Exion's
Unofficial
Survival Guide
So... What is Q-Zar? Here is a sample of the action....
Imagine this. You're in a dark, black-lighted room surrounded by fog, flashing lights, and pulsing music. You're brandishing a mean looking phaser. Lasers are shooting past you as you duck and throw yourself behind a sniper hole. Suddenly, you decide to make your move. You turn around and fire at your enemy as he's taking a shot at you. He's unprepared for your attack and you're rewarded as you see his vest light up right before he ducks behind a wall. At the same time, your gun confirms your kill by saying, "Good shot!" You know he's disabled, so you move in for the kill and blast him again just as his shields go down. Quickly, you sneek behind a nearby wall to avoid his reflex shot. He runs away as he realizes he's lost all of his lives and has to go find his energizer. Once again, you are victorious!
Sound exciting? That was just 15 seconds of a pulse pounding adrenaline rushing action packed game called Q-ZAR!!! Q-ZAR features:
Quasar originated in
Australia in 1986, when an Australian entrepreneur developed the
game in close liaison with a Western Australian electronics
company. The first Quasar opened in Perth, Australia in 1987.
Quasar established it's US headquarters in Dallas, Texas under
the trademark "Q-zar". The first operating Q-zar center
opened in Indianapolis, Indiana on December 19th, 1992. There are
now more than 200 Q-zar centers worldwide..
Your Mission: To
seek out and deactivate opposing team members and their
headquarters for points using one of the world's most advanced
laser systems
Basic Information
PRICE AND GAME LENGTH
A normal priced Q-Zar game is $6.50 for 12-20 minutes (depending on the location - some are cheaper) of action. Many Q-Zar locations offer discounts for league membership or for group rates. Ask your local Q-Zar for any specials that are going on!
THE ARENA
The arenas will be very different from each other depending on which Q-Zar you play at. You may encounter a maze-like arena with many barrels and walls to use for cover. Almost all the arenas have the option of producing FOG in the arena to intensify the experience when you play the game. And, to top it off, almost all the arenas play a variety of loud techno music which adds a lot of adrenaline to the game. =)
The arenas will generally be split into two main sides with HEADQUARTERS (see below) and ENERGIZERS (see below) on either side for each team to utilize. I have heard that some Q-Zars will have more than 2 HEADQUARTERS (4 or so) but most likely, 90% of Q-Zars that you will visit will have 2 headquarters - one for each TEAM COLOR)
Also in the arena is usually at least one SCOREBOARD to keep track of the score and the time remaining during the game on either team. You will be rewarded or penalized for various actions that you perform. (See SCORING POINTS below)
THE TEAM COLORS
You will be assigned a team color which will be either RED (as shown above in the picture) or GREEN. They are very bright as to be able to distinguish the opposite team VERY easily.
RULES IN THE ARENA (VERY IMPORTANT)
This section is by far the most important section when it comes to playing the game because if people do not follow the rules, injuries can and will happen so please read the following:
1. ABSOLUTELY NO RUNNING!
It is well known with players that have played Q-Zar before that there is absolutely NO running in the arena. If you are running then you can easily come around a corner and slam into another person and most likely injure them. If you must get away from someone quickly then take a brisk walk but do NOT run! Believe me, you CAN get away from your opponent quick enough by walking. I do it all the time! =)
2. KEEP TWO HANDS ON THE GUN AT ALL TIMES!
This is another very important rule that is enforced at almost all Q-Zars. When you have two hands on the gun you have better control and better aiming capability (this isn't a pistol, it's more like a rifle . . ever fire a rifle with one hand??). The possibility of injury is much greater with only one hand on the gun because you can lose control and hit someone in the face with it. (Believe me, I've seen it happen! It hurts!!).
3. DO NOT CLIMB ON THE OBSTACLES!
Most Q-Zar arenas have obstacles (barrels, walls, etc) that you COULD climb over to get to a strategic location faster. Don't you think those obstacles were put there for a reason? You must NOT climb on any obstacle for most of them will NOT support your weight and WILL collapse!
4. NO PHYSICAL CONTACT!
This is a laser-tag game, not a football game! Under no circumstances in a Q-Zar game should you make purposeful physical contact. Bumps and accidental shoves are to be expected but do not put youself in a situation where you are going to purposefully envoke physical contact with another player whether it be a bump, push, shove, kick or anything of the sort. This is a NO PHYSICAL CONTACT game! This rule is so important that most Q-Zars will throw you out of the game (with NO refund) if they see it happen so be very careful!
There will obviously be other rules that specific Q-Zars will have but these are the main rules that most every Q-Zar goes by so please observe them and if there are other rules, follow them because they were made for your safety! If you do not understand any of the rules posted at a specific Q-Zar than please ask one of the employees to explain further.
THE PACK
The pack is designed to fit snuggly over the body with waist straps to adjust so that the vest will hold on securely during your game. There is also a strap for your gun which is to be looped once around your neck so it hangs from your neck. This is to ensure that you will not lose control of your gun during the game. The packs themselves are actually VERY durable and can take a lot of abuse but please try and be careful so that other players can enjoy the packs when they play. Just as a note: The pack requires 10 hours of charge time (usually plugged into the wall when not used to charge) for approximately 14 hours of play time.
INFORMATION ON THE GUN AND PACK
Once you grab your pack and gun you will notice information displayed on your gun. The top number is your number for that game (usually numbered 1 through 20). If you have a red pack and the number is 4 then you are RED 4. The bottom number, when you first get your unenergized pack, will display a -U which means that it is unenergized. Once you energize your pack (see below under ENERGIZERS) the numbers will change. The top number will now reflect how many lives you have and the bottom number will change to reflect how many shots you have per life (See below for info on SHOTS AND LIVES). The pack will also change on the FRONT sensor panel. The front panel will display a number which is your team number. If you pick up a red pack and the number flashes '4' then you are RED 4. The number on your gun BEFORE you energize is going to be the same number on your FRONT sensor AFTER you energize. It is important to remember your number because you will get a scorecard (see SCORECARDS below) to see how well you did against other team players after the game.
