Saturday, December 26, 2009
Red Dynasty Rookie Challenge 2010 - 31 Jan 2010
Event: Red Dynasty Rookie Challenge 2010
Date: 31 Jan 2010 (Sunday)
Time: 9.00 am - 2.00pm
Venue: Red Dynasty Paintball Park Field 3
Format: 4 vs 4 Hopper Ball (100 paintballs per game), minimum of 5 qualifying games
Registration closes on 27 January 2010, 12 pm
Eligibility: All participants must be 14 years old and above. Strictly rookie players only
Team: Team can register up to 6 players (4 field players + 2 reserves)
Registration forms will be available at Red Dynasty Paintball Park and Paintballers World Proshop
Registration fee: $450.00 per team (paintballs used during the tournament are covered in the registration fee)
Prizes: 1st - $200 cash prize + $200 Paintballers World vouchers + 6 medals
2nd - $100 cash prize + $100 worth of Paintballers World vouchers + 6 medals
3rd - $150 Paintballers World voucher + 6 medals
Teams that are interested can register your interest with us at info@weplaypaintball.com
*Tournament will proceed if there is a minimum of 6 participating teams.
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Paintball in SEA Games?
Recently, someone asked me if I have spoken to anyone from the Singapore Sports School about promoting paintball in the school. When faced with this question, I felt amused and helpless. With a few years of working experience in sports development, I have worked with people from the Singapore Sports Council, Singapore Sports School and several sporting associations and I kinda knew where this conversation will be going... nothing...
To find a footing for a new sport in Singapore is one of the toughest thing that can ever happened in this part of the world.
A few years ago when a student first approached my department about starting a Bossaball interest group in the school... 2 thoughts came to my mind: "What is Bossaball?" and "Who plays this game?" Then there were other considerations: 1) How big is the Bossaball community in Singapore? 2) What are the resources that are needed? 3) How much money does this sport need? 4) How can Bossaball contribute to school sports? 5) How "huge" is Bossaball interationally? When we compared Bossball with paintball... I do see a few similarities. No offence to the Bossaball people, I think you guys are doing a good job introducing this sports to Singaporeans. But seriously, how has it been so far? The same is for paintball...
The typical Singaporean will understand that unless we stand a good chance of winning some medals in the world stage, we might not want to "pump in" resources into the development. Surely we understand the reasons behind supporting these core sports (swimming, table tennis, bowling, sailing, athletics (1.2 MILLION!!!))... these are the medal winning sports and yes, we should concentrate on what we do best! But I am also urging the good people of the Singapore Sports Council to embrace other sports... and paintball is one of those.
This year, there are 7 Singapore based teams who participated in the recent World Cup Asia as compared to 2 teams in 2008 and only 1 team in 2007 so surely the numbers are growing... and we are not even counting the number of teams who want to be there but couldn't due to travel expenses. We don't need 1.2 million dollars to kick start paintball in Singapore... and $3000 is definitely too little. Singapore teams have proven time and again that with proper resources, a review of current firearms law and support from relevant parties, we can bring back the medals!
With sports such as dancesports, woodball, ice hockey, contract bridge, bowls, Muay Thai, pickleball and powerboat recognized as a National Sports Association, I am sure paintball as a sport (not recreational) will surely fit the bill and we are talking about a team sport which require players to possess agility, quick decision making skills, teamwork, speed and accuracy. People from different gender and ages (14 years old and above by Singapore Police Force regulations) can participate in paintball. You can pit a 14 years old student to play against a 45 years old man and the results can go either way!!! You can pit a female player against a male player and yes the results can go either way too!!! To the good people who are behind sports development in Singapore, please have an open mind towards the game... and yes, we have helped ourselves since 2007 and its about time...
Okay, will paintball in Singapore be as popular as Malaysia? Most probably not... We do not have available Datuks or Sultans who are ready to support the game just for the reason of community building. Just look across the straits... and the number of tournaments, that's what I call support! But again, Singapore and Malaysia are 2 different countries. Will paintball be in the SEA games? That's possible... when Malaysia host their next SEA games... Big bosses of the paintball industry, if you are reading this, please MAKE IT HAPPEN! Medal contention is indeed promising...
Sunday, December 13, 2009
Tournament paintball rules and regulations
A couple of months ago, when a new player wants to know more about paintball rules and safety... they took the Basic Tournament Orientation (BTO) conducted by the Paintball Association (Singapore), PBAS, which comprised of a theory and practical test. Most of them who came for the BTO knew what they were in for and would usually prepare for it. Once a while, there will be a few who came for the BTO without really knowing what they were in for. Part of the objectives of the BTO is to allow new players to know more the game and develop their interest towards competitive paintball.
With the cessation of BTO by PBAS and the removal of the center divider sparkle an interest for people who always wanted to play competitively but do not want to go through the hassle of a BTO (trademark to Singapore...). So where do they go now?
1) Attend paintball clinics
2) Read and understand the rules of the game, http://www.xtionpaintball.com/doc1/PALS-RULEBOOK.pdf. *Take note that different tournament has different game rules e.g. ROF, hand signs, field exit after elimination, etc.
3) Join an existing paintball team
4) Play competitive skirmishes
5) Get someone to coach the team
6) Watch Youtube videos and try to understand the rules and format
7) Participate in a local mini paintball tournament
There you go...
Contract Killers Paintball Clinic @ Red Dynasty Paintball Park
Contract Killers had their first taste of organizing a paintball clinic cum paintball challenge at Red Dynasty Paintball Park today! The turn out was great with more than 20 pre-registered participants and up to 18 players who took part in the mini challenge. Contract Killers who won the 1st Runner Up position of the recent World Cup Asia 2009 has come a long way since their formation in late 2008. They have proven themselves time and again as one of the most well communicated team on the field and has won several accolades in the local scene. Having won the SPNS twice as the 1st Runner Up and a 2nd Runner Up position in 2009, the team will be moving to a bigger stage in 2010, plying their trade in the Asia paintball hub, Malaysia. Resources tell us that they will be playing in the My-NPL as a Division 3 team with a completely new name. Sponsors who are looking for a break into the paintball scene, this might be a team to look out for. On the other note, its good to see another Singapore team breaking into the Malaysia scene.
