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For First Timers
The very first and most important thing to remember is: Never EVER take off your mask! This is very detrimental to your vision's health. A paintball at 300 feet per second could pop your eye out of your head. Don't ever take your facial protection off, except in designated areas.
Second, make sure you chronograph your marker several times a day. This allows you to set the speed at which the paintballs are being shot, and is a major issue at all good fields. You need to have your marker set to shoot at
280-feet-per-second (called "FPS") or less. Never more! This is to protect players and equipment from shots that are too hot, and could cause mask failure and then injury.
Third, ask a ref or staff person if you have any questions at all, any where, any time. We're there to help you have a good time, so don't be shy! All of the Lost Valley Paintball staff and referee's wear a very colorful shirt with the word "Judge" on the back.
Make sure you understand your marker and its limitations - whether a rental or your own. Ask if you don't know.
If you're playing hard and the adrenaline is rushing, some people say paintballs don't hurt when they hit. For sure you can feel them, though. But you might not actually realize you got hit until the day after. Paintballs that hit you and don't break hurt a little more because they hit and bounce off. The time they are in contact with you is shorter and the energy isn't dissipated from the break. When it does break, it's in contact with you longer and is cushioned by your clothing, skin, etc.
Wear darker clothes, don't wear white. White is just too bright and you could get eliminated faster. Wear some type of boots or comfortable hiking/running shoes. Some people prefer football or soccer cleats.
Always be honest. If you get hit and see the splat on you, raise your hand and marker, and exit the game with your barrel plug in. There's always another game to redeem yourself. People who cheat and wipe their hits off really suck.
Don't be afraid to ask or learn. With the advancements of technology these days, it's hard for anyone to know everything about paintball. Always appoint a team captain and follow his orders no matter what. This is the key. The team captain doesn't have to be the most experienced or the wildest or the most intelligent, but there has to be one captain. Follow orders even if you think you have a better plan. Don't go for self-glory. Obey your captain even if it doesn't fit your method of play.
Keep your eyes open. Many players gain ground and then quickly get eliminated because they were not looking sideways. They go straight forward and then are attacked from other players from the sides and even behind them. It's a mistake even the most advanced players make. It's not easy to look around. Our brains always focus on one thing. Train yourself to look around as you run, hide, attack, and take cover.
Be alert and never focus too much on one thing. Don't keep shooting at the same guy behind the same bunker over and over again. Move on and surprise him from the side or another angle.
Don't stay in the same spot too long. If you're in a fort, don't keep shooting from the same side forever, it's not productive. Go to the other end, go to the second level. Move away from the bunkers and walk out unprotected and hold people down. Don't stay put!
Don't group up. For first-timers, it's real easy to just follow other people around and hide where they hide, and shoot at what they shoot at. Be your own player! Try to find your own hiding spots and bunkers. Remember: if you're all grouped up together behind a bunker, or fort wall, or some other place, one paint grenade is all it takes to eliminate all of you at once.
Never give up. (This is different than surrendering.) Whether you run out of air or paint ... don't ever stop or quit. You're still useful. No one has to know that you're all out. Never call yourself out if you are unsure. If you question whether or not a shot hit you and broke, call a paint check and have the referee check. Don't just call yourself out because you felt a hit. Wait for the referee to confirm. Always call a paint check or ask teammate if you're unsure.
Finally, if you want to leave the game for any reason at all, just pop your barrel plug in, and hold your marker up, and head out. If you feel uncomfortable for some reason, or sick, or just have a lot of unanswered questions, come on out and let us know. You won't miss much action 'cause the next game will be starting soon.
Hope this helps and we'll see ya on the field soon! (Remember you can come as a visitor and check out the action from inside the action before you play.)
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Lost Valley Paintball
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