Seems like
Printed From: Tippmann Paintball
Category: News And Views
Forum Name: Thoughts and Opinions
Forum Description: Got something you need to say?
URL: http://www.tippmannsports.com/forum/wwf77a/forum_posts.asp?TID=191921
Printed Date: 19 February 2026 at 6:19am
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 12.04 - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: Seems like
Posted By: StormyKnight
Subject: Seems like
Date Posted: 17 August 2014 at 7:08pm
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Seems like this place is an empty house where all the kids have grown up and moved out. I realize it is summer but the activity on all the forums seem to be almost down to next to nothing. I miss the pages long discussions on which barrel was best and the like. Has paintball lost popularity here or has the membership at large just moved on to bigger and better things? ------------- 
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Replies:
Posted By: tallen702
Date Posted: 17 August 2014 at 8:22pm
PBNation really did a number on most of the brand-specific sites years ago. Add in the fact that so many of our members are married/getting married, working full time, raising families, etc and the fact that we all kind of keep in touch via Facebook as well, and it just keeps slowing down and slowing down. Paintball as a whole also experienced a crash of sorts. It's just now starting to dig itself out of the pit that Smart Parts dug for it. Combine the fact that newbies with rental 98's couldn't even hope to stand a chance against bonus-balling aggletts spewing 20+bps from cheap Ions, especially at smaller mom-and-pop fields that couldn't afford to split walk-ons into separate rentals and owners groups with the fact that parents could no longer afford the cost of the paintball arms race (in terms of cases of paint, new markers every year, jerseys, pants, etc) when their credit cards got maxed out and the bank came for their houses, and the whole thing just collapsed. Those field that did survive found that the profitable side of the sport was the flashy, paint dumping tournament side of things. Almost all of the fields around me started tearing out trees and forts in favor of turf and airball bunkers. After all, what's the point in devoting all that acreage to just a few woods fields when you can cover it with 5x as many airball fields and make even more money off of the high volumes of paint people are shooting AND charging a premium to play on artificial turf rather than grass and dirt. I consider myself lucky to have a honest-to-goodness recball field near me. Everyone else pretty much either packed it in around 2008 or changed over to all airball. I think it'll be a few years until the sport sees another "golden age" like the late 90's/early 2000's. It'll happen when guys like me, USAF, Reb, PCF, and others have kids who take an interest and get us back into it. I think that was part of the impetus we saw in the late 90's. All those guys who played in the early days suddenly had kids of age who wanted to play too. ------------- <Removed overly wide sig. Tsk, you know better.> |
StormyKnight wrote:Posted By: RoboCop
Date Posted: 17 August 2014 at 9:02pm
| Someday I plan to play again. I need to be making some money for that plan to come to fruition first. |
Posted By: SSOK
Date Posted: 17 August 2014 at 10:14pm
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I'm rather disappointed I got out of it. I never said "I'm done" but I rather just stopped going. I know I have a case or two somewhere that is probably a cube by now. Plus I have an Atomic Ordnance grenade from before Tippmann bought them. I have so little time for any hobbies whatsoever that I have no idea when I will go again. ------------- 
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Posted By: evillepaintball
Date Posted: 18 August 2014 at 1:26pm
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I'd like to get back into it in the next month or so. I still really want a Cyborg, due to the NSFF youtube video MacDev Stormtrooper Cyborg '04. ------------- 
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Posted By: God
Date Posted: 18 August 2014 at 5:51pm
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I think Facebook killed the amount of time members spent on this forum. Its nice to think it was us all getting older and having less time, but I am willing to bet that most of the members still spend time on a social website daily without the strict-ish rules.
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Posted By: RoboCop
Date Posted: 18 August 2014 at 7:27pm
I just searched this. I want one now.