The mini challenge was won by Thomas Liow's team, who coincidentally is the younger brother of Ivan Rickard Liow whom we have featured a few weeks ago... talking about the same blood. Contract Killers was kind enough to offer their WCA prizes (4 Proto EL Goggles) to the winning team, moving a step ahead in the promotion of paintball in Singapore.
This clinic is part of the Reds Team Support Program offered by Red Dynasty Paintball Park to promote paintball in Singapore.
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
What good is SPLAT?
SPLAT is an initiative by Paintballers World (Singapore's first paintball pro shop) in collaboration with Red Dynasty Paintball Park to develop and promote competitive paintball in Singapore. Due to restricting firearms law in Singapore, it is illegal for any individual to possess a firearm without a possession permit.This regulation will remain for as long with the authorities until paintball has evolved into a mainstream sports similar to the X Games or the Olympics (well bowling is not an Olympic sports too). Perhaps when paintball becomes part of the Youth Olympics (you lucky bastards wrestling and handball...) that due recognition will be given. We know that with the firearms law, paintball might not be as big as we want to in the next 10 years or perhaps longer.
Instead of whining and waiting for things to happen, we need to effect changes and SPLAT it is... It is the closest where one comes to participating in local or overseas competition using a rental e-marker riding on the establishment and management of a paintball field.
Spending tons of investment in this sport and not utilizing the equipment fully is definitely not the best investment plan one could think of... think of all the time that you can save if you can train with these rentals and get to use the exact rental in competitions after maintaining the marker a week before the event. And they say time is money.
No more cases of missing markers... no more cases of misuse. While some might disagree with me that SPLAT is the best plan but certainly the closest (and I have to emphasize again...) that we can get given the restrictions. With a good take up rate, an e-division in Singapore can possibly take form. Standards of play can improve and the sport can grow and develop. With SPLAT Exclusive, players can purchase a box of paintballs at exclusive rates. Pricing issue is a never ending story... there is no actual definition for cheap and how cheap is cheap? Cross the straits and you can still see players complaining about paint prices and after so many years of development, people are still complaining. Its the same story in Malaysia, its the same story in Taiwan, its the same story in the States, its the same story everywhere. Its a never ending issue... the realistic truth is, paint prices in Singapore can never match our neighbours. Things just cost different in Singapore and in Malaysia.
One of the most common question that I get with SPLAT: "Can I rent a marker out of Singapore for training?" Dude... it's not going to happen and I hope it was that easy... With SPLAT, accountability is highly regarded by the authorities, which is why only tournaments of elite status are regarded as legitimate. Ask the same question again but from a different perspective of a Malaysian player: "Can I bring a marker into Singapore?" The answer is no... in fact I would assume that no Malaysians in their right mind would want to do this since our currency conversion is double of our neighbours.
At the end of the day, its all about choices... while there are people who do not mind spending a little bit more time travelling while exchanging for savings. There are also people who do not mind paying more for less travel. We just have to start somewhere and we call the people who come aboard PIONEERS...
In 2 years time, we will have more than 10 Division 4 teams, 4 Division 3 teams, 2 Division 2 teams and perhaps 1 Division 1 team... all 126 of them keeping markers in Malaysia? Something to ponder about... we just need to start somewhere.
A personal view about SPLAT.
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Setting up a paintball field in Singapore
If you exploring the idea of setting up a paintball field in Singapore, you can approach staff of Paintballers World for a cost quotation. We offer local expertise on licensing, field marketing, daily operations, equipment maintenance and paintball field supplies. You can choose from a range of basic recreational field package to competitive field package. Paintballers World has a wide distribution network across the regional countries and will be able cater to any of your paintball needs.
For more information on partnership, new start up or paintball supplies, please email sales@paintballersworld.com
"Paintballers World is Singapore's first paintball proshop and an authorized dealer for most major paintball brands. You should find all the necessary paintball accessories to get you started in the sport of paintball. We cater to individual players, recreational players, tournament teams and field operators. We also carry paintball lifestyle clothings to bring out your paintball personality when you are not playing in the field. Look good on the field and fantabulous off the field!
We are a one-stop paintball store that caters to the growing community and offers paintball consultation and supplies (even an all-in-one field package) to regional paintball startups. Our forte in planning and coordinating paintball events and tournaments in Singapore is highly regarded by our industry partners. We are always on a lookout for partners to promote and to develop this game in Singapore, if you are keen to be a partner or dealer with Paintballer’s World, get in touch with us!"
“Gett’in Poisoned Without Realising” is the tagline for our shop. So, if you are poisoned, you know where to find us.
We are located at Shaw Towers, 100 Beach Road, #02-21, Singapore
SPLAT - The last battle...
SPLAT - A new initiative for Singapore paintball... surely the last battle to develop paintball in Singapore. In 2008, we had MARK but it was short lived. A year of planning and SPLAT it is. Yes, it will be difficult, it will be tough and we need lots of support to get this going but given the restriction in Singapore... this could be a possible route to change paintball in Singapore. To be wise, we need to be stupid, to be old, we need to be young... we just need to start somewhere. Let's make up for the lost time...
E-marker Division in Singapore and overseas tournament? We'll see...
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Ivan Rickard Liow - First Singapore based player to referee in World Cup Asia 2009
Ivan the "Enforcer"... well, he is from the Special Ops Command...
Ivan with the Red Sevens... er... snake?
You might have seen him, you might have heard him... and you might be wondering who is this chinese looking "ang-mo" guy who speaks with a true British accent? Well, ladies and gentlemen, may I present to you Ivan Rickard Liow aka Liquid Snake, the suave paintballer that everyone just love... Last weekend, Ivan made Singapore history in becoming the first Singapore based player to referee in the Paintball World Cup Asia (WCA) 2009, the BIGGEST paintball event in Asia!!! We caught up with him to find out more about this fine gentleman. Oh yes, ladies, he is single...
