Blood Red Paintballs (Thread from Pbnation News)

[bunny5]

Interesting post from the *ation :D



http://www.killerpaintballs.com/images/Killer.jpgAt Killer Paintballs™, we utilize only top grade performance gelatin, and PEG fill.
By utilizing our latest technology called CMR (Climate Mould Response), our shell is incredibly uniform,
low drag, consistent, and breaks on the target instead of in the gun.

After 6 months of development, we now incorporate a new Top Secret formula that is slightly heavier
than your standard paint fills. This allows the ball to travel
straighter with more momentum and break upon target every time.
The fill is easy to wash while maintaining bright colors for an undeniable kill!

We currently have distributors in Australia, Malaysia, South Africa, Switzerland, and Poland. If you want to become a part of a tight knit group of Distributors please email: sales@killerpaintballs.com

Also visit our brand new website for more information on our quality paint.




What do you guys think about this companies marketing strategy?


I don't think they understood the stand of red paint at US fields.

[Lohman446]

Without getting into the discussion of "you will not see a real injury" I really don't see what the problem is.

Getting into that discussion for all the time I have played, and all the injuries I have seen resulting from paintball none of them have involved traumatic blood loss where these would be an issue.

[Temo Vryce]

Personally I would walk off any field using paint with red fill.

[DevilMan]

Well brighter things often stain more easily. Not sure if this is true for them, but I'd rather not have my gear stained up if possible.

The "mask a real injury" is a valid concern but not one that I've seen ever used. I would say I've never seen blood loss at a PB game, but just this last one I was shot from behind and don't ask me how but I managed to get hit IN the nose. Meaning the paint made it up my nostril and broke giving me a nose bleed.

So though it's a valid reason and one I'd support I don't see the use too often.

Most importantly though. I think it has to do with separating out the masses of folks who see PB as war games and battle training. YES it is in some aspects. BUT the reality of you going home in the same physical shape as you showed up in is far different than actual war. I think it was smart because those of us that play know its a GAME and all. But think of all those parents that are hesitant to let their kids play because it's "too violent". I think that's why PB in general went away from red fill. I think it was a smart move on their part and I think it helped the sport out alot.

I would like to see maybe just have 3-5 colors allowed in PB truth be told. I mean I don't see why that would be an issue. Like flourescent yellow, bright orange, neon green, bright pink, and radiant blue. I think those would cover most all the preferences of people. I wish that paint had to be a certain "visible" rating at a certain distance on multiple backgrounds. Meaning I wish the maker had to make it bright so it could be seen easily.

But that's my thoughts on it....

YMMV,

DM

[Chronobreak]

i posted on mcb about this arleady but here i go again

first of all this is not the only red fill paint out there,

the advertising method of "killing "your oppent isnt a good idea, paintball did alot to get away from this war game type mentality and it seems we are back where we started almost.

just looking at the add again, what the hell is up with the syringe and the bottle of pills, thats even worse than the paint! :cuss:

infact i think il be emailing the company to let them know i feel about their add.

We run a rec field and we get alot of first time players out, we dont want anything that even resembles a serious injury, some kids get shot and it hurts and they freak out, add to the fact they have red paint or what may appear blood colored in the general area may lead to a freak out on the field, something a referee never wants to see happen.

--i have sent a copy of my post along witha few other words to the email provided in the add.

[joelbird]

I think the biggest issue is when the group of kids that have no respect for paintball as a sport take the red balls to the streets. then the police get reports by from outsiders saying they heard gun shots and seen blood. on the field I believe it would not be a terrible thing. I am sure the chunks of shall would clear up the injury easier. I would never play with it though. I am not a huge fan of seeing real blood, so thinking i saw real blood and it turning out to be fake would be the end of my day.

edit side note: whats up with the needle and bottle of pills in the ad also? how are you a "killer" if you commit suicide?

[Lohman446]

the advertising method of "killing "your oppent isnt a good idea, paintball did alot to get away from this war game type mentality and it seems we are back where we started almost.

.


Paintball was "better" and had much more honorable and fun players before it made the big push and got away from the survival / war game aspects...

/just sayin

[B-Pow]

The immage they are trying to sell is....unsavory.

I really don't like the way marketing has gone. With 'gats' and 'kills' and selling the preceived violence...instead of the gameplay. It's like trying to market football only for the aspect of injuring other players.


I's call that a sign that we just completed another circle around the drain.

[kruger]

This is all politically correct BS. Sure, I see the argument of masking real injuries. I also see the the fact that some may see it as too realistic. But, when it is all said and done, it is still just a game. And, even if you dont like it, the woods/scenario side of the game seems to be carrying the sport right now. War games, pure and simple. If this seems offensive to you, then the simple answer is dont buy the paint. If is is being used at a field where you play, then either play or leave. Me, I would play. It's just paint.

[MAGslinger]

This is all politically correct BS. Sure, I see the argument of masking real injuries. I also see the the fact that some may see it as too realistic. But, when it is all said and done, it is still just a game. And, even if you dont like it, the woods/scenario side of the game seems to be carrying the sport right now. War games, pure and simple. If this seems offensive to you, then the simple answer is dont buy the paint. If is is being used at a field where you play, then either play or leave. Me, I would play. It's just paint.

Agreed. I'm sick of this political correct BS. Paintball was fun when red paintballs filled the air, and it will be fun again. The reason everyone does not like red paint is because it is hard to wipe off once your hit (that's why tourney players and woodsballers alike don't like it, because it eliminates cheaters). Red is far more easy to recognize at greater distances than yellow, blue or even pink. I'm going to buy this stuff just to expose the pathetic cheaters at my local field (mostly tourney players in woodsball games). As more not being able to see a injury, that's BS to begin with. If someone is hurt, you'll know right away. Real blood is less of a ketchup appearance. It's good to know some extra masculinity has been reintroduced into paintball.

[tech-chan]

I don't have problem with red paint, but it seems that we lose more people than we take in if it's used. Its just not pratical if the masses don't like it. Gradually paintball will dry up if we keep treating it like a "kill" sport.

In the beggining it was a marking sport, and should still be.

To the drugs, pills and syringes: Thats not cool. I am a youth pastor and have helped several kids kick thier habit and Im not impressed with them mixing drugs with the sport of teens. Not cool at all.

[manwe33]

I don't have problem with red paint, but it seems that we lose more people than we take in if it's used. Its just not pratical if the masses don't like it. Gradually paintball will dry up if we keep treating it like a "kill" sport.

