[CannonFodder]

I played paintball quite a bit in the late 80's or so. I'm now getting back in to it and have noticed some interesting changes.

I think when people start a new hobby, they need to have several good initial experiences to get them interested in pursuing it more. Some bad initial experiences makes me want to look for something else to do in my free time.

It seems today there are two classes of players - people with basic markers and those with $1500 markers. In the games I've been playing it seems the players with the fast markers basically mow over the beginners with their high rate of fire. Most times I've been getting hit was from raining paint from someone a good distance away where accuracy is more about sending volumes of paint in a short period of time. I couldn't match with my single shot marker, even with a decent barrel. This is very different from years ago when the game was more about strategy of movement than strategy by firepower.

I wonder if this works to discourage new players. Many of the people I saw with rentals were pretty much pinned down behind bunkers from raining paint. I wonder if new players think "Unless you spend $1500 for a marker, then it isn't worth it." I am having some of those thoughts now. An added frustration is the fields around here don't allow the people with lesser priced e-markers to use full-auto, whereas the people with the high-end markers are shooting faster on semi-auto than then cheaper markers can even go on full-auto. I heard the reason for this is fear that kids will open up on someone at close range, but the guys with the high-end markers seem to be doing that anyway.

People say it is more about the player than the marker. I think this is true, but it is certainly a lot more about the marker today than it used to be. People also tend to frown in a newbie getting the best high-end gear, but in this case it seems worth the cost for someone who sees the potential for fun in the game.

I wonder what both new and experienced players think? I wish some fields would have a balls per second cap (like 5 BPS) to even out the odds.

[Mortisdeum]

I think that is true about the spraying of paint, It tend to freak the first timers out. But you will get the gutsy on that takes out the $1500 gun with a rental Pro Carbide (Seen it hapen several times)

I guess it also depends on the field and who is there that day too

And at the feild i use to go to they would balance the teams based on skill and guns os the new players would tag along with some of the more experienced players. And if the teams started to get too large (20+) they would break us into High - low Groups.

As a side note when ever i see first time players or new faces at the feild i try to lend them a hand

[RastaPasta]

Originally Posted by CannonFodder

I played paintball quite a bit in the late 80's or so. I'm now getting back in to it and have noticed some interesting changes.

I think when people start a new hobby, they need to have several good initial experiences to get them interested in pursuing it more. Some bad initial experiences makes me want to look for something else to do in my free time.

It seems today there are two classes of players - people with basic markers and those with $1500 markers. In the games I've been playing it seems the players with the fast markers basically mow over the beginners with their high rate of fire. Most times I've been getting hit was from raining paint from someone a good distance away where accuracy is more about sending volumes of paint in a short period of time. I couldn't match with my single shot marker, even with a decent barrel. This is very different from years ago when the game was more about strategy of movement than strategy by firepower.

I wonder if this works to discourage new players. Many of the people I saw with rentals were pretty much pinned down behind bunkers from raining paint. I wonder if new players think "Unless you spend $1500 for a marker, then it isn't worth it." I am having some of those thoughts now. An added frustration is the fields around here don't allow the people with lesser priced e-markers to use full-auto, whereas the people with the high-end markers are shooting faster on semi-auto than then cheaper markers can even go on full-auto. I heard the reason for this is fear that kids will open up on someone at close range, but the guys with the high-end markers seem to be doing that anyway.

People say it is more about the player than the marker. I think this is true, but it is certainly a lot more about the marker today than it used to be. People also tend to frown in a newbie getting the best high-end gear, but in this case it seems worth the cost for someone who sees the potential for fun in the game.

I wonder what both new and experienced players think? I wish some fields would have a balls per second cap (like 5 BPS) to even out the odds.

you have a point but it really doesnt make that much of a difference.at an open X-ball i went to on tuesday,2 guys chose to shoot phantom pumps against ramping DM4's so some of it is by choice but at most feild they seperate the more experienced players and the noobs for even teams

[bobide]

Good points. This is why most fields either try to keep teams balanced or split into 2 open play groups. Balancing is good b/c the newer guys get to follow the experienced players, and hopefully the better players aren't asses and will try to teach a few tips. W/ the guys w/ the high end guns doing their own thing so the newer guys can enjoy paintball in their own way.

It can definitly be discouraging. And then there is that 1st bunkering. That is what usually kills most peoples desire to play anymore. Ppl have talked about how this is really killing our growth. Parents see this happen and realize if their kid is to really have a chance they need to drop like $1000+.

A good thing is how the mid end market has opened up. Giving the new guys a blazing fast setup for $500 total. This includes a great hopper and good air tank. Hopefully the ions, wraths, and promasters will keep more players interested and possibly create more local tourny teams (that last, those newb spyder teams generally stop, can't blame them they can't compete)

And yeah, we generally don't like new players getting a higher end gun 1st b/c they don't understand basic maintance or doing repairs themselves. That's why low-ends are good. Simple to use, and teaches basic maintnace.

[JimiHendrix]

Indeed.

[pballfreek19]

Good points.