A: Before we go into that, you’d need to know why I wanted to learn to ref at all. For the past two legs in MPOC, I’ve had a few dubious (‘bad’) calls by refs regarding ‘hits’ which was in fact just bunker smudge (really!). Then I got wind of a marshalling course that was going to be held at WCA, conducted by Mr. Junaidi Kalil and Mr. Ulrich Stahr, the head referees of the Malaysian Marshals and Euro Refs respectively. And so I decided to attend to see what marshals go through and if it was really that hard to make ‘good’ calls. It was definitely not the fact that I was going to get a C10 jersey, in ‘zipbra preents’ which was going to look supahstah agg. After the theory course, Big Ben and I approached Junaidi to ask whether I could ref some Div. 4 games, to which he kindly agreed. Don’t forget it’s also the largest paintballing event in the region…how could I not participate in one way or another?
Q: What makes it so special for you to ref in the WCA?
A: For a start, WCA is the first tournament I have ever refereed in. There are so many teams from so many different countries that it makes this extremely exciting to ref in. Prior to this I have never refereed ‘properly’ as I didn’t know most of the rules. So the night before I kept the rulebook with me wherever I went, because I wanted to memorize all of the penalties and eliminations so I didn’t look an idiot when I was on the field. I told this to Junaidi and I guess he knew I’d definitely missed out on some stuff because he quizzed me on the 16 non-hit eliminations just minutes before walked onto the field. Out of the 16, I only got like 5, he let me ref anyway…THANKS JUNAIDI!
Q: So what did you actually do?
A: I asked Junaidi if I could ref some speedball games before I had to ref the GI Milsim 10 on 10 recball game later in the afternoon. Initially, all the fields were full with 8 refs but I got lucky. At around 11.30pm, one the the refs on the Div. 4 field had hurt his ankle and they needed a replacement. Junaidi took me to Field 4 and asked me to see the Head Ref of the field. I introduced myself and said I was a ref from Singapore and he asked me to take up the place of the ref who was injured. If you know anything about paintball I did what all other refs would do at the beginning of a game, such as “Barrel socks off”, “10 seconds” and “Game on”. During the course of the game I would watch a player and would run and side slide to him if he asked me for a “paint check”. If he was clean, but had bunker rub/spray, I would clean it for him, tell him to “play on” then go back to where I was originally standing. If he was hit, I’d just yell “you’re out” or “OUT”, duh. When the players did run-throughs I had to be slightly faster to be in front of him so I could see if he got hit. At the end of the game I would do a “Player freeze for paint-check” on the remaining players who were alive and inspect him/her for hits. I was quite disappointed I didn’t get to give anyone a penalty for playing on as I was looking forward to giving someone a “YOU’RE OUT, 1 FOR 1”. I was also definitely looking forward to giving some of the Singaporean teams some 3 for 1 love, hehe, CK *cough cough*, Red West, *cough*. Just kidding ;)
Q: How do you think you can improve yourself better as a ref?
A: To improve as a ref I need to know what powers I have. And to know what powers I have I need to know the rulebook- what I can and can’t do, what the players can and can’t do. It’s pretty similar to being a Police officer. You are empowered with ‘special powers’ and you can enforce these powers when the elements that would constitute to an infraction have occurred.
To further improve, I also need to get back onto the field and ref more games because experience is key. You can only get better at doing something over and over again (think PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE). Something which I will be doing next time I ref is talk to the more experienced refs, regarding issues such as “hit or non-hit?” For me this is a must because I think I made a few ‘not so good’ calls during WCA.
Q: How do you think you can improve yourself better as a player?
A: Well again the most important thing is to play, get on the field and start working on what you’re not so good at. For me I’m still not very good at snap shooting, so usually when I go down to play I work on that a lot with Gerald or Paul. I’m starting to get back confidence in superman dives so I also practice that more often than I used to.
In games, I usually play the Snake and I’ve become too accustomed to the play style. When it comes to other bunkers, I’m not completely sure where I’m supposed to shoot as the play-style is very different. This is because when you’re in the snake, your goal is to move up into their side as quickly as possible and shoot everyone. Most of the time, no one knows what hit them so it’s pretty easy whereas on the Dorito side, people are constantly bombarding your bunker with paint as they know where you are and you’ve got to be a good gunfighter to work your way up.
Q: How were you first introduced to paintball?
A: I was first introduced to paintball back in Nov’ 2007 when I messaged the Red Sevens about attending their clinic. I was on the way back from Port Dickson and arrived at Octville Country Club where the clinic was to be held. There I met Arthur, Big Ben, Jane, Azlan, Small Ben Desmond, Kevin, Sean, Daryl and Jin Han. We played a few 3 on 3s and by the next week I had already bought my Empire Vents. This would be the start of my paintball career.
Q: Having seen the malaysia scene what do you think needs to be improved in singapore paintball?
Q: What makes you want to ref in the WCA?
A: Before we go into that, you’d need to know why I wanted to learn to ref at all. For the past two legs in MPOC, I’ve had a few dubious (‘bad’) calls by refs regarding ‘hits’ which was in fact just bunker smudge (really!). Then I got wind of a marshalling course that was going to be held at WCA, conducted by Mr. Junaidi Kalil and Mr. Ulrich Stahr, the head referees of the Malaysian Marshals and Euro Refs respectively. And so I decided to attend to see what marshals go through and if it was really that hard to make ‘good’ calls. It was definitely not the fact that I was going to get a C10 jersey, in ‘zipbra preents’ which was going to look supahstah agg. After the theory course, Big Ben and I approached Junaidi to ask whether I could ref some Div. 4 games, to which he kindly agreed. Don’t forget it’s also the largest paintballing event in the region…how could I not participate in one way or another?
Q: What makes it so special for you to ref in the WCA?
A: For a start, WCA is the first tournament I have ever refereed in. There are so many teams from so many different countries that it makes this extremely exciting to ref in. Prior to this I have never refereed ‘properly’ as I didn’t know most of the rules. So the night before I kept the rulebook with me wherever I went, because I wanted to memorize all of the penalties and eliminations so I didn’t look an idiot when I was on the field. I told this to Junaidi and I guess he knew I’d definitely missed out on some stuff because he quizzed me on the 16 non-hit eliminations just minutes before walked onto the field. Out of the 16, I only got like 5, he let me ref anyway…THANKS JUNAIDI!