THE SENSOR AREAS
The pack has FIVE main sensor areas - the FRONT sensor (which, by the way, is bigger than the back one so you know which ones goes in front when you put it on), the BACK sensor (which is smaller than the FRONT), the two sides of the gun itself and down the barrel. So, here's what you have:
1. FRONT
2. BACK
3. SIDE OF GUN (LEFT)
4. SIDE OF GUN (RIGHT)
5. DOWN THE BARREL OF THE GUN
BEING TAGGED
You can be TAGGED in any of these five areas (listed above). When you are tagged in any of these areas, your pack will go through a series of changes: First and foremost the pack will vibrate momentarily and you will hear a 'hit' noise (which I can't describe, you'll have to experience it), Second, lights all over your vest will flash faster than normal for a brief second, and thirdly, and most importantly, your pack will talk with you. Let's go over the effect of 'being tagged' first:
1. VEST WILL VIBRATE
2. (HAPPENING AT THE SAME TIME AS #1) YOU
WIL HEAR A 'TAG' SOUND
3. (HAPPENING AT THE SAME TIME AS #1 AND
#2) RAPID LIGHT FLASHING FROM PACK & GUN
AFTER YOU ARE TAGGED
Your pack, after you are tagged, will now speak to you. First, it will go through a phase called your DEFENSE SHIELD phase where your gun will talk to you. On a standard game, you will hear "DEFENSE SHIELD! ACTIVE! ACTIVE!" coming from your gun. During this phase you CAN NOT be tagged and you CAN NOT shoot at anyone. This phase is to protect you and give you time to recooperate from being hit and allow yourself time to get into a more defensive location (hense the name 'Defense shield'). After the DEFENSE SHIELD period is over, your pack will go through another phase called the WARNING phase. During this phase, your pack will say "WARNING!" a few times. During this period, you CAN be shot but you CAN NOT shoot back so it is VERY important during this period to protect yourself and move away from opponents coming close to you because they CAN hit you but you CAN NOT hit them back during this phase!!
Once your gun has stopped speaking to you then you are cleared to shoot again as you wish. If you are shot again, you pack will go through the same changes as I have described yet again. =)
A general good rule of thumb for beginners to the game is if your gun is talking to you, you cannot shoot so as long as you gun speaks to you, you must find a place to take cover.
LIVES AND SHOTS
At the start of a STANDARD Q-Zar game you will have 4 lives with 20 shots per life. Once you have used up all your lives you gun will talk to you saying "RETURN TO ENERGIZER" at which time you return to your TEAM COLORED (If you're RED then go to the RED energizer as opposed to the GREEN energizer) energizer to regain your lives. You get 20 shots per life. The shot information is a little tricky to explain - You get 20 shots before you lose a life. If, during these 20 shots, you hit another player, your counter resets back to 20. If you do NOT hit another player during these 20 shots you will LOSE one life. Your gun with warn you once you get to 3 shots left by saying "WARNING! LOW ON SHOTS!" in which time you either hit someone on the opposite team within 3 shots or go back to an energizer to get 20 more shots. If you don't do either one by the time you reach 0 shots, you will lose a life.
THE REFLEX SHOT
One of the most important aspects that is overlooked by beginning players in a Q-Zar game is what is called the REFLEX SHOT. After you have been shot by an opposite colored player then you have 1 second in which to fire back before you pack goes through its DEFENSE SHIELD and WARNING phases. This REFLEX SHOT is very valuable to you and you should take full advantage of it.
THE ENERGIZERS
From what I have seen there are TWO main types of energizers that you will encounter at Q-Zar (Walk-Through and Waist-High). The walk-through energizer is simply that: A walk-through in which you walk through a specified area to energize your pack. A waist-high energizer allows you to place your gun on a sensor pad and wait for your pack to energize. To energize your pack at the beginning of the game you must energize at an energizer. Once you have energized you will be given 4 lives and 20 shots. Remember that when you run out of lives you must come back to your own team-colored energizer to get 4 more lives to continue the game. The pack will continually say "RETURN TO ENERGIZER" once you have run out of lives to remind you. And remember, you must return to your own TEAM COLORED energizer to energize. If you are RED you must go through a RED energizer to energize. The GREEN energizer will NOT energize you if you are RED.
THE HEADQUARTERS
The headquarters in most games is the focus of the game. You score the most points by hitting the headquarters and in a lot of arenas it takes a lot of skill to do this. I have seen two main types of energizers so I will describe them both. The first type is an open cylinder handing from the ceiling that is usually painted with the color of the home team - if you look closely you will see a reflective device (mirrorlike) that you must hit. The second type is NOT an open cylinder but a cylinder with a a plastic shield over the openening and a SMALL opening that spins in a circle. This second type of headquarters is much more difficult to hit because it requires timing and precision. Your goal is to shoot the OPPOSITE team's headquarters to score points.
For all headquarters you must shoot up into the cylinder (or cylinder hole) once, which will produce a beam of light to indicate that you hit it for the first time, then wait a specified amount of time for the second shot (usually told to you by the Marshals (See below) before the game) then shoot again. Once you do this successfully then lights will flash and a loud siren will sound. When this happens it means that you have successfully deactivated the opposite team's headquarters. (see SCORING POINTS below)
MARSHALS
This is the term given to the employees or team leaders who referee the game. The employees wear Q-Crew shirts and make sure all rules are followed. In a normal game there are two of these people patroling the arena during games. If you have any questions during or before the game then please ASK THEM! - that's why they are there. =)
SCORING POINTS
There are two main types of game scoring methods. One is called the 'Classic Scoring' method and the other is called the 'Hi-Scoring' Method. I will go over the 'Classic Scoring' Method first:
CLASSIC SCORING
TAGGING OPPONENT: +2/+200
GETTING HIT WITH A REFLEX SHOT: -1/-100
GETTING HIT BY A TEAM MEMBER: -1/-100
HITTING OPPOSITE HEADQUARTERS: +10/+1000
HI-SCORING
TAGGING OPPONENT: +1/+100
GETTING HIT WITH A REFLEX SHOT: -1/-100
GETTING HIT BY A TEAM MEMBER: -1/-100
HITTING OPPOSITE HEADQUARTERS: +10/+1000
The HI-SCORING method is used in beginning games because you start off with 200 team points and 10,000 personal points. My guess is that this method was implimented because too many people were getting negative scores resulting in people getting really frustrating and no coming back to play. =/ Bad business I guess. The classic scoring method is a standard game and should be used with experienced Q-Zar players all the time.
