This Lazer Tag thing sounds great. I think it could turn out to be a great way to introduce blind folks to gaming.
Fred Olver ----- Original Message ----- From: "Dakotah Rickard" <[email protected]> To: "Gamers Discussion list" <[email protected]> Sent: Saturday, December 31, 2011 8:20 PM Subject: Re: [Audyssey] Laser Tag > Ok, would you guys prefer something long written and detailed or > spoken and detailed? > If you guys want a decent review, there's plenty on youtube, like I > said, but I'd be willing to do another especially for us and from our > perspective with our needs. > > Either way, I'll try for conciseness, if you guys want, or I can just > write. > > Either way, I want to give you guys as much info as I can. As I said > also, I'm not buying the LTX, because I'm going to buy all the Light > Strike I can. > Obviously, the LTX stuff will have less of a review attached to it. > > Nerf bought stuff out from under that laser tag company and changed a > few things. I honestly can't remember what they changed. > > However, I'll do what I can. > > Signed: > Dakotah Rickard > > On 12/31/11, Charles Rivard <[email protected]> wrote: >> While I probably wouldn't buy them they are interesting to read about, so >> if >> you want to do a more in depth review, I'd be interested. This would be >> a >> great article or two for the Audyssey magazine! >> >> --- >> Shepherds are the best beasts, but Labs are a close second. >> ----- Original Message ----- >> From: "Dakotah Rickard" <[email protected]> >> To: "Gamers Discussion list" <[email protected]> >> Sent: Saturday, December 31, 2011 7:07 PM >> Subject: [Audyssey] Laser Tag >> >> >>> All right, folks. I'm bringing this up because of personal interest, >>> because this is a gaming list, not necessarily just computers, and >>> because I seriously think some folks would find this interesting. >>> >>> When I was a kid, I loved playing Lazer Tag, that's with a z and it's >>> branded. My brothers and I had loads of fun shooting at each other, >>> and they didn't always win, either. My set was basically just a couple >>> of blasters that you velcroed onto your arm with a trigger and a >>> button, with which you had unlimited ammo, a huge blast you could only >>> use once, and a shield button that gave you a dinky five second >>> protection from damage and sounded somewhat like a washing machine on >>> overload. The health meter beeped at a certain rate to let you know >>> how banged up you were, and the whole thing was so simple that to call >>> it accessible is a joke, because it wasn't complicated enough to be >>> unaccessible. >>> A lot of my friends played Laser Challenge, which was nearly as >>> accessible, but it was incompatible with my gun, so we never really >>> played together, and why should a parent by another perfectly good >>> laser tag system. >>> >>> Well, Lazer Tag with a z and Laser Challenge all kind of flopped away >>> like used fads, not for me but for average consumers. I've been >>> looking online for decent laser tag style stuff for years, now, with >>> little success, unless I wanted to pay out the nose on Ebay or Amazon. >>> However, in the space of just a month or so, I struck gold. >>> >>> My mom actually pointed out the product while we were talking about >>> toys I might get for my kids, just as a neat little thought. She >>> didn't know how meaningful it was for me. She told me about Light >>> Strike laser tag, a new system from WowWee toys, a reputable company, >>> most recently, before Light Strike, known for Paper Jams products. >>> >>> While researching this awesome system, I came across the Phoenix LTX, >>> now the Nerf Two-Player Laser Battle System, yet another relatively >>> new system based on an older, more expensive platform. >>> >>> I'm going to give a very brief overview of what I found from both >>> systems, and what I want to know is do any people on this list care to >>> have me do a more extensive review, possibly in podcast or youtube >>> form, of the light Strike stuff, which I've actually handled and am in >>> the process of purchasing? I can add to the plethora of reviews out >>> there, but mine would add a few from the blind perspective. If you >>> like, let me know. >>> >>> Anyway, I'll tell you about the Phoenix first, then I'll write on >>> Light Strike, then I'll compare and contrast. >>> >>> The Phoenix LTX, which I'll shorten to LTX, is a roughly $70 U.S. set >>> of two pistol-style laser guns. They have a Nerf sort of look to them, >>> according to friends I've asked. They host switches and sliders to >>> control any functions for setting up a game, unusual in an age of >>> buttons and touchscreens. the LTX supports up to three different >>> teams, although the older, no longer produced, LTTO system adds >>> functionality and complexity. The guns feature a built-in recoil >>> simulating hammer that wiggles the weapon when fired, and reloading >>> feels more interactive, as you release a false clip and then smack it >>> back into the grip of the weapon. The only other control is the shield >>> trigger, located near the firing trigger, which allows you to burst >>> your