In the beggining it was a marking sport, and should still be.

To the drugs, pills and syringes: Thats not cool. I am a youth pastor and have helped several kids kick thier habit and Im not impressed with them mixing drugs with the sport of teens. Not cool at all.
Tech-chan i am with you. When it comes to the red Paint i dont care and dont think its a problem. If you cant tell the difference between red paint and real blood you have a problem. they dont even look alike. I have seen my share of real blood and have used red paint before. proball still makes it is around and you can still get it.

Now when it comes to the drug side that is not cool. Drugs and sports should not mix. :nono: Its that simple.

i just wonder more if this is good paint or not. Seems with all the changing that goings on u can never know what is good paintball from season to season.

[DevilMan]

I guess everyone missed the "dead" chick laying face down in the ad.

DM

[MAGslinger]

I guess everyone missed the "dead" chick laying face down in the ad.

:wow: She looks better than the call girl hired by the Gardners.

[Raven001]

Odd that people noticed the pills and syringe but not the pseudo dead body...

PC or not the reason most fields discouraged the use of red fill was due to the fact that non playing people associated paintball with survivalists and other like minded wackos.
You want hard to wipe off, the white chalk fill that was popular as field paint in the early nineties was killer to wipe off. Want easy to see from a distance, florescent orange is your colour, easier to see from a distance than red is....

[kruger]

If this thread is about the use of Red paint, then my opinion stands. If it is about this particular ad, then I am in agreement with the majority of the opinions here. This ad was done in bad taste with little fore thought as to what image that they are projecting. I do agree that drugs and violence are not what paintball is about and, to be honest, I did completly miss the dead girl in the add. Just didnt pay that much attention to it. To me, this particular ad is directed squarely at the Speedball crowd. All the "agg" and attitude that they seem to love. Image is everything to most speedballers. I do know that there are exceptions tho......

[Phaelynar]

I've only been hit once from a paintball where getting hit resulted in bleeding, and that was playing speedball in a wife beater, and getting bunkered by someone shooting at 330ish. There was barely any blood, just a significant amount of bruising on my arm and it left a cut which eventually turned into a fairly large scar in the shape of 95% of a paintball. I wiped it off with a paper towel, and went about my day.

How could anyone seriously be stupid enough to think they are bleeding uncontrollably from the stomach/leg/arm/back of the head/foot what have you after getting hit by a paintball? I don't even think one being shot at 400fps would have the capacity to do that.

With that being said, unless the paint stained horribly (which some do, and they're not all red filled) I don't see a problem with using it. As stated above. If people believe they're dying after being hit with a paintball, which some people can't even feel half the time, this sport is most definitely not for them.

[mpsd]

This is all politically correct BS. Sure, I see the argument of masking real injuries. I also see the the fact that some may see it as too realistic. But, when it is all said and done, it is still just a game. And, even if you dont like it, the woods/scenario side of the game seems to be carrying the sport right now. War games, pure and simple. If this seems offensive to you, then the simple answer is dont buy the paint. If is is being used at a field where you play, then either play or leave. Me, I would play. It's just paint.

You're the man! I agree 100%.

When I started playing, back in 1991, there were basically two paintball colors: red and blue. Each team used one of them and it was cool/funny to see people who was shot by a teammate. And, at that time, no one ever complained about this BS of "red looks like blood". It's a color just like any other.

[Lohman446]

As noted above the old white peanut butter / chalky stuff was impossible to wipe off on the field without being noticed


/Err... so I've heard

[warbeak2099]

The point is not the color of the paint. It's the fact that these guys use the following in their marketing:

a) Glorification of drugs
b) Glorification of murder and violence against women

Unacceptable and so what we don't need in our sport. Like I said in the thread on Pbn, is this the image we want? If we allow companies to project this image, will the kid trying to start a club at his high school succeed? Will the youngster asking his parents for permission to play paintball receive a yes?

This has nothing to do with PC. It's about the fact that companies like this and immature players are scaring away new people. They do a terrific amount of damage to the sport, and then go away a few years later, not caring in the least bit about what they did.

Take the drugs and the dead woman out of the ad, and I have no problem with their company.

[DevilMan]

How could anyone seriously be stupid enough to think they are bleeding uncontrollably from the stomach/leg/arm/back of the head/foot what have you after getting hit by a paintball? I don't even think one being shot at 400fps would have the capacity to do that.


Keep in mind that we are not just talking about getting paint on you as an injury. I am talking about running and somehow managing to gouge your leg or arm on a stick, branch or nail of some kind. Or tripping and falling and getting a compound fracture that breaks the skin and DOES bleed. Take into account that the stuff may not break the clothing so all of a sudden you have a red spot showing through your clothes... You complain that it hurts and everyone laughs and points at you for being a wussy.... Say you are blood shy... you touch it, look at it and pass out.... Instead of someone knowing that there is no red paint on the field and knowing that that color can only be coming from one place they ridicule and make fun of and then only later realize that you are seriously injured.

You are also forgetting that some people bleed profusely from a paper cut. Have you ever been shot to where the shell actually cuts your skin??? If you are bleeding whether it's "serious" or not wouldn't you like to know so that you can get a bandage on it or would you rather just keep playing in some muddy swamp water letting who knows what into the open wound?

How many have twisted an ankle and went down??? Or slipped and fallen?? Or gotten their mask yanked off by a tree branch.... Wouldn't you rather let someone know that if they see "blood" that there IS an injury??? And not that you just got shot by someone shooting red paint???

To me that is logical. The other side of the coin is... Why do you WANT red paint? What's the purpose??? Why is it so hard for you NOT to shoot another color??? Why do you feel that it's better to shoot red than any other color??? Give me a valid reason as to WHY IT'S BETTER.

DM

P.S. As for the ad.... The company name not an issue. The top and bottom levels of paint. Not a problem. The "blood" paint.... Not a good choice. The Needles, Pills, Dead Chick.... Not a good choice.

[Beemer]

Just another example of how we suck at self governing ourselves. It will be worse when they come in and tell us what to do, since in twenty years we cant get it right. Did I say Paint Ball got stupid.




The fact of the matter was, it was never "illegal" to make blood-red paint. No one ever passed a "law" banning it, and there's no real authority that would have the power to anyway- save the Gummint maybe.

It was "suggested" very strongly, however, very early on in the game- mid '80s- that the makers of paintballs voluntarily refrain from making the blood-red stuff, so the sport could more easily shed it's "war game" image and become more mainstream.Early anti-paintball news articles occasionally focused on the fact that players shot "fake blood" at each other, to "better simulate a wound".

