Innovation is dead.

[custard cavalier]

came across this on the nation (yeah sorry)

thought that it was a great statement

Innovation is dead.

There are no major hurdles left for us to jump.

The days of game-changing, sport-altering technology are behind us.

The beast that we’ve built, fed, and nurtured has slain us.

The industry is stagnant. We might have a shortage of ideas—but more importantly, we have a shortage of innovators. We have run them out of town—both on the internet forums, and on legal chariots in the name of our financial interests.

The inventors and dreamers have been ridiculed, sued, discouraged, and destroyed.

The guns are lighter, better, and faster than ever before. They outrun the loaders that feed them; the loaders race and crush the brittle paint that we demand to break on our opponents. The guns are as light as they’re going to get. The weight of 180 paintballs is heavier than some of the guns on the market. The markers will only become more top heavy; and they are as efficient, and as accurate as we’re ever going to get. A ball can only be so round…and a tube can only be so straight. All we have left is comfort features, milling\color changes, and useless upgrades.

We demand newer, lower priced products, and utmost performance. Yet we accost the new and the different. We hated screw-in tanks—they reminded us of Co2. We booed the Angel because it had a circuit board. We lamented the Halo because it looked different than the Revolution. We loathed the Ego because it wasn’t an Intimidator.

However, the days of those innovations are long gone. Rather than complaining about new, different products, we complain that they aren’t different enough. The Marq, Ego, and DM are the same gun every year—just rehashed and rehyped. But we want it newer, better, different, and less expensive.

Where is there room for new, and different?

We complain when it’s different, we complain when it’s the same. We complain when it’s the same model as last year; we complain when it’s new and costs more.

The technology curve is over.

All we have left is our industry and leagues—both of which are an unfathomable mess. If there’s any hope left in this sport, it will only come in these areas.

The next year will prove to be a crucial year in paintball—it will mark the fatal decline, or fresh start of paintball. Be a part of history. Support your local store—and the products they sell. Support the dreamers; embrace the new and different. Open your ears and eyes—or our ignorance is going to make us irrelevant.

 

[Lump]

what he said

 

[Kitty]

Until a marker makes my breakfast and does my laundry of course there is room for improvment

Although sadly i think hes right, maybe room for improvment on hopper, who knows maybe the stuff will go airless soon, completly shake up the way we play

 

[SAMUEL.D.RYAN]

Oh great, so there's nothing left to change... that means paintball is rubbish now?
Come on, what's the problem with PLAYING paintball? Why does everyone focus on all the bad points? the game is still entertaining for those who play it, why do you need a new marker every year to keep your interest?

Sorry, just felt I had to say that.




My views are my own and are not representative of my team or any affiliates

 

[Kitty]

i fail to see that thats the point being made bandykins, sharing paint accross the field will always be fun

But as ballers we are ever demanding, will the industry be able to keep us interested in their latest gadgets? How far can we take the products available? Self loading pods? self shooting guns lol we cant really take the innovation side any further without destroying the game for those playing it.

That my friend is the point. ish.

 

[SAMUEL.D.RYAN]

Ahh I see, is it not worth waiting for technology to catch up with the game?
I know i'd wait. I think someone should bring back the custom houses

 

[Buddha 3]

Oh great, so there's nothing left to change... that means paintball is rubbish now?
Come on, what's the problem with PLAYING paintball? Why does everyone focus on all the bad points? the game is still entertaining for those who play it, why do you need a new marker every year to keep your interest?

Sorry, just felt I had to say that.




My views are my own and are not representative of my team or any affiliates

Whilst he doesn't explain his point very well, he does have a point. Innovation is a must have.
When there is no innovation, sooner or later people will get fed up with buying a new gun every year, just because it has new milling. The result will be less guns sold, which will be even more detrimental to an already slumped paintball economy. It may well result in businesses going down the drain.

I agree with you that from a fun point of view, it shouldn't make the slightest bit of difference, but in order for paintball companies to remain healthy, there needs to be an incentive to get that new gun every year or so.

 

[Bon]

I personally believe the way for the game to move forward is to move away from the BALL side of things and move to bullet shaped "ammunition" instead.

Markers can be re-designed, new ways of feeding can be implemented, new designs in paint (why have all the paint all over like in a paintball, why not just have it in the tip of the "bullet") and so on.

Yes it may make the whole thing more contestable about being rambo wannabes and such, but the point is there that unless something as simple, yet ground breaking as changing the shape of our ammunition comes in that it will sit there and stagnate.

Games would become more skillfull, no longer who can carry the most pots and throw the most paint down the field, but having limited "magazines" making accuracy and skilled shots what count.

 

[ShimmerShot]

The idea of paintball is to distance ourselves from the real world of gun's, thats why we don't call markers 'guns' and paintballs 'bullets or pellets'.

If we start creating your idea of ammunition then we would just further alienate ourselves from the world outside of paintball.


What happened to the joy of playing paintball with a bunch of people you like?
what happened to playing paintball because you enjoy it? People still play tennis even though their racquets can't get any lighter, cycling even though their bikes can't go any faster, badminton even though the shuttle **** can't go any faster, its all down to your own personal skills to make the shuttle go faster, to land the shuttle where you want it, to be at the right place at the right time.

Were going to hit this barrier of where technology will get us, and I believe thats a good thing, even though the evolution of paintball loaders and markers may probably not be as exciting over the horizon as to the last 15years, it puts everyone on the same playing field.
Guns will get cheaper so that their more affordable to the people and would put alot of people on the same playing level, the only thing that you would need is good teamwork skills, good personal skills to get you through, isn't this why we play paintball?
Theres a good camaraderie within paintball which i love, everyones friendly and helpful, people are always willing to give advice. This is why I love the sport.

 

[jack_judge]

Oh great, so there's nothing left to change... that means paintball is rubbish now?
Come on, what's the problem with PLAYING paintball? Why does everyone focus on all the bad points? the game is still entertaining for those who play it, why do you need a new marker every year to keep your interest?

Sorry, just felt I had to say that.




My views are my own and are not representative of my team or any affiliates

took the words out of my mouth