tactile feedback the next frontier

paintball markers are getting to the point where they are starting to surpass the speed a player can pull the trigger, and shoot more paint than a player can reasonably carry durring a game.

i think that paintballs next area for inprovement is custimization and tactile feedback. for example the autococker back block (everyone loves the backblock). with the new rush of electronic markers right now, many manufactures just throw in switches. technically there is no problem with this as far as the numbers game goes (accuracy, shootdown, consistancy, # of chops, shots per second, inability to short stroke). tactile feedback is why many do not like the electronic markers.

i would say that if you took an emag and...
/me resists urge to tell tom to attach a big moving chunk of aluminum to the back of an emag
1) added controlls that could be reached by the thumb while holding the grip frame to choose different menu options. it would be desireable if these had a clicking noise, or a detente in them for feedback.

2) i have always liked status LEDs, green when on, red while firing or something.

3) move to a standard 45 frame, this lets users allow for more custimising to preference, and with a potential add on, it would appeal to retailers.

4) the new modular emag has a good amount of metal to be milled off and presents quite an opritunity to have many milled patters for the unique look like the autococker does. if you were to create a user configuration utility for the body, a body editor, a 3d body viewer, simulation of finishes, and that would generate the necessary tooling files, all you would have to do is throw it off on the cnc mill, and send it off to pk selective or another finisher (*cough* /me inserts $$$ referal bonus ;) )

5) allow for repositioning of the battery forward and back to act like a ballance counterweight, have a rail under the barrel, to mount accessories on, like chronographs, flashlights for senario players, different grips, maby even tanks......

6) the agd hose is more suseptible to kinking than the pro team warp hose, why not one up them and come out with a hardline warp hose, and get rid of the problem of taking a hit in your warp hose.

7) the aluminum battery cover serves as a front grip right now, why not add a little more meat to it so that people can mill it to prefrence, finger groves, deep checkering...

8) have a pop open breach on the emag, barrel breaks will still be a minor problem with the lvl 10 as well as with other paintball markers. this would allow you to sell quick clean rounds, a biodegradable one time squiegie that you could breech load, and clean out the barrel with quickly.

if all of that fails, you can always attach a large moving block of aluminum to the back of the emag and go for the "zen paintball" croud that likes to watch the back block, or give the emag a ambiguous name with sexual references ;)

What about a standard "mini" frame, that you attach your custom grip to.... sorta like the m-16 mounts that a lot of older guns had. quick swap frames......... or smaller frames for guys with hands like mine.

First of all, the autococker has the ability to fire faster than you can move your finger let alone the RT so we've been past that point.

Also, i don't mean to sound like a jerk but some of those idea's are a little outlandish. A moving backblock just to look cool? Not only would this be expensive to produce but also it's not needed. An automag is completely different from an autococker and putting a backblock on there would not only look weird, serve no function but make the automag look like a rip off of a cocker.

Also, a rail underneath as a counterweight? The gun isn't really all that backheavy, especially when shouldered but i can see how that might help a little. As for the rail there's no real need to mount a chronograph under your barrel, just use one of the hand held ones. Also a tank under your barrel? One is plenty and two would just be cumbersome. I also don't think there's many scenario player that would spend 1500+ on a cnc emag because they can mount a flashlight on it.

Also, biodegradable squeegee? Why not have a normal squeegee? I don't get it.

However you have some really good idea's. The extra material for milling is something i think a lot of people have had in mind and the menu that's easier to reach sounds like a good idea but would be hard to do. The hardline hose is a great idea and i can see some future in that as well as the different colored LED's and 45 frame ideas.

Ok my fingers are tired so I'm done typing. Cool idea's other than a few man.

i was thinkin that having a 45ci 4500psi tank mounted diagonally backwards right in front of the grip frame, and behind a pistol style grip up front would be cool and make for a tight package. i was not refering to dual tanks.

the idea of the rail, would let you move things around to balance out weight and according to personal preferance, instead of mounting them in a fixed spot. another degree to customisation and feel. i try to balance my paintball guns so the center of balance is along the marker lengthwise, and at the back of the gripframe where your hand rests.

and as far as the squiegie balls, to get your barrel cleen, if you could access the breech, just flip it open, pop one in, and fire. these would be small able to fit in the pocket, and be able to be accessed quickly, and you would not have to worry about holding onto or puttin a squiegie away after you are done with it. also you would be using a fresh one every time.

as far as the autococker, that was my first paintball gun about 5 years ago, i fell in love with it because of the back block. i do own many different markers and hold an open mind about them, i have just found that the ones that i liked best, just had the best "feel" to them.

Ok that clarifys things for me. Still, a cockers a cocker an a mags a mag, might as well keep it that way. As for the squeegees I think with level 10 you won't need to use them very often anyway. Also, dont the cnc e mags come with removable breeches?