Paintball is a team-based game that requires the cooperation of other players to succeed. It is easy to learn and is played by people from all walks of life. It is a fast-paced and fun sport that can be enjoyed by people of all ages.
Paintball players are divided into teams, usually by color and arm bands. They play in specially designed outdoor fields or indoor arenas. Players are given air guns and a supply of paint balls. They must hit the opposing team without getting shot themselves in order to win. There are many different variations of the game, but most involve a variation of the childhood game of capture the flag.
When a paintball hits someone, it leaves a mark that is clearly visible and often splatters. A player is considered hit if the paintball marks their skin or equipment (such as a helmet, goggles, uniform, gun, and pod pack). The amount of pain a player feels from being shot varies depending on how hard it hits them. It hurts a lot more if it hits the head or abdomen.
A paintball is made from a gelatinous substance that encases the colored dye. Early paintballs were largely created in pharmaceutical factories, and specialist machines still create the balls today. Workers inspect the paintballs visually to make sure they are free of flaws. The balls are then placed into hoppers and packaged into cases. The cases are supposed to contain 2,500 paintballs, but because the case is weighed by machine the actual number varies.