A sincere VFTD thanks to all you slackers who went out of your way and above and beyond the call of duty [insert your own cliche here] and took (on average) 3 seconds to vote in the 7-man poll. You might as well just accept it's now part of your day when you drop by VFTD. Voting, a responsibility & a privilege. You don't think I'd let just any loser participate, do you?
While the results are totally unscientific or even representative of likely participants I can't help but think the result reflects what has become the "conventional wisdom" on this subject which doesn't bode well for the USPL. 41% voted that no change would help as the format is dying. The next three top vote getters equaled 40% combined; cheaper entry, change name back to NPPL and try a format modification. No other choice reached double digits including bigger prizes.
Make of the poll what you will but I'd like to believe there is still a place for the kind of competitive paintball 7-man demands of the player.
Monday, June 15, 2009
Friday, June 12, 2009
The .50 Caliber Solution?
If you were expecting (and are disappointed not to see) 'Return of the Pro Loser' posted today as per the schedule you haven't been hanging around VFTD for very long, have you? Consistency is the hobgoblin of small minds. (And, no, that isn't a dungeons & dragons reference.) I make schedules meaning to keep to them but stuff happens and this is just a wee bit more topical at the moment. 'Return of the Pro Loser' will just get bumped to next week's schedule so you can breath a sigh of relief as you now have something to look forward to. Some more. Again.
Since the first "official" announcement about the coming .50 caliber solution was posted at P8ntballer--see, ' The Revolution Begins' below for the link--much of the dialogue has focused on the paintballs themselves and the unsubstantiated performance claims sorta being made. While all that is vaguely interesting (if you're a physics geek) I think it misses the point completely. I don't think it matters a whit if the small ball does exactly as claimed or not. (What matters is whether it's profitable for the manufacturers.)
Of late the biggest concern to both the industry and competitive leagues is a stagnant and/or declining player base from the heyday of a few short years ago. The blame has generally been assigned to cost (paintball is expensive and competitive paintball is even more expensive) and out-of-control rates of fire turning the basic game's fun factor into a fear factor. (Does the decline compare to the appearance of low-priced, high-performance markers?) Part of the latest response has been to cap ROF and steadily reduce that cap in order to encourage the use of lower limits across the board.
The GIMILSIM press release states, "The new era of 50 calibre paintball means cheaper paint for the paintballer, it means hundreds more paintballs in the loader, it means thousands more balls in your pots, it means a more accurate flight path, it means it shoots further and all this with the same marking characteristics as the original 68 caliber balls." Earlier in the press release the cost of participation is mentioned as an impediment to building the player base and seeing a healthy tourney environment restored. The idea being cheaper paint necessarily makes for cheaper paintball and more affordable paintball widens the potential player pool.
Here is where my interest--and questions--begin. Isn't cheaper paint in some respects counterproductive to the whole ROF limitation idea? (I suspect the answer to that is cheaper needn't encourage the use of more paint but that's really just a dodge, isn't it? Even if it's true to some extent it's like putting a limit on ice cream sundaes and then announcing the price of ice cream is going down.)
But more than that is the claim of cheaper paint to the end user, the customer, you, the player. It doesn't necessarily follow even if production costs are reduced. Here's the dealio as it currently stands: big paint companies are struggling to make a profit in today's market. Keeping it simple there are 4 factors involved; cost (to produce & sell), price (to retailer), volume (of sales) and margin (profit per unit sold). What the manufacturers need is a margin in sufficient volume to make their current woes go away. Reduced cost would be a good start but it doesn't follow that all costs (or prices) throughout the system drop as well. Part of the answer to that would be in pinpointing where the real problem is for the manufacturers. Odds are it's a combination of the 4 factors complicated by the debt load a couple of them are carrying. What margin would be sufficiently profitable given the current volume of sales? Will the small ball provide that or more? The point is simply this: Cheaper to manufacture doesn't automatically translate into cheaper for you and I to buy.
Admittedly there is lots we don't yet know and there is no reason to pass premature judgment on the 50 cal small ball just yet but at the same time it's no time to swallow the hype either. Even if it proves to be a better paintball will Paintball's problems suddenly disappear? I doubt it.
And to close (for now) here's some additional almost-on-topic food for thought. A) Paint is as cheap as it's ever been for the average customer. B) The advent of Xball saw the volume use of paint go through the roof in competition. C) the average age of the typical Xball player is younger than ever. D) Older players have more disposable income. E) If the ROF restrictionists are correct does it really make sense to make greater volumes of paint available for less than is the current standard? (Assuming the small ball will actually be cheaper.)