Good field owners do separate to give newbies a better expierence, but just like everything else, there are those occasions where it doesn't happen. You can't blame the pballnutz for wanting and having the best equipment they can get. I'm all for more people playing the game, b/c with more popularity, I think prices will drop some.
It is also a newbie's responsiblity to realize they are new players and that they should not try to take on the field's sponsored team, without realizing they might get spanked and even bunkered.
-I play basketball, but I'm not trying to play Shaquille O'neal one-on-one.-

[splatwithhonor3]

At my field teams usually get split up pretty evenly, with one or two paint dumpers on either team. I play with a stock class phantom a lot, and can seriousely put some fast guns to shame. Especially if I've got somebody behind me laying paint so I can move. Basically what I'm saying is that fast guns help, but if you don't know how/where/when to move, and the guy in front of you does, it doesn't matter how many pods you drop, he's going to get you.

[Roadkill]

I havent read any of the replies, so forgive me if im just repeating whats been said.

I believe that even if you handed one of the kids with rentals a DM5, he will still sit in the back and do next to nothing, and if you handed the experianced player a bone stock tippmann, he would still haul ass to his bunker off break, still make it to the next bunker, and so on and so forth. Today i was watching a group of new players doing all the stereotypical things that new players do. I noticed that one kid had an impulse, and was doing the same things that everyone else was.

The problem (i dont mean this in a bad way, we were all like this) with new players is that they are too scared their first few times to do very much, where the experiance players are not. The reason it is often looked down upon when a new player gets a high end marker, it will often be useless to him because he wont know how to use it to his advantage.

However i do agree that some people have their first experiance of paintball ruined by some tourny player who is just out to mow some people. Sometimes i think it is better when the experianced players and the new players take turns using the feild, such as every other game, so that its fun for everyone.

[Mortisdeum]

Originally Posted by Roadkill

Sometimes i think it is better when the experianced players and the new players take turns using the feild, such as every other game, so that its fun for everyone.

A very good point and a good thing to do when things get bussy. Cause if the field has a small staging area it is kinda hard to get your gear ready for the next game and on the feild. Also if there is a over lap in the staging area between games, the new players could receive a few tips from the more experienced players

[Ellis]

Good points. Most newbs are scared, so they prolly wouldn't move anyways.

[counterstrike53]

You'd be suprised how well a newb can do against the experienced guys. Just a little bit of advice from a more experienced player (hopefully on thier team) and some guts, and the pure satisfaction of the newb taking out the more experienced guys will usually keep em in the game, at least for a few months.

[ShepardD]

I hardly ever play rec-ball anymore, but when I do I think the best is when they have 1 group of experienced players and one group of new players. I think it is better for both. Truthfully, if they don't have hardly any experienced players I may play 2 games before I get bored. It just isn't a whole lot of fun to mow down some scared kid with a rental Tippman. Well OK sometimes it is, if the kid is a jerk

The stupidest time I remember at one field they had us split into 2 groups then they came up with the bright idea of having the two teams play each other. About 10 people with 1 year or more of experience and high-end guns versus a church group of about 15 people with rentals and one 11 year old with a Wal-mart pump gun. It was a total waste of paint, this one girl got shot p so bad, she stopped playing right then and there. Nobody from either group had fun.

[big_balla]

I feel the same way. Every monday is open pay for $5. Air, entry, and 250 balls. This obviously attracts lots of new players. It was my first time going today.

There were roughly 20-25 kids there with their camo and woods guns. There were a couple of walkon rentals and then there were some experienced ballers. I don't play the first game because I want to see how things go. Games were like 12 on 12. This is an indoor airball field, btw. So all the new players are cowering behind the standups. I saw 5 kids at one bunker. Then I walked to the other end and saw this kid with a dm5. He's decked out in his dynasty jersey and jt team pants and is ramping like crazy. I even saw his hopper get hit, but he wiped it on the bunker. This made me mad because what does ramping against new players do? All he is doing is wasting paint and scaring little kids.

I went out the second game and talked to some beginners about where they were going to go otb. All 3 of them said the right standup, which is where I was headed. So I talked one into running an extra 20 feet to a laydown and the other went to a can more towards the center. This kid that came with me was using a rental and was asking me where everybody was. He almost shot me a couple times. The game was going really long and I was getting kinda frustrated. Then the kid jumps and yells ouch. He caught a bounce and told me where the guy was. I half snap/step to the side and lay a rope there and hit the guy. The kid behind me was like "Sweet!"

He ended up getting shot out as did I after a while. I walk off the field and he says "Hey, lets do that again!"

It made me feel good that he had a good time ballin.

I don't know if this has anything to do with what you are thinking, but I think people should try to help out the new ballers rather than take advantage and just mow them. I mean, honostly, how does ramping in a walkon game with a bunch of newbies help you out? It doesn't improve your game. You're not keeping score. It's just for fun.

Meh.

/rant

/random

[TipP 98 CusToM]

lol yea that keeps alot of people in it, just shoot a rope and there amazed

[Ellis]

Say "This is what you will be able to do if you keep playing."

[Mangobutter]

yes but tis not like its all the vets vs all the newbs. they split it up so usually theres a fair amount on each team.

[Jester of Paint]

at the field i play at they split the newbs and the vets so newbs will very get a vet opening up on them until they think they r ready

[butterjuice]

my field seperates the electros from the mechs...its fair and mechs can play with us if they want to. i think things are fine how they are....its just the wiping and cheating that is concerning me...