Hertfordshire - Potential new site - Market Research

[RussAFO]

Hi all

New to the forums, that might be an age thing, but not new to the beautiful game of Airsoft.

A potential new site has come up in central Hertfordshire, not far from Stevenage, it has good access from the A1, decent parking and few neighbours to annoy. You (and me) the players are the most important factor in the sport and I'm very much aware some sites do not listen to feedback from the very people that pay to play. So your thoughts are welcome and very much appreciated on what you would like to see at a skirmish site. This can be on any subject from the location, on site food and parking and shop, to marshalling, gameplay scenarios and props.... whatever wild and wacky ideas you might have, please don't be afraid to let us know.

The site is a very wild and natural woodland, with a metalled track running through it. Sharply sloping in places with excellent potential for realistic camouflaged sangers, bunkers and earthworks rather than cheesy wooden forts and garden sheds. Your thoughts and ideas (if practical ) are very much welcome and I look forward to hearing from you guys and girls.

Russ

 

[proffrink]

It's never going to happen anywhere, but HPA fill stations

Also a portaloo would be nice, and one that's actually cleaned once every couple of months. The one close to me is particularly rough, but I guess at least it has one unlike the last one I used to go to.

Edit

The other thing I've noticed about woodland is cover. If you're a site where the trees are well grown out and big enough to reliably take cover behind then that's fine, but many sites I've been to have areas where cover is so thin you will absolutely immediately be shot if you go anywhere near them. Having artificial cover in these places makes them usable again.

 

[Jedi_Master]

Initial thought is that the safe zone has to be a large enough to accomodate everyone with plenty of room / decent workspace to get kitted up. Prerferably indoors or at least under cover and out of the wind, with good lighting.

 

[proffrink]

with good lighting.

This is pretty important. I remember where I used to go last year in January and February it was getting dark as people left - so dark is was nearly impossible to pack all my stuff at one point.

 

[RussAFO]

This is pretty important. I remember where I used to go last year in January and February it was getting dark as people left - so dark is was nearly impossible to pack all my stuff at one point.

Good solid electrics on site via quiet generators. Spots for safe zone and bulb lighting under covered areas.

Appreciate the comments thus far guys.

 

[Jedi_Master]

Also a portaloo would be nice, and one that's actually cleaned once every couple of months. The one close to me is particularly rough, but I guess at least it has one unlike the last one I used to go to.

I will second that, a couple of clean toilets is a must. The milsimers may want to go like a bear in the woods, been there and done that, but I prefer some home comforts. Not forgetting hand sanitiser.

 

[Samurai]

I only care about the games. I would love to have whole day games without breaks. I would still like gamedays with 1 break for lunch. I wouldn't bother travelling to many 1 hour or shorter games a day. I can have that anywhere or at any paintball field. But that's just me.

 

[Sacarathe]

I only care about the games. I would love to have whole day games without breaks. I would still like gamedays with 1 break for lunch. I wouldn't bother travelling to many 1 hour or shorter games a day. I can have that anywhere or at any paintball field. But that's just me.

But then you have to start collecting deposits, once you offer something for a minority, you have to take steps to ensure people attend in the numbers required, and that you know how many are likely to attend in advance. That said, I can't see a problem with this.

I wish more sites (not just airsoft) were more transparent about the signup numbers.

I'd like to see a site that owns and uses multiple chronographs, i've never been to an airsoft site which didn't manage to waste 10-20 minutes queuing people for the chronograph. The mall has three staff manning one, and other than multitasking sidearms, they don't get through people quick enough.

 

[proffrink]

I only care about the games. I would love to have whole day games without breaks. I would still like gamedays with 1 break for lunch. I wouldn't bother travelling to many 1 hour or shorter games a day. I can have that anywhere or at any paintball field. But that's just me.

Same here, but I also see the importance of breaks to people who do need a break or need time to refill magazines etc. (read GBBR users) more regularly than others. Take away their time to do that and you get times of the day where there's potential for large imbalances in gameplay as people trudge off to the spawn for a Snickers and to refill their high-crap magazines.

 

[Reb3l]

Some decent food avalible without having to trudge down to the local super market and a fully stocked shop with bbs, grenades ect.

 

[Jedi_Master]

I only care about the games. I would love to have whole day games without breaks. I would still like gamedays with 1 break for lunch. I wouldn't bother travelling to many 1 hour or shorter games a day. I can have that anywhere or at any paintball field. But that's just me.

