Some thoughts on laser tag
I played laser tag last Saturday for my birthday with 13 of my closest friends. I enjoyed the hell out of it, despite some last minute discouragement of “have fun killing 12 year olds.”
…Of course, it turned it that is what we were doing, as we were combined with a birthday party. It takes 42 people to fill up a game. Despite that, I really, really enjoyed it, and would go again as soon as someone else suggested it.
Laser tag seems to engender two discussions:
1. The type of game play and course
The course where we went was excellent, with all kinds of multileveled parts, places to hide, bases, choke points, etc. Game play was fairly standard, with some power-ups at random times to spice things up even more. It was “free roaming” which means you weren’t constrained to one side, which I prefer. It was also automatic recharge after getting “killed”, which has some issues. It’s fairly standard for laser tag, but I think I prefer the ones where you have to retreat to recharge. I would also enjoy “halo-style” where you have to actively not be taking fire (behind cover) for a while to recharge.
2. Paint Ball
“Adult Laser Tag” is apparently Paint Ball. I’ve never played it. However, I know I enjoy being able to be “killed” and jump back into the game, which isn’t the case with paint ball as I understand it. The pain-factor of being shot isn’t as big a turn-off as it previously was, though this is a dealbreaker for some friends of mine. And there are people who take it waaay too seriously. There are some of those in laser tag too, but they’re easier to ignore.
I would certainly like to try paint ball (provided no one playing took it too seriously), but it’s much harder to get together than laser tag.
Of course, I’m also an adult now with an income who could just buy his own laser tag set and stage games wherever he wants. Hmmmm…
2 Comments »
Leave a comment
Twitter- An error has occurred; the feed is probably down. Try again later.
I’ve never played laser tag, but I have played paint ball once. In paint ball, depending on the type of game you’re playing, you can definitely “respawn”. I know on the course we played at they made anyone that got hit walk back to their team’s side of the field and touch the wall before they could get back in. It was done on the honor system pretty much…although a guy normally knows when he hits you, so he can call you out if you don’t bow out voluntarily. I’m sure in tournament play or whatever it’s a 1 shot and you’re out deal..but on public paint ball courses where you’re paying by the hour for equipment and field usage, I think they try to keep you playing as much as possible. Also, my one experience was on an indoor course, so outdoor courses may be a different story.
As far as comparing it to laser tag, which, again, I haven’t played, I’d say there are some key differences. I assume the markers used in laser tag are fairly accurate as they use infrared LEDs. Rental paint ball markers are anything but accurate..at least where I played. They’re generally $120 or less markers that shoot straight for about the first 10 feet then veer off randomly. This issue is greatly magnified if you break a ball in the gun and they don’t supply you with a squeegee to clean out the barrel.
Paint ball requires protective eye wear which is very necessary but quite a pain in the ass…especially if you wear glasses. I spent 3/4 of my time either playing with a fogged up mask or cleaning off my fogged up mask…not fun.
Paint ball is messy. Nasty, nasty messy. Perhaps it’s just the facility I was at, but there wasn’t a square inch anywhere in that joint, other than the lobby, that wasn’t covered in paint. They have carpet (god knows why!) in their locker rooms..and they were just nasty soaked with paint. Of course, that’s just facility upkeep and what not…but even playing for the few hours I played..I left drenched in paint. And it’s not even because I was getting tagged that much…I mean I was…but the majority of the paint is from laying down or crawling or crouching or leaning against a barricade or some such thing…again…everything you touch is covered in paint.
Paint ball is expensive. If you want your own marker, a decent entry level one will cost you at least a couple hundred bucks…but you could spend far, far more. The paint is ungodly expensive as well. Me and a couple other guys split a case of paint, which is 2000 balls, and it was $75 total. So every time you pull the trigger it’s almost 4 cents! Doesn’t sound like a ton..but it adds up quickly…even more so if your gun is inaccurate, as you end up just sprayin’ and prayin’.
I guess that’s all I have for now…just my observations. I really need to get out and try laser tag sometime…sounds more my style.
Last time I played paintball, with a bun ch of fit 21 year olds… I spent most of the game shot up in the dead tent- but it is very fun. yeah, honor system, and you can end up with some nasty cuts & bruises, foggy masks can suck bullocks, but still fun. Laser tag has the advantage of atmosphere (ocaz everything isnt coated in paint) a more robust hit tracking system although it can be played to some’s advantage, it seems. instant respawn keeps you in the game, which is fun, but it does add a bit of adrenaline when you see projectiles coming towards you, so tactile feedback is a plus in my book. Plus yeah, some people bust out mad paintball machinery, which can be unfair.
ahh machismo.