Paintball

[Dr. Isotope]

Well, general walk-on at SC is like paying money to have yourself butchered. Combine kids with spaceguns and BYOP, and the only people that are there are putting out a hopper and 2 pods in a 5 minute airball game, and twice that on any of the "proper" fields. The attendance (in my experience) at SC dwindled as the technology "advanced". Nobody wants to spend money and time to get obliterated. At least not very often, anyway.

[Rickfactor2]

[QUOTE=Fubarius;1018008]Here's something though, if there were no issues, why the 5 different egos? Wouldn't the first one have been fine? The closest thing to a near "perfect" stock gun I've owned was my Viking (needed only feed neck, barrel, and tank mounting device of my choice). I've only ever bought one since any other one bought would just be the same. Any improvements that have been developed lately (millings, anno's, boards, valves, etc) can be applied to my original if I so desire.

Oh, many were released just to jump on the bandwagon of the market of the time, can't deny that. Though I find it funny that now DYE apparently makes the 'best' regulator out there.[QUOTE]

Its called the economics of the sport. If you can buy a gun for less than market, use if for an entire year and the resell it for nearly the same as you paid for it, why would you not do it ? Its like buying a car, putting 10000 miles on it and then trading it back in for the same amount you paid for it. Many of the guns I purchased, I fully intended to flip. Some I kept longer than others. I dont think I have gone to the bank account for anything paintball other than airfare in the last 5 years. Its the same money that keeps getting laundered every time.

I also have no interest in a $1500 gun that will cost me $1500. I would rather wait and buy the same gun for half about a year later from some LFK.

[thumper]

1984-1993 : pump play ruled the land, honor ball is born - things are good and numbers on any given Saturday are strong.

1994 : I remember when the auto-response triggers were banned at all the local tournaments - reason being : too much firepower. (and it made sense)

1994 : I remember when if you worked anything bouncy into your clothing or hopper, your were bending the rules. (and it made sense)

1994-2002: things are good, mags and cockers rule the land. pump play fades.

I remember loosing a bit of interest in pball around 2003 as the electronic age arrived, and no one pushed back against it. Every manufacture was on board, every field owner, most players, tourney producers and it saddened me to see the numbers at my home field dwindle.

And I distinctly remember hearing Ben Torricelli during the safety briefing tell the player community that it is up to us to regulate the technology - for the good of OUR GAME. Sept 10, 2005. -- I know I was inspired.



2005 - pump play begins making its come back.

2005 - APG is full of articles on how to cheat effectively, how to ref against cheaters, and how to win you need to cheat and practice cheating... and winning is everything so you can be on TV and be famous.. etc etc (yawn, puke, smile)

2005-2009 : things are good again in recball land where old school play is embraced and encouraged. Many fields fail to "get it" and close.

2005-2009 : tourneyball fades as rate of fire surges. Honorball fades from tourney ball.

2007 - scenario ball gets a lift from the fading tourney scene.

2009 - pump play is sweeping the land - and honor ball is making a come back.

I see us coming full circle

2009 October : I see the player community on MCB telling the manufacturers exactly where to stick it.

**maybe we ARE a bit wiser**

[Lohman446]

I do find it amusing that those who know everything about paintball trust SP to do more than just say "hey, this sounds good, lets try it". I'll give them the benefit of the doubt on the magic box and spiral porting and beleive they simply never tested it. This stuff... too many red flags.

[Cockerpunk]

the only flaw with this argument is that quite simply - stock guns and parts have come a LONG way towards being as good or better then the aftermarket.

[mechman]

Originally Posted by Dr. Isotope

I'm guessing you haven't been playing for very long. Back in the early/mid nineties, I could take a trip down to SC Village and an average Saturday afternoon would have 30 v. 30 or even 50 v. 50 games on the bigger fields. Today, general walk-on is more like 10 v. 10 or 12 v. 12. And back then, everything cost more. Then, a full day for just me could cost close to $100.

i think you have to remember that in today's economy people don't have the extra cash. with record high unemployment a lot of families are working overtime or working multiple jobs just to take care of their families. also im sure location plays a big role in it. some spots are paintball havens like California while others states or regions will just have clusters of player and most of the time its just renters going out for a birthday party or bachelor party.

as for the point about upgrading stock parts i have to say it just more fun to accessorize. be it a new reg, barrel, internals what have you. it just makes the gun feel like yours. and if the local youth want to spend their money on the latest ego or what not let them, because we may not like where the money is going but at least we have people interested in our sport

[grimace]

I wouldn't trust any industry or corporation to know what they were doing beyond making a profit and meeting quarterly expectations of investors. Even then they often fail to do that. A company(s) is just a group of more or less average people looking to make a buck.

The quality of the stock parts are only a refection of what they can afford to reasonably offer to the consumer at a price/profit point that is competitive with the competition.

Anyone that trusts an industry (or government for that matter) to take care of them will find themselves broke and betrayed. It's up to the individual and community as a whole to look out for their own best interests.

[ta2maki]

Originally Posted by Fubarius

...."I doubt the industry would release this with out extensive research and testing" ....

This is true, except the extensive research was done by the accountants not the engineers.

[Lohman446]

Originally Posted by ta2maki

This is true, except the extensive research was done by the accountants not the engineers.

And the marketers

[Schmitti]

The accountants are the scarier ones. I could tell you design horror stories from jobs I've worked at.... all because things were costing too much. Done right does not always win out to $$$.

E