Since the first "official" announcement about the coming .50 caliber solution was posted at P8ntballer--see, ' The Revolution Begins' below for the link--much of the dialogue has focused on the paintballs themselves and the unsubstantiated performance claims sorta being made. While all that is vaguely interesting (if you're a physics geek) I think it misses the point completely. I don't think it matters a whit if the small ball does exactly as claimed or not. (What matters is whether it's profitable for the manufacturers.)
Of late the biggest concern to both the industry and competitive leagues is a stagnant and/or declining player base from the heyday of a few short years ago. The blame has generally been assigned to cost (paintball is expensive and competitive paintball is even more expensive) and out-of-control rates of fire turning the basic game's fun factor into a fear factor. (Does the decline compare to the appearance of low-priced, high-performance markers?) Part of the latest response has been to cap ROF and steadily reduce that cap in order to encourage the use of lower limits across the board.
The GIMILSIM press release states, "The new era of 50 calibre paintball means cheaper paint for the paintballer, it means hundreds more paintballs in the loader, it means thousands more balls in your pots, it means a more accurate flight path, it means it shoots further and all this with the same marking characteristics as the original 68 caliber balls." Earlier in the press release the cost of participation is mentioned as an impediment to building the player base and seeing a healthy tourney environment restored. The idea being cheaper paint necessarily makes for cheaper paintball and more affordable paintball widens the potential player pool.
Here is where my interest--and questions--begin. Isn't cheaper paint in some respects counterproductive to the whole ROF limitation idea? (I suspect the answer to that is cheaper needn't encourage the use of more paint but that's really just a dodge, isn't it? Even if it's true to some extent it's like putting a limit on ice cream sundaes and then announcing the price of ice cream is going down.)
But more than that is the claim of cheaper paint to the end user, the customer, you, the player. It doesn't necessarily follow even if production costs are reduced. Here's the dealio as it currently stands: big paint companies are struggling to make a profit in today's market. Keeping it simple there are 4 factors involved; cost (to produce & sell), price (to retailer), volume (of sales) and margin (profit per unit sold). What the manufacturers need is a margin in sufficient volume to make their current woes go away. Reduced cost would be a good start but it doesn't follow that all costs (or prices) throughout the system drop as well. Part of the answer to that would be in pinpointing where the real problem is for the manufacturers. Odds are it's a combination of the 4 factors complicated by the debt load a couple of them are carrying. What margin would be sufficiently profitable given the current volume of sales? Will the small ball provide that or more? The point is simply this: Cheaper to manufacture doesn't automatically translate into cheaper for you and I to buy.
Admittedly there is lots we don't yet know and there is no reason to pass premature judgment on the 50 cal small ball just yet but at the same time it's no time to swallow the hype either. Even if it proves to be a better paintball will Paintball's problems suddenly disappear? I doubt it.
And to close (for now) here's some additional almost-on-topic food for thought. A) Paint is as cheap as it's ever been for the average customer. B) The advent of Xball saw the volume use of paint go through the roof in competition. C) the average age of the typical Xball player is younger than ever. D) Older players have more disposable income. E) If the ROF restrictionists are correct does it really make sense to make greater volumes of paint available for less than is the current standard? (Assuming the small ball will actually be cheaper.)
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Chicago '09 layout: Command & Control
In my last post on the Chicago layout I commented briefly on the s-side (snake side) MD. This post will expand on those thoughts and demonstrate the ways this critical bunker can (and will) be played. (I call it a critical bunker because my expectation is most teams at all levels will play this position most points.) I am limiting the post to the competing ways of making the bunker as a primary and the ways to try denying movement to the bunker.
FYI, I'm doing this for two reasons after more or less saying I wouldn't; 1) the Eurokids seemed to appreciate a similar effort and fair's fair and 2) I am not concerned that this post will assist any team we may play. (Click on the diagram for a larger version.)
Making the Bunker
There are 4 numbered routes on the diagram.
1 protects the runner from a home shooter as the runner uses the X as a blocker and dives in tight on the MD. It also allows the runner to play gun up and see anyone edging out into a wider zone. The limitation to this route is it also blocks (restricts) (inhibits) (delays) a teammate's lane as the home shooter.
2 is the speed rush variant where the runner comes off the board low and runs and dives into the bunker relying a burst of speed and limited profile to make the bunker as quickly as possible.
3 is a run & gun variation that uses the bunker to block any inside out lane while allowing the player to shoot the zone behind the opponent's MD and pillars. The player also has the option to delay or alter his/her run on this route for whatever reason.
4 is an intentional delay and misdirection route. The object is to bring another lane of fire to bear and read the opponent's breakout in order to pick and choose from some optional primaries. Otherwise it is the same as 3.