Q: So what did you actually do?
A: I asked Junaidi if I could ref some speedball games before I had to ref the GI Milsim 10 on 10 recball game later in the afternoon. Initially, all the fields were full with 8 refs but I got lucky. At around 11.30pm, one the the refs on the Div. 4 field had hurt his ankle and they needed a replacement. Junaidi took me to Field 4 and asked me to see the Head Ref of the field. I introduced myself and said I was a ref from Singapore and he asked me to take up the place of the ref who was injured. If you know anything about paintball I did what all other refs would do at the beginning of a game, such as “Barrel socks off”, “10 seconds” and “Game on”. During the course of the game I would watch a player and would run and side slide to him if he asked me for a “paint check”. If he was clean, but had bunker rub/spray, I would clean it for him, tell him to “play on” then go back to where I was originally standing. If he was hit, I’d just yell “you’re out” or “OUT”, duh. When the players did run-throughs I had to be slightly faster to be in front of him so I could see if he got hit. At the end of the game I would do a “Player freeze for paint-check” on the remaining players who were alive and inspect him/her for hits. I was quite disappointed I didn’t get to give anyone a penalty for playing on as I was looking forward to giving someone a “YOU’RE OUT, 1 FOR 1”. I was also definitely looking forward to giving some of the Singaporean teams some 3 for 1 love, hehe, CK *cough cough*, Red West, *cough*. Just kidding ;)
Q: How do you think you can improve yourself better as a ref?
A: To improve as a ref I need to know what powers I have. And to know what powers I have I need to know the rulebook- what I can and can’t do, what the players can and can’t do. It’s pretty similar to being a Police officer. You are empowered with ‘special powers’ and you can enforce these powers when the elements that would constitute to an infraction have occurred.
To further improve, I also need to get back onto the field and ref more games because experience is key. You can only get better at doing something over and over again (think PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE). Something which I will be doing next time I ref is talk to the more experienced refs, regarding issues such as “hit or non-hit?” For me this is a must because I think I made a few ‘not so good’ calls during WCA.
Q: How do you think you can improve yourself better as a player?
A: Well again the most important thing is to play, get on the field and start working on what you’re not so good at. For me I’m still not very good at snap shooting, so usually when I go down to play I work on that a lot with Gerald or Paul. I’m starting to get back confidence in superman dives so I also practice that more often than I used to.
In games, I usually play the Snake and I’ve become too accustomed to the play style. When it comes to other bunkers, I’m not completely sure where I’m supposed to shoot as the play-style is very different. This is because when you’re in the snake, your goal is to move up into their side as quickly as possible and shoot everyone. Most of the time, no one knows what hit them so it’s pretty easy whereas on the Dorito side, people are constantly bombarding your bunker with paint as they know where you are and you’ve got to be a good gunfighter to work your way up.
Q: How were you first introduced to paintball?
A: I was first introduced to paintball back in Nov’ 2007 when I messaged the Red Sevens about attending their clinic. I was on the way back from Port Dickson and arrived at Octville Country Club where the clinic was to be held. There I met Arthur, Big Ben, Jane, Azlan, Small Ben Desmond, Kevin, Sean, Daryl and Jin Han. We played a few 3 on 3s and by the next week I had already bought my Empire Vents. This would be the start of my paintball career.
Q: Having seen the malaysia scene what do you think needs to be improved in singapore paintball?
A: In the Malaysian scene there are a lot more teams, and there is a lot more space. Players are able to train with many different individuals, allowing them to be more prepared for different styles of play. Teams there are also able to train more frequently, due to lower cost of paint and easier access to proper tournament-sized fields.
Now in Singapore, the SPF regulates the movement of paintball markers and lists them under ‘Firearms’. Land and paint is expensive, so it is hard to get tournament teams to train regularly locally. More experienced Singaporean paintballers are travelling to JB to play on cheaper fields. This hurts Singaporean paintball because a) by spending money overseas, money is not being spent on supporting the local field(s), which does not allow them to expand their services and b) the experience and mentoring from these players is not shared with the newer players who might benefit greatly from given advice.
Now in terms of improving Singaporean paintball, two things come into my mind. Price of paint, and a tournament sized speedball field. The price of paint is an obvious one, the cheaper it is, the more we can train, and inevitably the better we will get. Getting a tournament sized speedball field is also another obvious one. Teams in Malaysia are training on fields that have the tournament layout a week or so before the actual tournament allowing them to have a good idea of how the field will play. In Singapore, although we try our best to adapt the field to the layout, the dimensions (length and width) that we play in Malaysia and here are completely different, meaning that when we get to Malaysia all the angles are completely different. We need a tournament sized field train on, with a good flat patch of grass so that we don’t injure ourselves doing various slides or dives.
Q: Plans for 2010?
A: I’ll keep you posted.
Now in Singapore, the SPF regulates the movement of paintball markers and lists them under ‘Firearms’. Land and paint is expensive, so it is hard to get tournament teams to train regularly locally. More experienced Singaporean paintballers are travelling to JB to play on cheaper fields. This hurts Singaporean paintball because a) by spending money overseas, money is not being spent on supporting the local field(s), which does not allow them to expand their services and b) the experience and mentoring from these players is not shared with the newer players who might benefit greatly from given advice.
Now in terms of improving Singaporean paintball, two things come into my mind. Price of paint, and a tournament sized speedball field. The price of paint is an obvious one, the cheaper it is, the more we can train, and inevitably the better we will get. Getting a tournament sized speedball field is also another obvious one. Teams in Malaysia are training on fields that have the tournament layout a week or so before the actual tournament allowing them to have a good idea of how the field will play. In Singapore, although we try our best to adapt the field to the layout, the dimensions (length and width) that we play in Malaysia and here are completely different, meaning that when we get to Malaysia all the angles are completely different. We need a tournament sized field train on, with a good flat patch of grass so that we don’t injure ourselves doing various slides or dives.
