Laser Game or Laser Games is a phrase generally associated with a combat pursuit - like laser tag. Laser Game is generally used in countries outside of the United States where the phrase 'Laser Tag' is not popular within the local language - as the word 'Tag' in the USA and Canada is associate with the children's game of 'Tag' in which one player runs after the others trying to touch them (tag them) to make them the catcher. In England the word 'It' or 'Gotcha' is the more popular phrase.

Laser tag is any sport played indoors or, increasingly, outdoors; where two or more players or teams use infrared or laser emitting hand held units to accurately tag sensors on opposing players, or on fixtures in the game field.

There are many types of laser tag equipment, as well as many variations in gameplay.

Cammercial laser tag systems

There are many different manufacturers of lasertag systems. They are generally divided into Arena, Consumer, and Military systems and Outdoor. There are broad similarities between all laser tag systems, but each designer's implementation also has differences, which lead to differences in play.

Indoor Systems

Indoor Systems are designed for play indoors in specifically constructed commercial facilities. The typical indoor commercial laser tag 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 laser tag mazes are dark, and lit by black lights. A maze can feature fog machines 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. 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, 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.

Consumer 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 Laser tag systems are more complex than others, running 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.

Military Systems

Military systems such as MILES focus on tactical training, and must first and foremost be realistic enough that experience with those systems will improve tactics and surviveability on the battlefield. Military systems integrate with or replace actual military hardware and equipment. Capabilities range from the most basic of "anonymous" electronic "bullets" that register as kills, to advanced systems which track each participant in detail and actually try to simulate the capabilities of each piece of equipment. As the focus is on practicing and improving combat skills, advanced data-collection capabilities may be employed, including GPS tracking, communication logs, video recording, and detailed "scoring". These exercises are usually reviewed in detail as part of a debriefing exercise.

Outdoor Systems

Outdoor commercial systems are not too different on the surface from their indoor cousins, but are 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 long distances. 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. The outdoor industry caters strongly to birthday parties as well as enthusiasts.

Consumer Systems

Laser Challenge

Many systems all compatible in some way with each other Toymax Jakks Pacific Normally features a separate sensor to the gun which is sometimes tethered but not always, sensors have been chest, back, gun and waist mounted across the range of gear Unlimited number of players, some sets feature team a and team b settings, also the Laser Challenge V2 system featured an arena style computer for advanced scoring of teams or individuals.

Lazer Tag

The Lazer Tag brand, originally invented, manufactured, and sold by Worlds of Wonder in the mid-1980s, has been reincarnated in two other forms: Tiger Electronics Lazer Tag in the late 1990s; and Hasbro's Lazer Tag Team Ops products beginning in mid-2004 and continuing to this day. In each case, the technology behind the brand has also changed, from a separate tagger and sensor with 6 hits as in the original Lazer Tag from Worlds of Wonder (WoW), to a tagger with an integrated sensor and 10 hits from Tiger Electronics, to the latest and greatest Lazer Tag Team Ops that also integrates the sensor into the tagger, but enhances the game considerably with built-in scoring, multiple game types, and features like lock-ons and hit-confirmations. While products from each incarnation of the brand have worked together with themselves, the changes in technology prevent the different version from working together. For example, it is not possible for a set of Tiger Lazer Tag taggers to enjoy a game with Hasbro's Lazer Tag Team Ops. The Lazer Tag brand has survived these iterations because the brand name is owned by Shoot the Moon Products, a toy invention company, since some of the original Worlds of Wonder executives founded the company after the failure of Worlds of Wonder in the late 1980s. The toys have been invented by Shoot the Moon Products, and licensed to toy makers such as Tiger Electronics, and now Hasbro which now owns Tiger Electronics.

Ironically, the original Lazer Tag IR signal was not protected by patents, and so has become a standard for hobbyist and even some professional grade outdoor laser tag products. For example, the Battlefield Sports products use the same signal, and several other products include WoW compatibility modes, such as Steradian Technologies, Zone Systems with their Zone Skirmish range and MilesTAG. Even some products in the Lazer Tag Team Ops line feature a hidden WoW compatibility mode.

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