[Prophet]

Im just wondering peoples views on this.

I have noticed a considerable rise in the last couple of years of people getting into airsoft after having played FPS (first person shooters) on consoles etc.

One of the more popular 'paths' seems to be that of chaps (normally younger i find) wanting to get into airsoft sniping because they loved the ghillie mission in COD4 (For example . . . ). Of course the realities are somewhat different as im sure they eventually find out.

Why is this ?

Is it because people like the guns ?
Is it because people want to dress up ?
Is it because people want to nail somebody with a headshot at 400 yards ?

Im not having a pop at FPS games or anybody who has come into the airsoft world because of it, i just find it intriguing

[Tichinde]

In my experience there seems to be a link from tabletop wargames to airsoft but I know what you mean about the computer game link especially with younger players.

There was an article in one of the Recon-rags regarding the Call of Duty effect IIRC..

I know a few of my guns are "COD inspired" but then I was airsofting long before COD came along :)

Andy.

[wolfen]

COD seems to have made a real impact on airsofting, lot of loadouts and weapons appearing inspired by in game kit.
My daughters boyfriend is now wanting to try airsoft solely because he has played COD, he sees it as taking the game into reality.
Anything though that brings people into airsoft is a good thing so more power to their arm.

Nige

[Coldgunner]

Any way of getting more airsofters is good, whether via gaming or not. When I need my fix I more often than not fire up Operation Flashpoint 2 or Modern Warfare 2. Though I always get a giggle when a COD player comes along at their first game and wants to snipe, only to watch them get pwned later on. You could say the same about films, how often have you watched a film to get in the mood for some Airsoft?

[masteravatar]

On a side note but slighty related topic - have a look at the very latest issue of amazing Airsoft International magazine - there loadout section is based on Taskforce 141 from MW2 so the computer gaming industry is affecting airsoft to some degree. The only really effect from a game I have seen is when I was playing at urban assault a few weeks back there were several people that had spray painted there guns in blue and black camo because of MW2.

[lordelpus]

Coldgunner, on 12 March 2010 - 11:01 , said:

Any way of getting more airsofters is good, whether via gaming or not. When I need my fix I more often than not fire up Operation Flashpoint 2 or Modern Warfare 2. Though I always get a giggle when a COD player comes along at their first game and wants to snipe, only to watch them get pwned later on. You could say the same about films, how often have you watched a film to get in the mood for some Airsoft?

Quite often whilst I charge batteries/load mags etc do I watch war type films. Normal ones are either SWAT, BASIC, The rock, Taken or Shoot em Up .

[shima]

the rock was an epic film :D but sniping is fantastic. i never really did play cod much i just love the waiting and watching someone as they get closer and closer until they are in range. well considering you get them that is :P

airsoft is very much like a video game in some respects. you shoot you die you re spawn (some games) etc :P

i enjoy the tactics involved in airsoft as well. for people that just want to run around shooting randomly i say paintball is for them.

just my thoughts :P

[Amenthea]

I never actually shouted "BOOOOOM!!!!! Headshot" after doing the same thing in an airsoft game, and I have been playing FPSs longer then I've been softing. A game might influence a bit of kit I like the look of but to be honest I played paintball for years and always thought it would be way cooler with better guns and equipment, and well what do you know, I found airsoft :D

My stepdad was in the Navy and his brother was a Marine, so I had already been to a lot of Army and Navy days years before I had a computer so that was a primary influence I think.

[Duffy]

Simply, counter strike :)

[Cracking Day]

I was too busy having sex with actual girls to get into computers and then got bored of the sex so went straight into Airsoft. On a serious note, we do base a few games round films and they are always very popular!

[Prophet]

Quote

simply counter strike

Ah good old CS. I started playing that when it was a beta release as a half life add-on ! I must admit at our old urban site a did run a few 'defuse the bomb' games (bomb with timer etc). They were always actually pretty good. Funny watching the CT team running about trying to find the bomb after they had killed all the T's

So is it fair to say that computer games is probably one of the biggest 'paths' nowadays into airsoft ?

I dont know about you chaps but i would probably say i see more people (again, generally the younger players) coming onto site after having played COD or whatever, whereas a few years back there seemed to be more migrating over from pain-ball

Somebody also mentioned warhammer/citadel minatures earlier. This is an interesting 'path' too. I was into 40K when i was a kid. You do seem to see a lot of warhammer models for sale on airsoft forums . . . ?

[Red5]

Whilst we're talking about influences (games & Movies) What about Blackhawk Down???? How many l33t Delta types did that spawn (me included - to my shme)

[Coldgunner]

Personally not seen too many BHD alikes, I mainly see inspiration from Rainbow 6 and Ghost Recon.

[DevilD26]

got me a BHD ranger loadout - made my brother get one too :)

As for inspiration, I guess I started airsoft due to films/various pc games. However, I am guilty of MW2 madness...started a loadout thread for it, as it inspired me to do one :)

[Red5]

Coldgunner, on 14 March 2010 - 17:41 , said:

Personally not seen too many BHD alikes, I mainly see inspiration from Rainbow 6 and Ghost Recon.

Lot's of them knocking around about 6 years ago at the sites I used to play at!!!

[Da Fish]

Coldgunner, on 14 March 2010 - 17:41 , said:

Personally not seen too many BHD alikes, I mainly see inspiration from Rainbow 6 and Ghost Recon.

Im pretty certain they where quite common... considering the film is approaching 10years old (could be 8ish at the mo!) people move on. That said the same could be said for Saving Private Ryan/Band of Bros. The emergence of both started of what has spiralled into a fairly large (and dare i say it still growing) WW2 community.

You may need to clarify which versions of R6 and GR... as the first original versions of both where based, loosely, on real life (with the vision guided by Tom Clancy and his eye for detail), before Ubisoft got their grubby little mits involved and ruined everything by acquiring and then dissolving Red Storm, and effectively "arcadifying" everything. but my point is, anyone doing a U.S. Marine/Spec Ops load out from that period could easily argue they where doing a GR or R6 loadout.

Personally there could be a link, Im quite considering a generic TF141 loadout (if i can find the £££)... but i find it hard to find anyone who airsofts, has played computer games and not thought about it. (although I'd be a touch concerned if someone turned up in red dungarees and insisted on jumping on his oppoenents!)

[Red5]

Just been trawling through my old jpegs and found these shameful examples...

"I was a (post)Teenage Fat Dboy"

http://i194.photobucket.com/albums/z279/red5_album/RDaaaa.jpg
http://i194.photobucket.com/albums/z279/red5_album/RRaaaa.jpg

And a Ranger too.... :huh:

This post has been edited by Red5: 15 March 2010 - 09:11

[Coldgunner]

Like you guys say, I do think there is trends from time to time.

[Red5]

In a roundabout “film-inspires-computer-game-inspires-softer” cycle, I once started on a SWBF Rebel Endor Commando loadout. Nearly finished it too.

Haven’t been softing in a while though so haven’t seen the MW2 fallout!!

This post has been edited by Red5: 15 March 2010 - 14:59

[TheSlee]

I believe that video games are responsible for bringing a lot more people to our sport. Simply because there are these huge games being released like MW2 and bad company 2 which can be replicated (to an extent) by airsoft. This appeals to people so they try to imitate what kind of weapons and tactics that they use in game, in airsoft.

For me, it was the other way around, airsoft led to Insurgency on the PC which led to call of duty :P