Renters vs self equips - the old problem

[Trbo323]

Having competent self equipped players goes a long way. Here's a few strategies I've used and had fields that have used in the past

1) and the biggest one, give the rental players a small pod pack. Just a simple 2 pod goes a long way. They will not play as conservative and it pretty much guarantees that you sell more paint

2) marker hits count for self equipped players, do not count for rental players

3) single trigger, any electro player can only use 1 finger on the trigger and semi auto only

4) chronon down, self equipped players are required to chrono to a lower speed, effectively reducing their range and taking some of the sting out of getting shot by them

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[Meleager7]

that 2 pod pack included in the rental is so simple it's genius! makes total sense! I also like the gun hits rule.

[XEMON]

The gun hit is a great idea.
And the 2 pod pack are cheap as dirt ... Not a big investment for the fields to have a bunch on hand ...

Lost of field do the "single trigger" rule when rentals are present ... But I've had ref not letting me play with a stock class pump but letting open class pump and semi on the field ...
Their excuse: "too scary" ...

[MrBarraclough]

The biggest factor keeping things in line at my local field is the culture. Most of the self-equipped players are regulars who understand that dumping on rentals is unsporting, hurts paintball as a whole, and hurts the field owner. Regulars tend to focus on each other and avoid being overly aggressive with the rentals. That culture developed due to several factors, including being the biggest field in the area for 15+ years (in an area with only a handful of fields), having a staff that both clearly communicates what is and is not acceptable behavior and consistently enforces those boundaries, and having some old timers amongst both the players and staff who take responsibility for maintaining the cultural norms. Good refs are essential, but regular players who model appropriate behavior and are willing to call out bad behavior (in a constructive way) are an invaluable force multiplier for the reffing staff.

Having a pretty generous minimum engagement distance and mandatory surrender rule helps keep the kids from getting blasted to pieces. My field's 25ft MED is too long in my opinion, but I nevertheless abide by it. They also cap the BPS at 10 or 10.5 semi-auto only. It's a recreational woodsball field. No one needs to be ramping against kids with Tippmanns anyway.

Because my local field isn't set up to run multiple games at once, it has to deal with how to divide the experienced players from the rentals and novices. The usual way is to do a rough sorting into teams that tries to evenly split both groups initially. The first couple of games are always just straight deathmatch with respawns for the first 15 minutes of a 20 minute game and always played in pairs so we can switch the ends of the field we start from. These warm-up games let the refs check the team balance and reassign players before we start getting into the objective-based scenario games for the rest of the day. Sometimes that means reallocating the experienced players between teams and sometimes just shifting the total numbers. A few weeks ago we were playing 24 versus 32 for part of the day because of parties of rentals who wanted to stay together. The 24 person team was still consistently winning but wasn't annihilating the larger team.

Another balancing method, at least for woodsball fields, is to have scenarios in your repetoire that work well with unbalanced teams. We often play some variation of attack-and-defend in which the defending team must maintain control of some place or object and is restricted in its movements while the attacking team is free to roam. Often one team will respawn while the other doesn't, or one side has limited lives while the other infinitely respawns. Usually the smaller, more experienced team plays defense. That also has the advantage of teaching the new kids to move and not hunker down since they have to attack to win and the defenders cannot push them back all the way across the field.

[MrKittyCatMeowFace]

Ive noticed renters and newer players always loved playing games with respawns way more than single shot elimination. Anyone else see this too?

[JeeperCreeper]

I love respawn games. I push the limit more knowing I can come right back after I'm hit. I feel like I'm not the only one thinking this way either, and it usually keeps the games more upbeat.

[iamthelazerviking]

An indoor field I used to play at said they use respawn games to make renters go through paint quicker. Kids love it, but are either done in an hour or waste more money on paint (which is also part of why the so respawn games)

[JeeperCreeper]

At my local field, they usually have 60-100 people on average so it's all mixed together. The refs usually split it up pretty evenly between renters and self equipped.

[Toestr]

I'm going to ditto the 'field culture' aspect. I forget who said it earlier (sorry), but the behaviour you allow, you encourage. If the dickhead players tell their dickhead friends that their behaviour isn't welcome there, then you'll exponentially increase the number of dickheads you keep away. Obviously you'll still get the first time visitor dickheads, but that's better than the returning ones.

My local field has regulars who habitually argue with refs over rules and calls in rec games, and who have started PHYSICAL ALTERCATIONS with other players, and have always gotten off scot free from management.

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[Rdav]

Ive noticed renters and newer players always loved playing games with respawns way more than single shot elimination. Anyone else see this too?

Not going to lie I love respawns in casual games, and personally think they should feature more heavily in rental fields
I think it not only makes folks (especially new folks like rentals) less afraid of getting hit, especially if they aren't very good.
it also makes folks more likely to call a hit, if they know they then aren't going to then have to sit out the game, I think it makes them more likely to call hits. so generally an all better experience all round.

[Chuck E Ducky]

I wish more places played re spawn games.

[Jordan]

I wish there was more capture the flag... I miss having an objective other than eliminating everyone on the other team.

[Trbo323]

I wish there was more capture the flag... I miss having an objective other than eliminating everyone on the other team.

Most efficient way to get that flag is to eliminate the other team

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[ChoSanJuan]

Not going to lie I love respawns in casual games, and personally think they should feature more heavily in rental fields
I think it not only makes folks (especially new folks like rentals) less afraid of getting hit, especially if they aren't very good.
it also makes folks more likely to call a hit, if they know they then aren't going to then have to sit out the game, I think it makes them more likely to call hits. so generally an all better experience all round.

I'm that case, they should go to big games and scenarios. They are plentiful and a helluva good time! (Not saying they don't belong in any of the single hit formats: airball, hyper all, tournament formats, etc...)

My favorite respawn format is infection/zombie. When we run it, we take a few seasoned players and make them the infected. Everyone else are the survivor's. Last time we played it it was like 5 on 25. It was a riot! We, the infected, won.

[flyweightnate]

Elaborate - what are the rules? Hit players become zombies? Zombies get respawn?

[Menso]

My favorite respawn format is infection/zombie. When we run it, we take a few seasoned players and make them the infected. Everyone else are the survivor's. Last time we played it it was like 5 on 25. It was a riot! We, the infected, won.

I love this idea. I’m going to propose this to management at my home field.

I think the solution to this problem is simply refs who know (and are willing) to split teams evenly throughout the day. That doesn’t just mean people with their own equipment though, but even renters who show up in the same group. I’ve had plenty of days where there are groups of rentals that are super aggressive and into it and the more laid back or timid ones.

That’s been my problem with most fields. The refs. They either don’t care, are too scared, or just won’t make sure teams are split evenly. If I know teams are lopsided I’ll usually volunteer myself for what I think is the weaker side. Makes it more fun that way for everyone.

[XEMON]

Same here about split teams, I usually show up alone so I don't mind switching team every game ...
sometimes I also change gun ... If the team is a bit behind I may do 1 game pump, 1 game semi ... Or whatever comes to mi mind then ...
Loaning a beater semi to "B-day kid" (or whatever else) can also be fun ...