Note: The FIRST number is how many TEAM points you scored by performing the action. The SECOND number is how many PERSONAL points you scored by performing such action.
THE END OF THE GAME
At the end of a Q-Zar game your pack will make some final sounds and tell you one last time saying "GAME OVER, RETURN TO ENERGIZER". At this point you must return to one of the energizers and download your laser (send the information to the master computer to get a scorecard) When you have successfully downloaded your pack you gun will talk to you one last time by saying "THANK YOU FOR PLAYING Q-ZAR" - this is how you can tell if you have successfully downloaded. Any other response from the gun means that you did not download successfully.
YOUR SCORECARD AND HOW TO INTERPRET IT
After the game you exit the arena and receive a scorecard. Here is where your number comes in handy. =) If you were RED 4 then when they call out RED 4 at the counter go up and get your scorecard. On many scorecards there is a very nicely layed out schematic on the BACK to interpret the information on the front. Follow that. If the guide is not there then ask someone at Q-Zar what the numbers mean and they will show you how good/bad you did. =)
Intermediate Information on playing Q-Zar
This section is mainly for players that have played the game 10 or more times and really like it and/or feel very comfortable with the general aspects of the game and want to learn more. If you'd like to know how to become better then please read on!
To understand this section you must be fully versed in all the information in the General Q-Zar Game section. If you are not than play the game some more and/or read the General Q-Zar Game section again cuz you might not understand what I'll be saying when I talk about some advanced information.
VARIOUS TYPES OF GAMES
There are a few types of games that can be played that are all apart of Q-Zar:
1. ENERGIZE
2. SUPERCHARGE
3. BATTLEFIELD
4. SOLO
5. ELIMINATOR
6. STUN
A game which is entitled ENERGIZE is a STANDARD game. No modifications are in this game unless stated (see VARIATIONS). It can be called ENERGIZE 4, ENERGIZE 6, ENERGIZE 20 or whatever. The number signifies how many lives you get before you must energize to get more lives.
A game which is entitled SUPERCHARGE has
variations built into the game, instead of being able to tag the
headquarters many many times during a standard game, you have to
ACHEIVE this honor. =)
A game which is entitled BATTLEFIELD is VASTLY different than any other game played. In a BATTLEFIELD game, a number of packs, both GREEN and RED, are placed in strategic locations in the arena and will act as MINES! These packs can tag you as opponents can during the game so it is best to avoid them! If you must go near a pack then watch the lights on the pack . . if they start to blink then shot the pack. Every 10 seconds a pack will blink. The blinking is a warning that the pack will 'denoate' (fire) shots off in the next second or two. When a pack fires it shoots out tags in all directions and if you are in its range, you WILL be hit and be subtracted points as if you were hit by an opponent with the expection that no points will be awarded to the other team! The battlefield packs can be set in a variety of ways:
MINE DISABLED - This simply means that
the pack/mine is not part of the game and disabled.
MINE INVULNERABLE - This mine will detonate
as usual the only difference is that you cannot tag to
deactivate!
MINE VULNERABLE - You may tag the mines to
get points if the pack/mine is setup with this option.
MINE TRIGGER - This simply means that the
mine/pack is set to explode either randomly or at set times.
A game which is entitled SOLO has a simple variation. Regardless of what color pack you have on, there are *NO* teams! It's a 'free-for-all' in the arena. The way I see it, if something moves . . shoot it! You are your own team! There are no TEAM points. Only PERSONAL points during this game.
A game which is entitled ELIMINATOR is by far the most difficult of all the games at Q-Zar. An ELIMINATOR game can be called ELIMINATOR 4, ELIMINATOR 6, ELIMINATOR 20 or ANY number after the game type. The number simply specifies the amount of lives you get at the beginning of the game. An ELIMINATOR game is different in that the number of lives you start out with at the beginning of the game is ALL of the lives you will have for the game. So, if you are playing an ELIMATOR 10 game, you will have a total of 10 lives. Once you are tagged 10 times (in this instance) then you are out of the game and the game is over for you. No re-energizing to get lives. 10 is all you have. Remember please that you are given only ONE life at a time so after you expend a life by being tagged you MUST go back to your energizer to acquire another life. The only way that you can GET additional lives is by shooting the opposite team players. If you successfully shoot an opposite team member in an ELIMINATOR game and you haven't lost any of your lives and you are NOT hit by a reflex shot then you will be GIVEN A LIFE. You will now have 1 more life than you started with. If you want to know how many lives you have left at any point in the game, simply look down at your gun and the top number will reflect how many lives you have left.
A game entitled STUN is a game that doesn't use energizers. You energize at the beginning of the game but you have INFINATE lives so you never have to re-energize. In my opinion, this type of game requires a lot less strategy than a normal energize game. With that in mind you can see why this game is normally played with beginning players.
VARIATIONS ON THE TYPES OF GAMES
Experienced players will notice the cominbations of various games, but there are a few options that are more subtle that are put into games to make it more interesting:
1. NO REFLEX SHOT
2. 1 SHOT PER SECOND / 2 SHOTS PER SECOND
3. NO DEFENSE SHIELDS
4. RAPID FIRE
5. LETHAL ENERGIZERS
6. SPIES
7. SMART BOMBS
A game with the option of NO REFLEX SHOT will simply not allow you to shoot back after you have been shot. You must go through the entire DEFENSE SHIELD/WARNING phase of the pack to shoot again. This makes for a very interesting game cuz you cannot rely on hitting them after they hit you, you MUST hit them first!
A game with 1 SHOT PER SECOND is a standard game. No matter how many times you pull the trigger it will NOT allow you to shoot more than once per second. A game with 2 SHOTS PER SECOND will only allow you to shoot a maximum of 2 SHOTS PER SECOND regardless of how many times you pull the trigger.
A game with the option of NO DEFENSE SHIELDS is a very fast paced and difficult game. Simpy put, a game with this option will not go through the DEFENSE SHIELD/WARNING phase of the packs. Once you are shot, you immediately revert to being able to shoot and be shot IMMEDIATELY! So, in this game, if someone is trying to get away from you, you can pound on him with the only restriction being the amount of lives he has!
A game with the option of RAPID FIRE simply allows you to fire as fast as you can pull the trigger! These types of games are usually reserved for beginning players in order to give them an even playing field when playing with more experienced players. To put experienced players on 1 or 2 SHOTS PER SECOND while putting beginners on RAPID FIRE makes for more interesting games. =)
A game with the option of LETHAL ENERGIZERS is somewhat misleading. The energizers are not the ones that are 'lethal'. It is the HEADQUARTERS that you need to look out for. The headquarters, after it is disabled (shot twice) will fire tags in all directions for 30 seconds after it is disabled. Stay clear of this!
A game with the option of SPIES is a very fun game! During the game at random intervals, someone on a specified team will be 'chosen' to be a SPY. When you are a SPY you gun will flash double UU and when you pull the trigger it will make a high pitched sound. In this mode you can hit your teammates for +4/+400 points. You will be a SPY for 2 minutes after the start of your spydom OR until you get shot which will end you being a SPY.
A game with the option of SMART BOMBS means that team members will be given a specified amount of SMART BOMBS for the game. To utilize these bombs you must hold down the trigger for approximately 2 seconds while aiming at your opponent. If this is done correctly then your gun will shoot out infared tags in all directions to tag MULTIPLE opponents.
COMBINATIONS OF GAMES
Playing more often in Q-Zar you will encounter different types of games with all sorts of variations such as:
SUPERCHARGE 1, NO REFLEX - Simply put, this game is a STANDARD SUPERCHARGE game with only one life. Once you expend that life, you must re-energize. On top of that, you get no reflex shot. If you are shot, you are dead. =) The game is MOST difficult and only the most experienced players are able to hit the headquarters even once!
ENERGIZE 6, NO DEFENSE SHIELDS, NO REFLEX - Another option is a standard game with 6 lives starting out with NO DEFENSE SHIELDS (see above) and without the ability to REFLEX shoot the other player once hit.
Get the idea? Pretty simple, huh? =) These are only examples, there will be MANY different variations so keep your ears peeled! =)
TIME LEFT?
Difficult to see the scoreboard from where you are standing in the arena? Want to know how much time you have left without getting into a position where you can be hit while looking at the scoreboard? Hold down the trigger on your gun for a few seconds without letting go. After a few seconds your gun will say "TIME LEFT" and the time will be displayed on your panel. Neat, huh?
TEAMWORK AND TEAMPLAY
Once you have played several times, you might want to actually get a GOOD game going. To get a really good standard game going, you're going to need teamwork. You need to cover your teammates so if they get shot you can take over or back them up. TEAMPLAY should be fairly easy once you get to know some people and have played with them a number of times. Communication is very important in teamplay . . there's no rule about informing other teammates of opposing teammates closing in or about to hit the headquarters . . shouts across the arena can become helpful in bringing your other teammates to your rescue in times of need!
A NOTE ON RAPID FIRE
I have found out through a lot of play time that there is a big difference between 1/2 shots per second and RAPID FIRE when it comes to 'sensitivity' in the sensors. A person that has been energized with RAPID FIRE must be a LOT more precise with his shot/shots to actually 'hit' you. They may be able to fire VERY fast but the shots are not as powerful as the shots of 1/2 shots per second. Please keep this in mind while playing. You can use this to your advantage.
HANDICAPS
HANDICAPS are given with what is called the MARSHAL LASER which is a master laser capable of making your life a living hell. =) The purpose of this MARSHAL laser is to alter your pack to make it more difficult for you against beginner players. What the MARSHAL laser does is increases the DEFENSE SHIELD and WARNING pack times. Please note that you as an INDIVIDUAL are affected and not your team. Here are the settings:
Handicap 1 Setting: 3 second DEFENSE
SHIELD with NO WARNING phase / 3 SECOND REFLEX SHOT
Handicap 2 Setting: 3 second DEFENSE SHIELD
with 3 second WARNING phase / 1 SECOND REFLEX SHOT
Handicap 3 Setting: 1 second DEFENSE SHIELD
with 5 second WARNING phase / 0.7 second REFLEX SHOT
Handicap 4 Setting: 1 second DEFENSE SHILED
with 8 second WARNING phase / 0.5 second REFLEX SHOT
NOTE: The Handicap 2 setting is a NORMAL setting for the Q-Zar game.
ACCURACY WITH THE LASER
The lasers themselves do not need a great deal of aiming to hit a target. You can hit someone without aiming too precisely on them just be sure that you're in the general area. But please keep in mind that as the distance increases it is more difficult to hit your opponent because the infared beam that comes out of your gun fans out. Your gun is most affective at short to medium range.
A NOTE ABOUT THE TAGGING AND THE GUN
After playing several games you might have known that your gun will speak to you yet another time and that's when you hit an opponent. Except, the problem is, your gun doesn't always talk when you hit an opponent. Whenever the SEND portion of you gun sends the tag information out and successfully TAGS the opponent *AND* RECEIVES the information back to your gun THEN the gun talks to you saying "GOOD SHOT". Please note that in a SUPERCHARGE game in order to get SUPERCHARGED you MUST get 5 GOOD SHOTS - There have been many an instance where I have hit MORE than 5 people and NOT gotten SUPERCHARGED. The key is to get the "GOOD SHOT" from your gun and ultimately the "GOOD SHOT, WELL PLAYED" to be SUPERCHARGED. Got it? Good. =)
STAYING OUT OF THE LASER BEAM!
Do not make yourself an open target. Keep down and make sure your sensors are not showing especially your gun! One of the most common mistakes of every new player is thinking that their gun is invulnerable by aiming it like a sniper would. They forget that their gun has MOST of the sensors on it!!! Make the most of this and also keep in mind not to make the same mistake!
MAKING THE MOST OF THE REFLEX SHOT
Keep alert and always aware of who is around you. If you are hit from what seems to be 'out of nowhere' then chances are 99% of the time that it's not true . . someone DID hit you who probably still hasn't had the chance to escape yet. . make the most of that ONE second that you do have! Turn around quickly and try to shoot who hit whoever shot you before your one second is up. Heck, if you can't find the person who shot you, find another opposite colored player and tag him! Points are points! One second may not seem like a lot of time but you'd be surprised what you can do in that length of time!!
HEADQUARTER DELAYS
Some specifics on headquarter delays: The maximum delay setting for a headquarters is 10 seconds between the two shots and the minimum is 1 second. The headquarters will actually talk when it goes through varies cycles:
"WARNING, REPEAT TO
DEACTIVATE" - This will sound after you have fired your
first shot to deactivate the HQ.
"WARNING, WARNING, FORCE FIELD
GENERATOR DEACTIVATED" - Sound heard when HQ is deactivated.
"FORCE FIELD GENERATOR ACTIVE IN 10
SECONDS" - 10 seconds left before HQ resets.
"FORCE FIELD GENERATOR ACTIVE IN 5
SECONDS" - 5 seconds left before HQ resets.
"FORCE FIELD GENERATOR ACTIVE, ACTIVE,
ACTIVE" - Said when HQ resets itself.
NOTE: HQ is an abreviations for HEADQUARTERS.
'CLEARING' YOUR TEAMMATES
One of the first things that we found out about when playing is that when your teammate has been hit and is going into his WARNING stage, if a teammate shoots and hits this person then it makes a loud BONG sound. You do lose points for this action but what this does is it 'clears' your teammate from going on through the WARNING stage and he goes immediately into a state of being able to fire. There is a cost, as I stated, but when you're playing close quarters it can be VERY helpful when defending or attacking.
Very Advanced Q-Zar Play Information
I would estimate that if you're reading this, you've played the game at least 50-100 times and really want to learn the techniques that can keep even the most advanced opponents on their toes. Well, I'm about to tell all and let you in on every secret that I've seen while playing Q-Zar.
Please don't misinterpret this information as me saying "I'm Mr. Badass and I'm the Best!!" - No. I have a lot to learn even after playing as much as I have. I get my butt whipped a lot in my hometown Q-Zar but there are times when I am the one kicking butt of course. =) I always learn new techniques almost every time I play. If you think you know everything about Q-Zar than chances are that you're wrong. I've tried to keep that idea in mind whenever I play someone new. I think that you should always have good sportsmanship when playing this game and I want other players to benefit from what I've learned, hence this page. =)
PACKS - AN OBSERVATION
Now, I'm not an electronics genius and no, I haven't taken the pack or the gun apart to find out how it ticks but I've played enough to know a few things.
From what I've been able to tell, the pack/gun can only process one 'type' of command at a time which leads to CANCELING (see below) and other abilities that will become evident as you read on.
GUN SPECIFICS
Pretty gun, huh? Neat little lights? I think you're beyond that, right? Welp, in case you haven't noticed, that neat little light that comes out of the laser (the visible light portion of it) is completely useless in the game of Q-Zar . . yep, that's right. The whole purpose of that light is so you can see where you are shooting. You can have a pack that doesn't fire the visible light and it'll work JUST AS WELL AS OTHERS! Why? Well, the part of the gun that actually SENDS the information is right above where the gun fires the visible light (also called the TRACER BEAM) there's a tube with a divider in the middle - it's about an inch above where the TRACER comes out. That's where the real action is. It's divided because one side SENDS information and the other RECEIVES information. Every time you fire the gun, it sends out a signal and if it hits, it send the signal back and the RECEIVE portion of the gun picks it up. If you doubt me, then the next time you play, aim your gun DIRECTLY at an opposite team member and let them try to hit you DOWN THE BARREL while you're coving the tubes. . not on the sides of the laser . . they are still sensitive . . but if you BLOCK the SEND/RECEIVE portion of the front of the laser then you've basically covered one sensor so opponents can't hit you. But, if you tilt the gun slightly to the side and they clip you on the side sensor then the gun will STILL go off. The SEND/RECEIVE tube is only for down the barrel.
PLUGGING
This 'technique' is considered illegal by all Q-Zar players because, well, simply put - it's cheating but I thought I should mention it for you to identify it yourself.
You see, your gun/pack only records 'negative' information. Any time you get shot, you gun records that information so if you get shot 4 times and then just before you get to the energizer you 'plug' then it erases all the negative points that you just got for yourself and for the team.
What we mean by 'plugging' is the ability to erase the information stored in the gun for the game. There are two main ways to do this and both are from the gun. Underneath the gun there is a small hole very similar to an AC adaptor hole that is used to power the gun. When the packs are low on energy then they are put back up and plugged into the wall overnight to power up. That is what this plug hole is used for. If you use an adaptor that will fit into this hole then you will trigger the gun to reset itself and erase the information. The other way you can 'plug' is by messing with the fuse on the base of the first handle of the gun. You can do this by using a key or other flat instrument to turn the fuse . . by turning it slightly you can active resetting the gun the same way the power plug does.
Now you know how to identify people who do 'plug'. Please do not use this information to cheat cuz it's no no fun for either you or the other team.
THROUGH THE OPPOSITE TEAM'S ENERGIZER
This is considered VERY dishonorable in a lot of Q-Zars but alas I will mention it because it has been used and even I have used it in the past to shock people who don't know about it. =)
Now, normally, anyone that goes through the opposite team's ENERGIZER will be downloaded (i.e. Lose all their lives and have to return to their own energizer). Welp, remember when I said that the pack can only do one thing at a time? Well, here it goes again! If you're hit and your pack is going through it's DEFENSE SHIELD or WARNING phases then go through the energizer when your gun is talking to you. You won't be downloaded. =) The pack is busy running it's defense shield/warning phases that the gun doesn't receive information from the energizer to download or at least that's MY take of it. =)
HEADQUARTERS REFLEX SHOT
This technique was used by us a LONG time ago and has died out but it is still good to use on people who don't expect it! This technique is used most frequently when the time delay between the first and second shots on the headquarters is within the range of the reflex shot. So, if the headquarters is set to about a 2 and MAYBE a 3 second delay then it would be effective. Here's how you do it:
Go inside the opposite team's headquarters and fire your first shot at the headquarters, then IF YOU'RE HIT BEFORE YOU HIT IT A SECOND TIME, use your REFLEX shot to set off the headquarters! It'll work! People have developed a counter to this: People wait for the 2 seconds to pass by before hiting the person in the headquarters so they can avert this problem. =) Confusing? You'll understand once someone does it to you a few times. =)
CANCELING SHOTS
With the above in mind, you've probably come across a few times when you've shot at the EXACT same time as the other person RIGHT at them and it doesn't do anything. You guys are just so fast that you maybe do it a few times. Well, did you know that you don't even need to be AIMING at the person to cancel their shot!?!? If your reflexes are quick enough and I mean QUICK then you can perfect this technique. It's gonna take a LOT of practice . . hell, I can't do it and I've played over 1,000 times but then again I've never concentrated on practicing! Here's the idea:
When you're in close quarters with someone and they're about to shoot you, try to anticipate the INSTANT they fire and pull your trigger at the exact same time . . . hell, intimidate them . . point your gun UPWARDS and fire! If you're fast enough you can cancel their shot. The idea is that the pack can only process one thing at a time . . either a send or a receive signal so if you're shooting at the EXACT moment that they're firing at you then your pack isn't going to receive the information about the hit which, in essence, CANCELS the shot!
Now, this can be used to it's MAXIMUM effect on a reflex shot, like it was done on me by some players awhile back! When you hit your opponent, hold back and wait for them to come around for the REFLEX shot . . when they do, anticipate their timing and fire at the EXACT MOMENT THEY DO! If you're successful, you won't be hit by their reflex and you will have gotten away with hitting them. =) Neat, huh? Practice!
DOUBLE SHOTS!
I can't count the amount of times this technique has been performed on me with very nasty results. Let me explain how this happens. Whenever an opponent hits you with a laser shot, if you come around with a REFLEX shot to shoot either him or another player with the reflex and at the EXACT same time as your REFLEX shot is about to be shot you are shot by another opposite team member then you can get hit AGAIN if the shot is at the EXACT same time as your REFLEX shot. Nasty, huh? It's all about timing. It gets even easier if you play a game with 2 SHOTS PER SECOND because it can be done quicker and by only ONE opposite team member a lot easier because of the timing. It's hard to explain but you're understand once you've had it happen to you a few times. =)
BLOCKING
Blocking is by far the most common type of defensive move that many people use. Blocking is simply either directly or indirectly covering to some extent the sensors on your pack and/or gun to make it more difficult for an opponent to hit you. There are a few different types of blocking that I will go into.
Blocking Style A
The first blocking technique that I will start with is the easiest one to master and that is to use your arm to cover both your side gun sensors and your front sensor panel. Blocking, in general is MOST effective when against a wall. Using your arm, you place it across your side gun sensor and use your other hand to fire the gun (using the thumb is most comfortable for me). It would be MOST difficult for me to describe in detail how this blocking technique is done but needless to say, at first it is very uncomfortable but after several times it is very effective and comfortable.
Pluses: Covers
very well, hard to hit gun
and front sensor.
Negatives: Lacks speed, easy to hit out in
the open when not on a wall.
Blocking Style B
The second blocking technique is very similar to Style A in that you use your arm to cover the gun's side sensor and the front sensor on your pack but with this style you use your other arm also to cover the other side gun sensor while it's placed against your chest . . thereby blocking your entire front region. If done correctly, this style is VERY VERY difficult to counter.
Pluses: Almost TOTAL cover in the front and SUPER difficult to hit when done properly.
Negatives: Lack of speed . . puts you in
such a defensive position that it's difficult to reflex properly.
Blocking Style C
The third and final major blocking style is the one that I use and a majority of players that I've played use because it's fast and very effective when done correctly. It is by far the most difficult to master because it relies so much more on body movement than Styles A and B.
To understand this style you must understand that in order for a hit to be registered on a pack or a gun, it has to hit at an ANGLE or dead CENTER! That is the key! If a person is perfectly parallel (sideways) to an opponent with his gun pointed down (to disallow down the barrel shots) then you CANNOT HIT THEM! The sensor does NOT register 'side' hits BUT (and this is a big BUT) if your parallel movement varies by even 1% to the side then you WILL BE HIT by a well placed shot. If you don't understand what I'm talking about that's okay cuz it's difficult to understand. Here's the way you place your gun:
Right Handed Players - Place your left hand underneat the barrel of the gun and place your right hand as if you were going to pull the trigger (standard enough, huh?) but the key is to pull your gun ABOVE (most comfortable) your front sensor and as close to your body as possible to make yourself seem flat and to disallow shots to hit you from other angles. At the same time point your gun down when not firing (so as not to get hit by down the barrel shots)
Left Handed Players - Do the same thing as right handed players except put your right hand under the barrel and your left hand as your trigger finger.
Please understand that with the technique at the beginning, you WILL get hit a LOT! It takes a lot of practice to master!
Pluses: Very
fast and agile, quick reflexes
Negatives: Against the wall this is very
difficult to defend with and also takes a lot of practice!
Now, there are slight variations to all these styles but these are the major types that I have encountered.
TIMING
Timing is VERY important to the game of Q-Zar. Even with the loud music that usually accompanies the game you can still hear what other people's guns are saying to them. Keep an ear to this because this can work to your advantage. Let me explain:
Let's say that you just hit your oponent and he's walking away from you. Listen to his gun, when it gets to the warning stage again, hit him again but be ready to duck behind a wall or use a blocking technique to stop his REFLEX shot. This works very well against inexperienced players and some experienced players that cannot find a place to hide quick enough.
After awhile you'll be able to time in your mind how long the DEFENSE SHIELD is so you can hit them without even hearing their gun telling them the WARNING sound! It takes quite a bit of practice but you can do it.
Also, when you're going against your oponent and he's following you, then time his DEFENSE SHIELD and WARNINGS around walls . . if he's following you and he's on DEFENSE SHIELD then time it so that when he gets on WARNING you can quickly hit him and go behind a wall so he can't REFLEX you. Simple things like this can make a big difference in a game!
RANDOM MOVEMENT (TECHNIQUE I USE)
Some time ago I played against someone that used this technique to a limited degree and I decided to adopt it because of it's effectiveness.
This technique is most effective when used with either Blocking Style A or B. The technique, for me, is mainly executed to avert many shots from a single opponent. While using either Style A or B, move your torso around in a random manor quickly so your oponent cannot get a 'bead' on your front sensor or your gun which is against your chest. If you do it quick enough then they will fire shot after shot into your: shoulder, head, elbow, wrist, etc. I successfully used this technique against an advanced oponent and took away all four of his lives when he was less than 2 feet from me! I'd hit him and then wiggle around for his REFLEX and he'd never hit. =)
I have not seen this technique used very effectively when people use Blocking Style C and the reason being you just have too much open and you're not PHYSICALLY blocking any sensor to 'help' with the technique so it is much less effective with this blocking style.
FIRING BEFORE A REFLEX CAN HAPPEN
Okay, this is a bit tricky but I'll try to explain it as simply as I can. This technique relies on games with only 1 shot per second. It doesn't work very effectively with 2. Here's what to do:
When an opponent fires at you and misses, fire back and hit him before he gets to his second shot! In another words, he fires, you fire back WITHIN that 1 second time before he has another shot and if you do this correctly you will cancel is reflex shot out! The pack 'forgets' that you have a reflex shot after you have been hit and doesn't compensate for it. If you fire to slowly and go just over that 1 second that you are given then he will already be to his next shot and fire back with a reflex.
BOUNCING SHOTS
Oh boy. Here we go. This is a very controversial issue with a lot of Q-Zar players. A lot of people consider it unfair because it's heavily biases on what arena you're in and what clothes people are wearing and others consider it fair because it's using the arena to it's full advantage. Simply put, bouncing shots is reflecting the infared beam (the invisible light that carries the shot info) off of paint, shoes, shirts, glasses, glass, walls, etc. Almost anything that's bright and shiny will reflect a shot. I've even seen people try to bounce shots off of other people's shoelaces! It does work!
I can't give you any suggestions on how to do this because, personally, I don't LIKE to do it and haven't practiced it. The rare times I DO do it is against opponents that are a long way away and are trenched in and I can't get to them. All I can say is don't sit in an area where the angle allows you to be hit by paint that is highly reflective off a way or a window or a fire extinguisher cuz you just might get hit. =)
It even got so bad that when the Marshal walked around (with that BRIGHT white shirt on) we would bounce shots of the Marshal's shirt onto other players!
Oh, one last warning about bouncing shots: You can bounce off of other players! The sensors are plastic and reflective so if you're huddled together in a corner with another teammate, he could be a liability to you cuz someone can bounce off of him (whether he's energized or not) to hit you!
THE MEGATARGET
Your arena may have a megatarget, just ask somebody and they will show you where it is. It is a big round object usually hung in a strategic location where you can shoot it. When you shoot it, it fires back into the arena shooting everything within it's range of visiblity. You get points for shooting this, but you can also get some of your own team members or yourself if you aren't careful causing you and your team to get negative points.
A NOTE ON BEING SUPERCHARGED
A little piece of information that someone mailed to me and I verified with some of my teammates was the fact that you can outwit other players in a SUPERCHARGE game.
If, when you get supercharged, you go through an OPPOSITE team colored energizer (which will automatically download) then you can thereby cover yourself from keeping the SUPERCHARGE status and faking your opponents out. Simply go to your own colored energizer to energize after you have de-energized at an OPPOSITE team colored energizer and wallah, you are still SUPERCHARGED! Neat, huh? Just walk up to the other team's base and pound away. =)
How to Block
One of the most controversial issues when it comes to Q-Zar is the ability to 'block' or 'cover' your sensors in such a way that a person has a more difficult time tagging the person that is blocking or covering. This is definately an issue open for much discussion because it brings up the question: Is it really possible to block ALL of your sensors COMPLETELY?
COVERING SENSORS - A COMPLETE JOB?
I have played the game of Q-Zar for a long time and I have played many people and seen many blocking strategies and I have YET to see a covering/blocking style that covers a person's sensors in their entirety so that a person CANNOT hit them. Nope. Haven't seen it. =) I've seen people TRY - I've even seen people sit down on the ground (which is considered illegal in most Q-Zars) and take about 20-30 seconds to position themselves so that they cannot be hit and still they can be hit by some angle.
"BUT I CAN'T HIT THEM!! WHAT DO I DO??"
