Screw the "good old days"

[BigEvil]

Screw the good old days -

I dont understand everyone's emotional attachment to them. Think about it;

-3 hour drives to get to a field.
-co2 @ $10 a fill
-20fps velocity swings
-gravity fed or tilt feed loaders
-hour long games of standing around "guarding the flag" (waiting)
-long walks to different fields
-$120.00/case paint
-8 bps!! (at best)
-very few pro-shops. (the internet was still in its infancy, so no online shops either)
-not too many players out there yet

We are in the "Good new days" IMO things are MUCH better for players now;
-$40/case paint
-HPA
-Fields all over
-lots of players to shoot
-good quality gear at any pricerange.
-Speedball and woodsball. Fields have also evolved where games are much quicker, better run, and with little down time between games.
-FIREPOWER + ACCURACY
-Pro-shops aplenty, both online, and local mom and pop stores

The only part of paintball I think that really took a dump is the manufaturing end. I dont know what is worst, the competition, the lawsuits, or the customer service. (In many cases). But even with all of the BS, SOMEONE is make a ton of money in paintball.

I gotta laugh at the emotional nostalgic haze that people look at the past in. I think we all tend to over exagerate just how 'good' the good old days really were. I guess we are all just getting old. We all miss the good times we had, but we cant forget that there are plenty of opportunities to make new good times.

Im 34 now, alot slower than I was, but I am enjoying paintball now much more than at any other time in the 15 years ive been playing. I am also playing alot more than I was, so I wonder if that has anything to do with it. I dont get that "Kid on Christmas morning" feeling anymore like I used to, but playing is still my all time favorite recreation. (And obsession)

[Raven001]

While today will become someones "Good Ole Days", I must disagree with you.

Yes paint and CO2 was expensive. Maybe the Nelspots and PGP's didn't have the range and BPS that the new fangled markers do. The BDU's don't hold a candle to the stuff DYE and Empire make. So what? At least I didn't have some snot nosed kid screaming in my face asking me if I want some of something he thinks he has because I caught him wiping...

[BigEvil]

While today will become someones "Good Ole Days", I must disagree with you.

Yes paint and CO2 was expensive. Maybe the Nelspots and PGP's didn't have the range and BPS that the new fangled markers do. The BDU's don't hold a candle to the stuff DYE and Empire make. So what? At least I didn't have some snot nosed kid screaming in my face asking me if I want some of something he thinks he has because I caught him wiping...

I understand your point, and agree with it. However, the beautiful thing about having so many places to play, is if things go on that you dont like, you can go out and find somewhere else to spend your money.

I think having choices like that will help get instances of "snotty kids" under control in the long run. If businesses cannot run proffessionally then customers will go someplace else to spend their money.

Ten years ago, you probably couldnt do that - you had to either put up with it, or not play. (Or play outlaw, which is happening less and less in my area lately)

[REDRT]

I'd agree with you BigEvil. Things have gotten way better for me PB wise in the last few years except at age 32 I'm getting slower for some strange reason. I have some fond memories of days gone bye, but all and all the sport has gotten way better.

10 years ago if you were invited to play at someones house it ment in the woods or something. Last weekend I played outlaw on a ten man Xball field with air fills. Oh how the times have changed; for the better...

[slasherdan]

Hell my Good ole Days was some Rogue ball ... Now all my rogue fields are either strip malls or housing developments.

[Raven001]

I understand your point, and agree with it. However, the beautiful thing about having so many places to play, is if things go on that you dont like, you can go out and find somewhere else to spend your money.

I think having choices like that will help get instances of "snotty kids" under control in the long run. If businesses cannot run proffessionally then customers will go someplace else to spend their money.

Ten years ago, you probably couldnt do that - you had to either put up with it, or not play. (Or play outlaw, which is happening less and less in my area lately)

I understand and agree with points you made as well. The equipment is much better today and it is cheaper to play plus there are (in my area at least) many places to go. Unfortunatly I find that rather than encouraging owners to weed out the "snotty kids" it actually does the opposite. Since there are many chasing the limited bucks, the owners are willing to let quite a bit of unsociable behaviour go. When I first started playing in the eighties, I never saw anyone have a temper tantrum. It was new, it was fun and a sociable event.

In the nighties, there would be one tantrum per tournament. Now you get at least one per game. Too many wigger gangstas wannabies, too many newbie hunters...

My rant at least

[REDRT]

I dont get that "Kid on Christmas morning" feeling anymore like I used to, but playing is still my all time favorite recreation. (And obsession)

I still get that "kid on Christmas morning" feeling. Only when I see another mag user on the field or in the store. Like long lost family reunited.

[-Cilio-]

I do enjoy the choices in fields that we have today.

Paint was more expensive in the past but you shot less because of rates of fire. In the "really old days" there were only pumps, so you really shot less. There's much more of a reliance on rate of fire today. That's not saying that players aren't skilled now, there are many that are HIGHLY skilled and have the ROF to boot.

Back when there were Splatmasters and pumps only, I can't say that I remember anyone cheating. Many of the people that played were "purest's".
In the middle years (early/mid 90's)...there were far less cheaters. (there were some, just far, far, far less percentage wise).

I'm not one of those people who is now older and thinks back to when I was young, fast, ect... I still am , play a good deal of paintball and remain in excellant shape at almost 38.
I however do believe things were more enjoyable in the "old days", overall, at least that's my opinion. Paintball is still very enjoyable though... where else do you get to shot someone, without getting arrested, and everyone goes home afterward

[geekwarrior]

i think the good ole days refers more to players than the equipment/prices. There is just a new attitude that most of the older players dont like. I normally just play with friends on private fields, so I dont have to put up with it to much, but I have noticed it when I play with walkons and on public fields. That being said, I still love the sport, and love my mag and Angel better than my F4, although it still holds a special place in my heart.