I have played just a morning and afternoon game with a 45 min lunch break (at the UCAP Sandpit) where one team defended in the morning and then swapped objective in the afternoon to become the attackers. It made for 3 hours of solid gameplay, with players free to walk back to the safe zone whenever they wanted. Also it is simple enough to take a backpack of supplies and leave it at the team spawn/re-gen location, although admittedly it was a dry autumn day. Having a medic rule, with an armband worn on left arm which was then placed on right arm after first hit by another player being the medic, and only going to regen after being hit a second time. Made for some exciting medic dashes to help out team mates and kept the game flowing.

For OP - having a clear gameday structure helps let players know what to expect, clearly post this on your website. Longer games would be good, constant breaks and briefs can waste actual game time. Depending how large your site is, then maybe some specific shelter for backpacks so that players could leave it at regen and know it is protected from weather and to save walk back to the safe zone.

 

[proffrink]

Oh god yes - actually websites are a big one. Having a solid FAQ and nice pictures saves you a lot of silly e-mails asking about different fps limits and the like.

 

[Jedi_Master]

On the website it would be good to have a clear map of the site layout, with a north marker, showing the safezone, toilets, parking, paths, bridge(s), stream(s), and the key / named game area features. Also a wall map available in the safe zone to enable players orientate themselves. I dislike going to a new site and having no idea where anything is located or the objective names and location. Some may like the unknown and learning, I prefer to spend less time geographically challenged wandering around.

 

[Sacarathe]

Some decent food avalible without having to trudge down to the local super market and a fully stocked shop with bbs, grenades ect.

Well really? You don't need to be poor to make a packup.

 

[djben9]

in recent AI, some sites are starting to cater more for half day games etc as many cant make a full day, that way they get more footfall and money and people get to play. Good for me as i have to book the day off with wife where as a half day id have no problem getting to after the kids football training in the morning.....and Stevenage ish is about 40mis away

agree with above really, nothing else I can think of,,,,

cleaner toliets

good lighting where requred

car parking

etc

 

[Alex34]

Marshals, marshals, marshals! Can't say it enough! Top quality marshals! Marshalling makes or breaks a site for me. It's the reason The Mall Reading is my home site even though I live in Herts.

A small shop with food and drinks, especially stuff like bottled water, sports drinks and energy bars.

Proper adult lunch options... not just hot dogs and hamburgers. Maybe have a local eatery cater meals with options being chosen as skirmishers check-in in the morning. Or atleast offer panines, baguettes and proper sandwiches on site with packets of crisps.

HPA filling stations would be fantastic. If you only make a little margin off of refills you will make far more overall from the convenience aspect.

A small airsoft shop on site is always very handy. If not, at least offer extra items like cleaning kits, masks, gloves, magazines, batteries (packs and AAA / AA), etc.

Clean, well suited toilet facilities goes without saying.

Adequate seating and work benches are always an issue at every site I've been to.

 

[Jedi_Master]

Marshals, marshals, marshals! Can't say it enough! Top quality marshals! Marshalling makes or breaks a site for me. It's the reason The Mall Reading is my home site even though I live in Herts.

Totally agree about marshals. There have to be enough of them to process players at the start and during chrono. Most important is proffesionalism; watch what is happening during the game, care about the rules (hit taking), and step in when necessary.

 

[Esoterick]

I'd like to see more sites hit check people by marshals shooting them. Having a marshal stand near a reported cheater leads to them "coincidentally" taking a hit. You just need to make sure you don't keep shooting the same people. Although i'd rather be shot out a couple of times by a marshal than have people cheat all day because the marshals only have anecdotal evidence of dodgy hit taking.

I also find the brief tends to set the tone for the day and the sites where I have seen the highest standard of play have the best briefings. There's no harm in taking a sheet of paper with key points on if it avoids repeating stuff, or causing numerous pauses whilst the marshal tries to remember what else they need to say.

 

[Reb3l]

Well really? You don't need to be poor to make a packup.

I do but I never pack enough

 

[Jedi_Master]

I would like to see an outdoor range that is available pre-game and at lunchtime. Some lanes where a couple of players can simultaneously set their hop up correctly by shooting targets at known distances i.e. 20m, 30m, 40m, 50m and 60m.