People often anticipate and fear the first time they play paintball. Questions that typically come to mind are, "Does it hurt?" and "Is it dangerous?" The truth is, paintball is a fun game for most people who don't mind a little minor pain here and there.

To begin, players are going to need paintball markers to shoot paintballs, goggles, a face mask, knee pads, elbow pads, and a cricket box if the player is a male. Goggles should not be removed. This is to prevent damage to the eye while players are firing in the person’s direction.

Since there is some pain associated with being hit on bare skin, it's best to cover up as much exposed skin with clothing as possible to lessen the pain. The heavier the clothes, the less soreness. This game is very safe, as long as players provide proper protection to their eyes, mouth and ears. Teeth can be chipped and eardrums can be ruptured without taking necessary precautions. Markers should be kept around 280 feet per second (FPS), plus or minus 15 FPS.

As for the stings, most of the time they last for only a minute, and sometimes the pain isn't there at all. Paint that hits exposed skin hurts much more than contact with layers of clothing. If a close range shot hits a player, it will likely sting as well as bruise. The closer the shot, the more pain. The paint will wash out of clothes, but it may cause some tearing and ripping. It's best for the player to wear clothes he or she can easily do without for everyday school or work activities.

The breakage of skin and some bleeding may be caused by paintballs shot at close range, but typically, these minor injuries are nothing to fuss over. Bruises or welts caused by shots typically go away in less than a week.

Other players will often target others known to be new to the game. Often, people that are new can be easily identified by them standing around and just shooting. When a player is known to be new, many may swarm to his or her spot and begin to shoot. One hit may only sting, but many shots at once hurts, especially if those shots are at close range.

It's best for people to approach the game of paintball with strategy. Playing with a teammate and staying concealed is the best way to be victorious. New participants may not understand the game at first, but as they get better, they usually come to love this excellent sport.