Played for the First Time in Over 3 Years...

[Tolgak]

So I'd stopped playing a while back because I got so sick of asshole players and disappointing field management. While I did other hobbies and a deployment in the meantime, I really needed a good fight and felt compelled to go after debating myself about it all morning.

Some mutterings.

• I hadn't cleaned my gear after my last outing, which was a huge scenario game. The gunk that forms is pretty difficult to get out. I highly recommend getting into old gear and giving it a good cleaning. Yearslong sitting results in a much stickier and more solidified kind of residue than a week's long. I wasted a solid 30 minutes when I arrived just getting everything play-ready.
• The rust came off quick. I was back to my old self (patient, super aggressive when opportunity breaks, calm except when yelling surrender, smart shots with me Phantom) within about 6 games.
• The acclamation to pain was even faster. The first hit got a good reaction out of me, I was back to normal by the second (I don't flinch no more).
• The paint... holy hell the paint. It was bad, man. I dismissed what was said here as hyperbole, but I get it now. I got the "good" stuff and put it through a freak bore. Shots were as far as a foot off target (horizontally) at like 30 feet. Shots that are easy with good paint take up to 10 to get on target. This is a really sad state of affairs.
• I feel like fields have always been a little frustrating to deal with, especially when they want timed games with respawns to drive paint sales. Usually I can get enough clout at a place to suggest other games or increase rate of play. Today, I was disappointed at the field. I hadn't been there before, but their format was 15 minute games, 15 minute breaks. They wouldn't allow 1v1 challenges or any people to assemble games. They wouldn't rotate groups to keep up constant play. The field was just empty when it wasn't every single patron playing at once. Having kids and a busy job, I can't spend all day doing hobbies like I used to. It would be nice to keep up a high pace for what few hours I have on a weekend so I can maximize my entertainment.
• Maybe the last few fields I played at had bad cultures. The players and most of the refs were great. Sportsmanship was high, overshooting was hardly an issue, no cheating at all, people were friendly to new players.
• EDIT: I am dead. I worked muscles and movements that have been alien to my body since I last played. The thighs are sore from all the weird body positioning that has to be done. The knees and shins are brused from slides and being crouched. Torso is out of comission from all that turret motion. I figuratively literally died today. Avenge me.

Overall it was worth going back. Thanks mostly to the other regulars, the short time I spent today reminded me why I love the game. I might go to another facility next time, but I'm pretty committed to getting back into it.

EDIT: A ghost wrote this post. See the last bullet to find out why.

[Cdn_Cuda]

Got out playing for the first time in about 2+ years recently. And of course I didn’t stretch before or after. I walked Ginny for about a week until my leg muscles weren’t so sore. Good to get back into it and hope get a few more play days in this year.

[Siress]

Nice debrief. I, too, wish it were hyperbole. There was a time when I felt like I could get a headshot from 30ft with 100% hit rate. Now days, I'd be lucky to get it in 10 shots. It's accuracy by volume. It's no wonder that barrel kits and such aren't as common. There's no bloody point. Sadly, I think this is just the state of affairs henceforth. The field owners couldn't be happier because it means they sell a lot more paint to the return customers. The rental and newbie crowd don't know any different, so they'll never complain. Those that want to use quality paint pretty much have to shoot FirstStrike rounds exclusively. Even then, I hear fields don't allow them in a lot of places.

The "resurgence of pump" I keep hearing about cannot exist without quality paint.

[Tolgak]

The thing I noticed is that semi users aren't that much worse because of the paint quality. I felt no more or less vulnerable throughout a game than I have previously. Even with good paint, electros still had a wobble to their ropes. Guns without kits were still just as inaccurate. I don't think the results are that much different now.

One of the most satisfying things about pump was how easy it was to pin somebody down a single shot at a time when other players were burning dozens to achieve the same effect. You could develop a reputation for keeping people on edge in a way semis don't. I just don't see that as possible with the accuracy limitation I faced that day. Aggression is fun and all but being successful in all aspects of the game is what leaves me satisfied at the end of the day.

First Strike has always been appealing but I haven't yet seen it in a rec facility.

[FredMnkyDad10]

Welcome back to playing, I played my first game in years couple months ago. It was a great time, want to get back playing once a month or so.

Years ago after playing a few times, my knees and shins towards the end of the day started to ache some. Dropping down on your knees or sliding will do that. But looking around I was not the only one, plenty of players were walking a lot slower towards the end.

So I went out and got some quality knee and shin guards combo. I went with icon motorcycle combo. I could not be happier, best thing I ever bought. When dropping or sliding I dont even feel it.

[Tinybear]

I too returned this year after a few year hiatus. I have never truly left the sport but this years “return” was to decide if I could still physically pull off playing or if it was time to sell off most my stuff.

Happy to say I still love this sport. Even if I can’t do things quite as well anymore I’m still out there enjoying the rush of adrenaline.

Played more this year than I thought I would and planning for a few more still before the seasons over.

Also I finding yeah I enjoying my pumps more than anything despite being slower and less capable then ever. The paints hit or miss. But when it’s good that’s great when it’s not well it’s not good for everyone, so I keep on playing.

[Brokeass_baller]

I stopped playing in 2011, and picked it back up in 2018. My focus on school, a career (all that time I wasted partying and slacking off. Lol), getting married, buying a house, etc, left me with little time and dough to play. It took me a minute to get back into my groove. I always worked out, but paintball is different. The ways you have to hold your body, you just can't train for at the gym.

But I'm having a blast now. Been back for three years, got into magfed a bit, my automag and autococker keep on humming. I'm enjoying it. I've had really good luck with paint. I remember really liking Formula 13 back around when I stopped. It was a good mid-range paintball. But now I'm mostly shooting Triumph, and despite being smaller, I find it still shoots pretty dang well.

Anyway, welcome back. There's still a lot to love about this game. I hope you remember why you fell in love with it on the first place.

[Jonnydread]

The "resurgence of pump" I keep hearing about cannot exist without quality paint.

I know FPO is a limiting factor, and I also know I'm a broken record on the subject, but I haven't found that diminished paint quality has strongly affected my ability to enjoy pump. The long distance head shots are less consistent, but with some play style adjustments it's just as fun to shoot pump as it was back when we had multiple options of high quality paint all over the place. Don't let rose colored glasses ruin funsies!

[Siress]

If I could get out there and shoot walmart paint, I would. Still going to call a spade a spade, though.

[Seajay]

Pedialyte is your friend. Keeps me alive, works better than gatorade, mix a bit of it with a liter of water
I still come off the field like I'm going to die but the recovery is so much faster.

[pirhana92]

After a 6 year hiatus I decided to get back into the game. I was going through some DVD's the other day and found Hero's For A Day that I bought 10 years ago that I forgot I even owned. So I watched it and it gave me the same feeling I had when I first watched it and I knew it was time to play again. Unfortunately I sold most of my gear but I'm excited to try and play again. It's been a solid 2 years since I last logged onto MCB and it looks like my old account got deleted.

[Brokeass_baller]

They all got deleted. MCB was hacked and encrypted in a ransomware attack. So instead of paying up and hoping the attackers have everything back, Carter gave them the middle finger and remade MCB, with a few improvements.

People have been trying to recover some of the really good most information as time goes, but it's a long process.

[Euphie]

I just bought knee pads, never needed them before, but now my knee hurt and have bruises from each day of play lol. I am getting less sore each time I play though! My Body is just letting me know I am not 16 anymore.