Part 2 - Comments, Criticisms and Praises
Ok then, that was the overview of the day. Now for my criticisms, comments and praises.
I have to agree with almost everything already said – although I don’t believe it was so terrible as Cowface seems to believe. We have to remember that it was a pretty massive operation that went on, with a lot of organization required and hard work. Also, this was probably the first big game that Paul and his colleagues have ever worked on, or at least worked in at least quite a few years. That considered, I had a very enjoyable day for the most part and will certainly return for the 2K3, by which I’m certain that there will have been a lot of lessons learned about what worked, what didn’t and what could be improved, changed or ditched.
Right, first of all the speakers in the forest – very cool idea, lots of them spread around so you could always hear something going on, some great sound effects (some really quite crappy and cheesey ones too!!), and helped to set the mood quite well.
Speakers in the base camp with background music all day long, another great touch that seemed to help in the tending of battle wounds, reloading, gassing up and cleaning up.
The chalk boards at the front with the field drawn on which could be edited to indicate air strike placements, areas where the newly re-inserted should concentrate their attack. They were updated constantly and very well making it a lot of fun and giving you something definite to do when you go back into the game.
Ok, this may seem like kind of a strange one, and it’s nothing to do with Warped, but it’s the attitude of many of the Northern players and their willingness to actually join into a firefight! Don’t get me wrong there were a ton of people out on the front lines all the time, but whenever I was re-inserted I always ended up walking past at least 50-100 people who were just kinda ‘hanging’ out at the back looking at their team getting ripped apart or just standing their taking potshots at a hundred ft!! It was damn near impossible to try and get people to move forward and risk getting hit by the opposition!! A few times I got to the front and made some moves to gain some ground and get behind bunkers within an accurate shooting range of the South army, until I had managed to wipe out a couple of them southerners and taken one or two more trees – I’d see hardly any forward movement from my team mates! (Sorry, just a little rant I had to do)
In association with my previous point, trying to get within an accurate shooting range of the enemy – or rather a range where my paint will reach them without getting shot myself. A couple of us had reasons to believe that some of the south (not picking on them in particular, just the fact that this was present) had some extremely hot guns. I had paintball whizzing past my head whilst mine were hardly bouncing to their bunkers (I chronoed in at about 294-298 with an AIR system too)!! A teammate with a flatline was even having a hard time. To really take the piss, and scare the **** out of some of us – we had a hopper that was shot straight through. Now that’s not funny. I hear that a couple of people were caught hot, but nothing official.
There were only two radar chronos at the north base I think, only one of which was working until a short while before game on. We could really have done with 3. I never had to wait much longer than 5 mins though (only at the beginning too).
The chrono booths were always manned though, and I don’t think that anybody with a hot gun was allowed to leave the booth until they had turned it down, which was good.
The marshalling. There were quite a few marshals, plenty actually. But how well performed is debatable. I know it’s a difficult job – I do it myself, but they need to listen to the players. I thought that the marshals were great for most of the day, they were checking most of my calls and pulling people out of bunkers. I only had one point where I was repeatedly calling for a marshall to check a person and they never did, when I was finally shot out by that person I turned around only to see a marshall standing about 10 ft behind me! I explained to him that I was certain the person had been hit and continued to walk back to my base – he just stood there and did bugger all. When there’s 500 players on the field it’s hard, but when someone explains to you from 2ft away that they believe someone is out and the marshall ignores them it annoys me.
The field was definitely a huge field, and definitely large enough in terms of length to cater for the numbers, but could have done with being a lot wider. At any one time, there was not way for you to flank the opposition with a small platoon, you would just get ripped up. The only way to progress in the game was to have a minimum of 30 people with you and make a run for it, quite aggravating when a lot of your team aren’t quite so willing as you are! *rolleyes*
There were however, some great bunkers and trenches which made great stronghold (for the South more than anyone!!) not to mention some great natural cover with some good sized trees and bushes etc.
The use of the military vehicles was pretty awesome, quite a few small hum vee type vehicles and a great tank kind of thing – it wasn’t a tank but I can’t remember what people were calling it, something beginning with ‘S’ I think. Anyways, they were a good touch – with some people using them to hide behind as they moved, getting shot to **** as soon as they entered enemy territory – but still, it was fun!!
There was enough room for setting up you equipment and keeping your stuff, about 2 table to each company (with 10 people in each company). These were also all located in a large canopy in case of foul weather. Open sided though – just a roof, which provided good ventilation through which is needed with a couple of hundred sweaty paintballers underneath them at certain times!!
There were two trade stands at the North base, Warped Sports and Phoenix Paintball. Both selling a variety of things, gloves, sqeegies etc. with a few guns on show. No magazines though, which I was a big bummed about. I was hoping to pick up a couple of Facefulls, the new edition of PGI would have been a good idea too – especially with a lot of rentals or people new to the sport attending.
I didn’t use the CO2 or air stations, so I can really comment, although I always saw a small line for CO2 fills.
All through the day there was a food van on site, and at lunch it was completely overloaded and in no way prepared to cater for the 326 players who wanted to eat at lunch on the north side alone!! I must have been in the que for at least 35 minutes and another 10 to finally get my chips (gotta have my chips!!). It didn’t help that marshals with special tickets seemed to keep heading straight to the front to order as well, it would have been better if some were able to eat before lunch and some after or similar. There was also an ice cream van that was unquestionably welcomed too!! This showed up for lunch, and then again at the end of the day – perfect.
The water is a problem mentioned, and it was a problem. I wasn’t too badly off as I brought plenty with me, but cleaning up sometimes and the like was quite difficult for some people. Definite room for improvement there.
There was a lorry full of paint, plenty to go around and at £40 a box they were being reasonable (especially seeing as you could book it in advance at £35). The ‘chronic’ used seemed to be pretty good, shooting pretty straight, and breaking in some great colours!! He he!
About the platoons etc. We were all allocated to a particular platoon, a group of 10 personel. A good idea, or so it seems – if your willing to stick to them and use them. I thought the platoon leaders were to be allocated head sets (or at least some of the lead players in the field) where they could communicate with the base camp. Now, if this happened then the communication between the base camp and themselves or themselves and the players was pretty crappy!! Especially considering we’re supposed to have a five minute warning when were about to be airstriked!! The only warning I ever got was a tap on the should from the marshall asking me to hand over my armband as I had been caught in an airstrike! DOH!!
I believe another thing that the scenario might have been lacking, is that of sub scenarios and actually specific missions – especially for each platoon. This would have helped to bring the platoons to work better together in the main game I believe aswell. These missions would coincide with missions set to platoons of the opposite base thereby create conflicts etc. when trying to execute them. These could range from hunting down a special player in a certain area of the map, protecting certain items, certain areas for lengths of time to get points or extra airstrikes etc. There are numerous things that could be done.
Well, that’s all I can think of right now! (that’s all you say?? Thank God!)
All in all, I had fun day out, shot a lot of paint, got shot a lot and will definitely return next year!!
I just want to say thanks to Paul and his team, the generals and anyone else who helped us out on the day. You did a damn good job for such a big operation and I hope it’s twice as good next year!! ;-)
Alex Jermstad (The dodgy American in the black 'USA - United We Stand' cap!!
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