Q: Plans for 2010?
A: I’ll keep you posted.
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Something really really good...
I don't usually blog about paintball gears but I just couldn't resist sharing this with everyone who regularly visits this blog. Presenting to you... The SEED!
Yeah, the name doesn't really sound catchy and you can't really make out what actually a SEED is... but this small "thing" can actually make a big difference for you when you most need it. I have seen, tried and tested this "thing" in last weekend's World Cup Asia (WCA) 2009. Hands up if you were there playing WCA last weekend and you have problems with your loader not feeding, due to humidity or jam and simply not shooting... believe me, I didn't have this problem the whole entire tournament, expect when I dive into the 50's M and got mud into my loader through the speedfeed. Other than that, I didn't have problem with my loader. And by loader, I mean the Dye Rotor... one of the best loader in the world. Simple to dismantle, simple to use and simple to clean.
Adding the SEED chip into the rotor... you will be jam free for the longest time in your paintball career until someone else came up with something new. I first heard about this product a couple of months ago... didn't strike me that this product would be good and perhaps just like the usual chip available in the market. If that is the case, then what is it that is so special about this chip?
Auto anti jamming!!! Enough said. If there is a jam in the loader, the motor spins the other way and unjam the paintballs!!! Well... I dont remember the last loader chip that has this capability. Yes, I have heard before anti jam detection... but auto anti jam and spins the motor on the reverse motion? First time... really, you have to see it to believe it.
And you thought so what is so special about auto anti jam? Well... you keep shooting!!! Its that simple... No more stopping and taking out the cover, no more shaking of the loader aimlessly, no more trying to figure out why your loader is jamming.
Check out the reviews on Pbnation, http://www.pbnation.com/showthread.php?t=3180465&highlight=seed+chip
Thanks Bruce for selling me this great product ...you make my day!
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Dummies guide on how to play without your loader
Just for laughs... no pun intended...
Step 1: Do a good break... but look at your opponents. Careful the ground is slippery.
Step 2: Loader falling off... !@#$%^&
Step 3: Wait for the right moment... behind a bunker of course!
Step 4: Do a mad dash!!!! but keep low...
Step 5: Pick up the loader and go again for the kills again!!!! Mind thinking...SIBEI HENG AR!!!
Photos courtesy of Artika's friend, Knight, photography-www.pgx.com.my
Goodbye 2009... Hello 2010...
With the year end drawing closer, so is the season of paintball. The World Cup Asia (WCA) 2009 closed its curtains last weekend with a bigger bang as compared to 2008. Playing for the third time in this tournament, the WCA is still the ONE and ONLY paintball tournament that you cannot miss! (Paul, if you are reading this... coffee next time). With 4 playing fields and more than 120 participating teams from countries such as Japan, Thailand, Philippines, Indonesia, Singapore, India, Iran, Australia, UAE, South Africa, UK, Guam and host country Malaysia, this event is certainly the BEST that Asia has to offer.
Having played twice before, this WCA kept my team and I busy the entire weekend. For a start, it was the Singapore contingent which consist of 7 teams that made a whole difference. There were words of encouragement from everyone. The motivation to do well every time a Singapore team walks into the field was complimented with our nation's pride. Most Singapore teams made it through to the 2nd round of the tournament and as they say: "Made it to Sunday!!!".
Although there was an orgy at the air fill stations, things got better as the day goes by. For a while, I thought there was going to be a re-enactment of what happened last year when the compressor couldn't start due to a short circuit problem but this year, there were no such problems...
Don't consider yourself playing in a WCA event until it rains...as this has been a norm since 2006, so yeah... get dirty, get muddy and tell yourself that you have worked hard on the field when you see all the mud. I am sure everyone who were there enjoyed themselves. At the same time, I am sure everyone will be thinking... "If only..."
Drawing back to Singapore paintball... Paintball first started in Singapore about 10 years ago. However, the development of paintball didn't really kick off until March 2008 where Singaporeans were introduced to paintball as a sport. Almost close to 2 years from the time of introduction, there are now 7 paintball teams flying the Singapore flag in the WCA. Surely, anyone can tell you that there will be more teams in WCA 2010. Firstly... I don't think it will be hard for someone to make this assumption... however only if the formula is right unless the truth remains unfold.
Paintball is a growing sport in Singapore. When I mean growing, I am talking about people being more aware about game than before, people being more receptive to this teambuilding game, people wanting to know more about the sport... it is a growing game.
Like a growing plant, it needs to be nurture as it takes time to grow. I am talking about TLC (tender, loving, care)... yes! TLC for paintball! Water the plants everyday and see it grow. Stop watering and you will get problems with insufficient nutrients, weak stem, etc. In paintball, there are people who will "come and go" (that's a given)... and there are people who play the sport and continue to excel in it. There are also new players who are new to the game... for Singapore to continue sending teams to WCA, we will need a constant flow of new players with guidance of the older batch. Boys and girls who have been playing the game for a while needs to embrace these "young" players. With the end of the Basic Tournament Orientation (BTO), gone are the status of tournament paintballers in Singapore and everyone is just as good as anyone... We must be ready to pass on what we have learnt to new players so that the community continue to grow. Unlike recreational paintball, you will always get new customers... but for tournament games, its all about nurturing. We have witnessed many who gave up the fight even before the real battle begins...
Hello 2010... passing on the baton!
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Paintball World Cup Asia 2009 photo summary
Division 3 Red Sevens from Singapore (Photo taken by Pito of PhotoKaki)
Photo taken by Pito of PhotoKaki)
Division 4 Team Red West from Singapore
Muddy muddy...
WTF!...lovers drink
Will work for paintball!!! Berg helping out to sell markers in WCA...
Asia Ref Officiating Course
Hmmmm....I think ar....
Division 4 Contract Killers winning WCA 2009 Div 4 1st Runner Up... Singapore's first medal in WCA.
Yeah... know your price...
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Good luck to all Singapore teams!