[BigEvil]

i think the good ole days refers more to players than the equipment/prices. There is just a new attitude that most of the older players dont like. I normally just play with friends on private fields, so I dont have to put up with it to much, but I have noticed it when I play with walkons and on public fields. That being said, I still love the sport, and love my mag and Angel better than my F4, although it still holds a special place in my heart.

Its all about having fun, isnt it? I have learned to keep going back to the good fields. You get to know the locals, or, you play with some of your own guys. I think it kind of insulates you from the immaturity somewhat.

Every activity gets hurt by ******** when it becomes popular. Its just human nature. Like has been stated 1000xs before, if you see something that isnt right, you should always talk to a ref or field owner.

Having a good reputation yourself also helps greatly. I always make it a point to meet the field owners and ref even if its just to BS a little between games. The refs who know me know what im all about, and wont hesitate or give me a tough time if I point something out or question something. Its almost like a veteran baseball player getting calls that a rookie wouldnt. The ref's see me call myself out, call paintchecks on myself, and helping other players out.

Sometimes you cant change the world, but you can set a good example yourself.

I know what you guys mean when you say how rare cheating was back in the day - and its true. Paintball was more like an elite club that not everyone knew about. Paintball is a good thing and alot of other people are figuring that out for themselves. I still now think that the good outweighs the bad.

I also think that these immature players will eventually grow up - you cant stay 14 forever. Just about everyone will someday earn their own paycheck, and have to spend their own money to play. It will probably be at that point the little light goes on in their heads.

And in the mean time, I think the people who miss the good old AO days should be the shepards for all the new "young'uns" who find their way to Automags.org. If the old guard has moved on, its up to the new one to keep things going in the right direction. No one wants this place to turn into another PBN, so its pretty much up to us to set a good example.

/gets off of my soapbox
//drinks my coffee

[mag_lover05]

i love it, i feel so special shooting a mag. you get weird looks by the rich kids with timmy's and stuff, then you turn around and own them with a mech marker.

im one of 2 maggers in my area and we are always on the same team, we dominate our local field and because of it, the "snotty kids" stopped showing up and we were thanked for putting them in "their place" as some said. we never said anything to them, we just played for like an hour and a half and they left because there $1000+ gun died, $100+ loader ran out of batteries, and their 4,000 rounds of paint went to quickly. and our $300 used mags worked awsome, our $25 used revvy's worked flawlessly, and our 2,000 rounds of paint lasted all day.

i love playing in the "good new days", EVERYTHING is cheaper. and i will only shoot mags. i would rather have a classic valved vert feed mag, then any other gun. because they work. and they always work.

OVER ALL: id have to say, being able to buy used, cheap, good mag, a used loader, and a used air system, for about $400 you have the best set up EVER in my book. paint is cheaper, as well as equipment, and that is what makes the "good new days"

[Lohman446]

im one of 2 maggers in my area and we are always on the same team, we dominate our local field and because of it, the "snotty kids" stopped showing up and we were thanked for putting them in "their place" as some said.

Funny. I read this as we took the best players available and stacked teams so that those opposing us had no chance, and after awhile those paying a lot of money to play a game left because they could no longer have any fun without having a chance. But it was ok because we did not approve of how they chose to play the game.

[SummaryJudgement]

Screw the good old days -

I dont understand everyone's emotional attachment to them. Think about it;

-3 hour drives to get to a field.
-co2 @ $10 a fill
-20fps velocity swings
-gravity fed or tilt feed loaders
-hour long games of standing around "guarding the flag" (waiting)
-long walks to different fields
-$120.00/case paint
-8 bps!! (at best)
-very few pro-shops. (the internet was still in its infancy, so no online shops either)
-not too many players out there yet

Don't forget! Back then Brass Eagle yellow was the most common paint available! The Brass Eagle pink was their "tournament grade" paint

I remember how big a deal it was when Marbilizer came out

[coyote]

The gear got better...

Anti chop eyes, better safer masks, painball specific safety gear.

Did the culture get worse?

I am going to say no. It just got bigger I don't think there are more cheaters or bad attitudes, simply more people playing the game.

It did get YOUNGER though. If your area of play isn't kind to newbies , they grow into worse players than the generation before them. The poor skills and bad attitudes lead to cheating.

For all the advances in gear I still play with a stock gun at least part of the day every time I play.

[Z-man]

Screw the good old days -

I dont understand everyone's emotional attachment to them. Think about it;

-3 hour drives to get to a field.
-co2 @ $10 a fill
-20fps velocity swings
-gravity fed or tilt feed loaders
-hour long games of standing around "guarding the flag" (waiting)
-long walks to different fields
-$120.00/case paint
-8 bps!! (at best)
-very few pro-shops. (the internet was still in its infancy, so no online shops either)
-not too many players out there yet

I didn't come to paintball for the technology. In a heartbeat I would take the above conditions if it meant I would be playing with honest mature people. Even if the equipment evolved to where markers were accurate out 100 yards within 1 inch and a 68/45 tank allowed for 4000 rounds between fills, what does it matter when dealing with cheating? I play paintball for the people I play with. If the best there is is pumps, ok. Having my old SFL in hybrid mode bouncing out low 20bps on cheating swine is no fun because..... THEY CHEAT! My good old days are the days I played with the NorCal crew no matter what markers and equipment I used.