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Posted By: tallen702
Date Posted: 18 August 2014 at 11:25pm
I would spend more time on here if others were more active in posting as well. I send more time on teh bookface due to the fact that Mother isn't as busy anymore... ------------- <Removed overly wide sig. Tsk, you know better.> |
Posted By: Reb Cpl
Date Posted: 18 August 2014 at 11:43pm
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I haven't played paintball myself in far too long. The desire is there, but the opportunity and money are not. The fields in my area are all gone, as is the core group of people I used to rec-ball with. As for the forum, facebook did contribute to a downgrade in my usage here. But when I pulled the plug on that, I came back, even if nobody else did. I'm here at some point every day, checking in and following the reported spam links. ------------- ? |
Posted By: StormyKnight
Date Posted: 19 August 2014 at 7:40am
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Been a couple of years since I played. Seems like there aren't enough people interested in playing anymore. But now, football is starting up with my stepson and school at the first of next month. This would have been the perfect summer to play as it never really got hot at all. Oh well... -------------
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Posted By: mbro
Date Posted: 19 August 2014 at 8:05pm
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I played last weekend for my bachelor party for the first time in four years. All of the usual characters you see at every recball field were still there. The guy that has been playing forever, has too much gear and is somehow there alone but talks to everyone, clueless first timers, milsim lovers with chest protectors, and kids with expensive guns that don't know how to move on the field. Either way it was the same as it ever was other than the fact that I actually feel it for the next day (or two) now. ------------- 
Don't blame me, I voted for Kodos. |
Posted By: tallen702
Date Posted: 19 August 2014 at 9:01pm
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I'll second that "feeling it" part mbro. I chipped a kneecap a year ago when playing. Slid into a 55-gal steel drum which was on it's side and wasn't wearing my knee pads (old ones were shot, new ones hadn't come in yet). Now I can tell you when it's going to rain or snow.... ------------- <Removed overly wide sig. Tsk, you know better.> |
Posted By: Kayback
Date Posted: 20 August 2014 at 3:50am
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I found there were more and more walk ons who may have played a couple times before but are more interested in one or two quick games of general messing around and not "serious" about it if you know what I mean. The days of people playing for a day or even half a day seem gone. No one wants to "win" either, they want to be able to say thet played paintball. My last outing was disastrous. My Apex was popping paint like candy, the Nightstick was inconsistent. Then my ball detent broke and my new one was breaking paint (installed backwards in the rush to play). So I borrowed a milsim rental 98 and blew two pressue releases. Took a rental 98 and also had random gas vent. Instead of replacing the Oring I got a beer and went </KLR> it. Haven't been back since. Note to self, see if I corrected ball detent. KBK ------------- Pedicabo ego vos et irrumabo. H = 2 |
Posted By: Lightningbolt
Date Posted: 20 August 2014 at 9:12am
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I've been massively into prep for the twc this year. I've been flipping pb stuff in an attempt to update some gear. I swung through the monster game and it was kind of sad to see only a couple of hundred players and when they gave away a thousand dollar gun there was little celebration. Anyone that remembers hs knows that typically the crowd is very rowdy. The game play actually looks fairly solid. I still know quote a few people there. During the raffle I stood next to the tippmann trailer listening which was away from the crowd. I think Dennis wondered if I had a question for him as they were loading up. Nope. I Just wasn't identifying with newer ballers. Just doesn't feel the same. The days of private individuals with a massive pile of parts are not happening right now. All retail. I know times have changed when a baller with 3 Grand in gear asks what an autococker is. A quick glance at other large fields across the country and you'd never know the economy skipped a beat. Hot Pink and lime green head to toe toting a 2000 gun. Pink shoe laces too don't forget the shoe laces. Hs is so blue collar currently. Cut off shirts that don't match etc. New Deal with pg gear is bounce pads. I'm ready |
Posted By: evillepaintball
Date Posted: 20 August 2014 at 2:22pm
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I would be on more but it's blocked at work now. -------------
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Posted By: impulse418
Date Posted: 20 August 2014 at 4:56pm
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I lurk, sometimes post replies or start a thread. Started one about my new mountain bike hoping to see others who enjoy that hobby, zero replies. The multiple gun threads are boring, maybe because I lost my drive about that hobby. Haven't played pb in years. Still have some of my gear. One of these days I'll get a new battery for the Angel, dust off the revvy, and borrow a tank. But most of our fields closed down, and I have zero interest of ever walking onto a Speedball field again. But, I still check this site at least once a day. |
Posted By: procarbinefreak
Date Posted: 21 August 2014 at 12:54am
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I stopped playing once I stopped going to play paintball, and started going to practice. Once I graduated college everyone I played with went to competitive teams which is something I had no interest in. If I had a few guys to go play rec ball every now and then I think I might have kept my gear. As for this place, I usually lurk around every day... posting has slowed though.
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Posted By: God
Date Posted: 21 August 2014 at 1:45am
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I fell by the wayside when the group of players changed from gunho and ready to go out on the field and play to showing up late with their unprepared gear (not cleaned from the last time). I would spend hours fixing all their markers while they stood around and talked about how awesome of players they are. Also since I have played mostly Outlaw, I lost even more interest dodging piles of broken glass, wood boards with nails pointed skyward, and rusty metal everywhere in some of the more sketchier playing locations. I tried playing at the local field but the adrenaline rush wasn't the same when shooting an opponent one time eliminated the player. Also living out in the desert where it is mostly always 90 -105 degree weather or very windy was kind of a buzz kill. Lastly I am so out of shape (too lazy to slide or bend to my knees, charge to bunkers) that even the nice fields in the Los Angeles and San Diego areas arent so appealing. I dont feel as if I get my entry fee/paint fee out of the experience. I think it would help if I had a responsible group with whom to play.