Denying the Bunker
Position A represents a d-side runner going corner or MT. Position A is running & gunning with the expectation there will be an opponent attempting to make the s-side MD. Position A initially shoots at a home shooter and as the player gets wider swings the lane into the MD.
Position B turns off the board and immediately lanes the V-shaped gap created by the visual overlap of the X and the target MD. A fast well-placed low lane has the potential to clip a runner on route 1 or 2.
Position C is intending to use his/her MD to block the opponent's home shooter while covering routes 3, 4 and possibly even 2 depending on the relative quickness of the players.
Position D is a point of opportunity where the laner initially looks for a wider runner but has the option to swing his/her gun inside to bear on a delay or an opponent's MD route runner.
Position E is a corner runner shooting outside in into the zone behind the MD as the runner swings the arc of his lane back inside.
Note that options B, C & D can also be elements in a player running route 3 or 4 as well as independent shooters hesitating at those spots trying to catch the opposition runner.
Regardless of your strategy make sure to pay attention to what your opponent is doing with respect to playing the s-side MD. Winning this little contest more often than not could very well be your key to winning the match.
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
The Paris Open layout OTB
Aight, here we go kids. But first, the standard disclaimers. It is critically important to check the position of the props on the actual field for any changes that will alter lanes or cover prior to actual competition. And adjust accordingly.(What that amounts to is you are expected to use your own brain–dust off those cobwebs–and your experience and not simply follow these suggestions by rote.) Also keep in mind that your OTB lanes should be part of a larger game plan for playing the field in order to maximize the potential of any particular lane in a given point. The diagram does not offer all the possible lanes but does offer enough to lay a solid foundation. Don't let the clutter put you off. I left a few lanes out and everything is marked. (Clicking on the diagram will display a full sized version that can be printed out.) Finally, for those who haven't spent much (or any) field time as yet on this layout Warpig has their virtual field available to assist with your visualization.
Beginning with position C if you look at the identified lanes at the top of the page you will note that position C can lane to either side of the field (C1 & C2), and also has an unmarked lane on the d-side inside of the MT. This is your basic lane shooter as he comes off the board and moves up to position D. Without direct pressure D can play over the top and/or check off lanes between the columns of the M for opponents in similar positions. Otherwise D is working the lanes between the d-side doritos or simply delaying in order to fill.
Position B steps off the corner of the starting board and has a quick lane (B1) between the d-side temples (T & MT). B also offers quick lanes to counter opponents delay positions (B2 & B3) but it is important to be aware that wrap on the d-side T is a serious risk. B also has unmarked narrow s-side lanes but there are more than anything else a last resort or an unexpected haven't-shot-that-lane-before option. The value of B is that it is also a launch point where a laner can hesitate, shoot the lane, and move to a number of primaries both upfield and wide.
Position A is a good counter for a consistent snake attack. The action OTB is gun up laning back into the opponent's home cake area to defend the move into the T. Then turning the lane across field into the gap feeding snake one. The initial home edge is abandoned as fast as possible in order to get up on the snake lane. (And the movement to the T can be varied from direct line to the L-shaped baseline and up.)
Position F–G offers a variant to the (likely to be) stock move to the s-side MT in which F offers a narrow lane on snake runner. Otherwise the move to position G primarily offers lanes up the center of the field and across to the d-side. And position G is the principle d-side contain position with a clean lane on the d-side corner and the gaps feeding the MDs. (This poses other problems however as any point plays out if the attack is snake side.)
Position E can be taken OTB or as a delay from C or F. Position E offers some unusual lanes across both sides of the field while allowing the player to move into the center of the field or shading toward the d-side or s-side.
Position H is a spot lane for a snake side runner to pull up and either edge an unsuspecting player at the T looking wide or shoot the snake one gap because the players sees a runner. (The position H needs to be played in a crouch and may need to be slightly deeper (closer to the back-line) than the position given on the diagram.
There you have it kids. Post up any questions in comments and good hunting.
Beginning with position C if you look at the identified lanes at the top of the page you will note that position C can lane to either side of the field (C1 & C2), and also has an unmarked lane on the d-side inside of the MT. This is your basic lane shooter as he comes off the board and moves up to position D. Without direct pressure D can play over the top and/or check off lanes between the columns of the M for opponents in similar positions. Otherwise D is working the lanes between the d-side doritos or simply delaying in order to fill.
Position B steps off the corner of the starting board and has a quick lane (B1) between the d-side temples (T & MT). B also offers quick lanes to counter opponents delay positions (B2 & B3) but it is important to be aware that wrap on the d-side T is a serious risk. B also has unmarked narrow s-side lanes but there are more than anything else a last resort or an unexpected haven't-shot-that-lane-before option. The value of B is that it is also a launch point where a laner can hesitate, shoot the lane, and move to a number of primaries both upfield and wide.
