Why don't I want to play?

[UberGeek]

I'm still technically a newb but started playing since early 2007 and a bunch of AO members from the Southern California area know me (probably tolerate me only, I don't know about like) and I haven't felt the want/need to play in about a year and a half.

I got a girlfriend about a year ago but I was feeling this way before meeting her and so money and girlfriend is not a problem since I'm good at budgeting my finances and my girlfriend doesn't mind and even wants to play sometimes.

Has anyone felt this way before? Did you get over it? And if you did, how did you do it?

Thanks a lot guys.

[b-cuzz]

Sounds like you haven't quite found your groove yet. I started playing in 2000 at Camp Pendleton, about once a month. I was conservative (nervous), and was using a spyder on co2. I left the military in '02, and didn't play again until '04. I kept up to speed by reading the magazines, bought another spyder and a cocker, and kept having the urge. At work, I met a customer who had also played and wanted to get back into it, so we set it up and went. When I played again, I was more comfortable with the sport and myself, and my playing style got much more aggressive. I'm at the point now where I cannot see me not wanting to tinker or play.
When you're comfortable with the people you're playing with and the way you play, it gets easier and more enjoyable. I don't go unless I go with my friends, and in the meantime I'm usually building another gun.

[Smoothice]

I can't speak for everyone. But I tolerate you... j/k!

Let me ask you this. When you started in 07' where was your level of like for paintball? On a scale of 1 to 10. Was it like a drug you couldn't get enough of or just a fun thing to do when the opportunity arose? I'm just curious.

Also I think your playing carrier has been overshadowed with equipment problems. I don't know many people that actually needed an exorcism to get their emag to work...

My third thought (of a bunch of random thoughts that probably are not helpful to you or anyone) is maybe you are just going through a paintball midlife crisis. When I first started back in 1994 I was way into it. But I didn't have much else to distract me. So I played almost every weekend. As life got more interesting (high school sports, girls, girls, girls) I all but stopped playing. Then when I went to college I didn't even bring my markers with me.

So I would say this is natural. Probably happens to a lot of people. Don't force it. Next time a big event or a group of friends (hopefully you consider the AO SoCal group friends) go out and have a good time. You'll either fall back in love and want to play more. Or you will be happy just to see some friends and shoot some paint a few times a year.

[Loguzzzzzz]

Sometimes it takes getting out there again and playing to re-wet the appetite for the game.
I go more for the people then the game itself. The SoCal guys are like family to me now so I look forward to getting together to trade paint, stories and to hang out with my buddies.

Other than that I have no real answer. I dabbled in paintball back in 1986 with a Sheridan pistol and then put it away until 2004 when My son finally chipped away at me and I broke down and got a couple markers. The reason I was reluctant was because I knew that I would not just dabble in it this time and sure enough, I became a full fledged MagWhore!

Good Luck in your quest for an answer. Hope you decide to come out and play again.

[pmstc]

i dont play anymore. i used to play tons and be obessed from around 2001-2009. its just expensive, there are a lot of retards that kill the experience for me, and i've taken on other hobbies. i dunno why, but it doesn't do it. it feels like i haven't played for almost two years, but i bought a micromag to keep in my closet when i could tell i was getting out of it. mags last forever. some ass stole my mask though, so that is kind of a deterrent to me just playing on a random weekend.

[going_home]

Get To The Woods !

If you are playing speedball then there is your answer why.
Play 3 minutes reload 15 minutes.
Play 3 minutes reload 15 minutes.
Play 3 minutes reload 15 minutes.
Play 3 minutes reload 15 minutes.

Yep.
Boring.


Now 20 to 30 minute games hunting people that are hunting you is almost too much fun.
Then its more playing than reloading time.
I got burnt out on speedball but when I went back to where I started,
playing woodsball, I've been enjoying it more than ever.

[MANN]

Play 3 minutes reload 15 minutes.

Thats the problem. It should not take you 15 minutes to reload.

[going_home]

Thats the problem. It should not take you 15 minutes to reload.

The point was the reloading is always way longer than the games in balloon ball.
So the big question is do you want to spend your time playing or reloading ?
Everyone has their own preferences.
Plenty of both types of fields around here, some fields have both.

[OPBN]

I know this thread seemed to die a couple of weeks ago, but I have been having some similiar issues. Out of curiosity, how far are the fields away from you and do you have anyone to go with? My primary "paintball friend", as Greg Hastings likes to say, is my brother in law. Unfortunately, he has a job where he is on call every other weekend as well as karate tourneys. Add to that, we mainly like to do big games/scenarios vs rec play and getting the planets to align so that he has a free weekend to go out and play is tough. Also, we are in a bit of a hole as far as fields. Most of the fields holding big games are at least 2.5-3 hours away. I am faced with a lot of situations like this weekend where there is a game I REALLY want to go to but he can't, and the thought of driving for nearly 7 hours total and camping out by myself isnt really all that appealing. So essentially, my problem is I love to play, but the distance and lack of people to travel with are making it difficult. So I guess mine isn't a lack of motivation, just a lack of motivation to go by myself.