There was 1 team in 2007 and there were 2 teams in 2008 and in 2009, 7 paintball teams from Singapore will be playing in the Paintball World Cup Asia 2009 this weekend. We wish them all the best in this tournament and podium finish in their respective divisions.
Way to go Singapore!
Saturday, November 7, 2009
Ian the berzerk!!!
Ian Tang (third from left) with players from Team Hot Fuzz.
We featured Ian Tang, one of Singapore's earliest "tournament" player. Ian who was playing for Team Hot Fuzz in 2008 and later Team Evil Avengers share his bit about paintball in Singapore. I labelled him as Singapore's paintball media spokesperson simply because he is the first person who got Channel News Asia to feature paintball as a sport on TV and the man who got Straits Times and Today Papers to feature paintball in the sports column... and we know how hard that is when there are F1, soccer, golf... Kudos to you Ian...
Q: Ian... one of the pioneers in Singapore competitive paintball. Tell us how you got started in the game that we all love to hate?
I'm hardly one of the pioneers! I first played paintball during the Chinese New Year gathering organised by Red Dynasty in early 2008. Prior to that, I had only read about the game in books or watched it in passing on TV shows, and even that was enough to pique my curiousity in the game. So when my good friend and subsequent teammate Xuyuan invited me to join him at the gathering, I couldn't say "yes" fast enough. That one session was exhilarating enough to make me want more! That was followed by the formation of the Singapore Paintball Novice Series, which I have taken part in ever since its inception.
I'm hardly one of the pioneers! I first played paintball during the Chinese New Year gathering organised by Red Dynasty in early 2008. Prior to that, I had only read about the game in books or watched it in passing on TV shows, and even that was enough to pique my curiousity in the game. So when my good friend and subsequent teammate Xuyuan invited me to join him at the gathering, I couldn't say "yes" fast enough. That one session was exhilarating enough to make me want more! That was followed by the formation of the Singapore Paintball Novice Series, which I have taken part in ever since its inception.
Q: You have played in 2 local teams, Hot Fuzz and Evil Avengers. Tell us how different are these teams from one another?
Well, one was born of harmony, the other from strife. Hot Fuzz was essentially a team of friends. The core was myself, Xuyuan, an ex-schoolmate and Lennat, a friend whom I knew from the local music scene. Subsequent members joined us through the forum. Much to our surprise, we synergised well with each other. What I remembered most fondly was that win or lose, we always never failed to have fun. The team disbanded after the last leg of SPNS 2008.
Evil Avengers was an attempt at a "serious" team after a collective unpleasant experience. It was an amalgam of members from the defunct teams of Hot Fuzz and Red Lords (Both "pioneering" teams in the SPNS). While the intentions were there, the drive to succeed gradually became eroded by the drudgery of real life, plus we got so caught up in our grand plans that we forgot to have fun. That being said, I'm glad I tried and had plenty of memorable times with this team, especially during the last leg of SPNS 2009.
I have since left Evil Avengers and am looking forward to either starting anew with another local team or contributing to the growth of the game any way I can.
Well, one was born of harmony, the other from strife. Hot Fuzz was essentially a team of friends. The core was myself, Xuyuan, an ex-schoolmate and Lennat, a friend whom I knew from the local music scene. Subsequent members joined us through the forum. Much to our surprise, we synergised well with each other. What I remembered most fondly was that win or lose, we always never failed to have fun. The team disbanded after the last leg of SPNS 2008.
Evil Avengers was an attempt at a "serious" team after a collective unpleasant experience. It was an amalgam of members from the defunct teams of Hot Fuzz and Red Lords (Both "pioneering" teams in the SPNS). While the intentions were there, the drive to succeed gradually became eroded by the drudgery of real life, plus we got so caught up in our grand plans that we forgot to have fun. That being said, I'm glad I tried and had plenty of memorable times with this team, especially during the last leg of SPNS 2009.
I have since left Evil Avengers and am looking forward to either starting anew with another local team or contributing to the growth of the game any way I can.
Q: Are you looking forward to owning a personal e-marker?
Definitely! Having had the pleasure of being shot at by electronic markers during an overseas tournament and during training for the upcoming World Cup Asia, I would say that e-markers really force you to up your game as a player. To quote a song title, you have to be "Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger", in order to stay alive and win the games.
Q: You are the only player who have played in all 6 legs of SPNS... you have seen the changes... So what's the report card grade?
Each leg has only grown bigger and better than the last! I am glad to say that SPNS has come a long way, from 3-man hopperball to a proper 5-man mechanical marker tournament. I liked how the organisers gradually introduced the changes in the format to finally conform to international standards for a Division 4 tournament. Each leg has seen increasingly better venues, better bunkers and especially better technical and logistical set ups. This is something that players have recognised and appreciate as well.
What I do very much hope to see is a rise or at least a consistency in the standard of refereeing. That is one aspect of the tournament that should be addressed, as it affects the outcome of the game. I don't mind losing, but I do abhor losing due to bad or slow calls.
Q: What are the problems that a local paintballer face?
1) Time. The perennial problem that anyone who is into a team sport will face. Carving out time from busy schedules is something that all ballers in a team have to be able to do. If you're committed to a team, you have to make time to train as a team, or at least spend time together as a team. I believe that speedball, above all, is a game where you have to be able to trust your team mates to do their job fully, and to foster that unspoken link between team mates. These qualities can only be honed as a team spends time with each other.
2) Money. It is always about the benjamins, baby. There's only so much dry drills you can do, a baller has to shoot paint regularly to know where he's at and the cost of training will always be a factor.
3) Passion. How do you keep up the passion? Paintball is a lifestyle, beyond "looking cool in new mask". A passion is best sustained when there is a group of like-minded individuals to share tips, tricks, quotes and inside jokes with. I think this is our one saving grace: that the local speedball community is pretty much easy-going and fun, good mix of ages and interests, best of all, always willing to share and learn from one another.
Q: You will be playing in the upcoming World Cup Asia. 6 other teams are joining you. How do you think Singapore teams will fare?
