Playing again after 8 years -> is development done?

[Trbo323]

Self indexing FSR box loader

There's been talk already

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[Chuck E Ducky]

That would be cool for the few fields that allow them in the few markers that will shoot them, for the few people who can afford to use them.

[gabe]

Exactly. FSR is basically on life support. There's so few woods fields, few scenario events, and otherwise no use for them remaining.

[gabe]

This may be a hot take but bear with me: do we actually need/want more progress or development in paintball? It occurred to me watching the autococker groups, pump groups etc that most paintballers now are old school ballers that are returning to the sport for the nostalgia of it. I know I for one mainly play nowadays to scratch the itch of reliving the fun of my youth and even being able to own the guns I couldn't when I was a kid.

Seems like when I go to the field it's largely old heads as well with a very few younger players tossed in. The newer players come and go but the anchor of the industry seems to be guys in their 30/40s that grew up playing in the golden years of paintball. They only buy the newer guns for the times they get tired of teching old 'cockers or angels.

So is the industry really driven by innovation now or are we just coming out with new JT goggles and mechs for us old guys?

[Tinybear]

I for one think there will always be room for improvement.

Perhaps elimination of an air source as the propellant all togeather.

There’s CERTAINLY room for MASSIVE improvement on trigger feel. Spend any time behind a real steel firearm with a GOOD Trigger and even the best paintball triggers feel like utter crap.

and as mentioned the paintball itself is overdue for some attentions be it improve quality/unifomity and increased size or perhaps improved materials and better shelf life’s ect.

[markdem]

Perhaps we will see manufacturers produce some quirky offshoots since there isnt much point in further developing spool guns?

[Ecapnation]

Nova but they are terrible at it

[The Inflicted]

so answer my question ... what problem is it solving? what problem is around the corner?

we already had the shoebox compressor, i still have one lol

Length, for one.
The Gamma Core platform is nice and light, and low, but also really stretched out with the feedneck placed well forward.
I would like to see a gun of its general quality that puts the feedneck over the trigger finger, like a 'Mag or 'Cocker did.

[Trbo323]

It occurred to me watching the autococker groups, pump groups etc that most paintballers now are old school ballers that are returning to the sport for the nostalgia of it. I know I for one mainly play nowadays to scratch the itch of reliving the fun of my youth and even being able to own the guns I couldn't when I was a kid.

I mean on one hand I wouldn't expect to see new players in those groups but also this is exactly what I've been saying for the last two ish years. Paintball is largely ignoring new players getting into the sport. Beyond maybe government regulation that's one of the fastest ways to kill a sport/hobby

To make a comparison, have you guys ever looked for a slot car racing facility near you? No? Go try. Chances are you didn't find one or if you did you found one and not a second anywhere close. In the 90s and early 2000s they were much more popular but then video games took over and no more kids got into the hobby. Now it's just a bunch of retired guys hanging on.

If you stop pulling people into your sport the current generation is the last generation that will play it

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[SignOfZeta]

You “grow the sport” people are hilarious.

If you want to grow the sport promote a class that bans innovation completely. Take paintball away from being a game for gear whores and make it an actual sport with rules and specs.

You don’t see companies reinventing the baseball bat or the basketball every year to “grow the sport” because in fact it would do the opposite. You can’t just show up to an F1 race with whatever you want. A trophy winning athlete’s record is impressive because we all have access to the same basketball hoop or whatever and we know we couldn’t do as well. The message of the paintball industry however is that newer is always better, that minute tech variations are game changers, that YOU will do better if YOU BUY THIS and there’s not of lot of push in the opposite direction. Unlike almost all other sports you’re encouraged to try to buy your win… it of course can’t work that way with everyone else doing the same thing so frustration sets in and they quit.

The better gun model follows the paint based fiscal reality which no shop can afford to break free from because every shop is in the red. We’ve been trapped in this paintball ghetto since speedball was invented.

In short: more people out there in the world would be happier playing stock class but there’s no way to even put it on people’s radar when the entire industry is based in snake oil and credit card debt.

[sonixr7]

Well said

[cockerpunk]

this is a good post.

i agree. i think its a good thing paintball has reached the end of its development path for this reason. buy your emek, play paintball, be happy.

[Bigtuana]

I have a dream: 3D printed, seamless paintballs, +/- .005" tolerance, one can print at home.

[markdem]

Ooooh thats a good idea!

[Slangwhanger]

The virtue hoppers wouldn't hold up in high bps play because they are slow. Same with a pinokio.

You can't be serious with saying that. Pinokios aren't slow, bro tater chip.

[Chuck E Ducky]

lol If 29bps isn’t fast enough you could always take an LTR Xmod the motor get some madfed hard shell paint and turn the torque up to 11.

[the_matrix_guy]

This may be a hot take but bear with me: do we actually need/want more progress or development in paintball? It occurred to me watching the autococker groups, pump groups etc that most paintballers now are old school ballers that are returning to the sport for the nostalgia of it. I know I for one mainly play nowadays to scratch the itch of reliving the fun of my youth and even being able to own the guns I couldn't when I was a kid.

Seems like when I go to the field it's largely old heads as well with a very few younger players tossed in. The newer players come and go but the anchor of the industry seems to be guys in their 30/40s that grew up playing in the golden years of paintball. They only buy the newer guns for the times they get tired of teching old 'cockers or angels.

So is the industry really driven by innovation now or are we just coming out with new JT goggles and mechs for us old guys?

I know a lot of new kids or gen z are buying all kinds of vintage paintball stuff, including markers, because of the cool factor. I love this

The industry became soulless. For me personally, give me an overengineered, impractical marker any day! I live by the clickity clack, you’ll know by the beautiful sound.

[Chuck E Ducky]

My Gen Alpha’s are rocking CCM pumps with the old heads. 😈 rase em right..

[the_matrix_guy]

@Chuck E Ducky

Lol indeed

[gabe]

Yeah I see that a lot too. Tons of questions from new players whenever I have the autocockers out. I could definitely see the industry turning more to vintage style guns. You're familiar with shooting sports and we see the retro craze over there too.

[the_matrix_guy]

SignOfZeta

There is uniformity and a body of regulation around the paintball: It’s 68 cal, (I’m using “68 cal” very loosely here given the horrid PB quality control), and it can’t travel past 300 FPS, and the marker cannot fire them faster than 10.5 BPS.

In baseball you actually have different bats, gloves, etc.

source: https://www.sportingnews.com/us/mlb/...fda2ed6523e2c0

[Tarsun2]

there is always room for improvement.
look at the Veritasium "micromouse" robotic mouse maze races. people were convinced the mice were as fast as they could possibly be; then they added a fan... High Jumping was similar and so was group B rally racing (before/after AWD).

[PBGunny]

You don’t see companies reinventing the baseball bat or the basketball every year to “grow the sport” because in fact it would do the opposite.

You really need to go over to ESPN The Ocho and watch for a while.
A few weeks ago, we were eating in a bar and one of the shows had these guys playing a game that combined basketball and wrestling.
Very entertaining.
Also saw these guys beating each other with pillows a few weeks before.