D
This poll bears a certain resemblance to a poll conducted earlier this year asking which league would be supported. The results were something like this:
28% for "Any X Ball league some good souls might start"
26% for NPPL Europe
24% for Millennium
It's interesting that the less expensive Lite variant of X Ball wasn't in the picture nor was the option of Millennium with X Ball given as a choice in which case you MIGHT have had an answer closer to 50% as these results suggest. This is also in the light of the fact that Europe has never had a league that has whole-heartedly supported X Ball as PSP have.
Be interesting to see the results after a few weeks.
28% for "Any X Ball league some good souls might start"
26% for NPPL Europe
24% for Millennium
It's interesting that the less expensive Lite variant of X Ball wasn't in the picture nor was the option of Millennium with X Ball given as a choice in which case you MIGHT have had an answer closer to 50% as these results suggest. This is also in the light of the fact that Europe has never had a league that has whole-heartedly supported X Ball as PSP have.
Be interesting to see the results after a few weeks.
D
duffistuta
Guest
I'd love to play X Ball but only if i was rich or on a rich team.
But as i'm poor and unlikely to get on a rich team then X Ball Low Fat it is.
But as i'm poor and unlikely to get on a rich team then X Ball Low Fat it is.
Having played both, I prefer Xball. I have played a lot more 7 man than Xball, but there is no contest in my mind.
The expense thing is misleading. Paying for an Xball team is more expensive; paying for a single player is not appreciably so.
If you are athletic at all, you have an edge in Xball that you wouldn't in 7 man. Endurance matters more, sprint speed matters more, luck matters less. Most technical aspects seem balanced to me, between the two formats.
7 man involves a lot of waiting. Xball involves a lot of paintball played.
In Xball you get a familiarity with your opponent that takes a long time coming in 7 man, assuming you play a team often enough to get a feel for them at all.
Crowds told to remain silent do not get as worked up as crowds that not only get to yell whatever they want, but can influence the game. There is an obvious downside to this, but knowing that supporting your team makes a tangible difference is a unique advantage that Xball has for on site spectators that no other sport can claim. I have been burned by crowds, but I have also enjoyed the intensity of having them.
Xball field design seems more refined than 7 man field design to me. 7 man fields are inconsistent in play quality. The different brands appeal to a lot of different people, but I recall hating every Angel field for a year, then hating every Spyder field for almost as long. The Xball fields I have played have been fun and offered different play options that gave both flexibilty and some predictability.
I actually appreciate the pit environment. My first Xball experience, we changed our pit "strategy" a lot from one game to the next, and it was amazing what the difference in feel was.
I like carrying a lighter tank and fewer pods. I want to run, because I am good at it, and I don't like having my balance interfered with any more than necessary.
I like the simplicity of the goal in Xball.
I like the coaching in Xball. I enjoy coaching, and I like receiving information from a coach.
I think penalties are a good way to deal with bad behavior.
I like the aspect of working the clock to get a player out of the box.
I could go on, but I guess everyone gets the idea.
The expense thing is misleading. Paying for an Xball team is more expensive; paying for a single player is not appreciably so.
If you are athletic at all, you have an edge in Xball that you wouldn't in 7 man. Endurance matters more, sprint speed matters more, luck matters less. Most technical aspects seem balanced to me, between the two formats.
7 man involves a lot of waiting. Xball involves a lot of paintball played.
In Xball you get a familiarity with your opponent that takes a long time coming in 7 man, assuming you play a team often enough to get a feel for them at all.
Crowds told to remain silent do not get as worked up as crowds that not only get to yell whatever they want, but can influence the game. There is an obvious downside to this, but knowing that supporting your team makes a tangible difference is a unique advantage that Xball has for on site spectators that no other sport can claim. I have been burned by crowds, but I have also enjoyed the intensity of having them.
Xball field design seems more refined than 7 man field design to me. 7 man fields are inconsistent in play quality. The different brands appeal to a lot of different people, but I recall hating every Angel field for a year, then hating every Spyder field for almost as long. The Xball fields I have played have been fun and offered different play options that gave both flexibilty and some predictability.
I actually appreciate the pit environment. My first Xball experience, we changed our pit "strategy" a lot from one game to the next, and it was amazing what the difference in feel was.
I like carrying a lighter tank and fewer pods. I want to run, because I am good at it, and I don't like having my balance interfered with any more than necessary.
I like the simplicity of the goal in Xball.
I like the coaching in Xball. I enjoy coaching, and I like receiving information from a coach.
I think penalties are a good way to deal with bad behavior.
I like the aspect of working the clock to get a player out of the box.
I could go on, but I guess everyone gets the idea.
^^^ What Gyro said.
X-ball is far more involving and demanding than 7man, and I love that it really pushes me both mentally and physically far more than any 7man game can.
I'd rather get spanked by Philly in X than beat Dynasty in 7man anyday
X-ball is far more involving and demanding than 7man, and I love that it really pushes me both mentally and physically far more than any 7man game can.
I'd rather get spanked by Philly in X than beat Dynasty in 7man anyday
Here is a re-post of arguments for X Ball:
How is X Ball superior? Let me count the ways:
¤ all the pre-game procedures so hated by refs and players alike, that have a tendency to upset schedules (ID checks, clothing checks, goggle checks, padding checks, gun checks, coin-toss, armbands [which suck!], reminders of start procedures, etc.), are repeated 60 - 75 times daily with single-goal compared with 5 - 8 times daily with X Ball.