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Posted By: oldsoldier
Date Posted: 21 August 2014 at 10:25am
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I have been out of PB since I returned from that last TWC a couple of years ago. It just was not there anymore, new people, the memories of OMHW, and just the general 'ego' wars I saw in the game just convinced me to walk away. Here in Nebraska we have nothing in organized field play, a few indoors I think are still running but outdoor is basically dead. The local 'store' based in an old Army/Navy store closed and now just at their small field. I sold off everything but my original 68 Special now on my mancave wall. Even airsoft died here, the local fields were forced to purchase massive liability insurance policies up to $1million, so fields and player groups were priced out of that sport as well. So just redirected my sports, and now it is motocross, I run the go slow have fun classes anymore, and race now by proxy as my grand daughter (9) is out there already outgrowing her CRF110, and is fast, and getting faster. I do miss the days as we played forum political wars, was a fun way to stay in touch, and yes I do miss the TWC's of old. ------------- 
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Posted By: RoboCop
Date Posted: 21 August 2014 at 1:50pm
| Checking the price of the local field, entry fee and a case of paint will run you $80 for the five hours they are open. If a case of paint could get away from the $60+ that it has been at since I started playing way back in the day, then I might be more inclined to play. I missed the days of going to an 8 hour scenario game or some night ball. Field paint has really killed it for me too. I understand some crappy paint can't be washed off, but those should be on a banned list by the field. |
Posted By: tallen702
Date Posted: 21 August 2014 at 2:05pm
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See, up where I still occasionally play, it's $10 entry+all day air and $40/case of the upper-end stuff. They're also a BYOP location so if you can find a better deal on paint, you can go with it. Personally, anything I've ever shot for under $40/case is out of round and won't fly anywhere near straight. So, $50/day for 7 hours of play is a pretty decent deal for me. Hell, a 1 hour/50 target stand of sporting clays runs me more than that. Pev's field out in NoVA was packed this past Saturday as I drove by, so people are still willing to drive an hour or more from DC to go play there. ------------- <Removed overly wide sig. Tsk, you know better.> |
Posted By: Ceesman762
Date Posted: 23 August 2014 at 3:56pm
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My son and I just played a charity event last week. $55 entry came with 500 paintball. We still go out regularly, at least once a month. Lately it had been on "pay for play" fields. The usual outlaw field we would play was recently sold and now being turned into more expensive homes close to South Hampton. ------------- Innocence proves nothing FUAC!!!!! |
Posted By: scotchyscotch
Date Posted: 28 August 2014 at 9:20pm
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I haven't played in years, I'm also a lot less frequent on this piece of arse board, you guys have changed, ye know...? Like I'm gonna just say it, like, I've been thinking for a while that we've sorta grown apart. This has nothing to do with your sister but I'm just not sure where this is going, I obviously love you and stuff but... ye know lets just chill for a bit and see where we end up. Yeah the only threads i read are ones where you old arse-pieces grumble about the good old days and how this board is dead. Yeah it's humped but how about we just go anarchic and all get ourselves banned? I found that in my last breakup it was easier because I'd been so badly behaved that I knew they'd never even consider having me back. It's a lot easier to get on with your life when you can't look back because of the crushing guilt, self pity and shame. On that note.....  |
Posted By: RoboCop
Date Posted: 28 August 2014 at 10:28pm
| I've pondered on that getting strikes deal, just for the heck of it. Not like we get new people here anyways. |
Posted By: Mack
Date Posted: 29 August 2014 at 12:58am
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I still play . . . just not as much* as I used to and nowhere near as fast on the field.** We still have a woodsball field because that's what the owners enjoy playing and it comes with everything from thick cover to a small village and a small castle. The local army national guard likes to come out once a year and train in the village so I get to be op4 for them when they do. Good prices on everything and a fun crowd. Even some new/young players patient enough to follow, listen and learn. I've introduced kids, kids friends, various nieces and even my oldest granddaughter to the game.*** My theory is that's the best way to keep it going. Overall I consider myself really lucky. * Averages to about every other weekend May-September. ** Over a half century of wear and tear will slow you down. *** Not old enough to play yet but I took her out to watch from the on-field observation tower . . . she's not sure if she wants to try it out yet but she would like to watch again. ------------- 
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