as a matter a fact it did. i remember watching nppl on espn for 8 hrs. the next week i ordered all my first gear.
im not name calling, i just said then what does it need. yea the oh great one was for sarcasm, but when arent you sarcastic?
The difference is you being sarcastic in a demeaning way. I don't resort to name calling and insults unless insulted first.
Fact is: go to most major fields on any given weekend. What are people playing? Woodsball. TRP's speedball field has been down for the past year. The only people that want it brought back is a handful of the regulars that also pretend to compete in local tournaments. The bread and butter players, the rec players, the ones that keep fields like TRP open, don't want to play speedball. They don't want tournament play.
If companies and fields want to stay in business through these hard economic times they have to do one thing: Cater to the majority of players, the rec players, the woodsball players, the scenario payers. Not tournament players. There aren't enough players and there isn't enough money in tournament play for many companies to survive. The pie can only be sliced so thin. Or for gun companies they have to make the best of the best, or have a status symbol name. Dye and PE as evidence. They make quality products. And the Ego and DM series are status symbols. Guess why Smart Parts failed? They made shit products. The Shocker never made it to the level of the Ego or DM because they were all built like shit. Maybe some of the PL versions were decent. But for the price, the DMs and Egos are built better, made better, work better.
That is what "The Great One" thinks paintball needs. Companies that refocus on where the money and players are. Refocus on what most players want. Tippmann for example: Their entire US Army series of markers. Exactly what the game needs. Quality entry level markers that appeal to new players. Sure, us vets think they are crap. Next scenario you play in, look at the new players. Look at how many are using these Tippmanns. My cousin's co-worker started playing at Dead Space this year. He bought a Project Salvo. Why? Because from his new player perspective it looked good and it was cheap. It also worked flawlessly the entire day and was easy to maintain when he got home. He had a GREAT first experience because he bought a good entry level marker. That is what the game needs.
In addition, it needs us vets to make sure new players have a good time their first time. First impressions are vital. Maybe that means laying down your paint slinging space dildo and going out there with a mech with a shake 'n' bake. Maybe that means just taking it easy on them. Let them kill you every once in a while to boost morale. Play pump. Whatever it takes.
That's what paintball needs. A coordinated effort by fields, companies, and players to encourage the growth of the game.
QFT-effing-W