Information AboutLasertag |
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LASERTAG HISTORY In '' center opened in Dallas, Texas in 1984 . Players could come to the center and compete against each other, but the equipment was not sold in stores. In 1986 , the first ''Photon'' toys hit the market, soon followed by ''Lazer Tag'' toys from Worlds Of Wonder . The Christmas season of 1986 was the real beginning of home lasertag, and soon millions of kids would be playing lasertag with each other anyplace they could. Worlds of Wonder went out of business around 1988, and Photon soon followed in 1989, as the Fad of the games wore off. Today almost all lasertag play takes place in facilities specifically designed for the game. In 1980, the United States Army developed and deployed a system using infrared beams for combat training. The MILES system functions like lasertag in that beams are "fired" into receivers that score hits. Similar systems are now manufactured by several companies and used by various armed forces around the world. THE GAME OF LASERTAG Commercial Lasertag systems vary from manufacturer to manufacturer, and centre to centre, but usually consist of a tagging device (which may or may not resemble some sort of handheld gun). The tagging device emits a Laser beam, and usually an Infrared (IR) beam as well, which carries information about the device doing the emitting. Typically, the laser is merely a special effect, although it is not unheard of that the laser itself is the carrier of the information. This is less common, as the tight beam of the laser requires the user to have extremely accurate aim to hit the sensor which is typically a TV remote control receiver which is only about 3 to 5mm square with a beam only about 2mm across. The player wears a pack, usually in the form of an open vest, with sensors placed in various locations such as chest, back, shoulders, and in the gun. The signal, when striking a sensor, transmits the pertinent data to the pack. All packs may be connected to a central Server which records points, the location and number of tags on other players, the location and number of tags on oneself, and a beam/tag ratio, or this data may be transferred at the end of each game. At the end of the game a player will typically receive a scorecard with this information. The typical indoor commercial lasertag system does not function very well in bright lighting such as sunlight; this is more due to lack of a need to retain sensitivity in light than a real limitation, as for effect most lasertag mazes are dark, and lit by Blacklight s. A maze can feature Fog Machine s as well, to help illuminate the laser beams, which would be otherwise invisible when passing through clear air. This fog is often invisible to the participants, but it is noticeable when looking into the maze from a room with normal lighting. Outdoor commercial systems are not too different on the surface from their indoor cousins, quite a bit different under the surface. Real lasers are not usually used due to the hazards to players and anyone within blinding range, partly because of the increased laser power required when playing outdoors and because there are no walls to block the laser from traveling miles. Range is required to be much greater so better lensing is used, and full sunlight requires improvements in both sensor and IR emitters. Sensor placement is similar to indoor commercial systems. Consumer systems are quite a bit different from commercial systems. Most have a more toy-like appearance to avoid being mistaken for a real firearm, and lack any kind of muzzle flash or realistic sound effects for the same reason. Sensor placement varies amongst systems. Some have a single sensor on the tagging device or worn on the head, chest, or back, while other systems have a combination of several or even all of these. Range varies from ultra-toylike systems that are only good for 10 to 20 feet, to systems that can hit at more than 300 feet in full sunlight. Usually, there are no score cards and no central server. Rather, each tagging device has a stand-alone computer in it and missions are scored by team results. Some Lasertag systems are more complex than others, it runs the gamut from simple systems that only keep track of how many times the sensor was hit, to systems that keep track of who hit you and even when they hit you. There are also a number of Homebrew systems, some of which rival and even surpass many commercial systems. Modifications to store-bought Lasertag devices are quite common, from simply adding a telescopic sight to modifications of the electronics and moving the guts to a different body. TYPES OF PLAYERS In North America and Europe, the indoor laser tag industry has grown and matured during the past ten years away from the "member" based business, referred to here as the "club player", and moved towards other markets. The more successful laser tag facilities no longer cater to the club player and instead focus on three core markets, which are often birthday parties, groups (church groups, youth organizations, day camps, etc.) and corporate outings. Club players are usually identified by their unique playing styles, precise timing, knowledge of the mazes, and ability to earn large numbers of points. Furthermore, club members are players that may have formed a tight knit group, play regularly (usually weekly or bimonthly), and generally have opportunities to develop a squad strategy. The outdoor industry caters strongly to birthday parties as well as enthusiasts. The freestyle players typically own their own consumer Lasertag equipment, often modified with better sights or other improvements and may carry FRS radios to co-ordinate their team play. They play in parks, woodlands, playgrounds, anywhere the landscape is suitable and the neighbors don't mind. Most clubs are quite strict when it comes to player behavior, etiquette, sportsmanship, and how to handle things if there is a complaint or the authorities arrive. TYPES OF GAMES Team and Solo Games The two most common lasertag games are Team Games and '''Solo Missions'''. Both usually feature an unlimited number of beams, and an unlimited number of lives. In a team game, teams are distinguished by different coloured LEDs. In solo missions, everyone is fair game for everyone else, though informal teams and packs are sometimes formed. Elimination Games Elimination formats allow each player a limited number of lives, which are lost by being tagged, and may be played in team or solo variations. When a player has no more lives remaining, their game is over and they must leave the arena. The objective in a team elimination format is to be the last team with players still surviving. The game ends when only one team remains, or when time runs out. The objective in a solo elimination game is to be the only player left alive, and the game ends when only one player remains, or when time runs out. Specialty Games Specialty games are games with complex rules, such as