Jump to content

Events & what is expected of all players!


Joker

Recommended Posts

This was originally posted on AO by Locutus. Seeing how we have had a similar increase in players like AO I decided to copy and modify his original post and add it here for all the new players who plan on attending games and events. It is very helpful info for everyone and a must read.

 

In 2007 & 2008 we saw a large increase in the amount of players (especially young ones) in Indiana, and it looks like 2009 & 2010 will be even bigger. With such a rapidly growing membership, I feel there is confusion about what is the expected behavior and basic rules of events that are posted on Airsoft Indiana. I think it is important to inform new players, and remind the veterans, what exactly is expected.

 

First, over the past year I have heard certain behavior being justified by citing what is common in paintball. While airsoft has some things in common with paintball, there are just as many differences. Just as Hockey, Basketball and Soccer are very similar, they each have their own set of rules and acceptable behavior. Slamming someone as hard as you can against the wall in Hockey is perfectly acceptable, but it will get you ejected from the game in Basketball. This doesn't mean that Basketball players are wimps, it just means that one type of behavior is acceptable in one sport, but not acceptable in another similar sport. Airsoft is not paintball, paintball is not airsoft.

 

That said, I would like the present the following assumptions:

 

Events posted on Airsoft Indiana are “noncompetitive”. We do not play for money, winning is not the end all be all. We play airsoft for the enjoyment of the entire experience, from the storyline to role playing to props and everything in between. Shooting other players with your airsoft weapon may or may not be a major part of that experience in some instances; it is merely one of many possible aspects of the game.

 

Events posted on Airsoft Indiana are not used as military/LEO training. What happens at our events are for the fun and enjoyment of the participants, not as a gauge or tool that might have an impact on life threatening situations in real life. Therefore certain behavior which might be necessary to proper training is not appropriate for airsoft events.

 

Events posted on Airsoft Indiana are typically open to the general public, with the purpose of creating an enjoyable atmosphere for the majority of the participants. There is a line where your behavior can infringe heavily upon on the enjoyment of other players who are expecting an experience that encompasses the principles listed above.

 

Because of these general assumptions, there is certain behavior that is to be expected at events posted on Airsoft Indiana

 

-Point blank engagements. Yes, they happen. Anyone attending an airsoft event should accept the possibility that they might get shot at point blank. With that said, it should only happen as the result of an accident. There is a point where repeated “accidents” cease to be accidents and become irresponsible behavior. When entering a situation where point blank shots might occur, your airsoft weapon should be switched to semi auto, and pointed at a downward angle to reduce the chances of injuring another player should a point blank engagement occur. Intentionally engaging another airsoft player at point blank range should never occur. We are out there to have fun, the end results of who “won” don't really matter, and in some cases there is not even a clear winner, a winner is never even disclosed, or everyone forgets who won by the end of the following week. Winners don't advance to the next round, losers don't go home, so there is no logical reason to subject others to unnecessary risks just so you can get the “kill”, as in the end, nothing is gained.

 

-Blind firing. This should never happen. If you cannot see where you are shooting, do not pull the trigger. For all you know, you are sticking your muzzle in someone's ear. Someone's safety should never be a secondary consideration to getting the “kill”.

 

-Aggressive/violent behavior. There are certain situations, such as incidents of point blank engagements or blind firing, that have the potential to create tension between players. It is your responsibility as a player to behave in a mature manner, and not show aggression against another player. This not only includes the obvious physical contact, but abusive language as well. If you experience a problem, the best course of action is to remove yourself from the situation immediately and cool down. If you feel action is warranted, find a member of the event staff to express your concerns.

 

-Goggles off while in play. Don't do it. This year alone I have heard two instances of players removing their goggles on the field, and when they were told to put their goggles back on by another player, they stated they “signed a waiver”. This is completely unacceptable. Not only are you endangering your eyesight, you are endangering the sport for all of us. You are exposing other players, event hosts and field owners to a liability they shouldn't be exposed to. Many people do not realize that a player’s health insurance company is well within their rights to seek damages from field owners, event hosts and even other players.

 

-Calling your hits. Since we use non-marking rounds, a player's honor is the foundation of airsoft. Intentionally failing to call your own hits entirely defeats the purpose of airsoft and harms the experience for everyone, most of all your own. People will eventually notice, and your reputation will be tarnished. It is also the responsibility of the player to be sufficiently observant to know, or suspect, when you have been hit. Getting caught up in the “heat of the moment” is not a valid excuse. And when in doubt, call out. Respawn is most likely just a short walk, and you can never get enough exercise.

