Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is Laser Tag?
Laser Tag is a high-tech sport where players wearing computerised vests or packs and handheld "phasers" attempt to achieve a winning score by zapping opponent players, base stations, and other targets within a playing arena or maze.
2. How do you play Zone 3 Laser Tag?
After players put on their game packs, the game is started by the central computer and the players move into the arena. After about 30 seconds, the packs will activate allowing the player to fire their phaser at opponent packs and arena devices such as base stations. Each pack has sensors on the phaser, the shoulders, the back and the front of the pack. Zapping these areas will award points to the attacking player while deactivating the hit player for a short time. After the game time has expired, the packs shutdown automatically and the players return to the kit-up room. Score information is downloaded from the packs to the central computer where the scores are calculated and individual player scorecards are printed.
3. How long does it take to play a game?
Each game consists of 15 minutes of actual arena time. We allow a 5 minute change-over time so games are run every 20 minutes. For your first game, there will also be a 10 minute briefing where Zone 3 staff will explain the operation of the packs and arena devices as well as outlining the safety rules.
When you play more than one game, you will have a one game rest between your games.
When planning your visit to Zone 3, please allow yourself a minimum of 40 minutes for a 1 game visit, 1 hour 20 minutes for a two game visit, and 2 hours for a three game adventure.
4. How many people can play in a game of Zone 3 Laser Tag?
At Zone 3 Campbelltown, we can accommodate up to 30 players in each game. However, we prefer to limit this to 27 as this allows us spare packs in case of mechanical failure.
The minimum number of players is two. This doesn't make for a particularly exciting game, so we recommend a minimum game of five players.
5. Are there any age restrictions on playing Laser Tag?
We recommend a minimum age of 7-8 years for players. This is due to the weight of the pack that younger children have difficulty carrying for a full length game.
There is no maximum age to play the game - even grandparents have been known to enjoy playing Laser Tag!
6. Do you need to be physically fit to play Laser Tag?
Laser Tag can be played at your own pace. There is no reason to be rushing around the arena (we actively discourage this!), so as long as you are comfortable doing some quiet walking for 15 minutes, which may involve going up some ramps, then you are probably fit enough to play!
Of course, as only you can be a judge of whether you are up to the game, the final responsibility rests with you.
7. Isn't Laser Tag played in the dark?
Laser Tag is played in a darkened environment, but it is not pitch black! The arena is well lit with blacklights which causes the abundant use of fluorescent paints and materials in the arena to glow brightly. In addition, the arena is also lit by coloured spotlights and floodlights, as well as other lighting effects. After a couple of seconds, your eyes will have adjusted to the light level and you will generally be able to see quite well.
8. Are protective glasses required to play?
No. The lasers used in the game are very low power (a fraction of the power hand-held laser pointers easily available) and are computer controlled to only flash on for a very brief time. It is a natural reflex that the eye will blink when presented with any intense light (for example, a photographic flash) and this reflex adds to the protection of the eyes.
The equipment used has been tested to meet appropriate standards of safety for lasers around the world.
9. What other protective clothing is required?
We recommend that players were a shirt with sleeves (that is, not a singlet) and we insist on players having enclosed shoes. Open toed shoes, sandals, thongs, and bare feet are not permitted.
No other padding or special clothing is needed as Laser Tag is a non-contact sport.
10. I have played Paintball - does Laser Tag also hurt when you are hit by another player?
Absolutely not! You know if you have been hit when your pack shuts down. Your pack lets you know this has happened in three ways using three of your senses: sound, sight, and touch. Firstly, the pack will play a sound that indicates you have been zapped. Secondly, the front of your pack contains a buzzer, so you will feel the pack vibrate. And thirdly, the pack will flash bright orange.
11. Can we play Laser Tag as a team?
Yes. Zone 3 Laser Tag may be played as either an individual (solo) game or as a team game. We are unusual as a team sport because we have a three team format: we have red, blue, and yellow teams competing at the same time within the arena. This gives players some interesting new ways to think about tactics and teamwork while providing for more "targets" for each player.
We can support teams of up to 10 players each, but we generally recommend smaller teams as a large team is harder to manage tactically.
Because of the additional complexity of team games, we don't recommend them for brand new Zone 3 players.
12. Do you have a range of different game formats?
Yes, we have a number of different games that we can play. However, these games can become quite complex so they are generally reserved for Members' Nights and for specific purposes such as organisational team building exercises.