Why didn't anybody *tell* me paintball was this fun?
Marik_Steele
To rule in hell... Join Date: 2002-11-20 Member: 9466Members
To rule in hell... Join Date: 2002-11-20 Member: 9466Members
in Off-Topic
<div class="IPBDescription">my indicisive self turns to the off-topic forum yet again</div>I know I got to it nearly a decade late, but I finally tried out paintball yesterday. Had so much fun there, I've squandered about 6 hours between yesterday & today just browsing for more comfortable clothes, safety gear, and a first paintball or airsoft gun to buy.
With costs of ammunition & maintenance & field fees & so on, which has been cheaper for you in the long run, airsoft or paintball?
Paintball didn't seem dangerous or painful to me, 2 layers of t-shirts was fine. But I'm considering getting apparel anyway for reasons like "kneeling isn't comfortable enough in these jeans." What sort of gear should I be looking for?
Simply because of our member sheena_yanai's involvement with airsoft, I'm a little more familiar with airsoft's weapon selection; I'm constantly torn between getting some variant of p90, g36, or mp7. Which have you tried & what made you like it more than other airsoft weapons? Or if you're more familiar with paintball instead, what sort of features should I be looking for in a beginner's paintball marker?
With costs of ammunition & maintenance & field fees & so on, which has been cheaper for you in the long run, airsoft or paintball?
Paintball didn't seem dangerous or painful to me, 2 layers of t-shirts was fine. But I'm considering getting apparel anyway for reasons like "kneeling isn't comfortable enough in these jeans." What sort of gear should I be looking for?
Simply because of our member sheena_yanai's involvement with airsoft, I'm a little more familiar with airsoft's weapon selection; I'm constantly torn between getting some variant of p90, g36, or mp7. Which have you tried & what made you like it more than other airsoft weapons? Or if you're more familiar with paintball instead, what sort of features should I be looking for in a beginner's paintball marker?
Comments
I also don't know where the nearest airsoft field is--I'll ask the employees at an airsoft store I plan on driving to next weekend.
As for organized paintball fields, the nearest location has 3 fields with those inflatable things for cover. The field that's much more interesting to me is their most recent. It's as large as any 2 of the others combined and is set up as a small town--abandoned vehicles, tire stacks, simple buildings with glassless windows & 4 walls or less, you get the idea.
in my personal experience the g36 is probably the best out of the 3 airsoft guns you mentioned, its got a very strong folding stock, 470 rnd hicaps and it tends to have a quite respectable stock fps (well the marui version). The p90 is a nice compact weapon but you really need to havre a play about with one first, people either love or hate them it seems, the hicaps on the p90 also have a nasty habit of unwinding after firing only a couple of rounds for some people. The MP7 i havent personally used though its more a cross between an AEG and the AEP than a proper AEG, not ideal really for playing woodland due to its small batteries, and the low velocity when compared to AEGs, would probably be ideal for a very pointable little gun for a urban site though.
we should get some ns community paintball games going or something, would be great <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile-fix.gif" />
I've never had a better "weaponry experience" than an hour at a rifle range (airguns) or some LaserQuest games
last time i went paintballing i got shot in the back of the neck, good thing it was before my spine exploded. If I ever decide to go paintballing again, im gonna wear alot of protection around my neck.
we should get some ns community paintball games going or something, would be great <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile-fix.gif" />
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Eeep! Getting shot on my bare arms or upper back was no problem, but spine/neck probably wouldn't have felt very pleasant at all. Thanks for reminding me that aside from helmets, I should be looking for neck protection too.
I'd love to get together with a bunch of NS fans, whether for a lan party, airsoft/paintball, or anything else. I've just been a bit shy about telling the entire internet about my location.
I will say that with at least a week notice I could reach a big city like Atlanta without much difficulty. (Who can't, really? Fly from LA to Seattle and you'll probably have a connecting flight in Atlanta <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/tounge.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":p" border="0" alt="tounge.gif" /> )
Eeep! Getting shot on my bare arms or upper back was no problem, but spine/neck probably wouldn't have felt very pleasant at all. Thanks for reminding me that aside from helmets, I should be looking for neck protection too.