 

-Calling out other players hits. As previously stated, a player’s honor is the foundation of our sport. Calling out other players during the game for not calling their hits, is to question that players honor. We use projectiles that weight less than three tenths of a gram, do not be quick to assume that your rounds are going where you think they are. They can be deflected by leaves, twigs, grass and even the wind. Also keep in mind that hop up allows the BB to travel in a relatively straight path, however they drop very quickly at the end of their range, literally falling straight to the ground. At distance, you do not always have the proper perspective or experience to recognize when this is happening. I have also heard players state that they are positive a player is not calling their hits because they see them flinch, or rapidly take cover. This could be a natural reaction to just hearing BBs hit near you, and it not necessarily indicative of a player not calling his hits. Finally, even if you are positive you are hitting your target, don't assume the receiving player is aware of it. Give them the benefit of the doubt. If you feel there is a problem with a player not calling his hits, approach that player in private and discuss it with them in a non confrontational manner, or if you are not comfortable doing that, speak with an event organizer at the event. Bringing it up on the forums after the event rarely accomplishes anything other than a flame war.

 

The goal of Airsoft Indiana has always been to promote the sport of airsoft in Indiana in a safe, responsible manner. This community is very visible to whomever might want to look, and we emulate war and violence using realistic weapons and gear. In a pc world we are already starting from a disadvantage. We have a responsibility to do everything we can to ensure airsoft is portrayed in a positive light. We can tend to be conservative and be on the side of caution, but we do so for the protection of our sport. It is my opinion that Airsoft Indiana should only be interested in promoting events that conform to these basic principles.

 

For these reasons, some events posted on Airsoft Indiana may not be for everybody. There is no such thing as one size fits all. If you are looking for an event style outside what is outlined here, then you might want to consider seeking out other players or teams who are looking for a similar experience and host private events. It is your responsibility to recognize that the events posted here might not be compatible with your playing style, and adapt your playing style to fit within this framework, or abstain from attending. Trying to force a playing style into an event where it does not belong only detracts from the experience for everyone.

 

First off' date=' this thread is NOT about drama. It IS about helping some who are new to Airsoft Indiana and to arranging organized airsoft events to have a better understanding. There is much talk of putting on a large scale Airsoft Indiana event. It will be extremely important that those involved understand certain concepts and have their heads on straight as we all begin to discuss these things.

 

On a recent event thread, a few players balked at the concept that they would be held responsible for arriving on time to the event. In that particular case, the penalty was a small increase in the entry fee, but this is not unusual at all. This thread is not to discuss the other event thread, but to clarify how events which are professionally run and organized have certain expectations of the players.

 

In the past, here in the good old Airsoft Indiana and all around the country, many events have had the following penalties for arriving late:

1) Late fee

2) Must sit out until worked into the event (sometimes for a very significantly long time, such as hours)

3) Complete refusal of entry. Yes, the player drove all that way and then was told too bad, you cannot be accommodated.

 

Again, none of those things have been unusual, looked down on, or were out of the ordinary. It is simply part of running a professional airsoft event. While the event in question was not on my field or my event, everything I run also has consequences for showing up late. It is simply how a good event is run.

 

The reason for this is simple: There are always a very limited amount of EOs and Admins, and it is just not physically possible to cater to the needs of every single player. It is also not fair to other players to make them wait to stop the event to integrate late arrivals.

 

For the moment to save on text, let x = “chaos and Administrative stress and headache”. As new EOs very quickly learn, when 10 people attend an event, the level of x is extremely small. These are itty bitty skirmishes and can be modified in the blink of an eye. When 20 people attend, suddenly x is now x^2, but usually with the same number of Admins. Still not terrible levels of stress at all. When 40 people arrive, then it is x to the third and you had BETTER be squared away as an EO or you WILL get eaten alive. When 80 people arrive, then it begins to become truly awful, and it is x to the fourth level of chaos and pain for the EO. It is at this level that you better have many events under your belt, have all your ducks in a row, and be taking Zanax because you are damn well going to need it. And these levels of attendance probably don’t have many or any more Admin help. It is simply the nature of how events turn out that these things are the way they are.

 

The bottom line is, life isn’t fair and sometimes something unfortunate will happen. But it is not incumbent on an entire event’s worth of people to stop what they are doing just because someone else did not (for whatever reason) arrive on time. Large airsoft events are successful when the Administration is done in a professional manner. Have an arrival time and MEAN it. Have a start time and MEAN it. I know of what I speak. That does not mean that the game is some job for the players. But it does mean that the players view the time of the EO, Admins, and other players as being valuable.[/quote']

 

This post was directed to the community as a whole, and not at any particular individuals.

 

~Joker out....

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest
This topic is now closed to further replies.
×
×
  • Create New...