Position A is a good counter for a consistent snake attack. The action OTB is gun up laning back into the opponent's home cake area to defend the move into the T. Then turning the lane across field into the gap feeding snake one. The initial home edge is abandoned as fast as possible in order to get up on the snake lane. (And the movement to the T can be varied from direct line to the L-shaped baseline and up.)
Position F–G offers a variant to the (likely to be) stock move to the s-side MT in which F offers a narrow lane on snake runner. Otherwise the move to position G primarily offers lanes up the center of the field and across to the d-side. And position G is the principle d-side contain position with a clean lane on the d-side corner and the gaps feeding the MDs. (This poses other problems however as any point plays out if the attack is snake side.)
Position E can be taken OTB or as a delay from C or F. Position E offers some unusual lanes across both sides of the field while allowing the player to move into the center of the field or shading toward the d-side or s-side.
Position H is a spot lane for a snake side runner to pull up and either edge an unsuspecting player at the T looking wide or shoot the snake one gap because the players sees a runner. (The position H needs to be played in a crouch and may need to be slightly deeper (closer to the back-line) than the position given on the diagram.
There you have it kids. Post up any questions in comments and good hunting.
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Major League Paintball Held Hostage: Weekly Update
With the "official" paid by deadline a week away--Monday the 15th--for the PSP's Chicago Open registration stands at 206 with 121 paid, not counting any of the Young Guns teams. There will be some last minute additions and a few teams pushing the limits on the deadline that will end up putting final registration numbers in the neighborhood of 220 but that ain't the same thing as paid and playing. While 121 teams paid looks pretty good in comparison to the prior two events if Chicago sees more than a 10%-12% decline it may put the PSP in a real spot. Every year World Cup is expected to cover for weaker events and make up for any earlier in the season losses but the added costs of the webcast plus low vendor turnout are reducing the already slim margins for maintaining some profitability. No prediction, no doom and gloom but realistically the numbers need to be there--and so far it's looking iffy. (I know I was more upbeat last week but this deadline has kinda crept up on me and the window is closing faster than it seemed just a week ago.)
We could also be close to the release of a WC location and date. No confirmation yet but indications favor a central Florida location at this time. Again, don't buy your tickets just yet. Just what I'm hearing from the voices in my head.
Over in USPL land the window remains wide open as the next event, the West Coast Open, isn't until late July but the predicament is similar. The numbers need to be there and so far things are going slowly. After postponing one event, tightening the season schedule and moving back to the left coast where it is believed 7-man is strongest the new league needs a success. (And by success I mean an event that makes a few bucks, not one everybody thought was swell but didn't attend.) Registration stands at 64 (including the 16 Pro teams) with only 17 non-Pro teams having paid their entry to date.
If you missed it check out the Monday Poll over on the sidebar as it addresses some of the concerns surrounding the 7-man format. And vote, you lazy slacker.
The Grand Tour's next stop in Lviv, Ukraine, is less than two weeks away with (paid?) registration standing at 35 total teams. This is down slightly on the recent Warsaw event and continues the trend of reduced turnout over past seasons when the Grand Tour was the Centurio and the ECS.
The MS announced some of the details for the Millennium Cup Pro and Am Open that will be the Paris event along with a D3 exclusive Millennium Trophy challenge. Having now seen the details I'm more frustrated than ever over the scheduling of this event. I'm not convinced a lot of U.S. Pro teams (or semi-pros) would have entered with friendlier scheduling but some surely would have. (Of course it could be that's not something the MS wanted. I don't know.) The main competition will have three tiers to success (the Millennium Cup, Plate & Shield) giving everybody who competes, regardless of division, a chance to win something.
Apparently the MS was unconcerned about carrying the semis & finals of Malaga over to Paris as they informed the teams in the locked divisions that they were always expected to compete in Paris regardless so no big deal really. (Hey, I'm just reading their own press release.)
With the event scheduled for the first weekend in July--less than one full month away--there are 2 D2 teams registered and 10 D3 (M5) teams registered for the event.
The open portion of the event will be limited to 96 teams with the three locked divisions comprising 71 (68) of those teams (don't know if 3 D1 teams are also expected to "volunteer" to ref) which leaves 25 (28) slots for D2 teams to fill. This layout doesn't do any of the lower division teams any favors (or those teams that are typically counterpunchers for that matter) as it will reward aggressive, effective guns up play and offers little in the way of initial shooting lanes or defensively-oriented control positions. (Post and diagram tomorrow on the Paris layout.)
