What got you interested in paintball? How did it start?

[Cell]

I'm interested in what it was exactly that got you to go play for the first time. Was it a flier, friend, coupon, simply interest, sports show.....

[punkncat]

To be honest I resisted playing for well over a year. A couple of buddies, well one in particular, had gotten some pump guns for christmas one year. He has a large wooded back yard, so he went out there and started playing. My wife and a great deal of my friends started getting involved. The wife was going every few weekends to play and kept asking me to go. I finally got tired of her hassling me about it and decided to go play.
She has regretted that decision ever since.

[guseppe16]

A buddy of mine set up a weekend outing for our group of friends. We've made it a yearly tradition ever since.

[MedicDVG]

There was a core group of folks in Stevens Point Wisconsin that I became involved in about 1986-87.. something like that. Every Saturday we would go down to Galaxy Hobby owned by a dude named Tom Glovitch. I was dragged along one Saturday as our regular D&D game that afternoon wasn't going to happen for some reason (yes I played D&D for years) so Tom lent me a pump gun that weighed about 50#, gave me a bag of stinky 50cal paintballs, a pair of JT motorcycle goggles with a cardboard face shield. We played in a old gravel pit next to the airport that was about 60 acres.

I have been hooked ever since..

[Meph]

1994 ESPN Paintball championship was the first exposure to paintball I got. From there I got the occasional magazine. That big *** players Bible which stuck out as a monstrosity on the magazine rack. Eventually was able to save up some money and buy my first gun in 1997. Very first game was with a handful of friends in a neighborhood junkyard.

Airfields? Castles? Nah we had broken glass on rusting cars, refrigerators, etc. Definitely a game I'll never forget.

[punkncat]

I was dragged along one Saturday as our regular D&D game that afternoon wasn't going to happen for some reason (yes I played D&D for years)


You must roll your d20 vs geek......

I really enjoyed playing D&D. I actually dug out some of my books not long ago. The Monster Compendium, Dungeon Masters guide, Rogues Gallery, Tricks and Traps....oh yeah baby let the good times (and dice) roll. I am actually a little ****ed that I cannot find my dice anywhere.

[Mechanic79]

What got me interested: I used to shoot nerf arrows/darts with friends and of course playing, can't remember the name, but similar to kick the can, had to make it to the porch without being tagged. 10 people would start out hiding and 2 people would have to go out and tag you to be out.

It Started: A business card or flyer in a strip mall ad center in 1996. Didn't actually play until the following year. Been hooked ever since.
Who would have thought.

[xmagman]

In spring of 1999, a friend of mine was part of a church group that was going to play paintball. He invited me along. I had no idea what paintball was but it sounded like a lot of fun. It was his first time playing, too. We got there sometime in the morning and played till early afternoon with the church group. My friend and I stayed till the place closed that day. I've been addicted ever since.

[MedicDVG]

You must roll your d20 vs geek......

I really enjoyed playing D&D. I actually dug out some of my books not long ago. The Monster Compendium, Dungeon Masters guide, Rogues Gallery, Tricks and Traps....oh yeah baby let the good times (and dice) roll. I am actually a little ****ed that I cannot find my dice anywhere.

I had all the first edition Gygaxx signed books from 1977ish or so, and the old paperbound starter set from TSR... they all burned up in my housefire 5 or so years ago.... :wall:

My character sheet for MeatFayce the Mighty also burned up.. started him out at level 1, ended up at 32/15 fighter magic user (half elf)... RIP MeatFayce...

You may all laugh now...

[tymcneer]

Medic... your story sounds very familiar... My local gaming group had a new member appear... Arthur Hickey. He introduced us to paintball circa 1986.

I purchased my first marker around 1987 or so. It was actually a Nelspot 007! I ended up learning to solder on direct feeds, make pumps and stocks. At some point, I ordered a JJ performer kit from the guy in Texas (I think). I still have that marker. Around 1989-1990, I purchased my Automag, CF00230. I stopped playing by the end of 1990. I pickup up again about 5 years ago.