Some early heavyweights, such as SC Village in California, did indeed "ban" the use of blood-red paint (the referees had to be able to tell the difference between red paint and the blood of an actual injury) as well as some particular brands of other colors- specifically blue Nelson, which tended to create permanent stains when the dye would soak into dry wood, rock and brush.



Red paint is one of the sad things about this industry that keeps us in the back woods of the social mainstream. Time and again everyone agrees that it is bad for the sport but the manufacturers will not stop making it because "the other competitor will". This a blatant example of money and market share before making sense and industry longevity.

http://www.automags.org/forums/showthread.php?t=8960 Historic Thread from two thousand one

[Phaelynar]

Keep in mind that we are not just talking about getting paint on you as an injury. I am talking about running and somehow managing to gouge your leg or arm on a stick, branch or nail of some kind. Of tripping and falling and getting a compound fracture that breaks the skin and DOES bleed. Take into account that the stuff may not break the clothing so all of a sudden you have a red spot showing through your clothes... You complain that it hurts and everyone laughs and points at you for being a wussy.... Say you are blood shy... you touch it, look at it and pass out.... Instead of someone knowing that there is no red paint on the field and knowing that that color can only be coming from one place they ridicule and make fun of and then only later realize that you are seriously injured.

How many have twisted an ankle and went down??? Or slipped and fallen?? Or gotten their mask yanked off by a tree branch.... Wouldn't you rather let someone know that if they see "blood" that there IS an injury??? And not that you just got shot by someone shooting red paint???

To me that is logical. The other side of the coin is... Why do you WANT red paint? What's the purpose??? Why is it so hard for you NOT to shoot another color??? Why do you feel that it's better to shoot red than any other color??? Give me a valid reason as to WHY IT'S BETTER.

DM

If you're running and cut yourself on a branch your clothes would rip as well. I'd say you wouldn't confuse that with a paintball.

A compound fracture that breaks the skin? Are you serious? What idiot would mistake someone's bone protruding from their leg for a paintball? Someone's going to point and laugh at you for being a wussy while your bones coming out your arm or leg? Give me a break and at least put it something more realistic.

What if you're blood shy and pass out? It's not blood?

I played in the woods for a while as the main field I used to go to was Canobie paintball, and they didn't always have speedball fields. I've never seen, nor personally had any of the following happen: Falling and impaling myself/or seeing another do so on a branch or rock/having my or anothers mask taken off by a tree (wth?), although I have seen someone take it off themselves which is against the rules for starters/breaking my leg/arm/any other appendage where the bone protrudes through the skin (no one dumb enough could possibly confuse that with a paintball)/severely cutting myself in any manner shape or form. This is after years of play in wooded areas. This also includes fields not sanctioned by a legitimate business, rather using an abandoned warehouse people set up (had concrete floors/shattered glass/etc and no one ever got hurt there) or a wooded area that people used in the middle of nowhere to play that had been set up with makeshift bunkers.

Any other absurd hypothetical scenario's you'd like to throw out in the open?

And here's a legitimate reason: Some people might actually want the realism. Some people play with very realistic looking markers, so why not add the "blood factor" too. There's a very legitimate reason.

[Hilltop Customs]

take a look at the add, they are not marketing for realistic war games.....

[Lohman446]

How many have twisted an ankle and went down??? Or slipped and fallen?? Or gotten their mask yanked off by a tree branch.... Wouldn't you rather let someone know that if they see "blood" that there IS an injury??? And not that you just got shot by someone shooting red paint???.

Of all the injuries related to paintball you have noted how many have had anything to do with traumatic bleeding? I have seen more than a few and none of them involved traumatic bleeding myself.

[Steelrat]

I think the advertising on these products is about 2 years behind the times. The agg crowd is giving way to the mil-sim crowd, who I can't see this product appealing to.

[Phaelynar]

Of all the injuries related to paintball you have noted how many have had anything to do with traumatic bleeding? I have seen more than a few and none of them involved traumatic bleeding myself.

It's beating a dead horse arguing with these people Lohman. Next he'd insert a hypothetical scenario where there was massive bleeding and it was mistaken for paintball fill or use some person walking through the woods who manages to never see any paintballs being physically shot anywhere around them, but sees someone being hit by a red filled shell and confuses that with them being actually shot.

These are all hypothetical situations with no proof behind them. If you conduct a study noting the total of people who have been shot by red paintballs and confused them with an injury to those that haven't (it'd have to be a significantly large sample size depending on the amount of red paint that's being shot by paintballers worldwide) and prove that they pose a threat, then you have a legitimate argument.

You can't run around like a chicken with its' head cut off making all these outrageous claims that x/y/z will happen when you have no documented proof of it ever happening. "What if" arguments are not arguments.

If you say "what if" with red paintballs, I say: "What if a giant meteor rained down from the sky and obliterated everything in a 1000 mile radius while you were using yellow fill?" It's got just as much bearing as your theories, as giant meteors raining down from the sky have actually been documented in earth's history. While it may be highly unlikely, it's still very plausible.

[DevilMan]

If you're running and cut yourself on a branch your clothes would rip as well. I'd say you wouldn't confuse that with a paintball.

So you've never managed to wear a shirt and have it come up when it snags something only to leave you bare and cut underneath? So I guess when you slide into a bunker that your kneepads ALWAYS stay in place and never expose skin?

A compound fracture that breaks the skin? Are you serious? What idiot would mistake someone's bone protruding from their leg for a paintball?

A compound fracture of the lower leg is very likely NOT to break/cut the clothing of the pants. ESPECIALLY when those pants are often times LOOSE and DURABLE.

Someone's going to point and laugh at you for being a wussy while your bones coming out your arm or leg? Give me a break and at least put it something more realistic.

What if you're blood shy and pass out? It's not blood?

Obviously your imagination is lacking in what CAN happen. Stick with speedball. Say you have 20 people on a field. It's said not to use red paint. This company says "with thick blood coloured fill". 19 people can manage not to shoot red paint. 1 does. Someone who is blood shy sees it and passes out. A fall from vertical to a horizontal position is enough to kill you if you land wrong. I don't guess you've ever passed out have you? In case you don't know... You don't have a choice in how you fall so keep that in mind.

