Has the electro seen its peak?

[StygShore]

Electro Smectro....

I have been playing paintball for about 15 years now...man im old :)

I have ownes, shot, or played with just about every style of marker out there. When AGD started up the ULE line, and the xvalve and such, I remembered the good ole' days with my mags. I ended up building a pretty nice Emag ULE setup. I used it for about 3 months, and then, like every other electr I owned, it went by way of trade ( Road Dawg...sold that thing huh :) I have traded off every electro I have ever owned for one reason or another, but it usually came back down too - Whats the point of twitching my finger and throwing paint? If I am goign to pull a trigger, I wasnt a TRIGGER, not a mouse click.

I set up a beautiful Karta mecahnical with all the goodies, and the thing rips, I can shoot plenty fast enough to hold my own against ANY electro out there, and I honestly have more fun, and control of my game. I dont find myself laying hundreds of rounds long range just becasue my gun can shoot that fast, I pick my shots and make them count.

I must admit, it is kinda fun to shoot out that kid that just railed into my bunker with 600 rounds with a 17bps electro, and it only took my 6 shots to hit his hopper.

I have even recently ordered a SS-25 pump for the days when the mag is overkill for the walk on players, I just think it makes the game more fun, and improves your actuall skill level tremendously. And again.... it feels so good to one shot a hopper while someone is dumping pods of paint at me.

Has the Electro paintball guns reached their peak? Nah, I think they have saturated the market, destroyed the price points, and done a heck of a job convincing the kiddies that they are the gun to have. Someone will come out with something that makes them lighter, smaller, faster - thats a given - now someone needs to work on technology to get them to shoot farther, and be more accurate ( had to throw that in for the flatline advocates )

Styg

[RoadDawg]

I have ownes, shot, or played with just about every style of marker out there. When AGD started up the ULE line, and the xvalve and such, I remembered the good ole' days with my mags. I ended up building a pretty nice Emag ULE setup. I used it for about 3 months, and then, like every other electr I owned, it went by way of trade ( Road Dawg...sold that thing huh :)

Yup I did... I even added the 4.0 software to it and it wasn't enough (unless they got it reflashed someone has "RoadDawg's EMAG" scrolling when they boot up.) :) Overall though I'm heading back into either a mech or I might give a Devilmag a shot when I hit the lottery. I personally like the challenge of moving up with a mech. With a electro I could lean out and rip a few then go. With a mech... it's all about snap shot... not that you can't do it with a electro, it's just more fullfilling to know you snapped someone out with a mech or pump, or the shear excitement of running not knowing if you are going to make it. Overall though... I think electro's have hit their peak... where can they go from here? They already make it too easy to hit a high bps.

I do know that if the electro ever is to fall... the paint manufacturer's are going to feel the sting.

[50 cal]

I gave up on tourney ball because of all the jerks with electros. I personally never had a bad experience, just seeing the mentality of others just turned me off.
I primarily play with one of my Phantoms or the RT classic. I have a lot more fun playing scenario and rec ball than I ever had playing tournament.

[Caffiend]

Stock Class X-Ball?

That would take care of the paint bill problems

[Alpha]

Anything can happen, but do you think it will go up?

IT will peak when Rogue releases his amazing new revolutionary trigger frame.

[VFX_Fenix]

So far as electros in their current state, there hasn't been much "new" since the inception of the Spool Valve into the electro world (Matrix) IMO. I think the Matrix that was distributed by Diablo Direct back in the day was one of the last really original guns I've seen. Now we're mostly into a sort of refinment of Spool Valved/RAM-Striker/Sear Tripper guns (the E2 is still a Sear Tripper IMO). The only place that I can see Electros evolving in the near future are with the "airless" electro guns such as the one being released by NPS later this year (supposedly).