I'd love to get together with a bunch of NS fans, whether for a lan party, airsoft/paintball, or anything else. I've just been a bit shy about telling the entire internet about my location.
I will say that with at least a week notice I could reach a big city like Atlanta without much difficulty. (Who can't, really? Fly from LA to Seattle and you'll probably have a connecting flight in Atlanta <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/tounge.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":p" border="0" alt="tounge.gif" /> )
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
You pay the ticket I'll leave now.
You pay the ticket I'll leave now.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Would you beleive me if I said I would for a dozen people or more <a href="http://forums.slickdeals.net/showthread.php?t=332531" target="_blank">if only they'd asked me a week ago</a>?. Let me know if you find a similar deal...
There's more than enough woods to play either airsoft or paintball in the area surrounding this city, but I don't know whether the locals will take kindly to it.
I also don't know where the nearest airsoft field is--I'll ask the employees at an airsoft store I plan on driving to next weekend.
As for organized paintball fields, the nearest location has 3 fields with those inflatable things for cover. The field that's much more interesting to me is their most recent. It's as large as any 2 of the others combined and is set up as a small town--abandoned vehicles, tire stacks, simple buildings with glassless windows & 4 walls or less, you get the idea.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
It matters what part of the East coast you are from. In NJ/NY area there are a bunch of fields. Also in PA there are great fields that you can play on.
I really never got into airsoft but Paintball fields are great around here. The 2 day D-Day Paintball war is somethin i always wanted to do. Its those type of organized games that make paintball fun
airsoft: never doff the goggles.
You pay the ticket I'll leave now.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
^What he said, with the added twist that you'll need to fund a cross-Atlantic flight.
last time i went paintballing i got shot in the back of the neck, good thing it was before my spine exploded. If I ever decide to go paintballing again, im gonna wear alot of protection around my neck.
we should get some ns community paintball games going or something, would be great <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile-fix.gif" />
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
C3 - For the UK NS'ers, that's actually a pretty awesome idea....
I've only been once or twice but I had a blast
I soloed the flag on CTF after finding it in a maze and I "killed" 4+ people on my mad dash to there base which was the capture spot.
Zerwalter got into playing paintball on the regular
It's a Tippman 98 Custom, which is pretty much the standard issue 'My first paintball gun.'
I've made some modifications you may find useful though:
1) Expansion chamber: This means you'll have constant pressure when you pull the trigger, meaning more constant shots.
2) J+J Ceramic barrel: Light and accurate, keeps the center of balance towards your chest, so it's easyer to shoot.
3) Drilled out elbow tube: means less 'ball hop.' More consistant shots, less chopping paint.
4) Trigger job: Less travel = good stuff!
Unfortunately, paintball has rapidly become too expensive for my student-ship, so I'd be willing to part with it. it's got a little bit of chipped paint, but nothing that will challenge it's integrity.
I'd love to do it more often, though.
<!--coloro:orange--><span style="color:orange"><!--/coloro-->[rest of post edited out for sake of user's email address privacy...and because I don't want anyone competing with me for this potential transaction <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/tounge.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":p" border="0" alt="tounge.gif" /> ]--Marik<!--colorc--></span><!--/colorc-->
I forgot to mention the story here: the 2nd time I tried paintball was just a week later, same friends but on a different field. One of the almost-definitely-ex-military players there noticed the way I took & executed orders from him, so he gave me his business card and invited me to a full-weekend scenario game later this month. I'm still deciding whether to actually go.
In related news, I just bought (for arguably waaaay too much money) an above-average helmet, simply because I figured that
A) I can use a helmet for either airsoft or paintball, instead of being locked into one hobby by purchasing a gun first
B) I shouldn't be trusting the safety of my eyes, nose, mouth, and ears to rental masks worth $10.