objective-based games. These games are usually played by more experienced players, as well as for team-building events. The rules for such games are widely varied. Different systems, as well as individual centers have their own specialty formats. The range of specialty games is limited only by the capabilities of the system and the creativity of the operators. Ring events are lasertag matches held in an area approximately fifteen by fifteen feet wide where players compete against one another without walls or obstacles to hide behind. Lord of the Ring is a ring event that gained popularity in the mid to late 1990s among players of the Ultrazone lasertag system in the United States, Canada, England, Sweden and Finland. Lasertag is also used in Live Action Role Playing . In these games players take on the role of imaginary characters in an adventure that may last any amount of time from a few hours to several days. Lasertag weapons may be used to represent any sort of real or fictional guns. Sensors occasionally represent 'shields' or 'forcefields', although sometimes players pretend the sensors do not exist. Every LARP game has its own unique storyline. Combat is a feature, rather than the central role of these games - players take part to develop their characters and may even complete an adventure without firing a single shot. Players that do get into combat and lose may find that their character is killed off during the adventure. Homebrew equipment based on the original Worlds Of Wonder Lazer Tag system is the most popular system used by science fiction LARP groups in the UK. SYSTEMS A wide variety of equipment exists for playing lasertag. The sensor locations, electronics, housings, and programming capabilities all vary by system, and each system has its strengths, weaknesses, and particular quirks. Types of Systems
LASERTAG ETIQUETTE Though the types of courtesy shown in a maze may vary, it is generally good to observe a few ground rules. Running, physical contact, covering sensors, crawling, climbing walls or maze elements, crowding, and using offensive language are frowned upon. Stalking, the act of following a player around the arena in order to continually deactivate them, is also frowned upon if not outright prohibited at some sites, particularly between experienced players and newcomers. This serves several purposes, the most important being safety - a player being stalked is likely to try to run to get away. Stalking rules also try to promote fairness in games with a mix of experienced and inexperienced players. Lasertag clubs often have very strict guidelines where it comes to member behavior- sportsmanship, cheating, etc. LASERTAG SLANG Although a subculture of sorts can form around member's clubs, only a very limited vocabulary of specifically lasertag-oriented slang has been recorded. However, it does exist: A godpack (or master gun, game controller or programmer) is a pack whose tagging device is functioning extremely well, or whose sensors (or one particular group of sensors) are functioning particularly poorly. A godpack can also mean a pack that is used by employees to control other packs (to penalize cheaters, for example). A gundom {Link without Title} or '''laser condom''' is a rubber cylinder used to protect the gun and other players from accidental impacts. A lock-in is an all-night lasertag party, usually lasting at least five hours, sometimes up to eight or nine hours, and may be themed. Some tournaments are also run in a lock-in format. A bunny is a new player with little skill that usually gets slaughtered by the experienced players. Sometimes called a CP or "Clay Pigeon" by players of the Q-zar/Quasar lasertag games, due to the ease at which they can be shot. A bunny hunter {Link without Title} {Link without Title} or '''birthday basher''' is an experienced player that routinely plays with the sole purpose of slaughtering new players. A marshall's laser {Link without Title} is a special laser sometimes used by Laser Quest employees, which can be used for normal gameplay as well as to fire "discipline" shots at players violating the rules. A terminator {Link without Title} is a device used by Zone Empire employees ('''game masters'''), used to give shields (a period of time when one cannot be hit), warnings and terminations (deactivation) of the player's pack. The terminator is an IR remote, with three colored buttons that provide the game master easy access to several pack functions - start pack (green), shield player (green), warn player (yellow), penalty termination (red), and early game end (yellow+red). The verbs '''terminate''', '''warn''', '''button''', '''yellow button''', and '''red button''' refer to these functions - "I was red-buttoned for running last game." The vertical worm {Link without Title} or '''dance''' is a system of erratic movements that are aimed to make the player more difficult to hit, particularly on systems that either require multiple hits to register a deactivation or limit the fire rate so as to make dodging incoming fire practical. Shot cancellation is a design flaw present in some systems where two players shooting each other at nearly the same time cancel each other's shots out, preventing either player from scoring. Retaliation refers to the ability on some systems to fire a shot immediately after being deactivated, when the pack should be down. Usually this is due to a design flaw, but some systems have the option to grant retaliation shots to inexperienced players. Rainbowing, '''Blue teaming''' {Link without Title} , and '''Smurfing''' refer to forming alliances during a game that go against team assignments, disregarding the team assignments to team up with friends or family members, or teaming up during a solo game. The terms Smurfing and Blue teaming originated with early Zone sites, referring to a then nonexistent blue team color at a time when Zone sites had red, yellow, and green as team colors. As modern Zone sites have replaced the green team with blue, the term '''rainbowing''' is most common now. Button can refer to the metal identification buttons issued to Zone, Actual Reality, VEQTOR Max, and Laser Quest players, or to the use of the penalty buttons on a Zone '''terminator'''. A Bunny Button or '''Defender Button''' is a special identification button that configures a pack to be used by inexperienced players ("bunnies"). A bunny button usually configures the pack to allow retaliation shots, and may alter other pack settings for easier play. A Shoulder Pack refers to a pack with sensitive shoulder targets, usually in Laser Quest where there can be a lot of variation between the sensitivity of shoulder targets at different centres. Dueling refers to a close range engagement between players. This is typically more common in formats which are not life-based. The original Worlds of Wonder Lazer Tag had its own game book that featured a page of slang terms invented for the game. SEE ALSO EXTERNAL LINKS
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