So far as the peak of popularity, that may be the case as well. I don't know anyone that I play with that'll be heading "back to the roots" any time soon but I can appreciate the apparent increase in popularity of non-electro methods of play. There's a field a few hours from where I live that regularly hosts pump days where field entry, air (12g are still like 50 cents ea. though) and lunch are all free to anyone who comes to play and I've been interested in going to play at one of those with my PGP. (I never really went through the Pump Gun phase when I was starting out in paintball)

[SlartyBartFast]

That would take care of the paint bill problems

And isn't that the really big issue about paintball?

About the only thing those in support of electros, ramping, and modes have to say in favour of high tech markers that I find plausible is: "Look a Xball, it's awesome!".

But how much does a day of Xball cost in paint alone?

Paintball NEEDS a low cost highly promoted format to survive and grow. One that attracts new palyers and keeps those that don't wany to spend a fortune. Not just formats designed by and for the paint manufacturers and those with delusions of grandeur and dreams of television contracts.

[Lohman446]

I saw everything I ever wanted in a tournament from the IAO Owners Group Division. The sportmanship and fair play was tremendous, from the Shocker and Matrix teams to the Palmers and Brass Eagle teams (and every other team I saw there). The point is, it didn't matter if it were electrical or mechanical... it was the players and mentality they brought.

The only issues that existed were all out of the hands of Kevin, the refs on the field, and the players - and all fall squarely at the feet of the promotors of IAO - I think the flag pull article summed it up better than anything else. That being said, it was the most positive tournament I have ever played in thanks to Kevin, the refs, and the other players.

[Aliens-8-MyDad]

I love everything about what paintball has come to, except the cheaters... and ramping... and everything else that takes no skill what so ever but that little 10 year old over there can do it.

I would never give up my electro because woodsball doesnt do it for me anymore, I just dont get that rush. paintball for me is like crack I can't get the same high from the weak stuff (atleast I think thats how crack works)

Yes I hate that I spend hours a day just sitting there walking my trigger holding my shiney new $1200 gun while some kid can just turn on ramping with his membrane on his timmy and get the same speed that Ive worked so hard for.

Yes I hate that I now have to put 3-4 balls in someone before they call themselves out instead of them just playing fair

Yes I hate getting laned, but I gotta say I love doing it.

I am one of the few ballers out there that doesnt cheat or ramp and the game is still fun for me. This game is the only thing that gets me going now, yeah spitting out 15 bps sucks for my wallet but god I love it when im doing it and I dont have regrets. the game now requires more physical skill than before, I've actually had a friend critique my game in hopes to become a better player, and its actually helped ALOT. never before would I have done this playing woodsball / scenario... cheating does suck but I dont have to do it. and there are ways of over comming it. remember that electro gun you got in your hands? they cant wipe 4 shots in their mask. and now you can put it there with that oh so hated electronic gun... hmmm yeah pardon me while I steal that crappy mcdonalds slogan, but I am lovin it.

[billmi]

Well, as previously stated, there are lots going back to pump. Many of the mfr's I have spoken with are out of stock, and/or back-ordered on their pumps. They cant keep up with demand.

While pump pundits (especially APG magazine) love to portray the industry this way, I've never seen anything ever, anywhere to indicated that pumps have grown in market share at any time, relative to semis. Yes, small specialty companies may be doing more business now than they did in 1995, but the size of the paintball playing market has grown astronomically since then, and they haven't grown that fast in comparison. Products being backordered and out of stock is not an indicator that they are extremely popular. Remember how hard X-Mags were to get - always backordered and out of stock? It wasn't because a majority of paintball players were switching to X-Mags.

[azzkikr]

I dislike paintball now very much... I'd still play if it were all mech. I only go to AO events now.

IMO... electronics + paintball = complete BS. It creates so many problems, does not make the game better (different maybe), etc.

The bastards on the field got WORSE with electros. Before it was one thing if you were a big jerk and could only pull the trigger at 5bps. Now rat bastards have an electronic device that shoots itself to be a super rat bastard. I am sick as hell of being ridiculously overshot by goddamn 13 year old POS cheating bastards who over-celebrate their wins that were won by cheating big time... thinking to ourselves that we shot that mofo 3 times that's rubbing the win in our faces telling us how much we suck... and if we had a clean game they'd get destroyed.

