Visit NextTime's ICD 'Cats Page.
Yes, I play paintball. I get killed a lot, but I do get a few kills
every time. It's fun and it's good stress relief.
Try these links:
Lately I've been playing at a small time indoor place in Albany, NY
called First Prize
Paintball. It's smallish, but it's run by a bunch of fairly easy going guys and
it's cheap. You tend to see everyone from first timers to guys with $1500 guns
that belong on pro teams. If you're in the New York Capital District area and
are looking for a nice masochistic night out, look these guys up. Open games
run every Friday and Saturday night starting at 7:00 PM or so. You can call them at 518-446-BALL.
Here's a quick list of the equipment I'm using at the moment:
Everyone else seems to have paintball questions on their pages, so why
not me too? I'm no expert on the game, but I can give insight to new
players since it hasn't been too long since I was there myself. So, here
it is:
- Does it hurt?
- The single most common question, and the simplest answer...YES.
Good, now that I've scared off those who would get a little sting and run
crying off to mommy, I'll give a real answer. It can hurt a lot, or not at
all. It depends most on where you get hit, and also from what range. A long
shot to the abdomen might bounce off or break so softly you won't feel it.
A close shot to the head can feel like you've been shot with a real bullet,
for a minute or two at least. Don't let that scare you off though. If
you've ever fallen off of a bike, banged your knee on a piece of
furniture, or gotten sucker punched, you've felt MUCH worse. Besides, you
usually ignore the pain because it's accompanied by someone running at you
wanting to hit you again.
- Does the paint wash out?
- Usually. The paint is water based and made specifically to wash out
of clothing. It can stain certain fabrics, and some paint just doesn't
wash out well. I've never had more than a shadow of a splat left after
washing my BDUs.
Recently I've heard stories of tournament paint that is made to be
very difficult to wipe off, and therefore doesn't wash out very well.
The one I know of by name is RP Scherer "All Star" (Evil Paint). If you
see someone using this stuff and don't want permanent stains on your
clothes, don't play against them.
- What should I wear?
- Looking at the last question, I'd hope you'd realize that it
shouldn't be your best suit or dress. Actually, something much better would
be clothes you wouldn't mind wearing to work in the garage or garden.
Multiple layers of loose fitting clothes work best, and colors that are
similar to the playing field will help keep you from being seen.
Probably the most common outfit for non professionals is a military Battle
Dress Uniform(BDU), also known as fatigues, camoflague, GI Joes, etc.
They're relatively cheap, fit loosely when worn properly, and no one really
cares how they look. A pair of shorts or sweatpants worn underneath will
make changing after the games much easier.
It's also a good idea to wear a hat or bandana and gloves. Males
should seriously consider proper, ummm...personal protection.
- How old do you have to be?
- This depends on the field you plan on playing at. For most, if
you're under 18 you'll need a parent to at least sign a form. The minimum
age I've seen anywhere is 10, and in most cases anyone under 16 has to have
a parent around for the whole time. It's best to call ahead and ask if
you're not sure.
- Do I need my own equipment?
- For the first time, definately not. I wouldn't even recommend buying
anything until you've played at least a few times. Every field I've seen
offers rentals and most will have a couple of different guns to try. Play
with a few different guns, wear a few different masks, and listen to what
the other players say about their equipment. When you're ready to buy,
shop around to find a good price, but remember that buying from a local
shop instead of mail order can get you a lot of extra help down the
road.
If you're only going to buy one piece of equipment, I'd advise a mask
first. Most fields have decent guns, and you can usually fiddle with a
rental enough to make it work great for you. On the other hand, rental
masks are usually marginal at best. Renters tend not to be real careful
about how they clean the lenses and the fields don't want to replace them
until it's necessary. It's nice to have your own clear, clean mask rather
than a blurred mask with someone else's sweat on it.
- Do I have to wear one of those masks?
- Yes. Seeing is a good thing.
- What kind of gun should I get?
- Don't you listen? Play with a bunch of different guns and make your
own judgements. I like my Alley Cat a lot, but some of the "good" players
sneer at it.
I have one recommendation as to what NOT to get. Avoid the Kingman
Spyder Compact-P. The "P" means it has a plastic trigger frame
instead of aluminum. A slight misstep on the field can lead to spending
an extra $20 to replace the frame. (Check out what it looks like!)
The Compact-A has the metal frame standard and is only $5-$10 more
to begin with.
- What kind of paint should I use?
- Again, this is a matter of personal preference, and which gun/barrel
combo you're using. I've had good luck
with RP Scherer Marballizers, and bad luck with Zap Select. A good rule
of thumb is to avoid paint that has an obvious, measureable groove in it.
I'd avoid paint that has a lot of broken shells in the box/bag. That can
mean cheap or old paint, or just rough handling.
First Prize usually sells Nelson Challanger paint. This stuff ranges
from poor to awful in quality. I'd avoid it, and any field that forces
you to use it. Nelson paint is the main reason I no longer play at First
Prize regularly.