Heard a rumor about the current but unconfirmed location for the final MS event. The word is the league continues to consider alternatives out of fear of player/team reaction. You gotta think though at some point if it takes too long nobody will be happy regardless. (Of course, tournament promoters are used to that.)
We could also be close to the release of a WC location and date. No confirmation yet but indications favor a central Florida location at this time. Again, don't buy your tickets just yet. Just what I'm hearing from the voices in my head.
Over in USPL land the window remains wide open as the next event, the West Coast Open, isn't until late July but the predicament is similar. The numbers need to be there and so far things are going slowly. After postponing one event, tightening the season schedule and moving back to the left coast where it is believed 7-man is strongest the new league needs a success. (And by success I mean an event that makes a few bucks, not one everybody thought was swell but didn't attend.) Registration stands at 64 (including the 16 Pro teams) with only 17 non-Pro teams having paid their entry to date.
If you missed it check out the Monday Poll over on the sidebar as it addresses some of the concerns surrounding the 7-man format. And vote, you lazy slacker.
The Grand Tour's next stop in Lviv, Ukraine, is less than two weeks away with (paid?) registration standing at 35 total teams. This is down slightly on the recent Warsaw event and continues the trend of reduced turnout over past seasons when the Grand Tour was the Centurio and the ECS.
The MS announced some of the details for the Millennium Cup Pro and Am Open that will be the Paris event along with a D3 exclusive Millennium Trophy challenge. Having now seen the details I'm more frustrated than ever over the scheduling of this event. I'm not convinced a lot of U.S. Pro teams (or semi-pros) would have entered with friendlier scheduling but some surely would have. (Of course it could be that's not something the MS wanted. I don't know.) The main competition will have three tiers to success (the Millennium Cup, Plate & Shield) giving everybody who competes, regardless of division, a chance to win something.
Apparently the MS was unconcerned about carrying the semis & finals of Malaga over to Paris as they informed the teams in the locked divisions that they were always expected to compete in Paris regardless so no big deal really. (Hey, I'm just reading their own press release.)
With the event scheduled for the first weekend in July--less than one full month away--there are 2 D2 teams registered and 10 D3 (M5) teams registered for the event.
The open portion of the event will be limited to 96 teams with the three locked divisions comprising 71 (68) of those teams (don't know if 3 D1 teams are also expected to "volunteer" to ref) which leaves 25 (28) slots for D2 teams to fill. This layout doesn't do any of the lower division teams any favors (or those teams that are typically counterpunchers for that matter) as it will reward aggressive, effective guns up play and offers little in the way of initial shooting lanes or defensively-oriented control positions. (Post and diagram tomorrow on the Paris layout.)
Heard a rumor about the current but unconfirmed location for the final MS event. The word is the league continues to consider alternatives out of fear of player/team reaction. You gotta think though at some point if it takes too long nobody will be happy regardless. (Of course, tournament promoters are used to that.)
The Revolution Begins
If there were any doubters left this should serve to dispell those doubts. Pete, under the name GIMILSIM, has posted the opening salvo. Read it and weep or read it and rejoice. Either way, it's coming.
(I told you so.)
(Couldn't resist.)
(I told you so.)
(Couldn't resist.)
Monday, June 8, 2009
The Monday Poll
Last week's poll on paintball and the World Games--I'm no longer even willing to suspend disbelief enough to acknowledge the claim it's a "demonstration" sport or has any actual connection to the World Games--pretty much mirrors a similar point of view with the overwhelming numbers of votes (86%) assigning no Big Picture paintball importance to the event. That, of course, doesn't mean the event can't or won't have a positive impact on competitive paintball in Asia. Hopefully it will.
This week's Monday Poll is on 7-man as a viable format for the future. The poll is in no way scientific and the future of 7-man probably doesn't rest on the outcome so relax and take a minute to express your opinion. If you happen to choose 'Other' it would be helpful if you also commented on what you have in mind. (No pressure, I'm just saying.) In addition to expending the effort to click an option I've got a secondary poll question that requires a little more thought and effort.
Would a format modification make you more or less likely to play 7-man? And if so, what sort of modification do you have in mind? (Post 'em up in comments.)
In the past there was some consideration given to altering the format to play kinda like Race2-2 does now in the PSP. Fewer opponents, best of 3 outcomes. Are you thinking of something like that or something completely different?
This week's Monday Poll is on 7-man as a viable format for the future. The poll is in no way scientific and the future of 7-man probably doesn't rest on the outcome so relax and take a minute to express your opinion. If you happen to choose 'Other' it would be helpful if you also commented on what you have in mind. (No pressure, I'm just saying.) In addition to expending the effort to click an option I've got a secondary poll question that requires a little more thought and effort.