[Pullman]

I'm right there. It's the 2 hour drive before and after that kills it for me as well.

[93klauss]

Recruit, Recruit, Recuit

Well I started in 96 played with a small group in Ny. As all other posts say life happens, college, girls, whatever. So I set my mag down, in the worst place a basement.. Sat there for about 10 years.. Never thought about it again.

Until a gut that lived above me said that he played at a new feild nearby, almost a hour away, but up here thats close. Browwed a gun,a tippman, and played all day.. Felt that Pball drug run through my system again.

Bought a oring kit for the mag. Cleaned her and gassed her up and after 10 years of sitting on a shelf in a basement she still fired like she did when i set her down. So now after getting Lit up by Electro-kids, I went from a classic mag to a x-valved warped fed over the winter. Still putting the finishing touches on her, but I'm sure it wont be what there expecting!!!

So the whole point of the story, RECRUIT!!! If that guy; who turned out to be a good friend, did not invite me to play, that mag would still be sitting in the basement collecting dust. So guys and girls, tell your friends, buddies, co-workers, becuase you never know who might have played, want to play and just need that little push!!

I AGREE GET BACK IN THE WOODS!!!

[M98Punk]

All about the people!!! I played light tourny in HS with my bro and some friends, we has some dawsons creek falling out. Got back into in a bit in college (that started the micromag addiction) but even then I played with them a bit but walked because even if you have a great game when all you have to talk to it with are a bunch of idiots it's not fun. Got out, got back in because a few friends I work with play, tried to teach them a few things but they are knuckledrager agglet types so I played with them a few times and it was kinda fun but meh. then I was talking to some of the old outlawball guys and got a group of us together, now I make myself crazy organizing monthly/ 2 times a month NYOG get togethers (Not Yet Old Guys) [but it could also be New York Original Gangsta Agg Agg Agg] {Yes I am a dork}


In closing, lighting up the 16year old who shoots some dumb named electro who wipes is only fun if you can turn to your friend that you've known for almost 20 years and say, "lets see that little pube wipe his entire right side clean"

[keyk17]

I would also have to agree with many others out there: it's all about the people you go with. If you don't have dedicated paintballing friends to trade "war stories" with, what's the point? It all goes back to paintball being a team sport. In every other team sport, you have friends on that team with you. You know each other, trust each other, and when **** hits the fan, you rely on each other. In my opinion, the better you know (and like) the people you play with, the better time you'll have--and you'll keep coming back for more!

And, since we're sharing "how I fell in love with paintball again" stories...

I was like a lot of you guys: loved the game but put up my markers when I went away to college. In 4 years, I barely ever thought about the game. After making some new friends who used to be dedicated to the sport as well, we decided that it was time to get back into it. So, I went out and purchased the marker I'd never used but always secretly coveted: a stock class Phantom.

Maybe it was the 4 year absence, or maybe it was the fresh play style of the pump; in any case, I have become obsessed once again. Now, my Automag fund is slowly growing...


Note: is it possible to have the opposite problem, and like paintball TOO much?

[my automag]

Note: is it possible to have the opposite problem, and like paintball TOO much?

It is not possible to like paintball too much, but it is possible to have a problem, because of liking paintball much more than anything else.


Paintball is ALL about people, it always has, and will be...

These people have to come with RESPECT.

You just can't go play with cows anymore like they used to back then...

[neppo1345]

If you are playing speedball then there is your answer why.
Play 3 minutes reload 15 minutes.
Play 3 minutes reload 15 minutes.
Play 3 minutes reload 15 minutes.
Play 3 minutes reload 15 minutes.

Yep.
Boring.


Now 20 to 30 minute games hunting people that are hunting you is almost too much fun.
Then its more playing than reloading time.
I got burnt out on speedball but when I went back to where I started,
playing woodsball, I've been enjoying it more than ever.

I still maintain that all my best memories at a paintball field have happened in those 15 minutes...

I was lucky enough to form a group of friends (hell, some of them I met on AO) who just happened to all like paintball.

There were times we would roll 30 minutes to the field, be there all day and play maybe 10 short games. I've got some good memories from on the field, but the majority of them happened off the field in between games.

I pretty much stopped playing for 3 years while I was moving around for college internships...it just wasn't fun trying to get to know a new group of ballers when I would move from the north to south. The only times I played during that span was when I could get around to shoot with my dudes (Pump Pandemonium x2, AO-South, AO-SoCal, TunaBall, etc).

Don't get me wrong, I LOVE paintball; but what kept me in it wasn't the game...it was the people.