It dawned on me recently, and I mentioned it to a few people, what is missing from the modern game. You just don't see proper fist fights like you used to. Paintball today is full of posers.
Nostalgia or Fact?
- Thread starter Robbo
- Start date
When I used to play the old woodland tourneys the atmosphere was electric.
All the teams got on really well with each other in the NZ, but when that whistle blew.....OMG....
What I miss is the upredictable fields.
You turned up to a tourney not knowing the layout.
Your in your base, work out which direction the other team was in, and that was it.
You had no idea how far they were, and more importantly, what was between you.
Just my 2 pence worth.
All the teams got on really well with each other in the NZ, but when that whistle blew.....OMG....
What I miss is the upredictable fields.
You turned up to a tourney not knowing the layout.
Your in your base, work out which direction the other team was in, and that was it.
You had no idea how far they were, and more importantly, what was between you.
Just my 2 pence worth.
Nostalgia just aint what it used to be....
For me it was all about the people, the night before, being with my friends, having nothing to prove. Winning was a bonus.
I'd kill to go back and have my years 18-21 again.
For me it was all about the people, the night before, being with my friends, having nothing to prove. Winning was a bonus.
I'd kill to go back and have my years 18-21 again.
I think back in the day it was also a more exclusive sport. Only dedicated people could play it, due to the cost. You didn't have to be uber wealthy (though it helps) but you had to work overtime, to get the money for that box of paint, or Bud Orr.
The amount of kiddies, who patrol these forums pouncing on the unwitting has surely raised awareness, but lowered standards. As for thowever mentioned TV being the holy grail, well there is evidence of Paintball being aired on ESPN 12 years ago, and we are still no further on.........
The amount of kiddies, who patrol these forums pouncing on the unwitting has surely raised awareness, but lowered standards. As for thowever mentioned TV being the holy grail, well there is evidence of Paintball being aired on ESPN 12 years ago, and we are still no further on.........
The biggest difference to me on the woods vs supair debate is the level at which it is possible to properly marshall a supair field.
I played some woodland tournaments a long time ago, but gave up because I got bored of shooting people then watching them duck behind a bush and come out clean 40 seconds later. The idea that there was any true level of 'competition' or this was a 'sport' was bit of a joke, unless it was the sport of wiping.
Although I really miss the 'greenery', supair was the only way competetive paintball could have progressed.
These days when I step onto the field I feel confident that if my team shoots a guy there is a very high chance the marshalls will be there to see it and pull him out if he chooses not to walk all by himself
Most of the time in the woods there was barely ever a marshall in sight !
I played some woodland tournaments a long time ago, but gave up because I got bored of shooting people then watching them duck behind a bush and come out clean 40 seconds later. The idea that there was any true level of 'competition' or this was a 'sport' was bit of a joke, unless it was the sport of wiping.
Although I really miss the 'greenery', supair was the only way competetive paintball could have progressed.
These days when I step onto the field I feel confident that if my team shoots a guy there is a very high chance the marshalls will be there to see it and pull him out if he chooses not to walk all by himself
Most of the time in the woods there was barely ever a marshall in sight !
Paintball in general was more exciting back then.
The whole game was still expanding, it felt exiting to be part of that bubble, see the changes, the evolution. Playing all the top teams, all the time and having the holy grail once a year (Mayhem) to aim for just seemed to make the calendar more rounded.
Over the last couple of years that fluid expansion and innovation of the game seems to have stopped, it's now being straight jacketed and shoed into a pigeon hole to suit other agendas rather than just the organic growth seen before.
Fun? Back burnered
The players wishes? Back burnered
How? Games shortened to serve the promoter
Game numbers reduced to serve the promoter
Feild sizes reduced to serve the promoter
etc, etc
Of course paintball used to be more exciting; no-one really knew where it was going and I can't say I like it now I know. But it was the best fun finding out.
The whole game was still expanding, it felt exiting to be part of that bubble, see the changes, the evolution. Playing all the top teams, all the time and having the holy grail once a year (Mayhem) to aim for just seemed to make the calendar more rounded.
Over the last couple of years that fluid expansion and innovation of the game seems to have stopped, it's now being straight jacketed and shoed into a pigeon hole to suit other agendas rather than just the organic growth seen before.
Fun? Back burnered
The players wishes? Back burnered
How? Games shortened to serve the promoter
Game numbers reduced to serve the promoter
Feild sizes reduced to serve the promoter
etc, etc
Of course paintball used to be more exciting; no-one really knew where it was going and I can't say I like it now I know. But it was the best fun finding out.
Is a shame to hear somebody think that.
in the last couple of years I have had the oppurtunity to play a couple of fun games in the woods. I donned my old real tree with pure joy and went out with high expectations, only to find it actually quite slow / dull / boring in comparison to modern ball.
What we have now is a distillation of the old speedball game, which I always did use to enjoy more, but I guess that's just me.
back in the day
I made good friends out of the people i played with when i first started playing. i even like kitch. So i voted for old school.
It was more enjoyable to play tournamnets than train.
Training seems soleless.
Maybe it is all round the wrong way play more train less?
Although the year of exl/open xball was my favorite year playing ball ever. Norway was a real highlight just seeing his face when he collected his 'rental' bus
I made good friends out of the people i played with when i first started playing. i even like kitch. So i voted for old school.
It was more enjoyable to play tournamnets than train.
Training seems soleless.
Maybe it is all round the wrong way play more train less?
Although the year of exl/open xball was my favorite year playing ball ever. Norway was a real highlight just seeing his face when he collected his 'rental' bus
