What is the difference now?

[phantomhitman]

It is my turn to get all deep and ask a serious question. On almost a daily basis threads pop up in many forums talking about the golden age of paintball and how things have changed for the worse, the politics and money behind the sport now, the new hyped products, the bad aspects of each type of play, and everyone states the downfall of paintball since the old days. Everyone tip toes around the answer and never gives out reasons why they dont like it or what has really changed that they do not like. So I ask;
What do you NOT like about the sport now and why?

Is it:
the cost to play, the kids involved in the sport now, the speed of the guns, the faster speed of the game, the cheating/unsportmanslike conduct, the equipment costs, tourney scene, or what?

I can only think of one thing that I truly do not like about the game now, but it is not paintball's fault. Some people are just not mentally capable of playing the game. They argue about everything, play on, shoot you 10 or so times ON PURPOSE, and never give anyone credit for anything. Basically, they are unsportmanlike. I only know a few guys like this, and I always see a few on every field I go to wether its a tourney or just goofing around playing rec ball.
I do play tourneys, I do not like ramping, but I still play. I do not have problems with hyped products, fast guns/hoppers, and quick lethal games. I also do not mind pumps or strictly woodballers. I play anywhere, anytime, any game.

[11 Bravo]

I think its probably cheaper to play now than when I started. The only problem I have with paintball now is some of the players. They take themselves so serious. Those people need to get over themselves and realize its a game where we shoot each other with balls of goo. How serious can that be.

[hardr0ck68]

I also like how the prices have dropped. I dislike the way people tend to treat new players, each other, ref's, players with older gear....and well everyone. Theres a real crop of dopes in our sport now. I guess we are reaping what we have sown, as the community pushed for growth and an extream sports label for years; now we are bigger and more extream but filled to the brim with langers.

P.S. why doesnt the cuss filter catch the plural form of butt (i of course reffer to the slang term commonly used, 3 letters 2 of which are S's yeah you get it)

[Konigballer]

ditto with 11 Bravo.

The whole game has become so image conscious, almost class conscious really. With the advent of a much more visible form of the game in speedball, how you look and what you shoot, and the hype that goes along with both of those categories, moved to the forfront and became way to important.

When people cant afford the latest and greatest equipment they get trashed for it whether their a newb on his first day out or some guy who's been playing for 15 years. It's just gotten kind of ridiculous. Everybody trashes the younger players for being punks, but really they dont know any other form of the game, they were largely introduced to it when paintball was already being whored out into it's faster, uber-flashier self that it is today. This almost total emphasis within the industry on better, faster, flashier crap has probably played a part in the general decline in player conduct and manners among the newer crop of paintball players. However the industry leaders are probably making more money now than ever so I doubt we will see a shift away from this materialistic mentality within the game. The only real way to get away from that kind of scene is to play renegade with friends, but then that brings in all kinds of safety, and legal issues so it kind of sucks.

[phantomhitman]

So you guys are basically saying people are the cause, not the products? Remember, companys can hype wahtever they want but the consumer truly controls what is being made. Unfortunately people are the weak point in this sport that can either make or break something.......

[noodles]

I read all the topics like this and I can't understand half of what your guys see. The UK Woodsball and Scenario scene is a very close knitt and friendly enviroment and as far as I know the UK tournament scene is healthy and, although there is more of an emphasis on new flash gear, It doesn't seem to be anywhere near as bad as the scene in the US. I just hope the UK scene doesn't follow the same route the US ones appears to be following.

[hardr0ck68]

Yeah, its definatly the new players. The ones who feel the need to put 8 balls on a newb just cause they can. I see so many ramping markers out on rec games it sickens me. Come on kiddies, you can turn the ramping off and or down; but they wont because they are dead set on being agg.

Part of it is the lack of real levels of play, and the desire to rise to the top as fast as possiable.

[hardr0ck68]

I read all the topics like this and I can't understand half of what your guys see. The UK Woodsball and Scenario scene is a very close knitt and friendly enviroment and as far as I know the UK tournament scene is healthy and, although there is more of an emphasis on new flash gear, It doesn't seem to be anywhere near as bad as the scene in the US. I just hope the UK scene doesn't follow the same route the US ones appears to be following.

When i go to play with my college buddies we sit out if its newbs playing (indoor airball) but many other experianced guys wont, and on top of that they NEVER want to even up teams (based on skill not numbers). So you get games of 10 newbs V. 8 tourny regulars on a airball field. It doesnt take much immagination to figure out how many returning newbs they have.

[Boski51]

First things first; I love playing PB!

I hate some of the players. I play the game for the fun of it. Some folks do not. I love playing on teams with two types of player-the young guys and the old guys. Newbies are fun to watch play cuz they are just having a blast and doing the same stupid moves that I use to do. I love playing with the old pros cuz don't need to prove anything. They do this for the fun of it and can snap shoot anyone out without even trying.

Guys who play fair and have fun are what make this game a blast to play. However, there are those that yell, *****, cheat, whine and think they are the best thing on the field-without the skills to prove it. It only take a few of those type to ruin it for everyone.

My 2 cents.

[PumpPlayer]

Those type of people, hardrock, are indeed a problem. But that would be an unkind act no matter what game was in question and I don't think that it's particularly unique to paintball. You're always going to have a few bad apples.

