New players and $1400 guns?

[RRfireblade]

From what I've heard though, kids that have never played before getting $1400 guns for Christmas doesn't seem to be a rare occurance. What are your thoughts and opinions on the subject?

Well obviously it's the green monster in you and most other people that have a problem with this kind of thing,sorry to say.

There are people driving nicer cares than me that didn't "Earn" it and people living in nicer houses than me that didn't "Earn" it and people owning a whole variety of stuff niver than me that didn't "Earn" it in the generally accepted meaning of the phrase.

Guess what, that's NEVER going to change in the whole rest of your life.I wouldn't put so much thought into what you may think is "Fair" and just be happy with yourself and what you feel you have "Earned".

You live a much happier life, I promise.

[Stix]

Well obviously it's the green monster in you and most other people that have a problem with this kind of thing,sorry to say.

There are people driving nicer cares than me that didn't "Earn" it and people living in nicer houses than me that didn't "Earn" it and people owning a whole variety of stuff niver than me that didn't "Earn" it in the generally accepted meaning of the phrase.

Guess what, that's NEVER going to change in the whole rest of your life.I wouldn't put so much thought into what you may think is "Fair" and just be happy with yourself and what you feel you have "Earned".

You live a much happier life, I promise.

I totally agree with you, and you are right, for the most part we shouldn't really care whether we have or not compared to those people have the green. However, there are things I think one has to earn in ability as well as monetarily. To me "earning" a paintball gun can be likened to "earning" a car, through practice and dedication, not only in ability to purchase said articles.

For example It becomes incredibly dagnerous, and it affects us users of said equipment who have "earned" the use of our equipment thourgh practice and skill, when mom buys a dangerous toy for her child. How many stories have we heard of mommy buying little Timmy a new Viper right when he get's his license and then killing himself/others? Or little Johnny who get's a new $2000 down hill bike and ends up ramming into others on a trail? Or the little girl that recieves a $50k horse and doesn't even know how to saddle it correctly? Trust me, a horse bucking around going nuts because the rider doesn't have a clue is extremely dangerous, and it ain't the horses fault. It becomes an extreme danger not only to themselves, but also to us those that have "earned" our paraphenilia not only in purchase but through training and dedication; no man is an island after all.

I feel that the parallel is there for kid that has never played paintball before and recieves a high performance gun, as well as equipment. He could easily hurt us, and himself by mishandling said articles, as well has shooting everything that moves, among other things. And yeah, I would be/am a 'bit upset when I see something that can seriously injure me have free reign.

[JimmyBeam]

like he said, when you earn something it means more to you than something that was jsut handed to you. you'll take better care of it, becasue you know what it took to get it.

but theres nothing i like better than to see the look of the kid with the 1400 gun, who just got shot out by my mag.

[LeatherPants]

Who cares. That's their life not yours. Stop being jealous. Just remember one the fad dies for them you can buy the marker from them or their parents at a great deal.

Nothing is better than a pissed parent selling gear for cheap realizing the time and money wasted on their kid.

[Blazestorm]

I wish my dad would waste money on me... Before he'd give me money to play when I needed it (Otherwise I'd use money from holidays/birthdays/selling/trading) and now they've decided to change it to an allowance.

15 a week... is not enough to play paintball

I still think he thinks it's a fad... been playing for almost 3.5 years and it's still a fad? Then he wonders why I don't play as much anymore... He's like "You spent all that money on a new gun... why don't you play anymore?" ... "Maybe because I don't have money to play?"

He would have no trouble paying for paintball 2-3 times a week ($60-70 per outting) for years to come... but he doesn't want to because he does think it's just a hobby. Kinda like my older brother back in the Warhammer 40k days... all he would do... buy models... paint them (crappily)... one year for christmas his entire list was Warhammer 40k crap. The only things I got paintball related this year were some squeegies, videos, and lense's for my profilers.

Just ignore it, and honestly... if your parents were willing to support you completely in paintball... why wouldn't you? I know one kid who only has to spend his own money on upgrades for his gun, everything else is paid for. Am I jealous? Yes. Do I really care? No.