Definitely! Having had the pleasure of being shot at by electronic markers during an overseas tournament and during training for the upcoming World Cup Asia, I would say that e-markers really force you to up your game as a player. To quote a song title, you have to be "Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger", in order to stay alive and win the games.
Q: You are the only player who have played in all 6 legs of SPNS... you have seen the changes... So what's the report card grade?
Each leg has only grown bigger and better than the last! I am glad to say that SPNS has come a long way, from 3-man hopperball to a proper 5-man mechanical marker tournament. I liked how the organisers gradually introduced the changes in the format to finally conform to international standards for a Division 4 tournament. Each leg has seen increasingly better venues, better bunkers and especially better technical and logistical set ups. This is something that players have recognised and appreciate as well.
What I do very much hope to see is a rise or at least a consistency in the standard of refereeing. That is one aspect of the tournament that should be addressed, as it affects the outcome of the game. I don't mind losing, but I do abhor losing due to bad or slow calls.
Q: What are the problems that a local paintballer face?
1) Time. The perennial problem that anyone who is into a team sport will face. Carving out time from busy schedules is something that all ballers in a team have to be able to do. If you're committed to a team, you have to make time to train as a team, or at least spend time together as a team. I believe that speedball, above all, is a game where you have to be able to trust your team mates to do their job fully, and to foster that unspoken link between team mates. These qualities can only be honed as a team spends time with each other.
2) Money. It is always about the benjamins, baby. There's only so much dry drills you can do, a baller has to shoot paint regularly to know where he's at and the cost of training will always be a factor.
3) Passion. How do you keep up the passion? Paintball is a lifestyle, beyond "looking cool in new mask". A passion is best sustained when there is a group of like-minded individuals to share tips, tricks, quotes and inside jokes with. I think this is our one saving grace: that the local speedball community is pretty much easy-going and fun, good mix of ages and interests, best of all, always willing to share and learn from one another.
Q: You will be playing in the upcoming World Cup Asia. 6 other teams are joining you. How do you think Singapore teams will fare?
Considering the quality of teams that local teams will be facing in WCA, I think it will be a challenging tournament, one which can only open our eyes even more. Our Div 4 teams are very good, and I do expect at least one podium finish there.
Q: What do you hope to see in Singapore paintball?
Honestly, I think local ballers have truckloads of potential and our basics are good and consistently reinforced. Our teams are hampered by the fact that:
(A) training is either expensive or time consuming
(B) we can't train with our own equipment regularly or conveniently
Despite that, local teams have done consistently well, with 2009 being a gala year with two local Div 3 teams taking podium finishes in the MPOC, and a few Div 4 podium finishes in other tournaments. This is proof that local teams do have what it takes, just that we have to put in that extra time and effort to train over our paintballing friends from other countries.
So I hope that we can at least overcome (A) as a short term goal, and (B) as a medium term goal. Once both (A) and (B) are resolved, Singapore will be ready to take its place as a paintballing force in the region.
Q: Name me your best 5 players in the Singapore scene?
Wow you don't believe in easy questions huh. If I do have to give a personal take, they are:
a) Casey "sgb33f" Chew. He is a well-oiled (literally and figuratively heheh) machine when it comes to paintball. Basic stuff that most of us agonise with, snap shooting, movement, communication, RELOADING, he does with an ease that is second nature. Combined with his experience in the States, this is one guy I want to be a wingman to anytime ha!
b) Grant "houdini" Harrison. If I'm ever, ever short on passion, I just have to look at him and be recharged. He is really the epitome of putting his money where his mouth is. From offering free website design to SPNS winners, to shelling out S$500 to aid local teams, Grant holds nothing back when it comes to something he loves. He also has a good sense of strategy, which showed when he led Dark Militia to victory in Leg 3 of SPNS09.
c) and d) A tie between Gerald "The Kid" Lee and Ivan "Snake" Liow
Always exciting to see them play. Speed, skill and agility in an aggressive package!
Can't think of anymore! Here's to another great year for local paintball!
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Div 4, Div 3, Div 2, Div 1, where do I belong?
I have been asked this question twice this week, so I thought perhaps I can blog about this, so that more people can say the same thing whenever they are posed with this question. I will introduce by saying that there are four divisions in the regional league. Having watched BPL soccer, it is not tough to relate this divisional status to many people. If your team is in Division 4, you will need to work your way up the ranks to reach Division 1 and then to the premiere league.
How different is paintball? To be honest, anyone can be as good as anyone in paintball. Meaning, you can just pick up paintball last weekend and start to formed a team and call yourself a division 1 team. Nobody is going to stop you from doing that... just get ready for the bruises. Teams will still play you and you will also get the biggest shock of your life.
There are paintball leagues in Malaysia that has a promotional format. Meaning if your team do well the entire season and clinch a few finishes on the podium, there could be a likelihood that you will be "promoted" to the higher division upon the request of the organizers. But this is not the case for all paintball tournaments. I have seen a Division 1 player playing for a Division 3 team and went on to win medals and nobody questioned about eligibility. I have seen a few (and I quote again, a few) Division 2 players playing for a Division 3 team and yes, nobody questioned anything. I have recently seen a ex-Division 1 player who guest for a new Division 4 team!!! So in summary, you can play in any division that you wish to. However, not all leagues are the same. My-NPL for example, do not allow players from higher division to play in the lower divisions.
As a guide, here it goes (based on the Malaysia Paintball Official Circuit, MPOC):
Division 4 - Usually for newbies who just picked up paintball using housed mechanical markers. Organizers will provide markers for the tournament but you can also use your own. Personal marker accessories such as loader, barrel and tanks are allowed. M5 format (5 versus 5)
Division 3 - Participants will need to have their own personal marker and accessories. Games will be played as M5 format. Mode of fire will be semi automatic with rate of fire capped at 15 balls per sec.
Division 2 - Same format as Division 3 except for a change in the mode of fire, which is ramping mode capped at 15 balls per sec.
