How do you know when you're done playing?

Ive been playing for well over 20 years now, a lot of times fri, sat, sun for a few years straight.

I went from playing pump to mech to pump to electro then back to pump and now mostly SC.

is there something else you'd ratherdo if you have a saturday off?

You mean like for the day of playing, or done playing for good?


as far as by the day goes, i usualy play till my body says enough, it usualy happens if i have been playing hard for a few hours and then i sit between games for more than 30-40 minets and my body will just realize its whooped.

There are times i think about quitting playing all together, usualy because of certain people at the field irritating me by just being disrespectfull, or arrogant, or ignoring the rules, or all of the above. But then i think about and it makes me appreciate the few games a year i get to play with large groups of respectable players, and how much fun they can be. Honestly if it wasnt for the couple big pump games a year i go to, i would be getting burnt out on the sport entirely. I havent been realy "In the scene" for very long, but from what i have seen at my local field is the attitudes of a lot of people are gettign worse. I usualy sit back, ignore it if i can, and try to enjoy my day as much as possible. Reffing and being very strict is a good way for me to get back at those people too.

if you don't enjoy your self when your at the feild. finding time to go play when has gotten harder to do when it used to be all you would do, playing isn't as important as it use to be spend more time talking at the feild than playing.

Billy

Easy... what do you do if you get burnt out on anything... you take a break from it...

it's like eating hamburger helper 3 times a week ... eventually you can't hardly swallow the stuff... you stop eating it. Now eventually you may or may not want to eat it again...

but the point is if you wake up on saturday and paintball isn't something you "have" to do then don't. Even if your buddies want you to... most good friends if you tell them you just don't feel like playing won't push it much more.


or just rationalize it as "taking a break" ...


I admit im done playing ball... Sure i play when the stars and moon align perfectly ... but all in all... chances are if you invite me to play I may or may not show up... just depends on how i feel.

this may be a prime example of "too much of a good thing"


and you know when you are able to pack up everything paintball that you have... put it in a chest lock it up and put it in the attic.

I'm actually coming back from a hiatus, slowly. I haven't played much in the past two or three years now because I no longer felt the adrenaline rush. The reason that taking a break works, for me anyway, is because I suck when I start back. If you're the best at what you do, hands down, then you're a very bored person. I didn't have anyone to play with on a regular basis that could really keep me on my toes, so I lost the enjoyment of the sport. Now that I'm in Atlanta, there's a much larger sea of players for me to learn from and sharpen my skills; having fun in the process. Honestly, that's what it's all about for me...sharpening my skills. I don't really care how sharp they are, just that I keep on sharpening.

I don't have time to play much at all. I play once a month for EMR weekends in the Summer. I'm probably done until March or April. Meph's trying to round everyone up for SPE and I'll go if it gets off the ground and I have time but as the wise man in the inky depths of the 8-ball once said, "Outlook uncertain. Ask again later."

But, bottom line, when I'm at the field I have a great time.


Plus, I know that if I didn't do it I'd miss it. I'm a paintball player and it's just part of who I am. I took a break for college and probably didn't see the field for over 3 years and I really missed it.

It's not really a big deal to me and I still think of it as just a game, but I know that I have to play.


Besides, if you don't come to Spring Castle, how are you gonna give me my $20 after I leave you huffing and puffing at the bottom of the hill? :P

That high altitude killed me. How in the world do I train for it?

I have been seriously thinking about cutting back to just events.

No idea how to train for altitude. It also doesn't help that the air is colder and usually more humid.

Last week, we set a new record. 52 minutes was the official time. Only 4 times up the hill so, you know, piece of cake. The second game only lasted for maybe 6 or 7 insertions. I was really hoping for a little more action so I could see what I needed to work on. But no sense worrying about it.


I wish I could play locally more often. I just do not have much time at all. Working on the house, brewing, shooting, training and volunteer work, my weekends are all packed. And I've been meaning to find a band, study and take up service rifle. In between all the video games that need to be played, books that need reading and beer that needs drinking. Then try to fit sleeping in there somewhere. And that whole job thing...

Life's too short, man. If that means paintball's got to give a little, then that's just the way it is, you know? Just make sure you still make it to the events/games that you really want to go to. I can live on one weekend a month so long as that weekend is suitably awesome.

i have found that paintball can be alot more more fun if you just voluntarily ban yourself from talking about it on the internet.

I haven't played in about 6 months. Don't even own a gun anymore. It isn't a need, or addiction like it used to be, but I guarantee I'd still have fun if I went and played a game. However, I still like to stay around the game, and the people I've met, which is why I'm still on this forum. I imagine one day when I'm established with a decent cash flow, I will casually play again, but never to the extent I did. It's something fun, it's something to throw yourself into, and most of the people you meet will become some of the best acquaintances you've ever had the pleasure to know, but in the end, something has to give.

This is what I do, not just to avoid burnout, but because of Family first and also money(for the family of course). But keeping my outings to just events has made playing paintball allot more fun for me, I can't hardly bring myself to ever recball for any reason anymore. I even find that I miss reffing if I don't reff a game (scenario) from time to time. But I only get out maybe 6 times a year, if I'm lucky.

For me, it'll be when they close the lid of my coffin.
lefty

I've been "burned out" three times...and I've only been playing for 10 years. Usually, I just pack up my gear, leave it in the closet, and don't play. A few months later, I go out to play again, and am hooked all over again.