Would a format modification make you more or less likely to play 7-man? And if so, what sort of modification do you have in mind? (Post 'em up in comments.)
In the past there was some consideration given to altering the format to play kinda like Race2-2 does now in the PSP. Fewer opponents, best of 3 outcomes. Are you thinking of something like that or something completely different?
This Week at VFTD
Listed below is the likely schedule for this week's posts. Other stuff could come up but at a minimum these posts will be posted sometime on those days--even if I have to back date them--and, yes, I can do that. (I've done it before. It's the blogging equivalent of playing the grey.) (In fact I did it with this post--by about 45 minutes to keep 'The Monday Poll' on the top of the page.)
There is also the regular Monday post over at Baca's Blog on the Big Bullet. This week's post is about the latest batch of lawsuits to hit the industry.
UPDATE: It's been posted (finally) and it's called, 'Looking Down the Barrel.'
Monday– The Monday Poll
Tues– MLP Weekly Update
Wed– Paris field breakouts (or something quite like it)
Thurs– PSP Chicago layout: taking control, an option
Fri– Return of the Pro Loser
Sat & Sun are currently open--and I usually skip posting on Sundays. (To, eh, give y'all a chance to catch up if you missed a day or two. Yeah, that's the ticket.) (It's also so I can do Baca's Blog on Sundays but you already know it doesn't usually work out that way, don't you?)
There is also the regular Monday post over at Baca's Blog on the Big Bullet. This week's post is about the latest batch of lawsuits to hit the industry.
UPDATE: It's been posted (finally) and it's called, 'Looking Down the Barrel.'
Monday– The Monday Poll
Tues– MLP Weekly Update
Wed– Paris field breakouts (or something quite like it)
Thurs– PSP Chicago layout: taking control, an option
Fri– Return of the Pro Loser
Sat & Sun are currently open--and I usually skip posting on Sundays. (To, eh, give y'all a chance to catch up if you missed a day or two. Yeah, that's the ticket.) (It's also so I can do Baca's Blog on Sundays but you already know it doesn't usually work out that way, don't you?)
Sunday, June 7, 2009
Sunday Special: Paintball & the Law
As posted on the Nation and over at ProPaintball information has gone public on various lawsuits filed by Heckler & Koch (a manufacturer of real firearms) for an assortment of mostly trademark infringements against a number of Airsoft and paintball companies. In addition H&K has filed suits against two other arms manufacturers, Professional Arms and Cotarie Arms. All the suits I've seen so far date from December '08 thru June '09.
The really interesting bit--from a paintball perspective (okay, my paintball perspective) is that on May 18 Kee Action Sports filed a similar trademark infringement suit against Heckler & Koch. Did Kee file preemptively expecting a similar filing from H&K? Who knows?
Anyway, more thoughts on this latest spate of legal wranglings involving paintball tomorrow on Baca's Blog over at the Big Bullet.
The really interesting bit--from a paintball perspective (okay, my paintball perspective) is that on May 18 Kee Action Sports filed a similar trademark infringement suit against Heckler & Koch. Did Kee file preemptively expecting a similar filing from H&K? Who knows?
Anyway, more thoughts on this latest spate of legal wranglings involving paintball tomorrow on Baca's Blog over at the Big Bullet.
Friday, June 5, 2009
Ask the Coach
Episode 3--The Gear Bag
If you've got any ideas for future episodes post them up in comments, you lazy slackers.
Thursday, June 4, 2009
That Was Quick
This is a short follow-up on The .50 Caliber Solution put forward in the post, The Ultimate Paintball Conspiracy. (If you missed it, you know what to do.) So far there have been a couple of interesting results. First, there weren't any serious denials. Just an unserious denial or two. And those didn't last any time at all. Second, everybody who initially rejected it either backed off, fell silent or quietly changed their tune. Third, and most importantly, there has been no consistent hue & cry opposing the idea. There are reasons for this too but it's interesting nonetheless. (As is the word nonetheless. But I digress ... ) While the internet is ubiquitous the information available on it isn't. There is so much stuff that it's impossible to keep up and VFTD isn't a giant among paintball sites--yet. So even if you and I are not totally out of the loop there's a whole wide world of ballers out there who probably haven't heard about the smaller paintball possibility. Of those that have all indications are that a majority simply don't believe it will ever happen, or could happen. (See the propaintball poll, for example.) Others don't find it as interesting as the latest gat to almost hit the market or the most recent video telling them what to think of an assortment of aftermarket regulators. Which is fine but just goes to show (as has been demonstrated repeatedly in the past) that for a large segment of ballers their parochial paintball interests are what matter and they won't be overly bothered by much else. (No, internet whining doesn't count.) And if that is an accurate assessment of the general situation that's one big hurdle overcome before this thing even gets started.