The incentive to move has been lost... the clean game is dead. Too many dirtbags play this game.

I can't get a clean game. WTF is the purpose of spending so much time, money, and effort on something when the game is played so dirty? Why don't I just buy a case of paint for my opponents, ask to be kicked in the nuts, and go home a "loser"?

damn it if i agree with this man right here. with the exeption of the electronics, if used to level the playing field and have fun little features. but besides that, its all true

azzkikr

[RogueFactor]

While pump pundits (especially APG magazine) love to portray the industry this way, I've never seen anything ever, anywhere to indicated that pumps have grown in market share at any time, relative to semis. Yes, small specialty companies may be doing more business now than they did in 1995, but the size of the paintball playing market has grown astronomically since then, and they haven't grown that fast in comparison. Products being backordered and out of stock is not an indicator that they are extremely popular. Remember how hard X-Mags were to get - always backordered and out of stock? It wasn't because a majority of paintball players were switching to X-Mags.

When I said the last 10 years, it didnt mean 1995 only, but within 1995-2005.

While I agree that back-orders can be 'out of stock' artifically, you are comparing 1 marker(X-Mag) model from one company to an existing sector of the paintball playing community that has its own dedicated manufacturers, its own tournaments, and its own dedicated forums. Not a fair comparison.

I respectfully disagree with popularity and demand not being an indicator. Every business will forecast sales to be able to gear up for production, no matter how rudimentary that forecasting is.

While electro pundits love to portray the pump community as dying, it doesnt seem to be. And from reading just the few that have posted to this thread, the electro-mentality is fueling the growth.

[BigEvil]

While electro pundits love to portray the pump community as dying, it doesnt seem to be. And from reading just the few that have posted to this thread, the electro-mentality is fueling the growth.

Yeah, pump is a differnet game. Many players like the low-key style. More movement, aiming, and less 'tude'.

Me and the boys have been throwing the idea of breaking out the pumps ourselves.

I wouldn't be surprised to see a 'Back to the woods" movement start to appear either.

[Lohman446]

I think Slarty is more right on what is going to start to get rid of the attitude problems in paintball. A low entrance / low prize tournament series. Look at the OG at IAO - small prizes (comparatively, though again a great thanks to those that made them possible) and a lot less attitude on the field - in fact it was a great group to play with - the best tournament I have ever attended despite IAOs attempts to make it less than that (paint prices / leaky fields / unlevel and gravel playing fields). Despite this, Kevin, the players, the supporters, the refs, all made it a great event.

[RRfireblade]

Has the electro market seen its peak?

I think there are 2 different questions here.

The original question is Electros hitting a Peak and are Pump/Mechs making a come back.

In regards to Electros, IMO, not even close. Electros are going to continue to grow in popularity very a long time to come barring some 'legislation' that may have an outside effect. Electros are going to continue to get cheaper, more reliable and more previlent in the low end market until they nearly eclipse all mechincal markers across the board. What you will then be left with is a very small percentage of mechanicals, probably in all various price ranges, to satisfy the 'old skooler' , people afraid of 'electronic things' accross the board, and firearm enthusiast convert.

Are Mechs/Pumps seeing a resurgence? I'd definately say so but compared to the market as a whole , they are still falling way behind the numbers.IMO, it's not as much as the "Tourny" attitude creating that resurgence even tho it may have a small effect on some levels, as it is the overall cost of paintball.I think many players are starting to feel the finacial impact of faster markers and the costs that brings with it. Many of those who are giving pump a try are doing so to get more bang for thier paintball buck and save them money in order to allow them to still play electro on occasion.Very few pumper play pump exclusively. We've been having regular monthly pump days here in FL as well as larger regional events and the growth numbers have been quite impressive but many of these are people that still play both pump and electro so who get's credit for those numbers?

So basically, IMO...

Electros will continue to grow and eventually dominate the market and as the sport as a whole grows by leaps and bounds you are sure to see certain small percentage of that growth lean toward pump or mech play in addition to thier regular form of play.