Pball in the future (not 2300AD :) )

[Tiny(D.R)]

I can see where your coming from

Tyger: I agree with you on rules it does need to be standardized. On what you call ‘Hopperball’ just limiting players to a hopper will kill a lot of the game. But I think we need to start limiting the amount of paint people are carrying down to a few pots or so. But you’re never going to get people to agree to that.

We also need to start registering players & teams to what catagree they are in. i.e. Pro, Am, Nov. I mean you hardly see likes of Beckham, Scholes etc. down the park on a Sunday playing for the local pub team.

 

[Storm Pig]

If the rules were standardised and maintained for tourney paintball then players would have no choice but to follow them. Limiting paint carried on to the field would definately make it faster and more watchable. Maybe even determine paint levels on the position you play? ie. back players carry more?
Perhaps we should work on getting Beckham down to the local park?!!! OK - rank teams properly then. But we still want novice, amateurs and pro's playing at the same tourneys.

 

[Cenobite]

I think some people have hit the nail on the head when talking about televising and spectating paintball.

The problem is similar (but not the same) to motorsports. If if its filmed right it is far more rewarding to watch on tv than it is real life.

Just like watching motorcycle racing at Silverstone as I did recently.........it was watching 30 bikes ride by every 2 minutes it wasnt exactly inspiring or even vaguely exciting once the start was done with. Infact I slept half the afternoon. However its as much about the day out as the racing itself, and that I think is where paintball needs to push to ensure more spectators attend.

Unlike racing, you can watch a game and pretty much get whats going on, it can be instantly exciting spectating, and it is easy to understand what is occurring, pretty much. Stalls, bands entertainment are perhaps another key to bringing people in. If its more than just watching ballers,if its a day out then more might come along, then their spouses who arent interested might come to watch too, catch a band/dj or get involved in other things there etc. Maybe even start to see the appeal of the sport?

Why not experiment with formats that make paintball more like traditional games, with scoring that can go back and forth during a set game? Why not reset players every so often and have potential for more than one hang in any one game? Perhaps that would appeal to more people? It might be interesting if you lose the flag, to actually be reset and continue until your time is out. The game can swing back and forth, making it potentially more exciting to watch.

Now as some have said filming paintball is actually hard and expensive, you need a lot of cameras (but not too many to hinder play etc) and with the current interest in spectating and media coverage it really isnt worthwhile the production companies investing the cash.....so its kind of a tough cycle to break, but I think many are making slow but sure progress.

Sponsorship is another key but its a two way deal, if the company dont visibly benefit I doubt it would last? Remember Pepe jeans sponsoring a few years back? Sadly it didnt last long if I remember rightly....

These things dont happen over night, but slowly its being recognised.....

 

[Cenobite]

Incidentily the Daily Mirror has some sort of 2 for 1 paintball offer in it which has to be a good thing

 

[Storm Pig]

Best post yet!

Cenobite - that is the best post yet on this topic. Not only have you taken in other peoples thoughts and suggested improvements but based it on experience too.

A little bit more radical thinking and we are half way there. If we can show possible promoters that we are willing to change the format slightly even if it is just for televised tournaments or a specitfic "league" then they will be more interested in helping our cause.

 

[Liz]

Cenobite - interesting your comments about the format & suggesting "scoring" more than one flag hang in a game, & resetting players. This looks just about exactly what X-Ball is going to be doing! That has the added change of changing players during the game (after every "score" you get the option I think) rotating round 5 players from a squad of 10.

 

[Cenobite]

Thats good to hear and thats the kind of thing we might need to become further recognised! To use the old phrase try to "think outside the box", which whoever has designed the tourny has really done in this case. Often its too easy to stick with what we have, sounds like the Xball has gone for something vastly different which I think is excellent. Its not a new idea Im sure but someone has the balls to go against the normal format, and that may just be enough to make them a pball revolutionary

Sounds you mention effectively substituting, like a basketball team almost, something that again can drastically swing the game and something that adds further strategy and excitement potentially!! Its all good stuff in my mind if thats the case!

I just got the new issue of PGI today I might go have a read about the xball, perhaps it details the format? Lets hope others try the format, I know I would like to give it a go...

 

[Cenobite]

Just had a look in PGI!

It sounds like they will have 4 quarters of 10 minutes each for a single game, after each flag hang there is 3 minutes to refresh ammo etc and then game back on!

I dont know about anyone else but that sounds very exciting to me......I wouldnt have expected such long games, but nice to test stamina as well.......could prove very interesting......

 

[Richard Kirke (DUPS Rocket) UK]

X-Ball, thinking out of the Guppy

Wow,

That sounds cool! Really testing sides against each other, needing more than one plan for a field (unless you really want to get sweetspotted...) Yeah would love to give that a pop!

Richard

 

[Tyger]

Nobody wants to even TRY 1 hopper games to see if that would work.

Personally, I'd love to see limited paint formating as a true show of skills, but I don't see that happening any time soon either.

I'd honestly like to see some standards happen at all, I'd like to go to any field, any tournament, any event and KNOW the rules of the day without having to ask "Do gun shots count today?" Ok, tournaments are a little diffrent, but you get the idea.

-Tyger