I played in the woods for a while as the main field I used to go to was Canobie paintball, and they didn't always have speedball fields. I've never seen, nor personally had any of the following happen: Falling and impaling myself/or seeing another do so on a branch or rock/having my or anothers mask taken off by a tree (wth?), although I have seen someone take it off themselves which is against the rules for starters/breaking my leg/arm/any other appendage where the bone protrudes through the skin (no one dumb enough could possibly confuse that with a paintball)/severely cutting myself in any manner shape or form. This is after years of play in wooded areas. This also includes fields not sanctioned by a legitimate business, rather using an abandoned warehouse people set up (had concrete floors/shattered glass/etc and no one ever got hurt there) or a wooded area that people used in the middle of nowhere to play that had been set up with makeshift bunkers.

Congrats... And what's your point?

Any other absurd hypothetical scenario's you'd like to throw out in the open?

There are millions of rules and laws based on hypotheticals are there not? Care to disprove any of the above mentioned ones? Have you ever seen a gopher fart? What about a hummingbird lay an egg? Just because you haven't seen it don't mean that it don't happen. And in case you haven't noticed there are a few more folks than just you playing this sport.

And here's a legitimate reason: Some people might actually want the realism. Some people play with very realistic looking markers, so why not add the "blood factor" too. There's a very legitimate reason.

Some do. And if you are one of them then by all means go for it. HOWEVER. That needs to be done in a milsim area where you all agree that it's fine and dandy to shoot red. Don't bring it to the rest of the field just because you "want" to. This isn't about 1 person. There is a field near here where EVERYTHING is allowed. Full Auto, Red Fill, 300 FPS, OverShooting is common as well as bunkering. Come on out and play.


BTW.... WANT TO is not a LEGITIMATE reason.

[DevilMan]

Of all the injuries related to paintball you have noted how many have had anything to do with traumatic bleeding? I have seen more than a few and none of them involved traumatic bleeding myself.

I've seen a few bleeders. I've also be the stretcher bearer for one or two of them when someone passed out from exhaustion. I've helped people hobble off the field with BROKEN ankles and took one lady to the ER with an ankle the size of my thigh. Traumatic bleeding?? No not really, but the possibility is there. Likely??? Let's hope not.

But still give a valid reason why red fill is the way to go???? Is it more visible??? Does it "resemble" blood better??? Have you ever seen a persons head that's been shot? I know you've seen other things that have been shot.

It's a simple matter of WHY have it? When there are enough other colors available.

DM

[DevilMan]

And here's a legitimate reason: Some people might actually want the realism. Some people play with very realistic looking markers, so why not add the "blood factor" too. There's a very legitimate reason.

If that's the case then why when you get shot and are out why don't you just stay where you are? Why do you leave the field? Why not just sit/lay down where you are and allow someone else to take your spot and use your gear? Why do you play where ANYTHING counts as a hit? Why does a hopper hit count? What about a barrel? or a foot???

One or the other. Don't be a fence rider.

DM

[Lohman446]

I've seen a few bleeders. I've also be the stretcher bearer for one or two of them when someone passed out from exhaustion. I've helped people hobble off the field with BROKEN ankles and took one lady to the ER with an ankle the size of my thigh. Traumatic bleeding?? No not really, but the possibility is there. Likely??? Let's hope not.

But still give a valid reason why red fill is the way to go???? Is it more visible??? Does it "resemble" blood better??? Have you ever seen a persons head that's been shot? I know you've seen other things that have been shot.

It's a simple matter of WHY have it? When there are enough other colors available.

DM

I've watched one teammate play with a broken collar bone at PSP Chicago. I myself played with a collapsed lung / bruised ribs / sprained ankle the day after it happened. I have watched one player play after tearing knee ligaments. I have witnessed a lot of paintball injuries, in none of them would blood have been an issue.

As to players panicing. Never tell certain teammates I have said this but very few people who play paintball are extremely pain adverse. Playing paintball hurts - done correctly it hurts. Getting hit hurts. People are not stupid and even those going out for the first time realize it hurts. So I don't buy the "look down, see 'blood', and panic" theory.

As to the PC theory. Paintball is not better off today than it was ten years ago. And this was after we allowed it to be "politcally correct". Maybe its time we accept the base fact of the game - we are SHOOTING at each other. There is no way to make this PC. Trying to do so is like trying to convince a member of the KKK to vote for Obama. It's just not going to happen.

[DevilMan]

I've watched one teammate play with a broken collar bone at PSP Chicago. I myself played with a collapsed lung / bruised ribs / sprained ankle the day after it happened. I have watched one player play after tearing knee ligaments. I have witnessed a lot of paintball injuries, in none of them would blood have been an issue.

As to players panicing. Never tell certain teammates I have said this but very few people who play paintball are extremely pain adverse. Playing paintball hurts - done correctly it hurts. Getting hit hurts. People are not stupid and even those going out for the first time realize it hurts. So I don't buy the "look down, see 'blood', and panic" theory.

As to the PC theory. Paintball is not better off today than it was ten years ago. And this was after we allowed it to be "politcally correct". Maybe its time we accept the base fact of the game - we are SHOOTING at each other. There is no way to make this PC. Trying to do so is like trying to convince a member of the KKK to vote for Obama. It's just not going to happen.

Lohman, as I said before. I've seen some of the injuries as well. I've also not ever seen a major bloody injury. But at the same time I accept the fact that it can/will and more more than likely has happened. I bolded the parts above. This is a GAME to PLAY. This isn't war. Is it similar? Sure. But that don't mean that for the general public it needs to be considered as a simulated war exercise. It's a GAME is it not?

I'm done here. I've stated my point and I've given reasons of validation. When someone comes up with a reason why red fill is better than any other fill and can state a valid reason and explain it with logic then drop me a PM and I'll come check it out.

Have a great weekend folks!!!

DM

[Lohman446]

The logic is this: Some people want something else in the game. Since we have decided there is virtually no safety factor involved why condemn it?

The game can only grow through inclusion. Start making it an exclusive elitist game....

[StygShore]

Hell Survivors in MI ( Monster Game ) has used Red fllled Diablo Fireball paint for going on about 8 years now.

They brag about red being their field color - mostly becaseu you cant buy it off the shelf ( until now )


What sucks is the marketing - but so does most of the marketing form the rest of the paintball industry.


Styg

[athomas]

I definately don't like the marketing and the connotations that go with it. Blood realism, drugs, and violence aren't part of the paintball game.

Red isn't more visible. Yellow is actually more visible because it is the color that the eye is most sensitive to.

