The Thursday Poll: NPPL Gun Rule Changes

[Gyroscope]

PSP ramping.

It seems safer to me. Triggers don't have to be so loose and easy to pull to get 5 pulls per second. It is easy to do with one finger. This makes it possible to set a trigger so stiff winds don't shoot the gun. There is equipment already available to regulate this option. A lot of players already have the software as it is legitimate in one of the two major leagues.

PS- who votes to pay an extra $100 when the hypothetical option is offered to get the same thing free? Is Bart or Ged lurking? This would be an infrastructure type thing, right?

 

[SteveD]

I don't really see a technical issue here.

WDP has the flash technology covered. They license its use (limited) to the league or leagues of their choice.

Those leagues sub-license the right to make a flash board to gun manufacturers who want their markers used in said league; consumers who are planning on playing in that league purchase the 'league' version of the marker; it comes stock with the manufacturer's software.

At the event, the boards are flashed, quick and clean. After the event is over, the boards are read (to check for tampering) and then flashed back to the player's original software.

Similarly, removable chips; pop your original chip out, pop the event chip in.

IR monitoring of all guns during a game would be the perfect solution, and the data flow wouldn't be all that difficult to handle, especially considering that the only thing you're really concerned with is a gun that's operating outside of pre-set parameters.

Only real issues there are what happens when a gun stops 'sending' and what happens if there is a sustained period of non-communication.

 

[Chicago]

If you eliminate my ability to gain an advantage by ramping shots by letting everyone use PSP mode, I will have no choice but to fake skills by ramping velocity instead.

Which is why SteveD is right - you can make all the trigger rules you want, the BEST you can hope for is that people just find ways to shoot 400 fps. You have to control the software or you have no control. Period.

I chose league-mandated board, but it could be sold for $35, or gotten for free in new markers.

 

[Chicago]

Also, Steve (I just read it) is right about the chips - you don't make everyone buy a board. You have a standard chip that you require for your league, so all manufacturers have to do is put boards in their guns that take that chip. You can then sell chips that arn't even flashable for $10, and have a $150 reader that verifies that a particular chip is actually one of yours. (Bonus: WDP doesn't have a patent on it.)

Also, since figuring out if the chip is good is 100% reliable and relatively easy, you don't need to have big-ass penalties like "DQ'd for a whole season". You'll be so good at catching people that a smaller penalty will be enough to make cheating not worth it.

 

[stongle]

Give the Chrono judge some Ketamine, if he can still get the gun to Ramp, ergo it's illegal, ban the cheating scum.

Simple, low cost and non-subjective. Genius.

 

[Missy Q]

I think it is optimistic to expect 2000 new anti-tamper sealed chips to be ready for HB06 and not have major administrative issues. I would expect the mandated chip to be used firstly in the 18 in the '06 season. Once all the 'stars' are using it it will no doubt become 'cool', and everyone else will want one anyway - lol.

Does anyone else think it is amusing that people will pay $175 - $250 for a board that allows them to cheat, but think it is unreasonable to pay $100 for a board that ensures they are shooting legally? I said amusing, not surprising. I already know it's not surprising....

Loco, I read your PGI article on the teams competing with the league for sponsors. I thought it was mainly up to your usual high standard, however I feel you left out a very meaty part of that argument, which, strangely enough, relates in part to this thread.
The 'outside sponsors', who want their brand exposed in paintball (for whatever reason) would surely want it portrayed in a good light. They are virtually guaranteed professional exposure when sponsoring the league, as they are dealing with an entity that does seek to give 'family friendly' value to its sponsors. If the same companies sponsored a team they would currently be risking some very negative exposure due to the afore-mentioned behavior of said teams. That said, what's the bigger threat to a teams sponsorship opportunities? The league, or said teams' inability to conduct themselves in the way said sponsor would expect? Just thought you would have found a place for that in your article... Your advice to teams is consistent with your overall forecasts, but by leaving out the advice to 'clean up your acts quick' you are not really helping them to deal with it. Professional paintball teams have to act professionally before they become a viable option for a sponsor of the ilk they would hope to secure. Don't you agree?

Power to the people.

 

[Gyroscope]

Q, the options above are "get the league boards for free" or "get the league boards for $100". Now, if you are offered the same thing, and one option is to get it free, the other option is to have it handed to you at no charge... um, duh. The more interesting poll would have compared "pay for league boards" vs "pay no more and see no better enforcement".

Also, where are these $250 boards of which you speak? Not to mention: of course people are happier spending money on something that makes them more likely to win. That's why people pay more for Angels than Spyders. Being asked to pay for something that keeps you honest is never going to go down as easily as paying for a performance enhancer.

 

[Missy Q]

Q, the options above are "get the league boards for free" or "get the league boards for $100". Now, if you are offered the same thing, and one option is to get it free, the other option is to have it handed to you at no charge... um, duh. The more interesting poll would have compared "pay for league boards" vs "pay no more and see no better enforcement".

I still find it amusing...

"performance enhancer" - lol. Is that what they are calling them these days? Tadao etc should team up with Fitzer for joint marketing opportinities. I never really thought of Viagra as 'cheating' in bed, but I suppose it's arguable, although you wouldn't get too many chicks doing the arguing, and presumably they would equate to the 'refs' in comparable circumstances...

 

[Gyroscope]

That is how steroids and blood doping are referred to in real sports.

Making hypothetical offers to do something about cheating for another $100 per player also give the NPPL an out when the players gripe... "we would have done something about the rampant gun cheating, but the players didn't want to pay for the necessary equipment... but have you seen the stage? 5 bands on Saturday!"

 

[Missy Q]

The $100 was a price Duffy put on the board, not the NPPL. If the $100 is a problem for you - write him an e-mail or something. Don't make it an issue as there is little mileage for you to gain from it as its not information that has come from a factual or reliable base.

What's the hang-up you have about the bands?
I mean seriously - what is it?
Pure Promotions put on the event, and take care of the bands and entertainment. They deal with the set-up and tear down.
The Hurricane, vendors, sponsorships, would all be PP issues.
The NPPL do the rules and deal with the teams. Cheating, gun-rules, player categorisation would all be NPPL issues.

Therefore the only people who would make your 'hypothetical' statement would be the ill-informed.


...and if the NPPL wanted an 'out', there would be little point in doing all the work involved with trying to research what is (in my opinion) the only conclusive solution to the gun-cheat problem. I can think of several 'outs' they could quite legitimately use without any problem, and I would give them up for free. Fact is, they would rather get the issue dealt with.