[Lohman446]

IF YOU WANT TO GIVE YOUR SON ALL TOURNAMENT EQUIPMENT, I'M GOING TO TREAT HIM LIKE A TOURNAMENT PLAYER AND PLAY AS HARD AS I WOULD AGAINST ANYONE ELSE. IF I SHOOT YOUR SON 5 TIMES IN THE BACK THEN O WELL, HE NEEDS TO GET OFF THE FIELD AND QUIT PLAYING IF HE CANT HANDLE THE PAIN AND THE PRESSURE WITHOUT CRYING AND MAKING ME LOOK LIKE A JACKASS

If you shoot anyone in the back five times in rec day, especially at the fields I play at (3 break rule), especially with that attitude, you need to go home and learn sportsmanship

[Chipper]

Most parents doen't like paintball.

But then there are the occasional few who try and look "cool" and get there kids high-end guns and really nice equipment. Those are the kids who are, in my opinion, a kind of poser.

Now, paintball is also expensive. That is another reason why these parents seem "cool" to their kids. I just bought myself, hopefully, a Phantom because PAINTBALL is EXPENSIVE. And after shooting my friends Phantom, I think it should be mandatory that people start off playing pump. You know how much better everyone would be if they did that?

[quik]

It is pretty insane how much parents are willing to spend on their kids. I am loaned money for paintball from my mother and father, usually for a tournament, because I dont have enough money for paint. I always pay them back, no matter how long it may take though, so they usually dont care or mind doing it.

This isnt to say that I havent seen some outragous parents. Why at the field I played at a week ago, there was a group of 10 kids and mother who rented the field out for next weekend(birthday I'm assuming). The mother then proceeded to buy the son a intimidator, tank, and barrel kit. Although the kid spent a lot, he did have good taste in getting J&J kit .

[VFX_Fenix]

I've seen it, I've been in the shop when it's happend. As for my feelings? Well, makes me wish I had parents like them

My hope is that the recipient will continue to play the game, there's a lot to be said about working your way up through the ranks of various styles of guns. There's also something to be said about heading right to the top of the pile. I'd hope that the parents would be willing enough to read the manual and figure out how to work the markers they buy for their kids.

If I were going to buy a shiney expensive electro for my kid, I'd detune the thing until good ol' progeny could actually play the game, then gradually retune the thing. There's nothing better than families that play together, unfortunately it can also cause some problems

[Lohman446]

FYI - I'm 26, I make pretty good money and can afford paintball. If I went to my parents and told them I needed some extra money to play paintball they would have no hesitation in giving it to me .

It should be noted however that I spend a lot of money on my kids, and a lot of money about every 10 months when my ex sues me for custody (pretty regularly). So paintball is my "selfish" thing... thats mine and I well... really would be a very different person wtihout it... I kind of need it.

[octane2079]

Something like that happened at my field. An 11year old boy who had been playing for about two weeks with a spyder got a Freeflow Trauma Matrix w/68/4500 dynaflow and ripped victory boarded Halo. The worst thing was is that he thought it was broken when it wouldn't shoot without paint w/ eyes on. He got it for his birthday and his mom, dad, and uncle were there to watch him play. Well as it was walk on I wound up bunker tagging him about 4 times that day.

[kurama]

Yeah, there are tons lately. It affects me, considering I wear dye gear. People generally treat me like an idiot until I explain to them that I am infact not. Some refs try to "walk me through" filling my tank and such and I have to explain to them that I am certified to fill a tank... So, I usually end up wearing a regular Tshirt instead of one of my jersies, so I'm not mistaken for an inexperienced player. It really blows.

Well, everything has its posers. Paintball is no exception.

[AGD]

You should have got them started the right way and told them how to cheat.


AGD

[Digits]

FYI - I'm 26, I make pretty good money and can afford paintball. If I went to my parents and told them I needed some extra money to play paintball they would have no hesitation in giving it to me .

It should be noted however that I spend a lot of money on my kids, and a lot of money about every 10 months when my ex sues me for custody (pretty regularly). So paintball is my "selfish" thing... thats mine and I well... really would be a very different person wtihout it... I kind of need it.

<3 ex's eh

I honestly don't have a problem with it.. But someone made a good point, and it is scary that a 10 yeard old who can barely hold the marker has a gun thats capabable of bouncing out of control.. I could see problems happening

But around here it's not really comon at all.. There is one kid with a rich dad, but he's a really cool kid and isn't greedy or anything stupid..

[PaintballSmurf13]

Happens ALL THE TIME around here... I don't really care much because I shoot an alias and have pretty much all the cool new paintball gear I need ... but when/if it does bother you... grab an old spyder or something and gog the little rich punks ... you'll feel a lot better and they'll understand that it isn't in the equipment...or they'll throw a fit and walk off the field all butt-hurt ....but really in the end i don't care...
-Ryan