I have actually had shots that brought blood on more than one occasion and have had minor scrapes in paintball games that did not tear clothing but did cause bleeding. I once got shot from a rear position and the paintball got past my mask and hit me behind the ear. It brought blood. I was out of the game and immediately went back to the staging area to check the nature of the cut rather than hang around and wait for the next game. I was fine, but you can never be too cautious when dealing with head injuries. A friend of mine got hit on the side of the mask and a piece of paintball came through and went into his ear and brought blood. There was no serious damage and he was fine, but the sight of blood caused us to be cautious. If you used red paint, any hits around the head area would have to be investigated after every game to verify that no harm was done. This could cause us to become less sensitive to real emergencies on the field, because your first reaction would be that it is just red paint.

[Hilltop Customs]

IMO red paint doesnt drive people away from the "sport", but advertisements and product names like these do.

athomas while I agree that red paint could slow the identification of actual blood, the first thing you notice about someone who got hurt is not blood....most of the time it is their body language or them verbally saying something. Then all it takes is a wipe down of the area to realize there is blood.....the wipe down would happen no matter what color paint, because the paint needs to be out of there to further investigate the injury.

what I'm trying to say is: would the actions taken to identify/treat the injuries in the situations you present be any different if there was a different color paint fill used? I really doubt it.

On the other hand, take a look back at the advertisement. Is that they type of image we want to portray as a "sport"? How many parents would see names and advertisements like that and simply say "NO way!"? IMO thats a horrible image to use as a marketing scheme, and I hope they fail miserably as a product.

ps: anyone else think they are marketing to shooting random people on the street with blood colored paint :confused:

[dstud2000]

Personally I would walk off any field using paint with red fill.



Well then don't go to Hell Survivors Inc, in Pickney, MI their field paint is called Fireball by Procaps and they promote its BLOOD RED fill. HSI I should say promotes its blood red fill.

[B-Pow]

The logic is this: Some people want something else in the game. Since we have decided there is virtually no safety factor involved why condemn it?

The game can only grow through inclusion. Start making it an exclusive elitist game....

Start making it an exclusive elitist game?

Have you noticed it's always been an exclusive elitist game. It's an expensive game to play, and due to it's cost it's been exclusive and elitist since day one. The Pro circut for this game is all about exclusive and elitist (he who spends the most gets in). If you go into the early beginigs or outlaw ball...that's even more exclusive and elitist....a group of people who are already going have to NOT exclude you for once, and let you try out their elite group.

This game has ALWAYS been exclusive and elitist.

[Lohman446]

Start making it an exclusive elitist game?

Have you noticed it's always been an exclusive elitist game. It's an expensive game to play, and due to it's cost it's been exclusive and elitist since day one. The Pro circut for this game is all about exclusive and elitist (he who spends the most gets in). If you go into the early beginigs or outlaw ball...that's even more exclusive and elitist....a group of people who are already going have to NOT exclude you for once, and let you try out their elite group.

This game has ALWAYS been exclusive and elitist.

I know... and its working isn't it?

You had new market growth - growth that simply can be expected in a new market. Its not being sustained, there's a reason and the elitism is a good part of it.

[maniacmechanic]

the ad stinks , the hype stinks , the drug references stink , I really don't care about the color ( i like pink ) hey & guess what ; IF WE BUY IT , WE AGAIN GET TO SUPPORT THE CHINESE WAR MACHINE , in other words Made In China :mad: puke , puke , puke

[MAGslinger]

Yeah I know, that's why I buy USA made products. It's too tempting though, red paintballs....

[drg]

The reason everyone does not like red paint is because it is hard to wipe off once your hit (that's why tourney players and woodsballers alike don't like it, because it eliminates cheaters). Red is far more easy to recognize at greater distances than yellow, blue or even pink. I'm going to buy this stuff just to expose the pathetic cheaters at my local field (mostly tourney players in woodsball games).

Eh? Blood red paint would be very difficult to see.

[bjyourk]

I'll throw in my 2 cents: I have an issue with the correlation of the red paint and the words "...blood-colored mark". Again, not the color, just what it is relating to.

I wrote the company a letter and here's how it all went:


"Mike,

Your ad for paintballs was recently shown to me on a paintball forum. I do believe you will definitely score big with the younger crowd of players but am concerned about possible backlash to the sport, in general. The sport has a good share of critics and rightfully so. There was an incident stateside recently where some kids were driving around shooting cars with their markers and hit a baby in the head while being breastfed! I am in no way insinuating that you, or any other manufacturer of paintball goods is responsible, however, I believe that it is "good business" to be an advocate for RESPONSIBLE play(and handling of equipment). Advertising "...will look like a real hit...."(paraphrase) is counter to what the sport is trying to achieve and portray. The markers used to be termed "guns", you don't "kill" anyone, it's called "marked" or "tagged". This is/was all done PURPOSELY to give the sport a better name.

I know you are in the business of making money and respect that. I believe, however, that it can be done responsibly and without misrepresenting what the sport is about. Wanting to sell "looks like a real hit" just isn't right.

Respectfully,

Brandon Yourkiewicz

[B]His Reply:
"Hi Brandon,

You make some interesting point mate. But I must rebut some,

As for the stupid idiots that did the drive by (and any other idiots that do
the same thing), the relevance of what colour they use (for which I believe
there was no mention of red paint used) would make no difference at all. The
fact that they shot innocents (and a baby defies any form of understanding)
is what matters, a colour does not make the paint any more dangerous.
Now in Australia, paintball was originally banned altogether, then after it
was legal (in 50% of the country's states, but under strict controls) for
about 4 years, they banned the importation of ALL semi automatic paintball
guns across the whole nation. In one of our biggest states, Victoria, where
paintball was legal to play (incident free no less) after 10 years of no
problems, the state government changed the law, so that to play paintball
you had to have a firearms licence. The catch was to get a firearms licence
you need to have a genuine reason, and get this, wanting to play paintball
was deemed not a good enough reason......if a field let anyone play without
a licence it was a $6,000 fine per person and for the field operator.

So the sport was killed off instantly...... now over the last 5 years we
have managed to crawl ourselves back as an industry and get a lot of these
laws fixed. We can now legally take home our own guns in most states and
there is only one state in the whole country that paintball guns are still
not legal. We can import semi auto paintball guns.... it is all good.
Now the reason I bring this up is that especially in the early days we all
called the guns markers, called shooting someone tagging, etc. But in
reality, we are playing a game that involves the vast majority of it
participants to dress up in camouflage clothing and play a game where the
main goal is to shoot the opponent..... I know there are flags involved and
other objectives, but let us not kid ourselves. It is a War-game.