Bottomline, play less. Like anything else, you can get too much.

As for events, yeah, that sounds like a plan. I'd like to do the same...but all the events we have around here are 7 or more hours away, expensive, and not all that well attended. When I can play a day of speedball at the local field for $15, it's ridiculous to pay $50-$100 to drive hours away to play.

you really just don't understand, some love it some hate it but it in no way can be compared to a boring day of recball :rolleyes:


http://www.waynes-world.com/wd24event.html

How about Grand Finale (I believe entry is free, you just buy paint and air)-
December 4, 5, amd 6
PAINTBALL'S GRAND FINALE
GLADE RUNNER
24 Hour Role-Playing Scenario Game
Wayne's World of Paintball, Ocala, FL 352-401-1801
Events and Trade Show

http://www.ragtopvideo.com/GrandFinale/grandfinale.html

Only problem is Grand Finale is the be all end all scenario for attendance regularly 1000+ players on the field.

I do suggest that you find a group of players to go with or someone to meet there, I will attest to the suckyness of attending a scenario as a loner not knowing anyone.

Wayne Dollack
Viper Paintball

Usally when you start posting the question on forums of "how do you know your burned out?". At that point its too late your burned. B)

I've gone through various burn outs over the years. This year is a perfect example. I've played once at a major event. And I think I have played 1 time rec this year. I've found other intrest and when it comes down to, do I want to shoot sporting clays or play pb on a weekend.. usally clays wins out. Who knows in a couple of months the bug might bite and I'll be wanting to play all the time. One lesson I learned over the years though is when burn out hits. DONT sell off all your gear. It just makes it that much harder to get back in.

You are done when you don't come back. When you stop talking to your paintball friends. When you sell or give away your gear. before that, you are just taking a break. I've seen them last 2-3 years.

For me, the fire is mostly gone now. Fifteen years ago, I used to play 15-20 times a year (which is a lot when you have a short season). Ten years ago, still 10-15 times. Then ten. Then five. This year I played just twice, and the only games I felt bad about missing were the road-trips.

I'll skip paintball for golf, now. Or a pub-crawl. B) But I will hold on to my gear for a while yet, and still play a couple of times a year.

Whoever said it first was right, though. The big events are the most fun. It's all about the time with your friends.

When white goo comes out!

For me it was when I woke up on Sat. and didn't feel like playing, I wanted to do other things because paintball felt like work.

I've only been playing for about 5-6 years and I've got burnt out once. I packed everything up and a year or so later I got it back out and played a bit.

I'm slowly getting back into it, I'm hitting a 24 hr game this weekend with a friend and my brother and I'm super excited! This is my first game that is not a rec game so it should be a blast.

i was truly sad the day they closed our field here in Ga where 34 hour games use to host our scenarios. That was the most fun I ever had playing paintball. Field play with air bunkers and spools is great, but scenario was a whole other world. And I love it...but now everything is far far away and no time to play.

They use battlezone in commerce now. Its only a couple hrs away from atlanta.

I believe it was Clear Rush who's signature read, "If it ain't fun, it ain't worth it."

'nuff said.

I stopped playing a little over 3 years ago, when I was banned from my favorite field for vandalism that I didn't commit. When I lost contact with people I knew at the field, I stopped having fun. When I stopped having fun, playing stopped being worth it. My last game was at Castle Conquest at EMR, where I finally got to meet some of the characters on this board, like you, ChemX.

By the way, Ben, that dropout CO2 stock you sold me worked great.

-Chris B)

When it stops being fun, you need to step back and take a break.

I went through this in 2008 and decided to step back from the game for a while. Luckily EqualsP convinced me not to sell off my core gear. Now I play a few big games/scenarios a year with my team

If you're not having fun, take time off, store your gear and do other things for a while. You may find it is just that you need some time off.

-rat

yeah like everyone said ben, just take a little break. yesterday was awesome and i'm glad you got me out there playing again!!! maybe we can just cut back to playing once a month or so. i know my girlfriend and her friends wanna come out now lol maybe that'll be an insentive to come play =P hell maybe they could even be our gear girls!!!

Dominic

Variety's the spice of life. Take a break until you feel compelled to go play again.

I didn't play for about a decade but the reason I got out was cost.
When I found I had some free time and money, years later, I got back into it. Fell back out for over a year just because I burned out of it - I was playing 3 times a week.

Back into it, playing stock class but trying not to burn out. I'm looking at airsoft as a diversion.

Also into really weird markers. Redux, single shot break breech loaders, pistols etc. Heck, a Splatmaster firing First strike rounds would be something to keep me interested!

But you're staying on here right?

The last few outings have been a ton of fun. I think im gonna hang around for a bit yet.

chemical you may burn out but you can never get away I burnt out in 98 and stayed away for 11 years your expierience says f--- this but you can never let go we The Old school guys have to rise again like the phoenix and rescue this dying game This is the mission of OLD SCHOOL PAINTBALL on facebook every one of Us lost is is a win for the the industry not the players "never Surrender" join the revolution

I'm with you man. That being said I am starting to get pumped for SPE...

I haven't played in over a year, hell, I don't even own a gun right now. (well I do but need to get in touch with punisher...)

How is paintball doing in this economy anyways? I have been completely out of the loop for so long that I have no idea.