Q-Zar facts for kids

Q-ZAR (also known as Quasar in the UK and Ireland, and LaserGame in Sweden) is a fun type of laser tag. It was first created by Geoff Haselhurst and Omnitronics in Perth, Western Australia. Later, the rights were sold to different companies, ending up with Q-ZAR International in Dallas, Texas.

How to Play Q-ZAR

Just like other laser tag games, Q-ZAR uses a special gun called a "phaser." This phaser shoots harmless beams of infrared light. Players wear equipment that can detect these light beams. When you shoot another player, it's called "tagging" them. You can also tag special objects in the game.

A standard Q-ZAR game has two teams: a red team and a green team. (In Quasar Elite, the teams are red and blue.) Each team has a special area called a Headquarters (or "HQ" or "base"). Your team's goal is to protect your HQ and score the most points. You earn points by tagging players on the other team or by deactivating their HQ. To deactivate an opponent's HQ, you need to tag it twice, with a few seconds in between shots. The team with the most points when the game ends wins!

When you get tagged by an opponent, your pack vibrates and makes an explosion sound. You then have about one second to fire a "reflex" shot. After that, a six-second penalty starts. For the first three seconds, your phaser says "Defense Shield, Active Active." During this time, you cannot be tagged, and you cannot tag others. For the last three seconds, your phaser says "Warning, Warning, Warning." In this period, you can be tagged again, but you still cannot tag other players. If you get tagged during the "Warning" time, the whole penalty process starts over.

The back of your phaser has a simple LED display. When your pack is off, it shows a number and a "U." The number is your pack's ID, and "U" means "Un-energized." During the game, the top number shows how many "lives" you have left. The bottom number shows how many shots you have. If you run out of shots, you lose a life. Getting a "Good Shot" (tagging an opponent) gives you more shots. When you "re-energize" (get more lives), the display shows how many times you've done this. If you run out of lives, the display flashes the time left in the game. You can also hold the trigger for three seconds to set off a "bomb." This bomb can deactivate nearby players, even those on your own team.

Q-ZAR Equipment

Q-ZAR vests have changed a lot over time. They have gone through many updates, from Mark I to Mark VII.

The first system used a vest with straps. It had metal sensor areas on the front and back, and a small handheld pistol. The battery was in the back sensor, and the computer and speaker were in the front.

Later, with the Mark IIIB system, most of the electronics moved into a larger, heavier gun. The speaker, battery, display, and computer were all in the gun. The front and back parts of the vest just had sensors. The strap-based vest was still used.

Before Q-ZAR was launched worldwide, the vests were redesigned again (Mark IV). The gun kept its shape but was made from lighter plastic, which made it much easier to hold. The strap vests were replaced with bright plastic "body armor" style vests.

In 2005, Quasar UK became Quasar Manufacturing. They launched Quasar Elite (Mark VI). This version used a smaller gun and body armor. It was designed to fit younger players better. Quasar Elite also changed the green equipment to blue. This helped players who have difficulty seeing colors. The new vests also used strong seat-belt style straps instead of elastic ones.

In 2009, Quasar Manufacturing started working on Quasar Elite Wireless Equipment (Mark VII). This new system came out in late 2011. It no longer used infrared to connect the gun to the unit. Instead, it used more advanced radio frequency technology.

Parts of the Q-ZAR System

• Packs are the main part of the Q-ZAR system. They are the vest and the phaser gun that all players wear. Packs keep track of player information and let you play the game.
• Network boxes can be set up in different ways. They can be "Energizers," which send game data and let players get more lives. They can also be "HQs" (Headquarters) that teams attack and defend. Sometimes, they can even be "bombs" that shoot players.
• Scoreboards show the current scores and how much time is left in the game.
• Software runs on a computer. It is used to set up games, track scores, and print out scorecards. Older Q-ZAR software worked on MS-DOS, but newer versions for Quasar Elite work on Windows.
• Marshall Gun/Phaser is a special gun used by game staff. It can change a player's team or give them more lives.
• Handicap Gun/Phaser is another special gun. It can adjust game settings during play. This helps players with challenges or makes the game harder for very skilled players.
• Recharger is found in the vesting room. These are power cables that charge and reset the guns. Game staff often carry "pins" which are like the plugs from these chargers to reset guns.

Different Ways to Play Q-ZAR

The Q-ZAR system offers many different game types:

• Energise is the standard Q-ZAR game. You start with a certain number of lives. If you run out, you can go to your team's Energizer to get a new set of lives. However, doing this lowers your individual score.
• Eliminator is like Energise, but you only have the lives you start with. Once you run out of lives, you are out of the game. You need to reload your phaser after losing each life.
• Supercharge is a version of Energize often played by experienced players. To deactivate the opponent's headquarters, you must tag five opponents without getting tagged yourself.
• Stun is for new players. It's similar to Energize, but players have endless lives.
• Battlefield is a game where unused packs are placed around the arena as "mines." These mines act as obstacles.
• Gauntlet is a game for one person. The goal is to deactivate both Energizers as many times as possible.

You can combine these game types with different options and arena setups to create many unique themed games.

Game Options

The Q-ZAR software has many built-in options. You can use these with the main game types to create even more kinds of games.

• Solo/Spies changes how teams work. In a Solo game, there are no teams. Players can tag anyone, use any Energizer, and deactivate any HQ. In Spies mode, the computer picks a random two-minute period for each player to be a "spy." When you are a spy, you can tag any player (even your own teammates) for points. Your own teammates can also tag you. You will know you are a spy because your pack makes a higher sound when you fire, and the display shows four "U"s. You cannot play Spies and Solo at the same time. This option is usually off.
• No Reflex Shot does exactly what it says. It turns off the one-second reflex shot you get after being tagged. This option is usually off.
• No Defense Shield turns off the six-second penalty sequence after you are tagged. This option is usually off.
• Bombs lets players hold down the trigger for three seconds to fire a bomb. Bombs will hit any players nearby. This option is usually off.
• HQ Reset Time sets the shortest amount of time you must wait between deactivating an HQ. The usual setting is 30 seconds.
• HQ Delay Time sets the longest amount of time you have between the two shots needed to deactivate an HQ. The usual setting is 2 seconds.
• Shots per Second controls how many shots you can fire in one second. The usual setting is one shot per second.
• Fun Mode/Kiddie Mode changes the sounds in Q-ZAR to alternative, more playful sounds.

Tournaments

Many countries around the world have active Q-ZAR tournaments. These include the USA, UK, Ireland, Italy, Russia, Sweden, and Ecuador. In the USA, UK, and Ireland, tournaments usually use one shot per second, reflex shots, and defense shields. Other settings might change for different events. Most events are Supercharge games with six lives. Other countries have their own tournament rules.

Events that last two or more days happen regularly in the UK and Ireland, usually one to five times a year. Italy has a national tournament once a year and a Q-Zar season where teams travel to play each other. USA tournaments are less frequent now because there are fewer centers and fewer players.

Images for kids

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  Green Q-ZAR Packs hanging in the Vesting Room