Now there is nothing to be ashamed about this. Most of the biggest movies
and computer games are all about war. When we sit around and use words like
tag and marker, most people outside of the industry look at us like we are
trying to hide something.... Why should we? We do not hurt anyone. All we do
is give people a fun time. Paintball is a war game, paintball is fun.
Remember chess is also a war game.

On the nation we have taken a beating from a few individuals over
a. our images on our advertising.
b. our use of red paint.


a. Our advertising was always intended to promote controversy, we are not
about killing people for real, drug use or murdering period. I am a proud
father of three young girls (6, 10 and 14) have been married for 19 years,
and have no criminal record. None of our staff fit this stereotype either. I
honestly believe that while our advertising is cheeky, even a little
naughty, compared to some of the stuff I have seen used before, we are no
different. The main difference is that most of the others are all American
companies, so that is why I keep bringing up the whole Hypocrisy line.
Because that is all it is. Look at the products of cool US companies like
Hybrid and Contract Killer, Anarchy, Evil and so on? Do we want to talk
about scaring mums etc, what about all the scenario and Milsim stuff,
Paintball guns that a replica M16s, AK47s etc, now that would scare an
outsider, I do not have a problem with it (in fact I love it) but then
again, I am not a Hypocrite.....
b. I have stated two similar responses to this all along. Number one is that
we are not the only company that makes red paint in the world or even in the
USA. Red paint has been used for more than 20 years, yet there has been no
problems as per all the posts put up by everyone on the Nation. The other
thing is that red paint is only one of the many colours we make. Truth be
told red paint is less than 1% of our total production. So why is bad for us
to make red paint but okay for other to do so? Let me see, that's right, the
others are American companies? There goes the whole Hypocrisy again.

Now I am not intending to fight everyone on this, but the facts are,
We have used red paint here (just like in the USA) on and off from since we
started running paintball with none of the so called problems people are
making up. Hundreds of thousands of users here in Australia alone, the
number of users of red paint in the US would have run into millions over the
last 20 years... where is the crime, all the problems everyone talks about?
It would be obvious to all to see as a simple fact, that red paint is more
dangerous. But it is not... is it?

We have far more people wanting paint from us then we can make right now.
These are both new and well established companies from all over the world.
Not drug syndicates or war mongers and rapists.
I thank you for your email, especially because it was very polite and to the
point. I sincerely hope that some time in the future you get the chance to
use some of our products, but if you feel that you need to boycott all of
them because of our supposedly total lack of business ethics, then I will
understand that in a free world that is your right.

Have a great day...
Regards,

Michael Whybrew
Killer Paintballs Group
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER




My last Resopnse:
"Michael,

Perhaps I didn't explain myself too well. The fact that it's RED, is not, in and of itself, my issue. Red paint is great for woodsball. To me however, it is how you(your company) marketed the color....the association of red and the words "...blood-colored hit." Again, in my opinion, that just seems to make it a little to real. And yes, you can argue the point of violence in video games, but it is taken to the next level when you actually have a marker in hand and tagging people. Playing a driving game on Xbox and actually driving on the road are quite different....I think you would agree.

Kids are impressionable and the marketing you have chosen to employ is walking that fine line. So again, no problem with the color, just how it's advertised. And one more thing....I haven't heard the term "War Game" in years. "Scenario Game" is the norm here.....again, all about the images that are conjured up in one's mind. (not that we're the benchmark, I'm just stating)

Just my opinion and, given the chance, I will certainly try your product.

I wish you continued success and hope you continue to be responsible advocates for the sport!

Respectfully,

Brandon Yourkiewicz

[Watcher]

Odd that people noticed the pills and syringe but not the pseudo dead body...

PC or not the reason most fields discouraged the use of red fill was due to the fact that non playing people associated paintball with survivalists and other like minded wackos.
You want hard to wipe off, the white chalk fill that was popular as field paint in the early nineties was killer to wipe off. Want easy to see from a distance, florescent orange is your colour, easier to see from a distance than red is....

Green would be the easiest to see in all conditions...

I can see the red association with blood being a problem.
Many times a new player underestimates how much paintballs sting and they usually over-emphasize it. Add it that players can be as young as 10 I think that a kid getting railed in the chest and seeing "red" could invoke a traumatic fit...

I remember playing at a small place with a party of youths and their mom. The mom was having second thought about even letting the kids play with anyone outside their group. She was devestated and considered us a bad influence when my 2 friends and I played against all 10 of them and won without a loss, imagine if we'd have been shooting "blood red" paint. Over-reacting, psycho, anti-paintballer, angry, political connections, soccer mom :wow:

The killing aspect, the only times I would consider tagging a "kill" would be in large scale scenario games such as OK-D-Day. There, for the sheer number of people involved I could see red paint vs blue paint or just "blood red" all around, I mean, there are even medics in the games :rolleyes:
But normal scenarioball, woodsball, speedball, x-ball, hyperball, whatever your game its an "out" not a "kill".

Drug reference... not cool. Not cool at all. It isn't the game Hitman, it's paintball...
Dead chick... in terms of advertising I don't see the problem. In terms of the demographic, major problem. Violence should not be affiliated with paintball at all, but like I said a little simulated violence is ok IMO concerning scenario-big games.
For example: a "dead" soldier sitting by a building with an A-5 is one thing.
A murdered chick on what looks like a bathroom floor? Not cool. Not cool at all...


Seems to me that the executive you e-mailed got a little too worked up over this topic...

[Beemer]

You all must have missed post twenty two. :bounce:

[drg]

It's worth noting that the ASTM standard for manufacturing paintballs includes a line about avoiding fill that mimics blood.

[Beemer]

It's worth noting that the ASTM standard for manufacturing paintballs includes a line about avoiding fill that mimics blood.

ASTM says one shot one pull also. It dont matter they dont follow that one either. It will all change when the Govment steps in cause we cant do it ourselves. :(

[warbeak2099]

His Reply:
"

I love how he writes off his marketing methods as a joke or something. Images of a murdered woman are not funny or comical. If that's his idea of a joke, he's a pretty sick person, I don't care how long he's been married or how many children he has.

