X-Ball: a new game format

[Kieran - Thunder]

OK, I just came across this and I was wondering what everyone thinks. From what I hear the plan is to hold a new Nations Cup type tourney using this X-Ball format which is designed to make our sport easier to watch.

http://www.xballpaintball.com

The idea was Richmond Italia's and I think it sounds like an interesting format that would be sooooo knackering to play. Constant games with a 3 minute turnaround before the next one is gonna hurt. Should be great to watch though.

Opinions????

 

[TJ Lambini]

I dig it...

and it'll make tha game waaaaaaaaay more palatable to the US audience...we like our sports set out like this and if we like it, the rest o' tha world can just follow suit!

peace

 

[Kieran - Thunder]

Yeah... I think it'll make it a LOT easier for people who aren't totally into paintball to watch games and should make for exciting 'matches'. It'll make the sport a lot harder for fat old back boys though.... stamina will play an important part in this game

 

[Coran]

I'd certainly like to have a go although I'm concerned about the Mad Max Thunderdome part. Does this mean we get to use chainsaws??

I also find it refreshing that field design is no longer allowed to include cliffs....

"Fred! Fred! Push right!"
"Okey-dokey! Aaarrrgggghhhhhhhh"...THUMP!
"Fred? Fred??"

 

[Flash-Bugout]

Sounds great, just one problem - I'm usually knackered after one game - I'd better start training now!

One thing which is a slight query in my head (I may not have read the rules hard enough, just skimmed them)

Can the "pit-crews" fill pots while the game is going on, then just swap empties for fulls?

I can see air systems with removable bottles becoming V. popular too.....

 

[Gee - Team No Hope]

This looks an awfull lot of fun.

The only thing i don't like is that coach and assistent coaches can yell instructions to players. Since it would get reid of any sneaky moves up field.

 

[Kieran - Thunder]

Originally posted by Gee - Team No Hope
This looks an awfull lot of fun.

The only thing i don't like is that coach and assistent coaches can yell instructions to players. Since it would get reid of any sneaky moves up field.

Isn't shouting onto the field already allowed at Skyball?? Anyone been there and can tell us how this works out???

 

[RED HOT]

i saw this one on the rec.sport.paintball newsgroup.

sound a lot like the format that was used in the british skirmish championship held at donnington park back in '88 (anyone else old enough to have played at that one?)

then it was 45 min games, very short break between each flag hang to get gassed up and some paint and back out to change ends and play again. just had to as many flag hangs within the 45 mins as pos for you score. great fast paced games on speedball fields. i think there where some woodland fields there, but we had a cool field, just played the same one almost all the time. (even with the old daystate 40 shot pumps)

personally i like the idea of coaching from the sides, i've played a few games like that and it adds a great atmoshpere to your game cos the crowd are going wild. (i also let my punters do it). makes it better to watch when you can yell at your team, just like if you where at a football match or whatever.

 

[Flash-Bugout]

Well...

Originally posted by Nick Iuel-Brockdorff
Because of the legth of a "match" - organisers can accomodate fewer teams at a 3 day tournament.

- Or.. alternatively... teams will get fewer games (say 3 games at a tournament)

IMHO using this format would mean a whole different tournament structure, nothing like we have today.

It lends itself perfectly to a league proper, such as football's Premier League (that's soccer to out "over-pond" cousins )

You could have location based teams, meeting in a round robin format every sunday for a season, so (for example) Portsmouth play Durham, then the following week, Portsmouth play Exeter.

Obviously there would still have to be "traditional" tourneys for the non-league teams/newly formed teams, but for the big established teams.........TV here we come!

 

[KillerOnion]

Well, I talked with Mr. Ratko up at Skyball about this, and the way it seems like to me is that from the players' standpoint it's exactly like an intense day of tourney practice, just with someone keeping score and a means of inviting the fans to it. Granted it is intense and potentially tiring, but he said that the teams will have a box of reserve players for rotation, much like line changes in hockey. Well thought out, I think. Its demanding nature will be good in terms of raising the bar for players' physical conditioning and ability to repeatedly perform in the same day. In short, this really will be an acid test of who really is the best. It's designed to be in depth, concise, and to keep things really simple and to the point. I like it and think it to be an excellent format for presentation of the sport as it is while at the same time understandable and appealing to the not-yet-playing audience. The sort of thinking is what I like: everyone on the outside may not play paintball, but if they see it in the right way, they might want to soon afterwards.

Well done, Diablo.