How times change in paintball (2005-2009)

[MAGslinger]

I've been playing paintball since 2005, and since then, I've seen many things change at my field. I remember seeing Prostock '04s on the wall of my local shop, and a time when mech was the standard for every field, the days before the electro-gun hit the masses like a bug. Then the Ion came, bringing a tourney gun to the masses, for an affordable price. Gone were the days of those precision machined prostocks, with their gloss-black finish, in came the mattel-gun of paintball. Fast-Forward to 2009. I was playing at my local fields all day scenario. I was the ONLY one rocking a pump mag, and the ONLY one getting bonus-balled, being lit up with yellow, pink and orange paintballs. My mask was so badly shot up, that I could not see in front of me, even after wiping the paint off, in a desperate attempt to call myself out, and exit the speedball field (I was in so much pain I could barely lift my arm). This experience got me thinking back to the days when the Colt 1911 replaced the old Colt Single-Action Army. I think players like me are slowly fading away here in the midwest, simply because we're sick of these younger guys shooting the crap out of us.

Now I'm not saying it's bad to have advances in technology, but I guess I'm just saying that from my experience, much has changed in paintball, though some here would say not as drastically as things did in the early and mid 90's. This was my first time playing pump, and boy did I love it! For the first half of the game, I used only 500 rds. for the woods, and another 500 for one hour on a speedball field with 400 players on both sides. I used only one thousand rounds total, which both myself and my wallet savored. It was also nice because I put more thought behind my shots, and where to 'place' them. When I was not using a raincover it was as loud as a canon, but when I did use the raincover, I could not hear a thing. I guess my point is this, we've got to instill good sportsmanship on every paintball player. We can't expect our chrono radar guns, chronographs, and ref's to do this for us, though they are important. As sportsmen, it is up to us to exemplify the best paintball player, and expose the cheaters in our midst. Just as in football, you follow the rules not because you have to, rather you follow the rules because you wish to win with honor, and integrity. Those are two things that have left our sport, which desperately need to return to it, otherwise we may loose our sport altogether.

[snoopay700]

Well the ion came out in 2005, and there have been a lot more younger guys with them. It did change the sport, but at the same time i remember getting lit up when i started playing, but now it's definitely a lot easier.

[Newt]

Don't ever let somebody look down on you for rocking a pump, especially a pump mag. Pumps are in, and you've been doing it for years.

My advice is to stop complaining about how they have an advantage and start showing your stuff off. Pump forces you to play more aggressive. It's like trainer running shoes. Loan one of the electro kids your mag. They'll find out how much their game improves. Soon all the cool players at your field will own one at least as a "trainer" gun.

[snoopay700]

Don't ever let somebody look down on you for rocking a pump, especially a pump mag. Pumps are in, and you've been doing it for years.

My advice is to stop complaining about how they have an advantage and start showing your stuff off. Pump forces you to play more aggressive. It's like trainer running shoes. Loan one of the electro kids your mag. They'll find out how much their game improves. Soon all the cool players at your field will own one at least as a "trainer" gun.
Yeah, plus it's fun, i've been playing pretty much stock class this year, it's great cause it's the first time since i started playing that i've panicked haha.

Times change though, it's easier to get hit more times because more people can have access to electronic guns. There's not a lot you can do about it but either show them up or not get hit, or both.

[Spider-TW]

A good ref staff helps that stuff a lot. In our game we had a guy get over shot when the shooter obviously had the drop on him in the first place. The shooter got judge-punched and sent out for re-insert (first offense). The word went around. Most kids know they are doing it and will stop if they think a ref may be watching. One good enforcement goes a long way.

Finding enough good refs for a big game is the hard part. Eventually you may have to ref to show them how. Reffing can be a lot of fun; it just won't scratch an itchy trigger finger. :argh:

[SN toter]

2005-2009?

Maybe I'm wrong, but to me very little has changed from about 2002 to now. Sure, guns are lighter and smaller, but the trend towards electro dominance started back then. The In, BKO, and Wrath all came out about the same time iirc and all that really did was start to kill resale value on some other markers.