[raehl]

Agreed. I'm sick of this political correct BS. Paintball was fun when red paintballs filled the air, and it will be fun again. The reason everyone does not like red paint is because it is hard to wipe off once your hit (that's why tourney players and woodsballers alike don't like it, because it eliminates cheaters). Red is far more easy to recognize at greater distances than yellow, blue or even pink. I'm going to buy this stuff just to expose the pathetic cheaters at my local field (mostly tourney players in woodsball games). As more not being able to see a injury, that's BS to begin with. If someone is hurt, you'll know right away. Real blood is less of a ketchup appearance. It's good to know some extra masculinity has been reintroduced into paintball.

That's just abject stupidity.

People don't like red fill because the marketing characteristics SUCK.

Bright orange: EASY to see.
Dark red: HARD to see.

If you think cheaters are a problem you want thick, BRIGHT fill. Blood-red fill is probably second only to black in terms of ineffective paint color.

- Chris

[Steelrat]

ASTM says one shot one pull also. It dont matter they dont follow that one either. It will all change when the Govment steps in cause we cant do it ourselves. :(

It'll change when the first big lawsuits come down the pike. The industry has been lucky so far, with the last big incident being the fatality in California. Somebody gets an eye blown out because of a ramping board, there's gonna be some problems, in large part because the ASTM was ignored. Too bad, really. I remember Tom talking about the ASTM standards, and what they covered, from shots per pull to the size of the trigger guard. Seems almost everything went right out the window at most companies.

[raehl]

Of all the injuries related to paintball you have noted how many have had anything to do with traumatic bleeding? I have seen more than a few and none of them involved traumatic bleeding myself.

I have seen several. Mostly large cuts from sliding on things that shouldn't be slid on.


But, I agree that the big issue here is not red paint on a paintball field masking an injury on a paintball field. The issues are as follows:

- The more red paint is out there, the more likely some schmuck shooting things/people he ain't supposed to be shooting is shooting red paint (and if they are the kind of people who would do that, even SEEKS OUT red paint for the purpose) and shoots someone who is NOT playing paintball and that someone thinks they have been shot for real.

- People with casual familiarity with the game will make, and more importantly relate to others, damaging impressions about the sport. Parents who see paintball and see people getting shot by red paint will not let their kids play. Kids who go to play who come home covered in red paint will not get to play again. Parents talk to each other, and the conversation will be "Oh, I don't want my son going to that paintball birthday party, my friend said her son went to one and he came home looking like he'd been in a gun battle."

And, to counter, that, red paint provides NO VALUE. It doesn't mark better than other colors, doesn't fly straighter, doesn't break better, the ONLY thing red paint accomplishes is letting people pretend they're causing real harm to other people. And if we're allowing that kind of product to be sold, what does that say about the 'sport'? It's not a sport anymore, it's violence reenactment. Hell, even civil war reenactors are not running around replicating wounds, because the violence isn't the point.


So:

No benefit.
Significant drawbacks.

Any rational person should be able to see that this is a bad idea. The ONLY people who benefit from this is the manufacturer making a quick buck.



- Chris

[MoeMag]

I gotta say after working in a paintball shop for a few years in high school... there are more than enough redneck rec ballers, that if they heard "put down the marker", would get mad and say "what marker, I wasnt sniffin anything"...who would be all over blood fill paint.


\$0.02

[GoatBoy]

- The more red paint is out there, the more likely some schmuck shooting things/people he ain't supposed to be shooting is shooting red paint (and if they are the kind of people who would do that, even SEEKS OUT red paint for the purpose) and shoots someone who is NOT playing paintball and that someone thinks they have been shot for real.


What are you basing this on? I think you are drawing an unsubstantiated conclusion and stating it as fact. If this is a fact, then I'd like to see some data backing this up. Maybe you have actually have some, and if so, I'm sure it would be very beneficial to discussion.


I'm a bit on the fence on this subject. I know a lot of you have already waived off the 'injury' aspect, but here's my take. I want to make sure everybody out there is safe and enjoying themselves... and I'm just another walkon player, not a ref. Seeing blood red fill would cause me to do a double-take every time to make sure the kid wasn't actually bleeding vs. it just being paint. Those of you who have no concern for your fellow players will have no idea what I'm talking about, naturally. If I were a ref or a field owner, I'm sure I would put up with like a few games worth of double-takes before coming to the conclusion, "Guys, this is kind of ridiculous. No more red paint."

Again, those of you with no concern for your fellow players will have no idea what I'm talking about.

In the broadest sense, I don't have much problem with people pretending to play shoot-em-up. If we're not simulating shooting each other with guns, then what exactly are we doing? Are we simulating football? Tennis? Or simulating fishing? (This excludes those of you who actually use guns to fish, of course.) Maybe we're simulating home decoration? No, we really are simulating shooting each other... with guns. This is just a natural extension of the milsim extreme, of which I am also not a fan (but not because of the political correctness aspect, I just think all that extra milsim garbage makes for poor players in a game where gun hits, maneuverability, and playing tight count for something). But I let them play pretend all they want. Just like I let the "tournament" players pretend they're big stuff on the field all they want.

Is this bad for the "sport"? Yes, it's definitely bad for the "sport". It's about as bad as changing the game's name from "Paintball" to "Murderball". What's in a name? Well, apparently a lot. Personally, I wouldn't stop playing it, but then again, I can't play Murderball, er, Paintball, by myself, can I? I have to have other people to shoot at, or the fun is reduced significantly. If it turns people off from the "sport", then it's bad for the "sport".

The ultimate question under this line of thought, though, is: does the "sport" really need the protection? Paintball sold its soul to become a "sport" -- to be as politically correct as possible for the Holy Grail of "getting on TV" and becoming big. And what did all that repression buy us in the end? What happens whenever you try to repress a human desire?

You get a backlash. The response to "tournament" is "milsim". By pushing so hard to be politically correct, going so far as shunning markers that look like "real guns", you wound up creating your own monster. And the monster is definitely thriving.








Why can't someone fill these things with pudding or nacho cheese? That way your opponent can enjoy a snack while they walk off the field. Mmm... Puddingball...

[DevilMan]

Why can't someone fill these things with pudding or nacho cheese? That way your opponent can enjoy a snack while they walk off the field. Mmm... Puddingball...


SERIOUSLY!!!!! Why can't they at least be well flavored!!!! Take a pod of chips out with ya in case you get shot you can use the chips with the cheese. :D

DM

BTW, good rest of the post. And another thing to point out now that there is enough wood on the fire.

Anyone else notice how the pro-red folks are all about "It don't look like blood and if you can't tell the difference in real blood and fake blood" blah blah blah. So if you can tell the difference then you know it's not real so why do ya need it? Would it not be just as easy to pretend that we bleed orange or yellow blood???