¤ refs have to chase down captains after each and every game to get the scoresheets signed between every game after armbands are collected and counted (did I say I hated armbands?) compared with a scoresheet that is filled in during the game and is complete at the end of the 45 - 60 minute match.
¤ false starts caused by disappearing voices are replaced by horns and buzzers
¤ spectator interference, which distracts players and officials alike and often causes ill-will and controversy, is replaced by a dynamic interaction that many regard as fun
¤ spectators and media people have to find a schedule (not always available) and chase interesting games around a site for a game that lasts maybe 45 seconds compared with sitting put for 45 minutes or an hour, relaxing and enjoying.
¤ It often pays to cheat with current 7-man rules, especially when you need the points and you're down on bodies. You play on like a mofo, take the penalty (if you're unlucky) and still win. With X Ball's 90-second rule any major penalty in the last 90 seconds automatically awards a point to the opponent team. Sorted!
¤ players hanging around on-field after elimination aren't a problem in X Ball because players want to get off the field quickly to get ready for the next round
¤ scheduling and showing up for games on a timely basis is much easier and much more relaxed for X Ball. No huffing and puffing from staging area to air to tech tent to playing field and back again four times a day.
¤ everything needed is right there, served on a silver platter, for X Ball: chrono station, tables, air fills, the field, the scoreboard.
¤ collusion, game-rigging, game-fixing or whatever you want to call it is elegantly eliminated with the double-elimination format
¤ mistakes by refs (which are going to happen no matter how good the reffing) and mistakes by your own team aren't as amplified because you have more chances to recover
And this is just a partial list. As can be seen here, the refs are beat to death by single-goal formats and are forced to waste so much time and energy on the necessary but non-game-playing issues repeatedly. In X Ball they are freed up to just focus on better officiating.
The standard single-goal format like the 7-man NPPL plays is a dinosaur and we don't need to keep Jurassic Park running when there's something much more modern, better, entertaining, more of a real sport and sellable in X Ball.
How is X Ball superior? Let me count the ways:
¤ all the pre-game procedures so hated by refs and players alike, that have a tendency to upset schedules (ID checks, clothing checks, goggle checks, padding checks, gun checks, coin-toss, armbands [which suck!], reminders of start procedures, etc.), are repeated 60 - 75 times daily with single-goal compared with 5 - 8 times daily with X Ball.
¤ refs have to chase down captains after each and every game to get the scoresheets signed between every game after armbands are collected and counted (did I say I hated armbands?) compared with a scoresheet that is filled in during the game and is complete at the end of the 45 - 60 minute match.
¤ false starts caused by disappearing voices are replaced by horns and buzzers
¤ spectator interference, which distracts players and officials alike and often causes ill-will and controversy, is replaced by a dynamic interaction that many regard as fun
¤ spectators and media people have to find a schedule (not always available) and chase interesting games around a site for a game that lasts maybe 45 seconds compared with sitting put for 45 minutes or an hour, relaxing and enjoying.
¤ It often pays to cheat with current 7-man rules, especially when you need the points and you're down on bodies. You play on like a mofo, take the penalty (if you're unlucky) and still win. With X Ball's 90-second rule any major penalty in the last 90 seconds automatically awards a point to the opponent team. Sorted!
¤ players hanging around on-field after elimination aren't a problem in X Ball because players want to get off the field quickly to get ready for the next round
¤ scheduling and showing up for games on a timely basis is much easier and much more relaxed for X Ball. No huffing and puffing from staging area to air to tech tent to playing field and back again four times a day.
¤ everything needed is right there, served on a silver platter, for X Ball: chrono station, tables, air fills, the field, the scoreboard.
¤ collusion, game-rigging, game-fixing or whatever you want to call it is elegantly eliminated with the double-elimination format
¤ mistakes by refs (which are going to happen no matter how good the reffing) and mistakes by your own team aren't as amplified because you have more chances to recover
And this is just a partial list. As can be seen here, the refs are beat to death by single-goal formats and are forced to waste so much time and energy on the necessary but non-game-playing issues repeatedly. In X Ball they are freed up to just focus on better officiating.
The standard single-goal format like the 7-man NPPL plays is a dinosaur and we don't need to keep Jurassic Park running when there's something much more modern, better, entertaining, more of a real sport and sellable in X Ball.
As a contrarian I feel obliged to make a case for 7-man as all this big upping Xball might unduly influence votes. Let's see, there's--
--multiple field layouts to decipher and game plan for which usually includes hours of field-walking. (Seriously, this is fun. You just need an attention span longer than the lifespan of a fruit fly.)
--usually lots of opportunity to rest between games.
--Duffy's thinking man's game which I think is code for too old, too slow to compete and hoping to sneak up on somebody to get a kill.
--I'm drawing a blank. Can somebody help me out? Wait, less game time, more drinking time?!
--sorry, that's all I got.
--multiple field layouts to decipher and game plan for which usually includes hours of field-walking. (Seriously, this is fun. You just need an attention span longer than the lifespan of a fruit fly.)
--usually lots of opportunity to rest between games.
--Duffy's thinking man's game which I think is code for too old, too slow to compete and hoping to sneak up on somebody to get a kill.
--I'm drawing a blank. Can somebody help me out? Wait, less game time, more drinking time?!
--sorry, that's all I got.