I've been playing since 1994, and the first real gun I purchased was a Daisy(later aquired by BE) Raptor for $200 in about 1995/6 I think. A lot of folks still rolled old sheridan pumps and Phantoms, and most of the people I played with were using stack tube blowbacks(which were, at the time, the affordable performance markers). We wow'ed at the gusy with classic mags and cockers. late 90's I joined the AGD train and haven't gotten off yet. Since then I've seen a severe reduction in quality by most manufactuirers out there. I suppose that could simply be that electro components simply aren't as durable as the components of a mech.

And NOW, I'm seeing a reverse trend start. Companies are shrinking, Mags and other quality markers have an increasing following, companies are mass producing new pumps again(the new SL68-II and Azodin KP for example), ROF in tournament series is getting lower and lower. and people are moving moer and more back to the woods.

I could be wrong, this is just how I see it. I have no issue playing pump or mech against electros, I actually enjoy it. Eliminations are more satisfying and when you get shot, or even overshot, so what. It's paintball. It happens. Get better and get even.

[Ravenneon]

Were you at Training Day V at Fox Paintball? If you were there was a bunch of us maggers running warps. And were you the one in the Gauntlet with that thing...if so that was crazy. Hats off to ya!

[MAGslinger]

Were you at Training Day V at Fox Paintball? If you were there was a bunch of us maggers running warps. And were you the one in the Gauntlet with that thing...if so that was crazy. Hats off to ya!

Which side were you on? Yes I was the one in the Gauntlet with that thing (pump mag with a blue eclipse splash rail), I was on the SEALS side. I was the guy that was firing from the hip with my pump mag, then I decided to fire sighted, rapidly, which was easy with my pump mag. It saved my a$$ in the woods, and was quiet as hell with the raincover on. For some reason, when I go on a speedball field, the magic does not work quite as well.

[paullus99]

With the CCM T2, plus my experience, I don't feel overwhelmed by anyone else on the field - regardless of what they are playing with. Before too long, if the economy keeps up the way it is, pump will be the place to be.

[Watcher]

Which side were you on? Yes I was the one in the Gauntlet with that thing (pump mag with a blue eclipse splash rail), I was on the SEALS side. I was the guy that was firing from the hip with my pump mag, then I decided to fire sighted, rapidly, which was easy with my pump mag. It saved my a$$ in the woods, and was quiet as hell with the raincover on. For some reason, when I go on a speedball field, the magic does not work quite as well.

We were on the Rangers side, but you might have seen us in the fight or between games. I remember you walked past my blue jeep just when I put my automag away, I think the Gauntlet had just ended. I was going to ask you about the pump-mag, but you looked distracted.


You may have seen me as the only one shooting anything Brass that whole day. I was also rocking a 6-pak along with GRimm.


I'll agree that gone are the ways of old and no players have respect anymore. I play as if everyone is a cheater, but I'm not an ***. I stop shooting as soon as the hand goes up or the person shouts out.
Just before lunch was called, I had a clear profile on someone and gave them three shots up from the knee to the chest. All hit. He flinched, went into cover, came out shooting back at me.

I was behind a tree in a V shape so I shot left, right, and center while he rained paint back at me from one angle. I knew I lit him up, and the only ball that hit me was in the neck. It was painful, I had paint on my fingers after feeling it, and so I called out. Later I learned that it wasn't big enough for a hit, but no ref was nearby for a paintcheck. In my situation I would have rather removed myself of a pointless conflict than to sit there and play twitch-ball anyway.

Of course, he was shooting a Shocker...



Lately I've seen the whole cheating thing slow down a bit, and the decrease in ROF in many places has made blatant bonus balling rarer, but the fact remains that some people just don't care. I think ramping is part of the reason, and I think a rush of more mech play is the solution.

Fields should run mech only days/scenarios. In fact, a field by me named Badlandz has "'Cocker days", where only people with Autocockers (and a select few others) can play.


To me, the only electro I'll ever own is an E-mag or an E1 Autococker. Since I've gone through 3 autocockers already, none of them lasting more than a few months, it will more likely be an E-mag.