[punkncat]

Perhaps I am missing something, but from what I read these aren't even available in the US.

We currently have distributors in Australia, Malaysia, South Africa, Switzerland, and Poland.

I don't see anything about being even ABLE to get them.

IMO the bigger concern is the "slightly heavier weight" as that may pose a real safety concern. "Blood" red fill does not even cause me to bat an eyelid. I have used and enjoyed using red fills back when they were easier to find at the local shop. Nelson red was cool to shoot your opponents with.

[Beemer]

IMO the bigger concern is the "slightly heavier weight" as that may pose a real safety concern.

How heavy are they?? More hype???

[ThePixelGuru]

As has been mentioned, it's not just "red paint," it's simulated blood. As for fake blood, dead chicks, drug use and thug references, do we need any of that in paintball? No. Could it hurt the sport? You bet.

Risk/benefit ratio, people. It's just not worth it. Every person who buys this paint is putting paintball one step further from being accepted as a legitimate sport and one step closer to government regulation.

[MoeMag]

oh wow... I didnt see the needle and pills the first time... yeah thats not cool.

[cyberave68]

IMO the bigger concern is the "slightly heavier weight" as that may pose a real safety concern.
I think it was proball that made a heavier fill before. the stuff was like "WAX" You couldnt wipe it off if you wanted to. Being hit by it wasnt much different, it was just a PITA to get off after the game. We ended up wipeing mud on it to cover it up before the next round. Its not really the weight of the paint you need to worry about, more of "How hard the shell is?"


Cy

Deff an add i dont like the way they set it up, but also notice the countries they sell it in...????

"We currently have distributors in Australia, Malaysia, South Africa, Switzerland, and Poland"

[snoopay700]

As a ref i've had blood drawn from a paintball hitting the back of my neck. If it was red fill paint i wouldn't have known to wipe it off immediately. It can cause problems, but i always thought the main concern was so that people don't get shot by a real gun by some horrible turn of events and everyone just tells them to get off the field because at first they think it's paint, or some other major injury, which would pose a problem. In speedball it's less of a problem, but it's still there.

[Lohman446]

I have seen several. Mostly large cuts from sliding on things that shouldn't be slid on.


But, I agree that the big issue here is not red paint on a paintball field masking an injury on a paintball field. The issues are as follows:

- The more red paint is out there, the more likely some schmuck shooting things/people he ain't supposed to be shooting is shooting red paint (and if they are the kind of people who would do that, even SEEKS OUT red paint for the purpose) and shoots someone who is NOT playing paintball and that someone thinks they have been shot for real.

- People with casual familiarity with the game will make, and more importantly relate to others, damaging impressions about the sport. Parents who see paintball and see people getting shot by red paint will not let their kids play. Kids who go to play who come home covered in red paint will not get to play again. Parents talk to each other, and the conversation will be "Oh, I don't want my son going to that paintball birthday party, my friend said her son went to one and he came home looking like he'd been in a gun battle."

And, to counter, that, red paint provides NO VALUE. It doesn't mark better than other colors, doesn't fly straighter, doesn't break better, the ONLY thing red paint accomplishes is letting people pretend they're causing real harm to other people. And if we're allowing that kind of product to be sold, what does that say about the 'sport'? It's not a sport anymore, it's violence reenactment. Hell, even civil war reenactors are not running around replicating wounds, because the violence isn't the point.


So:

No benefit.
Significant drawbacks.

Any rational person should be able to see that this is a bad idea. The ONLY people who benefit from this is the manufacturer making a quick buck.



- Chris

I looked at this one actually. In consideration of it I would argue that if some people want to use it it obviously provided some benefit to them.

As to those shooting at non-players...
I have played paintball (a lot), and its unlikely that if a vehicle drove by and started firing one of the "louder" (and normally cheaper wally world ones that are used for this purpose) at me that I would not respond to the threat as a serious and legitimate threat of great personal harm or death. I would not be the first person to return fire on pranksters beleiving a paintball marker was more than it was. Its idiocy to those who pull this type of prank, and should be dealt with in a swift and severe manner by law enforcement

As to the theory that parents will think there child was involved in a gun battle. It was always a paintball gun before I started playing and I still scoff at the idea of having to call it a marker. The point of paintball is to simulate a gun battle, war game, whatever you want to call it.

The more we try to move away from this aspect the more we befuddle people. I think its an identity crisis that paintball needs to address. We are shooting at each other, its part of the game, no change in terminology, no dressing up like clowns, no hiding behind balloons is going to change that.

[ghost flanker]

Hmmm... what's a bigger health risk? Red paint that may initially resemble gushing blood to a moron? Or paintball guns that fire 30+ bps?

I say give the people what they want. If players want red paint, give 'em red paint. If they want 30+ bps, then give 'em that too. There's nothing wrong with making a buck.

As for suicide via pharmacudical products, I don't get its correlation to their paintballs unless you can make meth out of them. To me, the dead girl and the drugs are weird and a bit inappropriate, but some people enjoy grindcore death metal. It's morbid as hell and not my particular cup of tea, but you won't ever find me on the side of "Mothers Against GWAR" making a big stink over violent music. If you don't like it, don't buy it. Let this company's poor marketing strategy be it's own downfall.

As for all the "what if" scenarios and as-of-yet unfounded accounts of unusual paintball related injuries, such as breast feeding babies being shot in the head with red paintballs during drive-by-shootings in Hayseed, USA... just stop. A red paintball has never hurt anyone any more than it would have had it been pink, instead.

And stop putting lipstick on a pig. They're paintball "guns." A hit is a "kill." You "shoot" your opponent. An eliminated player walking off the field is a "dead man." Enough with the politically correct BS and respect the sport for what it is; a simulated shooting game. :shooting:

"There's my 2 cents. Go buy yourself sumthin nice."

[WantsAMag]

I dont see a problem with this ad...

video games have far worse marketing than this and they haven't "died". In fact, video games have been growing exponentially since they were introduced.

the only way this will "kill" the sport, is by people boycotting the paint. That just means less players, and one more of the few companies down the drain. Kids that might want to try the sport will second guess themselves when they here people talking about how "dangerous" red paint is.

just play the game. embrace the sport to help it grow. let companies use whatever marketing techniques they need to to get more people in the game. there are always going to be critics. The video game industry has thousands more of them than paintball, yet it still thrives.