So much had changed, yet so much had stayed the same. There were still honest players, and I still hated the cheaters! The big change was the ROF on semi autos. 9BPS was absolutely ripping when I stopped playing!

Ty

[ghostdog2019]

Some of my buddies and the mag actually got me into the game. A few of my buddies would continually beg me to come out and play some woodball. I kept on blowing the idea off, but one day I was looking at the market of available guns and in comes AGD. I really liked the look of the classic mag. It was short and compact but as you all know pretty expensive back then. I did alot of extra work for my father and was rewarded with a nice Minimag. I have played at least twice a month for the last 11 years and have built up a small local team of me and my friends since that point. I currently own a few mags and will be the only guns I ever own.

[bryceeden]

I grew up shooting actual firearms and playing with Nerf and lazer tag and such. I saw a talon at walmart and wanted it bad but my parents said no, this kept on for years. Finally some of the kids in my scout group were going out to play and invited me, I went and have been here ever since. If I had known where it would take me I don't know if I would have gone or not, it depends on the day really.

[FiXeL]

My first paintball expierence was about 10 years ago, as a work outing. The indoor field had pumps and we had to wear those fluor colored safety jackets to determine teams. Best moment of the day was when i came eye to eye with the guy that trashtalked for weeks, like i'm gonna paint you all over and such. To bad for him, because his last words were: Jorrit? Me: Hey Jelmer!! And i start autotriggering away at 4 ft. :glare: I know now this is not playing safe, but at the time it didnt seem that bad.. A few welts won't kill you right?

It took about 8 years before i got intererested, at the time i never knew or realised this could be played on a recreational basis, with own gear and paint.

In 2005 my older sister was over at my parent's house for dinner and she talked about playing ball with some friends. It sounded cool, but didn't gave it much thought. After a while she asked me to help install a new laundry washing machine at her home, and while my dad and me were installing it i asked if i could see her gear. It looked great and she shot a few balls in the backyard. After i got home i searched the internet for what was available, bought some gear and started playing. Addicted since 2005. :clap:

[robnix]

I played once in about 1998 with some coworkers using crappy rentals at a not so well run field. 2 years later a buddy of mine that was a long time mag shooter took me out playing with real gear, at a field he was a regular at. It made the whole difference. I got hooked on paintball and mags at the same time. Now he doesn't play anymore and I can't stop. :wthumpup:

[Stayhuge]

I was in 7th grade, so I guess around 12, and my cousin called me and asked if I wanted to play. I showed up at some guys house, who had a CO2 station in his garage. We walked 7 blocks to the woods and played. I have been hooked ever since. Now I am 23!!!

[punkncat]

I had all the first edition Gygaxx signed books from 1977ish or so, and the old paperbound starter set from TSR... they all burned up in my housefire 5 or so years ago.... :wall:

My character sheet for MeatFayce the Mighty also burned up.. started him out at level 1, ended up at 32/15 fighter magic user (half elf)... RIP MeatFayce...

You may all laugh now...

Dang man, I hate to hear that. Some of those books had to be worth a bit to some pale skinned someone hanging out in their parents basement(like me)...lol Seriouly Gary Gygaxx is an Icon all his own.
We kept logs of the games such that we could go back and refer to things and keep time, curses, blessings, etc.,etc. in order. I have been going through reading some of it and its AWESOME. Its a shame that there is so little left to kids imaginations anymore....although admittedly there were people just as worked up about D&D as the Potter books today. We were all devil worshippers plotting someones murder. Haha

/end hijack

[spwz99]

My first time out was a friend's birthday party, then I went a few more times with my church until I got my dad to come along one year and he talked mom into letting me get some stuff for christmas. Now I'm in college and helping to start paintball as a non-varsity sport here on campus! :banana: