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As we said in last week’s episode, we can’t condone cheating in Quasar; but if you INSIST upon cheating, you might as well not waste your time with inferior methods. Here follows an admonition from Henry:
In the latest podcast, Olly seemed to come to the conclusion that you could cheat at Quasar using a laser pointer. This is WRONG. Growing up as a nerdy kid in the early 90s, I can tell you that the lasers in lasertag games (yes, there is a blanket term and this is it) are JUST FOR SHOW.
The packs actually communicate on the infra-red (like VCR remote controls), meaning that you could cheat and give yourself an extra gun by smuggling in one of those universal remotes and programming it by shooting your gun at it while it’s in learning mode. Later, when such remotes were collapsed down into handy watch form by Casio, these could be deployed to similar, but more surreptitious effect.
Other popular (but lower-tech) cheats popular in the Coventry Laser Quest revolved around blocking up the sensors on your pack, either with black tape, chewing gum or a baggy hoodie (this being Coventry).
If, however, you do prefer to maintain your honour during laser games, Mark from Essex has some above-board tactics for you:
I am part of a group of friends that goes to Quasar every week (indeed, because we are that cool). Please pass along these tips to the questioneer if he wants to improve his game:
– Create a formation. Always have at people defending the base, people regularly storming the opposing team’s base and midfielders. The ratio should be about 3:2:1. Try to get almost everyone in a strategic place where they will not have to move much. You lose lots of points running around.
– Do not attack the opponent’s base while it is guarded. In most versions of Quasar, if you get shot 10 times or more while attacking a base, you have lost points. For this reason, never send more than 2 people in – if you send 5 people in and they each get shot twice, you have lost points.
– For the same reason, you should have lots of people defending – when the opponent storms the base, shoot them as many times as possible.
– Ensure your teammates do not stand too close together – the guns are infrared, not laser, and if two team members are standing next to each other, they will probably be shooting each other more than the opponent.
– Have an emergency signal for summoning team members for assistance. We use whistles.
So: stand very still, keep distant from your friends, and play a defensive game. Got it. But…it doesn’t actually sound FUN.
Perhaps I am misunderstanding. For all I know, Quasar might not in fact purport to be fun.
Quasar + Segways, however = indisputable fun
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