Game Equipment
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We are
going through a redesign and upgrade of the basic equipment we use in
the game. The rulebook shows guns made commercially by the Hasbro
Corporation. These guns, to be honest, are pretty incredible for the
price and as mass-produced game equipment. The handguns look like this:
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They have
extensive capabilities, and are very impressive. However, they have
limitations due to the fact that they are designed for specific games
designed by the Hasbro people. They also make a grenade launcher that
looks like this:
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Again, a great product, but very
limited in what it can do. But it is the basis for the game we will run.
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These
guns are fine, but limited. We have been seeking a better solution. We
have decided to go with a
custom made laser tag gun. It is far
more adaptable and customizable. We can use our own sounds and can
configure each gun as we wish. There are great many reasons that this
system will be better for us, not the least of which is that it just
looks so damn cool. We also want a 'Combat Medic' option that this new
system offers. It has a cool laser sight on it, too.
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 This
is the control
box that runs the gun. It will be worn on the belt or lower vest, and
is connected by wire to the gun and the sensors on the helmet. The
sound board is in here, and the speaker is on the gun.
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This gun system is in the
development stage now, and is close to having
the first prototype done. It is based on a system that has been around
a while, so we are confident of success in the design; we are just
finishing working on our own design of the thing.
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Other Equipment
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Combat vest: The old vest was
not a vest at all, but a harness consisting of a belt and suspenders.
We equip each player with a walkie talkie that is held in a belt pouch,
and uses an ear bud and lapel mike with thumb switch to communicate
with the team and the 'lieutenant' who helps coordinate the team. The
new vest will be a 'MOLLE' vest with some adaptation so that persons of
any size will be comfortable wearing it. It has straps that allow a
great deal of adjustability in the configuration of equipment. The
player will be able to put devices and pouchs where they are the most
convenient.
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Combat helmet: this helmet will
hold the 'headlight' and ear bud.It is light weight and the fit is
adjusted easily. We will offer the option of using a head band instead,
if someone does not want to wear a helmet, but this item organizes the
stuff that goes on your head quickly and with no tangling.
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The Bomb
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This is the most fun item we
have, but is also the thing that kills the most players. It is a bomb.
When the trigger is tripped, it starts a countdown, with associated
bright red LED numbers and loud beeping sound. When it reaches 0, it
goes off, producing a bright flash and a recorded sound effect of an
explosion.
To disarm it, the player must open the access panel and look at the
wires. The combination of the wires indicates which one must be cut,
and we hand out a wire cutter and booklet that gives the answer....all
the player must do is get to the bomb, open the panel, identify the
number and colors of wire in the panel, look that combination up in the
book, and cut the indicated wire. He must do it, usually in the
dark with gunfire going on around him, and do it, of course, in time.
If the wrong wire is cut, the bomb goes off. If the right wire is cut,
the countdown stops.
The bomb to the right is the first we have.
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The bomb to the left is the new
one we are working on using a microprocessor. We built one, and it
worked fine, until the first run. The player opened up the main box of
the device and ripped all the wires out of the thing...it went off, but
it was useless after that. I am in the process of rebuilding a more
robust version of this device now. We call this the 'Bugs Bunny Bomb',
because it looks like a cartoon version of a bomb, but, to be honest,
when you are confronted with the thing in dim light, beeping and
flashing numbers, it is pretty daunting. It stands about 18" tall, and
is damn heavy. The wires for the solution are in the space under the
box, and an access panel does not have to be opened to see the wires.
We shorten the time available to even out the difficulty. We use
several types of triggers to set it off,
from a simple trip wire to a motion detector to set it off. We intend
to have bombs available to the players in the future, in the form of
grenades and claymore mines. They are on the drawing board, and
entirely feasible with this new system.
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Non Player Characters (NPCs)
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NPCs wear TYVEK suits and full
face masks. It is a quick and easy transformation into an inhuman
appearance. They are armed with the same sorts of weapons the players
have, and play by the same rules, generally. We may augment the NPC to
make sure a threat or goal is achieved, but the player can count on
their weapons and skills working against these things.
The important part of this is that the suits are comfortable and
require no makeup, so transformation is quick and easy, making the job
of
the Staff much easier and more fun.
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