Of course things could change when some official word is announced. (But I doubt it.) Or one or more of the major players gets spooked by the economy and backs out. Or the PSTA steps up to support the field owners--oh, hang on, it's mostly gonna be the PSTA guys trying to sell new stuff to the field owners, isn't it? So maybe not that one but there's a field owners association, right? A players union perhaps? Piecemeal resistance isn't resistance at all, it's an obstacle to be overcome and not much of one in all likelihood.
Of course things could change when some official word is announced. (But I doubt it.) Or one or more of the major players gets spooked by the economy and backs out. Or the PSTA steps up to support the field owners--oh, hang on, it's mostly gonna be the PSTA guys trying to sell new stuff to the field owners, isn't it? So maybe not that one but there's a field owners association, right? A players union perhaps? Piecemeal resistance isn't resistance at all, it's an obstacle to be overcome and not much of one in all likelihood.
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Burning Question
Would a return to the NPPL brand help the USPL and encourage more teams to play 7-man?
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Major League Paintball Held Hostage: Weekly Update
It's that time again. Where I bore you senseless (not always that long a trip) with the numbers as VFTD attempts to track the vitality of big league tourney competition.
But before I get started mark your calendars because I have a prediction for you. This is one you will not want to remember but will hope to be able to throw back in my face at a future date. Conflicted? It gets better. Or worse, depending. Warning: Do NOT read this prediction if you suffer from depression, occasional thoughts of suicide, drug-induced paranoia or if you listen to emo music.
Prediction: Next season, 2010, MLP will be at greater risk than it is/was this year, and I'm not convinced that surviving 2010 will get us over the hump either.
This week over at the PSP Chicago registration is up to 187 with 77 teams paid. That is a solid improvement over last week and, I think, a positive sign. The league continues to work the phones hard trying to drum up vendor participation but it remains an uphill struggle.
On the WC front it would appear that an Orlando venue may be close to being a done deal. This is just speculation on my part but I do know a couple of things that most of you probably don't. (I wonder if I'll get an irate phone call later today.) Do not, in any case, buy your plane tickets just yet.
The May deadline came and went for registration and early payment for the USPL's West Coast Open. Registered teams is up to 59 with 16 paid (not including the pro teams.) That means only a few teams took advantage of the largest possible discounts on their entry fees but lesser discounts remain available and it's hard to quantify where the savings versus the very early payment balances out given that the event isn't scheduled until mid-July. There is still plenty of time to get signed up but it's hard not to look at this as something of a referendum on the viability of 7-man as a major league format going into the future. Next week's Monday Poll will be about the 7-man format.
The Millennium Series staged their second event of the season at Bitburg, Germany last weekend with a total of 116 teams participating compared to the 151 teams at Malaga. Final results for Malaga in the locked upper divisions will not be complete until the Paris event in July. In the open divisions the numbers were down in Germany by 32 teams; 80 D2 & M5 combined in Malaga with only 48 combined in Bitburg. Curiously, there are 27 registered teams in D1 but in both Malaga and Bitburg only 24 D1 teams played. Does that mean, like last year, there are 3 teams each event reffing instead of playing? And how are they chosen? Do they still pay a licensing fee to get a D1 spot so they can ref?
The next Grand Tour event in the Central Conference is scheduled for the end of June in Lviv and there are currently 32 teams registered. That's up 2 over last week.
But before I get started mark your calendars because I have a prediction for you. This is one you will not want to remember but will hope to be able to throw back in my face at a future date. Conflicted? It gets better. Or worse, depending. Warning: Do NOT read this prediction if you suffer from depression, occasional thoughts of suicide, drug-induced paranoia or if you listen to emo music.
Prediction: Next season, 2010, MLP will be at greater risk than it is/was this year, and I'm not convinced that surviving 2010 will get us over the hump either.
This week over at the PSP Chicago registration is up to 187 with 77 teams paid. That is a solid improvement over last week and, I think, a positive sign. The league continues to work the phones hard trying to drum up vendor participation but it remains an uphill struggle.
On the WC front it would appear that an Orlando venue may be close to being a done deal. This is just speculation on my part but I do know a couple of things that most of you probably don't. (I wonder if I'll get an irate phone call later today.) Do not, in any case, buy your plane tickets just yet.
The May deadline came and went for registration and early payment for the USPL's West Coast Open. Registered teams is up to 59 with 16 paid (not including the pro teams.) That means only a few teams took advantage of the largest possible discounts on their entry fees but lesser discounts remain available and it's hard to quantify where the savings versus the very early payment balances out given that the event isn't scheduled until mid-July. There is still plenty of time to get signed up but it's hard not to look at this as something of a referendum on the viability of 7-man as a major league format going into the future. Next week's Monday Poll will be about the 7-man format.
