X-ball Versus 7man

[stongle]

No that's not what we're saying at all.

I already explained it, but what you see is the result of a lot of preparation. Of course you can do X Ball, but it requires advance planning and Prep. of course this helped if you actually have access to an X ball field. Including all the pillars etc. People have been talking elsewhere about throwing together the best x amount of players and having an exhibition match, that's not going to work because you've bypassed 2 of the fundamentals of X Ball Teamwork and preparation.

It's not being elitist it's a statement of fact. If you've not prepared fully nor know the field, you're simply not going to be able to replicate what you saw at Campaign. It's going to bog down and it won't be exciting to play (X Ball's very repetative so does require fast games and turnarounds to keep it interesting).

It's not just a case of "there's X ball away you go". It can be done, but you need to be prepared to put the time and effort into to do it properly. We lost nearly half the team this year trying to do it, so I'm trying to give people a realistic impression of the commitment required.

On another thread, Baca mentioned little steps, how about something like they have in the US, 3 man X Ball. Smaller field, shorter periods and reduces the requirement to run large squads (probably less paint as well, although I've never tried it).

 

[Collier]

Originally posted by stongle


On another thread, Baca mentioned little steps, how about something like they have in the US, 3 man X Ball. Smaller field, shorter periods and reduces the requirement to run large squads (probably less paint as well, although I've never tried it).

I can see the advantage but seriously that sounds ****. But 3 man tournaments are quite common in the US, from what I can gather anyway...

Paul

 

[Q Tsunami]

Strongle,

i don't doubt that you guys put a lot of work into playing Xball i do understand the amount of work you put into playing, what i'm asking about is maybe a diluted version so that teams can give it a go, it doesn't need to be dropped to 3man.

a lot of people watched the Xball last weekend, and i was just thinking if it were made more accessable to the teams that are currently playing 7man.

Someone on these forums (sorry can't remember where) said to give it a go and enter the EXL next year, but without somewhere to train, prepare, plan or even give it a go how will there be any progression of Xball format paintball as a sport? It will stagnate, just as i think 7man (for international tournies) did this weekend.

this is turning into a debate on how tough Xball would be to bring to the paintballing masses, i wanted to try and get some opinions on how we can make 7man more accessible to the spectators, or make 7man more "Xball like"

Q

 

[Baca Loco]

Originally posted by Collier
I can see the advantage but seriously that sounds ****. But 3 man tournaments are quite common in the US, from what I can gather anyway...

Paul

This is veering somewhat off topic but I thought I'd respond to it anyway. 3-man is very common on the local level all over and a fantastic way to learn tourney paintball. It's an excellent way to introduce new players to tourney play. It's fast, it's easy, it's cheap, it doesn't use up gobs of paint and with only three players per side it forces players to be versatile. If you can't effectively play all over the field or you aren't prepared or willing to move all over the field you are not likely to be very successful.

 

[H]

Hmm.....3man XBall style format with a match time of two 10min halves (and reduced timeouts), in those 3man netted dome things they have over in the states, could be fun

 

[Flash-Bugout]

Back to topic, I think it's about time that shouting from the sidelines is allowed in 7-man - if the players are clever/stupid enough to listen to it, then well done/more fool them.

(Depending on if they have friendly/unfriendly people standing on the sidelines).

At the moment it's not difficult to help a team, simply shout instructions in a very obvious way to the other team, who will get pulled, giving your team the win. In fact I'm suprised there aren't more people doing this.

Watching X-Ball and not worrying about not shouting/exclaiming when somebody made a key move, and then going over to watch the 7-man and being reminded by the judge to keep quiet highlighted to me how unlikely the current 7-man format is to ever be a spectator sport. I take part, and found it to be more boring than a boring thing.

I'd love to give x-ball a go, but doubt I'll ever be able to afford it. So lets make 7-man interesting/exciting/watchable. Or something.

 

[Troggy]

Firstly...

Is Euro XBall over and kapoot?

I think the general consensus is that the EXL is dead. The threads have come and gone, the pro's all (bar one or two) sent the 1st squads to Vegas last weekend to try and get the all important points for the pro bracket in NPPL next year. Russian Legion are or rumoured to be (I think?) playing NXL next year.

Nick B made a point that there will be other teams willing to step up and fill the EXL places - but at what cost? Who has the money to commit?

Without the big Euro names will the Millennium continue to host EXL? Even if they dont will they continue with OXL?

I think until this is answered we (lower seeded teams) are not likely to have a place to train/play X-ball. I know of one tourney organiser in the UK who is toying with the idea of running an X-Ball field alongside a 7-Man event, but if X-Ball is finished at European level is it worth his time and money to set this up before next season?

 

[Q Tsunami]

Flash has grasped this subject just the way i wanted.

5man and 10 man seems to have gone the way of the dinosaur here in the U.K. for the most part and it seems the EXL will to if Troggy is right.

so isn't it about time we made a change to 7man to keep it alive and put the fun for the spectators back into it?

off the top of my head i can't think of a physical sport where you can't cheer on the players.....except paintball

Q

 

[Collier]

Originally posted by Baca Loco
This is veering somewhat off topic but I thought I'd respond to it anyway. 3-man is very common on the local level all over and a fantastic way to learn tourney paintball. It's an excellent way to introduce new players to tourney play. It's fast, it's easy, it's cheap, it doesn't use up gobs of paint and with only three players per side it forces players to be versatile. If you can't effectively play all over the field or you aren't prepared or willing to move all over the field you are not likely to be very successful.

I stand corrected.

Will the EXL/OXL survive? thats the $64000,00 question isn't it!!

Paul

 

[stongle]

So what you really want is shouting in 7 man, not X Ball at all?

Even with shouting, 90+% of UK ball is boring and unexciting to watch. You think by allowing us to yell "YOU SUCK" from the sidelines is going to make the format more consumer / public friendly??? You can yell "YOU SUCK" from the sidelines to you hearts content as long as it's before game on anyway, as we proved at CC.

Paintball is a "participation sport", not a spectator one, the format and concept of X Ball is designed to speed up the games, and allow more fluidity than 7 man. It's also very much a Team Game that promotes the Illusion of flair.

All the sideline shouting and coaching in 7 man is not going to make it interesting or appealing to the wider audience. How is the cheering going to change the exceptionally boring way we play Paintball??? it's not, the likelihood is the only people cheering and shouting are your wives, girlfriends or "significant other"

The NPPL has huge crowds, TV and all that, yet they are working on format change. If the answer was as simple as allowing crowd participation don't you think they would've done it by now???

Baca explained far better and more concisely the benefits of 3 man X Ball. I won't reiterate, but I really believe this would be a very good starting point. I truly believe the UK Paintball community is in denial about it's ability and international standing. Football analogies, fixed playing positions, reluctance to accept change but mostly people kidding themselves they are playing a sport are what's holding development of paintball back from gaining wider acceptance.

7 man is dead, long live X Ball (or whatever the NPPL come up with)

P.S. Troggy, you quite sure about that????????????