Why? Because it isn't as much about the speed as it is about the feel of the gun, in my case.

[om3n]

To me, the only electro I'll ever own is an E-mag or an E1 Autococker. Since I've gone through 3 autocockers already, none of them lasting more than a few months, it will more likely be an E-mag.


Why? Because it isn't as much about the speed as it is about the feel of the gun, in my case.


This. I freaking <3 my emag, and I don't think I will ever own another electro in my life.

My local field has mech only days, and most guys use tippmanns where I play. I've yet to play on a mech only day, but I can't even imagine how much of an advantage I'd have wit my mag there.

There are a few angels, egos, protos and a couple ions at my field, but the majority of people use mechs anyways it seems. Heck there is a guy there who regularly plays with his dad's 15 year old mini mag that still shoots better than the newer tippmans lol :)

I've shot dm's, eteks, a variety of smart-parts electros and egos, and still to me I can't stand the toy gun feel of most of them. The biggest reason I will continue to use my e-mag is because I love the way it feels.

And I don't just use it, I dominate with it ;) The funny thing is I've only play with the e-mag once, and it was on mech-mode the entire time lol You can ask the guy with the ego I was fighting with the entire time who won the bunker fights :p

Right now my mag is getting flashed with x-mod. I can't wait to use this thing in combat on e-mode

[Raven001]

Lets see. Back in 84 the game was new(ish to us up here) and you had to rock and cock your marker. 10 rounds and little co2 things. It was cool to play the game because it was new. No chance of getting lit up as you were moving much more than you do now and also, you couldn't really fire that many balls in such a short time. Not to mention that I think I paid something like $10 a tube of 10 balls...

In the early 90's the game was a little more defined. You had constant air, mechanical markers, loaders that held 200 balls. The game, at least the tourney game, got a little less friendly. Camo was out and team uniforms were in. Getting lit up was something not unheard of. I remember Killbourne getting me in the back 12 times with his cocker from about 15 feet.

The 00's I don't know much about. I played one tourney game and didn't like what I saw much. Too much overshooting, too much playing on, too much paint and way too much attitude.

I tend to play woodsball now and it seems to be somewhat on the level of the early 90's minus the camo.

[snoopay700]

Lets see. Back in 84 the game was new(ish to us up here) and you had to rock and cock your marker. 10 rounds and little co2 things. It was cool to play the game because it was new. No chance of getting lit up as you were moving much more than you do now
Yeah tell me about it, i rarely see people move all that much anymore, and that's largely why this one group had so much trouble with me and my friend when we played with our phantoms, we weren't doing what they expected.

[om3n]

Yeah tell me about it, i rarely see people move all that much anymore, and that's largely why this one group had so much trouble with me and my friend when we played with our phantoms, we weren't doing what they expected.

I can't stand playing the whole camp and shoot play style, even in speedball games. I'm a tall guy (6'3" 180 lbs) but I usually play front and take the snake when I play speedball :p I can't stand just sitting in the back corners and lobbing paint the whole game... it feels like such a waste and you don't get challenged as much as when your pushing up the flanks.

I'm a lefty too, so I always take the left front. I'm pretty good at taking people by surprise at the beginning of a game when I pop out the left side and they are leaning way out their right side to fire diagonally like they are used to playing against righty's.

I have actually just begun getting into the whole speed-ball scene, I'm used to the woods where you move the whole freaking game, constantly going from tree to tree, sprinting to flank someone behind a dirt mound, etc. My brother and I both are extremely aggressive and take people by surprise, it's great :) Man I want to play again this weekend... RRG

Don't mean to carry on, but the last time we played at my local field, it was 20 minutes till close and everyone left except for me and my brother and these two friends who play at this field fairly often. We talked to the refs, and we decided to play some two on two. We went to the hyperball field to play. As soon as the game started, my brother broke right and just hammered on the the guy on the other team who went right, keeping his head down. I was shooting and sprinting at the guy who broke to the left on their team, ran straight at him and slid about 15 feet to his left and nailed him less than 6 seconds into the game. No, lie, my brother sprinted up the field right after I got the first guy out- I got shot shortly after that but my brother kept sprinting and literally safety rolled past the last guy remaining on the other team and shot him 2x in the butt before he knew my brother was coming lol the game lasted 10 seconds and the refs were like "wow" when it was over ha ha

