Similarities and Differences Between Paintball and Laser Tag Both laser tag and paintball are games of action, shooting, and strategy. There are leagues and professional players in each of these realms. These players have a both a competitive rivalry against each other and also a great understanding of one another’s sport. Laser tag tends to be faster and more coordinated, played within a more limited area. Often, laser tag involves futuristic elements such as smoke machines, loud music, and varied lighting. In contrast, paintball usually takes place outdoors in a natural, usually quite large setting. Many people credit paintball with being much more like real war, because actual shots are being fired. Even the military uses paintball in some training exercises. Paintball is usually much slower, quieter, and stealthier than laser tag. Forming a Paintball Friend Base Paintball can be fun on your own, but nothing beats playing paintball with a bunch of friends. However, finding a group of people who are willing to dedicate time and money to playing paintball can sometimes be hard. You can woo people to the sport by minimizing these commitments and maximizing their fun. For example, there are many similarities between laser tag and paintball, but laser tag is often cheaper and almost always takes less time. Start by inviting some people to a laser tag game. Another idea is to try to find a shop that will rent paintball gear. This lets your friends see how great paintball can be without having to buy all the equipment first. As you play, make sure everyone is learning what to do and focus less on winning than having a good time. Giving your friends these initial fun experiences will interest them in progressing in the game; whereas if all your friends experience is being blown out of the water with a shutout, they will be unlikely to want to try the next time. How to Set Up Target Practices for Paintball You can vastly improve your paintball game by consistently involving yourself in target practice. Target practice does not have to be anything elaborate; for example, you can set up pop cans and shoot at them from a distance. When practicing, it is better to start simple and gradually grow more complicated. Begin with having a single target that you shoot at from a standing or kneeling position. Once you have done several rounds of shooting in this manner, proceed to more complicated methods of target practice such as shooting a target while running or shooting at a moving target. These forms of practice are closer to the scenario of a real game and give you results on the playing field. Some of the best practices that can be done for paintball are repetitive. Do not be afraid to take several days or weeks to perfect a certain skill, such as taking a running shot, before moving on to others. Paintball in the Olympics? Many paintball players feel that paintball should be a sport played in the Olympic Games. It is a sport in every sense, involving both skill and strategy. To some paintball athletes, several of the other Olympic sports seem easy in comparison. However, these sports have something that paintball has yet to accomplish, and that is international recognition and governing. There must be some sort of organization that defines and regulates the sport. Also, there must be a standardized, accepted set of rules. Though paintball is a rapidly growing sport with an explosive amount of popularity, it is still mostly based in the United States and has not achieved widespread recognition. Before paintball can become an Olympic sport, its rules need to be standardized, and it needs to gain a following in many other countries.