we have any Scots on here?

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A Fiery Flying Roll

Hating Dungeons and Dragons before it was cool
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The gf and I are planning to relocate after she graduates next year (for reasons both obvious and not to be discussed on here).

We're torn between Dundee and Aberdeen so any info about either place would be great. (Especially about the local geek scene)
 
Aye. Dundee would be my preference, as Aberdeen is pretty far flung as these things go. Dundee is not that far from Edinburgh/Glasgow, especially if you drive. Does the Pub do PMs? If so, PM me.
 
I'm in Aberdeen. It's... okay. It's obviously a city that was heavily reliant on a particular industry (Oil), and while that was great in the boom times, it hasn't really adapted to them now being over; what money there was went into things like our high-end shopping centre and the high street has basically... collapsed. It's the same story nationwide, true, but it feels like it's happened quicker here. Parts of the city desperately need work - the gardens in the city centre, for example - but there's no political or social will to get them done.

I can't say what it's like for getting work, because I don't know what industry you're in and I haven't been looking myself recently, sorry. I can say that it's a buyer's market for property at the moment; things just aren't shifting. My flat was on the market for a year and a half and dropped 30k over that time, and even then, I got it for less than the asking price.

It also has the feel of being a big town rather than a small city; it's very compact, you're likely to know the same people in multiple social circles, and because of our position (An hour north of Dundee) it can feel quite isolated, because it's a long drive just to start getting close to anywhere. On the other hand, we've got lots of great scenery and outdoorsy stuff close by. We've got quite a lot of good parks. People are generally pretty friendly, and it's very multicultural due to the oil industry.

On the subject of nerd shit, it's pretty damn good! We've got multiple gaming clubs - I'm part of Knights of Trinity, who are not devil worshippers (I'm the demonic cleric in that article!). We take up the entire top floor of one of the pubs in the city centre, by which I mean we literally can't fit any more games in; we run a wide variety of things, in 6 / 8 week "blocks" through the year. If you've been to the Student Nationals in the last few years, there's a good chance you've met our travelling team, the Exiles. There are usually quite a few D&D games going on, but the management are... a bit funny... in their attitudes towards it. Other clubs around the city that I know nothing about include Granite City D&D and Granite City Gamers; I know there's also something going on at the university, and I think there are some other board game and card game groups around.

In terms of nerd shops, it's not great these days. Everyone has an opinion about Asylum, our big comics shop, and especially about the owner Mike. It's incredibly well stocked, but it can give off the feeling of being a local shop for local people, especially if you fall out with him. There's a board games group that runs out of there monthly. There's also Plan 9, which has a bit of everything, and ABZ Games, which I have never been to, but they apparently run events and I think the owner used to run a wargames club out of one of the pubs. We have a Games Workshop.

Convention-wise, we have a comic-con every year, which has naturally morphed into general nerd stuff. There's also been a videogames convention a few times recently, which was okay the times that I went, but not fantastic.

I don't think, if I could do things over again and choose where I went, that Aberdeen would have been my first choice, knowing what I do now. But now I'm here, it's fine, I've got no real major issues with it despite how this may come across, and I don't mind living here. It could be better, and it certainly has the potential to be. It just needs people in charge with the will to change.
 
Genetically, yes. But I don't think that will be much help to your travel plans

Haha, likewise.

I don't have any useful information about living in Scotland, but I had a pleasant time there as a tourist last Summer. Stayed in Glasgow for a few days, spent one day out in the area of Linlithgow & Bo'ness where my great-great-etc. grandpa came from, and spent one day on a bus tour that went to Loch Lomond and some other major tourist sites. I found people to be friendly and the land to be beautiful.
 
I was born in Dundee! Grew up in the Scottish Borders and went to Edinburgh Uni.

Not been to Aberdeen in 20 years, or Dundee in 30, so I can't really chip in on the current situation in either. If you're into the outdoors, historical exploration or skiing, both are decent starting points.

Ladybird is right - Aberdeen does feel quite detached. It's also a little more exposed - weather systems sweep across the North Sea from the Arctic and Siberia.
 
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