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John Sosta Interview on his new Formula 5 Format

Biscuit

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Mar 21, 2006
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now i saw something similar to this format about 5 yrs ago
and it was very spectator friendly and gave a focal point to the game
so if this format is anywhere as good if not better then john could be on to a winner
the only thing that needs to be addressed is the bps limit
i only say this as we are trying to get more new blood into the game so if it was a capped rate then you are going to encourage movement and less over shooting:D
could never understand 300fps
have never had to use my marker in any tournie above 280 fps to eliminate anybody
plus if it hurts less brings in new blood:)
 

Floris

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Feb 9, 2010
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Very interesting, I might try this at our local (large) speedball/woodsfield. By the looks of it you need a much larger field compared to the regular supair field.
 

Bolter

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Aug 19, 2003
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the only thing that needs to be addressed is the bps limit
i only say this as we are trying to get more new blood into the game so if it was a capped rate then you are going to encourage movement and less over shooting:D
dude, the field is HUGE! There is constant moving around, the game is so back and forth, its a real battle! Forget about 20bps laning, in fact forget anything xball, it is all obsolete in this format. If someone was shooting a lane in formula 5's, Id just go somewhere else :) or maybe think "screw it, I'll go for the buzzer". Its so big, theres room to sneak about, you can even make the bunkers you think are un-makable. Chances are, the guy trying to shoot you is going to be shot pretty soon anyways :)

At the last event, games looked like this. There was always a constant back and forth battle at the buzzer. There was always a constant battle for the snake and, if you could, snake 1 as you could hold off/defend the field pretty good from those two spots and there was a constant battle for the 2 massive cheeses on the "dorito" side. (there was no dorito side, I mean the opposite side to the snake) In the game field leading up to the centre 50 complex was a myriad of players at both ends constantly snaking, bumping up the field to get to these spots, or running back. Team coach at both base lines just mearly asking the players coming back on the field to go fill/support on a side of the field that needed it.

No-one even was bothered about the speed of the guns as its more important to have a good strategy and attack or defend the buzzer rather than blast away at 20bps. I know our guys had our guns set on 12-15 bps, and I think most guns there were the same. I think one guy had his on about 18-20ish, and not one person thought it was bad just purely because of the distances involved. Only real punishment anyone got was making a dash for the buzzer, usually at the wrong moment :D but that comes with paintball, and if you dont want to do that, let someone who does do it :)

Id agree with you if we were talking xball ;)

Would love for you to come down and check it out. Of course if you want a game, im sure we could get you in somewhere.
 

Donk

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May 11, 2010
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Bps limit

At the end of the tourney the officials asked us if we wanted to cap bps, allow radios & some other things I believe (by then my little brain was fried from the intensity of the games) but nobody wanted to cap the limit or allow radios.

It really doesn't benefit you to have your marker set to warp speed, I mean yeah true you are never going to miss a moving player but your going to be trotting back for more air & paint in half the time so it balances itself out. The guys running 12-15 bps were the only team I saw to pin another team in their "end zone" so there is something in it...
 

Raffles

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Jun 21, 2004
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I wonder if this is going to mean more players leaning towards markers that are very easy on air?

Anyway, one thing I'm not clear on. When a player is 'dead' - does he/she go back to the dead box and another squad player take their place (so there's always a full team out)? Can this 'dead' player then rejoin the game if another player 'dies'?

Oh - and can you get air fills while you are waiting to take some-ones place? If not, can you have a different bottle sat at the side so you can simply swap them over? Or is it a 'once you are out of air - you are out of the game'?
 

Potter Loki

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Mar 18, 2007
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I wonder if this is going to mean more players leaning towards markers that are very easy on air?

Anyway, one thing I'm not clear on. When a player is 'dead' - does he/she go back to the dead box and another squad player take their place (so there's always a full team out)? Can this 'dead' player then rejoin the game if another player 'dies'?

Oh - and can you get air fills while you are waiting to take some-ones place? If not, can you have a different bottle sat at the side so you can simply swap them over? Or is it a 'once you are out of air - you are out of the game'?
As soon as you get shot out, you sprint back to the pits, and as soon as you enter "tag" another player in, who then promptly runs out the dead box, you sort out paint/air wipe the old hits off then join the que to wait for another dead player to tag you back into the game, so yes always 5 players on the field (ish obviosuly there will be a gap between people getting shot and a new player coming on)

and the 3k fill station is in each pit, identical to the ones used by hpac etc......
 

Raffles

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Jun 21, 2004
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Thanks for the excellent explanation :)

May be an idea to have spare bottles (already filled to 3K) sat at the side - so you can simply swap them over. Of course this means that someone has to be a pit pony ;). They could have the pots ready as well. Actually, I guess I am teaching my granny...
 

Potter Loki

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Mar 18, 2007
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theres plenty of time to fill your bottle back up, probably take just as long to put a new bottle on, and when you do you should technically re-chrono so.... yeah we had boxes of pots ready filled....
 

Raffles

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Good point about the re-chrono - I hadn't thought of that.

I am now wondering about the reffing aspect here. Seems that there needs to be at least 1 in each 'pit' to supervise as well as 1 or 2 on the 'buttons'. So, how many refs does each game need (as a rough guide)?

Actually - rather than me asking all these questions - is there a rule book anywhere?

Thanks in advance.
 

Potter Loki

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Mar 18, 2007
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Good point about the re-chrono - I hadn't thought of that.

I am now wondering about the reffing aspect here. Seems that there needs to be at least 1 in each 'pit' to supervise as well as 1 or 2 on the 'buttons'. So, how many refs does each game need (as a rough guide)?

Actually - rather than me asking all these questions - is there a rule book anywhere?

Thanks in advance.
http://www.formula5paintball.com/www.formula5paintball.com/HOME

click on the media tab

There is a ref in each pits to count players in for eliminations as they come in, 2 overlooking the buzzer and then about 6 or 8 more spread out around the field i cant remember exactly...