The world of paintball is a different place

[Sparta]

I have several questions/comments to make and I hope you guys/gals chime on. While I was reffing this weekend at a rec field, I noticed A LOT of high end tournament markers: I.E. New intimidators, new shockers, nice autocockers, a few e-mags, but NO low end guns...but, even though these guys all had high end guns, THEY SUCKED!!! Why do people buy their kids expensive guns when they aren't expeirenced and suck!!!

On to the next question, why do people seem to have a predujice againts autocockers these days? I had one a few years ago and loved it.

And now onto my last question, how do 2k1 angels and newer angels compare to lvl 10 e-mags, autocockers, shockers, DM4's/DM5's and timmy's? The reason I ask is because I am thinking of trading/selling my angel to get something else...but don't know if its a good idea, or even worth it. My angel is a 2K1 LCD.

[hobbesTZ]

1) There is much hustle and bustle in the paintball economy. Strongbad discusses this, though not directly talking about paintball.

2) Maybe it has something to do with them releasing cheapy low end cockers, and that now everyone realizes that even the high end 'cockers aren't a whole lot better than stock. Of course that's for the individual to decide.

3) You decide. Personally, I don't care for older angels. I don't like the trigger or the way the breech works (when it needs paint cleared out). Also it costs way too much to get ACE.

[Sparta]

1) There is much hustle and bustle in the paintball economy. Strongbad discusses this, though not directly talking about paintball.

2) Maybe it has something to do with them releasing cheapy low end cockers, and that now everyone realizes that even the high end 'cockers aren't a whole lot better than stock. Of course that's for the individual to decide.

3) You decide. Personally, I don't care for older angels. I don't like the trigger or the way the breech works (when it needs paint cleared out). Also it costs way too much to get ACE.

I haven't shot any angels that are newer than mine, how do the ir3 and older angels shoot compared to the standard LCD?

[hobbesTZ]

It shoots pretty much the same. The only differance is the space frame and opto switch on newer IR3s. The LCD is what came before the IR3, and the LED came before the LCD. The LED functions the same as the other Angels, only most of the parts were update to run at a lower pressure and what not. The real differance came with the Speed and up. I didn't care for the speed trigger either. I haven't tried the '05 Speed or the Fly.

[kurama]

I think most players buy good markers as their first so they won't ever need to upgrade and such later on, or loose money in resale...

[Blazestorm]

Honestly WHY NOT?

If you have the money, and your son is playing paintball, why waste your money on a low-end gun that's going to have problems or be slow. Why not get them the best and be done with it?

Jealousy plays a part too, if someone offered you a nice gun setup for free, you wouldn't deny it so you could say you worked for it, you'd take it and thank them.

My parents heavily support me, but they don't hand me 1000 dollars to go buy a new gun.

Let them play... help them if they need help, but don't look down on them because they are supported well.

[Sparta]

I completely agree Blaze. It's just disheartening to see such good guns go to waste like they do. . .

[Big Weapons]

I agree with Blaze, on the condition that the player has a good attitude towards the game and has a goal to continue playing and improve it.

This past weekend I was playing at NorCal vs SoCal. Second day of the event, I saw this kid decked out in Dye gear and a DM5. He couldn't have been older than 13, and boy did he have an attitude problem. I was reffing for a couple of games [we had about 6 volunteer refs for the games -- our own AO members reffing AO players]. Someone was playing the back dorito and had some splatter on the top of his mask. It was a obviously splatter, but this kid in Dye gear was already shot out. He was yelling at me to pull the player out, but I told him that it was splatter [I even saw the ball hit the bunker and paint spray]. He said something along the lines of "Splatter my ****ing ***!"

Now that ticked me off. I really wanted to just yell at the kid about AO and the honorable players that we have, but that wouldn't do any good and I didn't want to start anything.

I don't know where I'm going with this, but there are players with good attitudes and those with bad ones. However, I like how the paintball hierarchy works. The bad ones will eventually trail off back into their normal lives without paintball, while the ones that are dedicated to the sport will continue playing and BE LIKED by other players.

[Jeffy-CanCon]

Most people still start out with Spyders or Tippmans, judging by the sales figures.

Having high-quality equipment compensates somewhat for a lack of skill and experience. You spend less time on maintenance/gun-futzing, or learning how to aim. If they have the money, most people will opt for the easier path. Plus, you have to consider the prestige factor. Paintball is no longer marketed as a challenging game, but as a cool lifestyle. And to be cool, you have to have the gear.

It takes me quite a while to convince myself to spend any amount of money on my gear. It amazes me to see people drop $000s within weeks or months of discovering paintball, but I can't hold it against them. Like Big Weapons says, real paintballers till judge each other by their attitude and skill, not their shiny gear.