As for younger kids not playing with dignity and respect, that's something that really has to be taught - preferably by a parent, but then... how many parents actually want to have anything to do with their kids? They'd rather just write the check and send them off the the field to get them out of their hair. Ask any paintball mom/dad what the rules of the game are. Ask them what the local field's chrono speed is. Ask them if they know what a chrono even is. More often than not, the response will be ignorance. That's the underlying problem, IMO. But again, that's nothing unique to paintball.


As I see it, the "problem" with paintball today, as well as the reason why it's better than ever, is the ammount of competition in the industry. On the one hand, it drives prices down and produces some better-quality product (some). But on the other, it drives away businesses that greatly contribute to the sport. The advertizing gets many people interested in the sport and there are now more places to play than ever before, but it also deludes those new people into thinking in certain ways. The "agg" kid, for example, is largely a combination of advertizing and the aforementioned ignorance.

I don't think paintball is going downhill. Yes, I still think it's more fun to play pump, but I can do that anytime I want...

[KJHawley]

I think it's the focus on pro teams, tournaments, television coverage, etc. Instead of playing for fun, you have starry eyed 13 year olds who are hoping to play paintball professionally when they "grow up". How many posts do you see on various boards about pro teams, TV coverage, whether paintball will become an Olympic sport, and all that? It's almost like if it's not on TV, it's not a "real" sport.

[benzy2]

The thing that kills me the most is the way people act. There are so many people today that want to make it big and are willing to stab everyone in the back to get ahead. I also find the recent turn to ultra fast guns less fun to play. It is much more entertaining for me to watch guys shoot a constant stream of 15bps but honestly as a fairly broke college kid the last thing on my mind is dumping a few hundred bucks on paint for the weekend. I dont have a problem with those who enjoy playing games with faster shooting guns but when I am automatically a newb because I shoot something mech is rediculous. I have played on and off over the last 10 or so years. Many people who have been playing for 2 months and started with, oh lets say and ion just to be steriotypical, think they have the right to rip me apart for a) not playing how they do, B) not having as "nice"(read new and hyped) equipment as they do, c) not being as "cool" of a player as them. I have always found in paintball that if you are happy nothing else matters. If I am having fun playing stock class with a bunch of other stock classers in the woods then thats great. If I am happy playing on a scenario field with a mech mag then great. If Im happy playing open division xball then great. Thats all that matters. Nobody has any right to rip on someone for playing a style they enjoy in paintball. Many of the newer players dont have that respect. Also a lot of players, and this goes extra for those who play with the more expensive guns using lots of paint, are well off financially. Im not saying everyone is rich or that everyone is handed the money to play but lets face it paintball is just entertainment to all but those making money off of it. Because some of the more spoiled players have never experienced hard times only being able to afford a bag of five hundred every other week or a month even many have no compassion for those who are restricted by money. I dont know how many times on online forums like pbn I see the response of "suck it up and pay for it. Just mow a few extra lawns so you can afford that new [insert something expensive here]." A lot of people have more than just paintball to pay for and god forbid they dont end up with money to spend freely on it. The responses are hardly ever "Yeah it sucks to be broke. I totally understand playing pump to save money." And when it is that response it is normally from someone who has played a while and has went through a decent pump and mech stage. Oh well I still have fun playing with the people around me so thats all that matters. If people want to be pricks about stuff for some stupid reason Ill just have to show them to the deadbox.

[phantomhitman]

Everyone is basically saying the same thing, it is the personality behind the gun. I have to agree......
About the parents not knowing about the game, I agree %110. I have seen less than 10 parents out watching their kid or playing with their kid in 2 years. I only know of 2 dads that regularly play with their kid and actually teach them morals while playing. Most of the idiots everyone speaks of are 14-16 year olds that just do not have a clue.

[phantomhitman]

That is true also.
I wanted to say this before, but I held off.
Back in the "golden days" of pb there were VERY few, if any, kids playing. The costs was simply too much and the sport didnt have a great image. Over the years the kids slid into the sport and somehow are taking it and making it theirs. Not to say there are no grown up jackass' running around too, but the younger crowd is being pointed out more than anyone else. It is quite obvious they do not care what image they potray as well as show how ignorantly they behave while acting embarasingly immature. The gun is a tool that just amplifys the idiot in people. There are always exception to the rule, but go to any field in the US and observe the truth.

[dahoeb]

i agree 100% with rogue and miscue.

heres an example of why i get so pissed off in paintball nowaday;

i was playing at camp pendleton paintball for a day of fun and adventure. i was in a trench and this guy came up behind me and didn't see me, he was about 20 feet away. i was completely exposed so i don't know how he didn't see me. while hes busy trying to empty as much as he can on my team, i take aim and fire 1 shot. i hit him but it clearly bounced, so i fire 1 more shot, which breaks on his chest.

i see him moving to put on his barrel sock and hes moving like hes about to crawl out of the trench and leave. in the meanwhile, i turn away and get ready to bunker of the last people on his team. all of a sudden i hear "IT BOUNCED IT BOUNCED!!" and before i can even turn around to see what exactly is going on, this guy absolutely lights me up. i was shot 6 times and he probably fired about 25-30 rounds toward me. keep in mind, i have no cover and am only 20ft away from him.

maybe it did bounce, and the break was just my imagination, who knows. but when i started playing about 9 or 10 years ago, if it was possible to shoot someone out with 1 or 2 paintballs, then thats what you did. it was just common courteousy (sp). its no fun getting lit up like i did, especially when its unneccesary.

unfortunately, thats not the only experience i had like that. there have been others, but that was the most recent one. and i've seen similar experiences like that happen to other players.