Airsoft - What do You Think?

[AGD]

AO,

I have had several discussions with field owners that are having airsoft days and selling airsoft guns. They play paintball style games but use the honor system instead of refs.

What are your thoughts on this? Is it an alternative to paintball?

AGD

[edweird]

Eigh its fun... but I prefer to keep my airsoft and my paintball seperate. The fans of each are diffrent beasts and well dont mix well imho.

Although if I was a feild owner I would prolly explore this as another cashcow... but I would build seperate feilds for it to well capture the Counter Strike feel of it. After all last thing I want is some airsoft kids ruining my sup air feilds.

Um and since we on the topic... whats brewing in your mind TK? AO-Airsoft side games?

[68Classic]

I personally think Airsoft is awesome. I always play with my friends in people back yards and set up our own "speedball" feild. We usually play Airsoft when no one is playing paintball, or no one has any supplies. The only problem I have with airsoft is that you can never really know for sure if you got the person out. It could be an alternative to paintball. I like it, but not as much as paintball.

[dansim]

while i say its not an alternitive to paintball im not saying its not entirely releated, i mean the two sports do share alot of charateristics(sp) i beleive they differ too much to be an alternative for each other
maybe for scenario but not normal walk on

[mrbrutal]

Im starting to get into airsoft. Just got a gun recently. I have a friend who sets up airsoft games at pb fields when they are not in use. The play dynamics are slightly different because of the equipment. I feel bvoth sports are opposite sides of the same coin. However, I dont understand why one side has to trash on the other

[Python14]

I love airsoft. It's a different kind of game and player.
It's fun though to be able to just go out and have fun. Not really worrying about being PC or anything.

All in all, it's a whole lot of fun. I really enjoy it.

[FooTemps]

Airsoft is fun but it's different from paintball. I'd keep them seperate.

[-=Squid=-]

IF you like rec ball, MABE. Tourneys? no. Personally, although many people play a paintball style airsoft game, I think that airsoft is more of a target practice type game, just for fun you know. Surprising question coming from AGD. You considering entering another market?

[Jeffy-CanCon]

airsoft.

I have a couple of friends who have tried it, and one of them has abandoned paintball for it.

From what I hear, and have seen on the internet, it is not a game for rental groups, and is thus aimed at an entirely different audience than paintball. The honour system means you really have to trust the people you are playing with. That only works in small groups, or at best in groups of groups. Paintball has never depended on the honour system, yet at every big game or tourney I've ever been in I've heard whining about cheating, even when referees are present & active, and the hits should be easily verifiable. I can't imagine Airsoft being successful at the same sort of numbers as paintball. From what I have been told, 150 players is a huge regional event in Airsoft. The equivalent in paintball would be 10 times the size.

Personally, airsoft gives me the creeps. I mostly play paintball in the woods, and wear some camo, but it's just a game, and I treat it lightly. I wouldn't want to play a game where I had to call someone "sergeant", wear matching camo uniforms or spend $100 on a tactical flashlight. That doesn't sound like fun to me.

[ubooze]

Mr. Kaye, I assume you are talking about Fox River Games and even CPX recent ventures into airsoft.

Airsoft does look cool, a nice simulation. Its an alternative to games such as Socom 2: U.S. Navy Seals(on PS2). BUT, it shouldn't be played on paintball fields such as airball and hyperball. That is NOT what its for. CPX is very well suited for airsoft. Bedlam and Armegeddon(the two fields used by the Chicago Airsoft Association) are really a nice place to play. They give an urban setting to the simulation, and most wood fields without any mand made bunders is nice, it adds to the game.

I dunno bout, Fox River, I think they have a lot of tourney fields....and once again I feel they shouldn't be used. The wood fields on the other hand, ought to be void of man-made bunkers(unless its like a pillbox or trenches).

Airsoft is a different beast.... at least it was until it was until it was played on paintball fields.

I think fields ought to build a separate airsoft field if they choose to venture into the business. Either make it really nice and big or urban and indoors. Give it more of a true battle situation, unlike a 100 foot long pball field.

Thats my two cents.

[CaliWagon31]

i did the airsoft thing for a little, the guns look kool and all, but it is hard to tell when people are hit, paintball is still the best

[hitech]

I looks interesting to me. However, after playing paintball for over 15 years I just can't imagine how the honor system is going to work. And although interesting I also don't see it as a replacement for paintball. It looks to me like a different game.

I might be willing to give it a try, but have never had the opportunity.

[jonnyboy34]

I am a avid airsofter and paintballer, paintball has almost entirely different gameplay. Airsoft is much more MIL-SIM. It uses things like assualt and breach teams, snipers, recon, artillery squads and a much more tactical game play. Im not saying that paintball isn't tactical and complex because it, but airsoft tactics are based solely on milatary style techniques. But even with all these diffences i know alot of cross over players who play both. But airsoft should not be brought onto to paintball fields or else you wouldnt be playing airsoft in the way it was meant to be played.

[LudavicoSoldier]

The only thing I like Airsoft for is to re-live my "cool toy gun" childhood. I might not be able to own a real steel AR-15 or AK-47, but I can own an exact copy that shoots 6mm BBs. I just think Airsoft guns are cool toys, thats about it. I'll stick to paintball for playing.

[GoatBoy]

As with paintball, there seem to be a few branches of airsoft as well.

You've got the kind where kids play it sort of like paintball, but without the paintballs of course. It's a fun alternative to paintball because it's not as messy or expensive; most of the time when kids mention airsoft to me, they talk about playing it "in some field behind their neighborhood." I've considered picking it up myself, maybe with some coworkers (we seem to have a lot of empty space inside our office building :P). I'm not big into BDU's; I just like to shoot people. This is more like "recball" for us I think.

Then you have the more formal game players, somewhat analogous to our "scenario" players in paintball. These guys focus more on movements and tactics and have more limited engagements. And, oh yes, they like to dress up, and they like their guns to look realistic. (A point I tried to make on the tac-one thread, but I see it went clear over everyone's heads).

Technically, per rules, I see no reason why you can't play a paintball field with airsoft guns. If you're like me and just want to shoot someone, why not?

The fatal presumption being that rules are supposed to be followed. Not even enforced, just FOLLOWED.

I can't imagine playing airsoft with the same kind of scum I play paintball with. Of my little circle of friends (not including friends I have made at the paintball field), I am the only one who plays paintball. So I HAVE to play as a walkon at the fields with various other riff-raff.

Airsoft seems to remind me of the good ol' days of paintball, where the quote "Paintball is a game of honor" used to be a part of the daily rule speech at the field. The crowd's certainly changed as everyone knows.

Is it an alternative to paintball? I definitely think it is. What's it's future? That one I'm not so certain of. Who's to say it won't undergo a similar path to paintball? Paintball grew, and as it did, it fell prey to the weaknesses of our society at large. If airsoft grows the same way, it won't have the saving graces of a quarter-sized paint splat.

For me, airsoft would be a REAL alternative to the rare occasions where you would have an unreffed pick up game with some friends. Considering the cost, I'd go for the airsoft, hands down.



Funny this should come up. I happened to be looking up what was so magic about "green gas" this morning. I was also thinking of certain parallels between paintball and airsoft equipment as well. I'm getting close to buying an airsoft gun just for playing around with and seeing what it's like.