Division 1 - Same as Division 2 except for X ball format (some refer it as the M7 or P7 format) in a race to 3 game. Time duration is 10 mins. A 2 mins game interval for every game where players exit the field to top up gas, paintballs, wipe clean, etc. For this division, you will need a good coach and 3 crews who can assist to coach from the sidelines.
There are a few Singapore based teams who are playing in the Malaysia paintball scene and they are:
MPOC - Red Sevens Division 3
MPOC - Team Damnation Division 3
My-NPL - Karma Division 4
My-NPL - Seekers Division 4
In addition to the above teams, the following teams will be participating in this year's Paintball World Cup Asia 2009:
WCA - United Nations
WCA - Contract Killers Division 4
WCA - Red West Division 4
Insight to .50 caliber
We have heard of the .50 caliber marker. Let's take a closer look at the marker and its possible potential. The diameter of the barrel is definitely the eye catcher... the marker looks light, feels light and surely looked compact. The price tag is even more comforting... (this piece above is about SIN$490!!). The paintballs are smaller and fits a smaller box, which means mobility.
The design of the loader looks revolutionary but I have make worries about the material that goes into making one of these... It "feels" plastic unlike the usual gravity loader. Looks fragile and ready to break if not handled carefully.
As most stocked markers, you will need to get upgrades to make the marker looked more like the "real" thing. Similar to Tippmann A5s, X7s, the GI Milsims allow for such upgrades. Just look at how a "butt" can change the whole look and feel of the marker.
A magazine feed for bottom load or top load through the plastic loader.
There have been talks about a smaller caliber with a smaller splatzone... hmmm... looks normal to me. The fills are thicker than usual and the paintball breaks amazingly.
We did the drop test and it breaks upon impact... I am very impress.
*Thanks to Napshot for allowing us to abuse your marker! If you want to get one of these...you know where to get one.
Friday, October 23, 2009
A BIG step for paintball in Singapore...
A BIG step for paintball in Singapore!
SINGAPORE (18 October 2009) – Established in 2007, the Paintball Association (Singapore) PBAS which is a non-profit organization with aims of promoting and developing paintball as a mainstream sports has been a forerunner in supporting paintball initiatives in Singapore. Since its formation, the association has set its sight on creating paintball awareness to the public as its top priority. The PBAS has accomplished this by organizing school awareness outreach events in tertiary schools, setting up orientation courses for competitive players to participate in the sport without legal restrictions governed by local authorities and supporting the growth of competitive paintball in Singapore by co-organizing the Singapore Paintball Novice Series (SPNS). A PBAS website was launched early this year to further promote the sport by creating awareness for the game.
In November 2009, Singaporeans will see the most number of Singapore teams participating in an internationally recognized tournament. The Paintball World Cup Asia 2009 will be held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia with a total of 120 teams from the regional countries. There will be at least 6 local teams who will be representing Singapore in this prestigious paintball event of the year.
With PBAS’ continuous efforts to promote and develop paintball in Singapore, we are pleased to announce another initiative driven and achieved by the association. The Singapore Police Force have granted flexibility under the licensing conditions where condition 12 of the Licensing Condition for Operating a Paintball Game Center: “The licensee shall ensure that there is a barrier dividing the play area so that opposing players will not come into physical contact with one another” will be removed. However, operators remain to have the rights to impose regulations in their fields to ensure that the safety of the participants is not compromised and that paintball games are to be supervised by referees who are familiar with safety rules. The Basic Tournament Orientation (BTO) has been introduced and conducted by PBAS since 2008 to allow the tournament paintball to be played without a center line. One of the objectives of BTO is aimed at educating tournament players about tournament safety and rules and with the change in local regulations, BTO shall be reviewed by PBAS. With the new progress achieved, PBAS will implement the change for all PBAS-sanctioned tournaments, events and activities with effect from 1st November 2009.
With this change, we hope to see more paintball initiatives by operators in Singapore and that this change will help us develop paintball into a mainstream sport in years to come. This is definitely a BIG step for paintball in Singapore!
Jane Koh
President
Paintball Association (Singapore)
SINGAPORE (18 October 2009) – Established in 2007, the Paintball Association (Singapore) PBAS which is a non-profit organization with aims of promoting and developing paintball as a mainstream sports has been a forerunner in supporting paintball initiatives in Singapore. Since its formation, the association has set its sight on creating paintball awareness to the public as its top priority. The PBAS has accomplished this by organizing school awareness outreach events in tertiary schools, setting up orientation courses for competitive players to participate in the sport without legal restrictions governed by local authorities and supporting the growth of competitive paintball in Singapore by co-organizing the Singapore Paintball Novice Series (SPNS). A PBAS website was launched early this year to further promote the sport by creating awareness for the game.
In November 2009, Singaporeans will see the most number of Singapore teams participating in an internationally recognized tournament. The Paintball World Cup Asia 2009 will be held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia with a total of 120 teams from the regional countries. There will be at least 6 local teams who will be representing Singapore in this prestigious paintball event of the year.
With PBAS’ continuous efforts to promote and develop paintball in Singapore, we are pleased to announce another initiative driven and achieved by the association. The Singapore Police Force have granted flexibility under the licensing conditions where condition 12 of the Licensing Condition for Operating a Paintball Game Center: “The licensee shall ensure that there is a barrier dividing the play area so that opposing players will not come into physical contact with one another” will be removed. However, operators remain to have the rights to impose regulations in their fields to ensure that the safety of the participants is not compromised and that paintball games are to be supervised by referees who are familiar with safety rules. The Basic Tournament Orientation (BTO) has been introduced and conducted by PBAS since 2008 to allow the tournament paintball to be played without a center line. One of the objectives of BTO is aimed at educating tournament players about tournament safety and rules and with the change in local regulations, BTO shall be reviewed by PBAS. With the new progress achieved, PBAS will implement the change for all PBAS-sanctioned tournaments, events and activities with effect from 1st November 2009.
With this change, we hope to see more paintball initiatives by operators in Singapore and that this change will help us develop paintball into a mainstream sport in years to come. This is definitely a BIG step for paintball in Singapore!
Jane Koh
President
Paintball Association (Singapore)
Thursday, October 22, 2009
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