Oh, my brother was using a bt4 with an e-grip, I was using my mech mag- one guy on the other team was using a 15 yr old mini mag and the other had a tippmann with an e-grip, so it wasn't like we out-gunned them either :p it was just an awesome game, and that's just how we have always played

[MAGslinger]

We were on the Rangers side, but you might have seen us in the fight or between games. I remember you walked past my blue jeep just when I put my automag away, I think the Gauntlet had just ended. I was going to ask you about the pump-mag, but you looked distracted.
You may have seen me as the only one shooting anything Brass that whole day. I was also rocking a 6-pak along with GRimm..

I did see you with that Piranha Long-Barrel, you're the only person I know that had brought one (I had brought mine too, but I could not bring it on the field because it was shooting hot. I was in a bit of a trance after playing the Gauntlet, but if you would have said something, I would have most likely snapped out of it. I wish more people from here would come down to foxpaintball, it is one nice place (aside from the spiders, and muddy paths). I'd go to another game, but school has me at a disadvantage.

[Ravenneon]

Yeah I agree...everyone goes trigger happy and its part of those certain people not calling hits and playing on. Solution: you shoot the hell out of them in hopes that they decide its not worth the pain. Problem is everyone treats it that way. I was walking away from the ranger base and i got ambushed. Instead a single shot, me checking the hit and calling out - which is what would have happened being as the first shot broke on me - instead i get a series of seven and from not more than twenty feet. It was a little irratating because i dont like being over shot. Hit me once and it breaks..im out. Plain and simple. You dont have to shoot a hole through me or blow an arm a leg off.

I was on Rangers as well with Grimm and Watcher. I was rockin a Tac One with a warp. GRimm had an emag with warp and Watcher ran an RT pro with warp. Then we ran into a another guy also running an Emag with a warp. AGD convention! It was nice to see the mags though even ur pump, Magslinger. I have a minimag thats pushing ten years old and i was actually considering turning it into a pump.

[warpfeedmod]

I was on ranger side. Spent most of my time in the tank with my warped emag, and some time with my ion..
we left around 3 when the rain started coming.

[Watcher]

I was on ranger side. Spent most of my time in the tank with my warped emag, and some time with my ion..
we left around 3 when the rain started coming.

You should have stayed through the rain, the four of us Warp'd-Maggots led a patrol out of the village. 5 of us would have been unheard of! :bounce:




I did see you with that Piranha Long-Barrel, you're the only person I know that had brought one (I had brought mine too, but I could not bring it on the field because it was shooting hot. I was in a bit of a trance after playing the Gauntlet, but if you would have said something, I would have most likely snapped out of it. I wish more people from here would come down to foxpaintball, it is one nice place (aside from the spiders, and muddy paths). I'd go to another game, but school has me at a disadvantage.


Mine was a little hot as well, but I got there at a little after 6 in the morning and I hit up the chrono before registration while no-one was there. I was the first one in the range.

On a CO2 tank the first shot was 303, then 310, then 306. Took the gun apart, gave the spring one clip, then 275 +/- 3. Perfect!

It shot a little lower off of a 12 gram, but I think it was the temperature (cold that morning and the 12ies were sitting in a box in my Jeep overnight), but it performed very well on field.


Yeah, Fox is a great place. I've met more nice people there than anywhere else. I only wish I didn't live an hour away or I'd show up for more open days. As is I just make it to the occasional scenario.
I live closest to CPX and while it is a cool field it is outrageously overpriced and the staff can be disconcerting at times.

But for weekend games you can't beat the 1 speedball field 1 scenario field BYOP Family Entertainment Center down the street :shooting:

[DBC]

There is no doubt about it, pumps are becoming more popular. I would say that at the places I play, about 1/3 of the players are pump. The remark I hear most often from pump players is that they love the lower cost of shooting fewer paint balls.