The Millennium Series staged their second event of the season at Bitburg, Germany last weekend with a total of 116 teams participating compared to the 151 teams at Malaga. Final results for Malaga in the locked upper divisions will not be complete until the Paris event in July. In the open divisions the numbers were down in Germany by 32 teams; 80 D2 & M5 combined in Malaga with only 48 combined in Bitburg. Curiously, there are 27 registered teams in D1 but in both Malaga and Bitburg only 24 D1 teams played. Does that mean, like last year, there are 3 teams each event reffing instead of playing? And how are they chosen? Do they still pay a licensing fee to get a D1 spot so they can ref?
The next Grand Tour event in the Central Conference is scheduled for the end of June in Lviv and there are currently 32 teams registered. That's up 2 over last week.
Rule of the Game
Baca's Rule of the Game #17: 'Speedball' refers to any non-woods variant of paintball in which the participants imagine they are playing competitive paintball.
Monday, June 1, 2009
The Monday Poll & Paintball Stuff
This week's poll is on the upcoming World Games in Taiwan in July and the 16 team invitational paintball event that will serve as a demonstration sport. Rock the vote.
I botched last week's poll. It was written poorly. You see, the whole thing, being an experiment in a "positive" poll, wasn't intended to be positive at all. (Yeah, I was doing the sarcastic thing again.) Having a virtual monopoly means the MS doesn't have to be proactive or responsive to its customers (the league's communications are notoriously limited, self-serving and non-communicative) and, of course, there is no up-to-date rulebook. Locked divisions in the MS are just an excuse to charge teams an extra fee and how many made-for-TV paintball shows do we need? Or, why is this one gonna be any different than all the others? Anyway, let that be a lesson to you. This blogging biz is harder than it looks. (The new poll however is primo.)
Predictions for PSP Chicago. No, not those kind of predictions. After another weekend working the layout I predict a lot of teams are in for a big surprise. I also predict most of y'all will miss a lot (let me repeat–a lot) of opportunities on this layout. (Doesn't mean I like it any better than I did before either.) Finally I predict the refs will not like reffing this field and the snake will prove particularly annoying. (Guess the reason why and win a coveted VFTD e-no prize.)
There are some new links under Paintball on the Web down on the sidebar. Despite all the regular talk about the major leagues, including the USPL, MS & Grand Tour, I didn't have links up for them. Or some of the other bigger leagues. I's gonna rectify that. Soon. Also, there is now a link for PBGuide.com which is a paintball site dedicated to collecting active and interesting paintball-related links. (Which was all news to me but it's pretty cool, right?) Anyway, next time you can't find what you're looking for try PBGuide.
Posting soon over at the Big Bullet will be this week's post at Baca's Blog. In keeping with this week's Monday Poll the post is about paintball at the World Games. Check it out. Post a comment. Go crazy.
I botched last week's poll. It was written poorly. You see, the whole thing, being an experiment in a "positive" poll, wasn't intended to be positive at all. (Yeah, I was doing the sarcastic thing again.) Having a virtual monopoly means the MS doesn't have to be proactive or responsive to its customers (the league's communications are notoriously limited, self-serving and non-communicative) and, of course, there is no up-to-date rulebook. Locked divisions in the MS are just an excuse to charge teams an extra fee and how many made-for-TV paintball shows do we need? Or, why is this one gonna be any different than all the others? Anyway, let that be a lesson to you. This blogging biz is harder than it looks. (The new poll however is primo.)
Predictions for PSP Chicago. No, not those kind of predictions. After another weekend working the layout I predict a lot of teams are in for a big surprise. I also predict most of y'all will miss a lot (let me repeat–a lot) of opportunities on this layout. (Doesn't mean I like it any better than I did before either.) Finally I predict the refs will not like reffing this field and the snake will prove particularly annoying. (Guess the reason why and win a coveted VFTD e-no prize.)
There are some new links under Paintball on the Web down on the sidebar. Despite all the regular talk about the major leagues, including the USPL, MS & Grand Tour, I didn't have links up for them. Or some of the other bigger leagues. I's gonna rectify that. Soon. Also, there is now a link for PBGuide.com which is a paintball site dedicated to collecting active and interesting paintball-related links. (Which was all news to me but it's pretty cool, right?) Anyway, next time you can't find what you're looking for try PBGuide.
Posting soon over at the Big Bullet will be this week's post at Baca's Blog. In keeping with this week's Monday Poll the post is about paintball at the World Games. Check it out. Post a comment. Go crazy.
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