Well, that's a good question. Please keep in mind that you CAN hit them. It may take a certain angle but I bet you can coax a tag out of them somewhere. =) I guess the most common way a person blocks is by putting himself in a place where he simply cannot be hit from where you are standing. Let's go over Exion's handy checklist, shall we? =)
1. WHAT'S THE DISTANCE TO THE TARGET, SIR?
This is probably the first thing you want to ask yourself: How far away are you from the person you are trying to hit. Well, the easiest way to get around this is to NOT let the opponent get that much distance on you but if they are at quite a distance and they're behind a wall or in a situation where they are blocked than you can do either one of two things in my opinion:
A. ONE WORD - REFLECT!
I hate to do this in games but sometimes it's necessary. If you feel that their pack/gun is at an angle to a reflective surface than by all means, shoot at the wall and try to reflect if you can but sometimes the defender is smart and has prepared himself for this contingency!
B. RUSH!
The most common suggestion I will give someone (when the distance isn't THAT great) is to move quickly (do NOT run) towards the target moving in an erratic pattern and rely on your speed and randomness to protect you from being hit. I've used this MANY times and most of the time when you do it correctly (practice makes perfect) then you can at least hit them with a reflex shot.
2. WHAT BLOCKING SYTLE ARE THEY USING?
If you refer back back to my blocking styles methods (Advanced Techniques on my main page) than I shall go over these techniques one by one and how to get around them.
A. BLOCKING STYLE A!
Welp, I've gone against this one all too often to tell ya what to do here. =) Remember that in this blocking style their weak point is the BOTTOM of their front sensor and if they are not against a wall then their BACK sensor is up for grabs too a lot of times. If they are close to you and they are trying to protect themselves on a CURVED surface (such as a cylinder) than try for their BACK sensor - it's going to be a little open almost all the time (depends on how they shift their body weight) and if that's not open then be ready - when they come around to hit you, fire at their gun - make them go offense! But, the bottom line for this blocking style is to get them from the FRONT and from the BOTTOM. Easiest way and works almost every time.
B. BLOCKING STYLE B!
This is a variation of blocking style A (as I have gone over in the Advanced Page) but with better protection to the front sensor. In this technique you can almost forget hitting them from the TOP and FRONT sensor because this is where they are going to expect you to hit. Against, try the BOTTOM and FRONT sensor. Keep in mind that this block lacks some SERIOUS speed so anytime they come out of it to fire then they're gonna be exposed. If they just sit there then go up and hit them down the BARREL of the gun. If for some reason they are sitting on the ground trying to block this way then get a Marshal and tell them that they have a player sitting on the floor - I can almost guarantee you that they'll get him up. =) Now, a few rare people have the ability to shift their blocking from TOP strong to BOTTOM strong so in this case you'll have to be VERY fast and fake around for a bit but you'll get 'em. Always remember that these attacks on a defending person will require some or a lot of practice but be patient. It'll work.
C. BLOCKING STYLE C!
I consider blocking style C (again, check the Advanced page for this blocking style and others) to more of an INDIRECT blocking style than A or B because you are not really directly using your body to block your sensors . . you're more just angling your body to deflect the laser. In any case this is the easiest to attack and hit. Remember that this blocking style relies most HEAVILY on the person's reflexes when trying to defend so you're gonna have the most success in faking. This blocking style is very easy to hit out in the open so if you can, coax the person out to follow you in the open.
TIPS ON ALL BLOCKING STYLES
Watch what the defending person does - How do they react to certain types of attacks. The best thing you can do is hold yourself against the opposite wall in which they are defending and look for any sensor lights showing . . if you find any, shoot them. =) If you can see lights anywhere on their pack then they can be hit. =) The most common way to attack certain people (notice that I don't use 'blocking styles') is to watch how that person reacts. What is their pattern? Do they double-back on you a lot? EVERYONE HAS A WEAKNESS!
PHYSICAL CONTACT AND BLOCKING
A few people that I have played with have realized that if you get in close to your attacker and move quickly when they try and fire at them then they have very little room in which to maneuver to shoot. I don't see anything illegal about this but in most cases they will initiate some form of physical contact with the attacker. Keep in mind that physical contact in ANY way is illegal! If they initiate physical contact with you then they are breaking the rules! Call a Marshal if needbe but politely remind the person of the rules. Some Q-Zars may be lax about this rule but if you're playing in a league or professional game then this rule should be strictly enforced!
BLOCKING/COVERING AND NEW PLAYERS
Ah-ha! Now, this is just plain wrong. First of all there should be very few times when very experienced players should EVER play new players - first of all it's not at all fun for BOTH parties and second of it, it's unfair, at least in my opinion it is. If you are ever thrown into a game with new players then the very LEAST you can do is tone it down! Don't do those moves and blocking styles that you do against the other regulars. Keep it clean. Remember that if the customers become frustrated and can't hit you and tell you that you're cheating then they won't come back. And if too many new players don't come back then you have a closed Q-Zar and nowhere to play. It's a bad practice for all in the end.
SO, IS IT UNFAIR TO BLOCK?
Except in the case of new players, no I do not consider it unfair based on one simple fact: No matter how well a person blocks, you can ALWAYS hit them! I have read message after message that argue that it is simply unfair that Q-Zar players block - well I find it very interesting to note that the people who complain the most about this type of 'defense' are the ones that are most unfamiliar with the sport! New players WILL consider this unfair (check above) and should NOT have to deal with it as I have already stated!
My last word is that if it were truly impossible to hit players when they are blocking then how in the heck could you have a tournament dealing with Q-Zar? Wouldn't it be impossible? You wouldn't score any points except for headquarter hits! =)
END NOTE
I know that this is by far NOT the end of Advanced Techniques that can be used. I cannot think of any more off the top of my head but as more come to me or I hear more either by you emailing me and suggesting more or by my own learning them I will post them where appropriate!
Special thanks to everyone I know, especially Lassen Loop, who got me into this fantastic sport in the first place and to Dale and Brian who run the Q-Zar place in Searcy, Arkansas. You can contact them (501)278-5059, ask for Dale. Also, I would like to credit those who I have taken some of this information and combined this to make an ultimate survival guide and of course, the geniuses who invented laser tag.