limited shield throughout play. It may or may not, research is >>> inconclusive, come with a shotgun accessory for each gun and a scope >>> accessory for each gun by default. >>> >>> the Light Strike guns come in two different sets, Strikers which are >>> like pistols, and Assault Strikers which are like carbines. the >>> pistols and carbines are also divided up into Orange, Yellow, and Red >>> sets, which are Human, Robot, and Alien respectively. These variances >>> affect the styling of the weapons, arrangement of buttons, and voice >>> of the weapon, but have no effect on function, besides comfort with a >>> particular style of grip and button arrangement. The Strikers, the >>> pistol form, are about $25 U.S., while the Assault Strikers, the >>> carbines, are about $35, with accessories running from $10 to $14, and >>> $25 for the targeting vests and automated turret, the I.T.S. which is >>> beyond the scope of this overview. The Light Strike weapons feature >>> several different fire modes, and the Assault Strikers have a reload >>> button which resembles a loaded clip of ammunition already in the gun. >>> The pistols are controlled by buttons to access different functions, >>> but the carbine Assault model features somewhat sensative touch-based >>> controls. I can personally use either with fair to good results. The >>> Assault Strikers can accept four different accessories, the scope >>> which is a sniper rifle augment, the Rapid Fire System, which is a >>> machinegun augment, the refractor launch system, which is a >>> shotgun/grenade launcher augment, and the enemy scanner, a radar and >>> damage booster augment. The Strikers and Assault Strikers come with >>> targets, although only those which come with the Assault Strikers make >>> sound. >>> >>> The two systems are incompatible, but they have more similarities than >>> differences. Both use infrared light to transmit and receive >>> information, both feature the necessity to reload ammunition, both do >>> not resemble real-world guns, both require monitoring of ammo, >>> although the Light Strike Striker pistols are not reloaded, they >>> overheat if fired too quickly, which works like a reload. Both systems >>> offer accessories to enhance gameplay. Both systems use the guns as a >>> target. >>> >>> Light Strike differs here, as the company also makes a target vest >>> which provides a larger target area in center of mass, gives more >>> health, and allows for pairing more than one gun with the vest for >>> duel carry. the LTX is more technically perfected with a longer range, >>> a less restricted fire rate, the recoil and ammo simulation, and a >>> bigger gun-based targeting area. >>> >>> The Light Strike is more about roleplay and tactics. Which weapon to >>> select, which subtype of weapon, as the guns all have several weapon >>> types, augmented by accessories. According to a review by Urban >>> Tagger, a reliable source, and based upon my own conclusions, the >>> Light Strike are slightly more durable. >>> >>> I'd like to add one more thing. Both systems are quite accessible, the >>> LTX winning out on that ground because it announces which team the >>> player is on, which the Light Strike system does not. However, both >>> are very easy to play. >>> >>> If you guys want more than what I've given, I'll either do it myself >>> or point you to someone who already has. I've done plenty of research >>> on both. >>> >>> Signed: >>> Dakotah Rickard >>> >>> --- >>> Gamers mailing list __ [email protected] >>> If you want to leave the list, send E-mail to >>> [email protected]. >>> You can make changes or update your subscription via the web, at >>> http://mail.audyssey.org/mailman/listinfo/gamers_audyssey.org. >>> All messages are archived and can be searched and read at >>> http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]. >>> If you have any questions or concerns regarding the management of the >>> list, >>> please send E-mail to [email protected]. >> >> >> --- >> Gamers mailing list __ [email protected] >> If you want to leave the list, send E-mail to >> [email protected]. >> You can make changes or update your subscription via the web, at >> http://mail.audyssey.org/mailman/listinfo/gamers_audyssey.org. >> All messages are archived and can be searched and read at >> http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]. >> If you have any questions or concerns regarding the management of the >> list, >> please send E-mail to [email protected]. >> > > --- > Gamers mailing list __ [email protected] > If you want to leave the list, send E-mail to > [email protected]. > You can make changes or update your subscription via the web, at > http://mail.audyssey.org/mailman/listinfo/gamers_audyssey.org. > All messages are archived and can be searched and read at > http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]. > If you have any questions or concerns regarding the management of the > list, > please send E-mail to [email protected]. --- Gamers mailing list __ [email protected] If you want to leave the list, send E-mail to [email protected]. 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