Laser Quest
Laser Quest is the name of a Canadian/English indoor lasertag game using infrared hand-held units and vests. It is also the name of the company which operates each game centre. There are over 100 Laser Quest centres worldwide, including sites in Canada, the United States, Mexico, the UK, the Republic of Ireland, France, Reunion Island, Portugal, Singapore and the Netherlands. Laser Quest's oldest centre is located in Stourbridge, West Midlands, England.
Overview of the game of Laser Quest
The player's goal in Laser Quest is to tag their opponents as many times as possible, while the player avoids being tagged. The players are equipped with an infrared/laser hand held unit and a pack with infrared sensors. Players start the game in a large multi-level maze-like arena filled with ramps, catwalks and windows. In Laser Quest centres, the playing arenas are filled with theatrical fog and black light, strobes and UV-reactive painted surfaces. While play can seem chaotic, there are rules that are enforced. Players recite a "Player's Code" in the Briefing Room, where they go to learn how to play the game. The Player's Code includes a vow not to run, climb, jump, sit, kneel, lie down, cover any sensors, make physical contact with other players, use offensive language, and to 'play hard, play smart, and play to survive!'. At least one employee or "Marshal" is present in the arena at all times, to ensure fair and safe game play and to make sure people enjoy their time.Equipment
Every LQ centre is equipped with approximately 30 packs, also called vests or ponchos. This number varies with busier arenas having more packs to accommodate larger crowds. The pack is made of a thick canvas-type material that hangs over the shoulders. When laid out flat on a table the vest forms a diamond shape. Sensors placed on various parts of the vest covering the chest, the back, and each shoulder. "There are additional sensors housed within the hand-held 'laser' unit located at the front, and both sides of the laser."The infrared sensors are attached to printed circuit boards, which include several colours of LEDs, often red and green or red and blue, that light up when the pack is active. Each PCB is housed in a hard plastic cover. Part of each cover is made from clear plastic to allow the IR beams to reach the sensors.
Inside the laser shell is the PCB with sensors and lights, a speaker to indicate the status of the pack, a trigger, and an LCD to display the status of the pack to the player. The IR unit is what emits the visible laser the eye sees and the invisible IR beam which "tags" the opponent's packs.
The laser has a display in the rear. When a player is tagged, it displays the codename of the tagger and the location of the tag. It also occasionally displays the player's current ranking as the game progresses.
Scoring
Laser Quest players gain points by tagging other players or by tagging the opposing team's base. They lose points when they are tagged by other players, or when they are caught in a trap. The number of points lost depends on where the player hit and game settings. The scale for a typical game is as follows:- Shoulders: 3 points
- Laser: 3 points
- Back: 4 points
- Front: 5 points
Players may also be awarded bonus points based on their accuracy—usually 10 points for every 1% hit rate. In other words, if a player achieved a hit rate of 10%, he or she would be awarded 100 bonus points. In a standard 'Solo' game, this bonus is limited to a maximum of 100 points, far less than the theoretical maximum of 1000 points awarded to a 100% accuracy. This prevents players tagging one person with their first tag and then hiding for the rest of the game. As it is possible to tag multiple players with one tag, it is possible for a player's accuracy ratio to exceed 100%.
In team games, the team score is the sum of all similarly-colored players' individual scores.
Game variants
The hardware and software used limit what types of games a Laser Quest center can hold. Up to four different groups of settings can be created; it is normal for everyone on a team to have the same settings, though this is not required. When giving packs within a team different settings, the packs will not be visibly different in-game, with the exception of 'sentinel' packs that have the ability to give lives and ammunition to teammates. These packs are identified by an alternate light pattern on the front and back sensor.The settings which can be altered are:
| Available settings | options | standard game settings |
| Game type | All-on-all, 2-team, 3-team, 4-team | All-on-all |
| Game time | 1 to 99 | 15 |
| Number of lives | 1 to 99 or unlimited | unlimited |
| Number of shots | 1 to 9999 or unlimited | unlimited |
| Downtime | 1 to 99 | 2-5 |
| Shoulder sensors | on/off | on |
| Laser sensors | on/off | on |
| Base | on/off | off |
| Replenishers | on/off | off |
| Replenisher values for lives and shots | off | |
| Sentinel effect | on/off | off |
| Sentinel values for lives and shots | off |
The number of shots used can be quite large; in certain game types, players routinely fire 3000+ shots. This will give an accuracy rate of perhaps 5%. This seemingly low amount is a result of constant firing and dodging, as players are not directly penalized for missed shots. The average is 6% ratio of accuracy.
Downtime is defined as the period of time after a player is tagged that they remain deactivated. After the downtime has expired, the de-activated player's pack will re-energise and they are able to play as before.
Cheating
Although all players are required to [|recite a code of conduct] before play, some may still cheat. One of the main ways in which players cheat is by taking duct tape into the arena and placing it over the sensors. Although duct tape does not completely stop the sensor from getting tagged, it does make the play difficult. Most cheating is stopped by the marshal instantly and will have the player ejected from the game for that type of behaviour. Laser pointers do not work as the hit is determined by the IR beam and not the laser beam. Another way is what players call 'Spocking', when a player makes a 'V' shape with their hand and blocks the sensor on the end of the laser.World Laser Quest Challenge/Championship (WLC)
This tournament occurs every couple of years where teams and players from the USA, Canada, the Netherlands, France, and the UK compete to be the best in the world. The WLC alternates between participating countries.WLC Champions
| Year | Location | Champion |
| 2002 | Las Vegas | Team USA |
| 2004 | Swindon | A Tribe Called Quest |
| 2007 | Mississauga | Team Canada |
| 2010 | Coignieres/Maurepas, Yvelines | Team USA |
| 2012 | Mississauga | Team USA |
| 2017 | Woking | Team North America |
| 2019 | San Jose, California | NAC |
The current format of the tournament is 6-man teams compete in quad or triple quest prelim games, then depending on their prelim rank they will either play the cup or plate knockouts which are pack-set double/triple quest games. The top teams in the cup and the plate will then go onto the finals which are pack-set double-quest games.
The next WLC will be held in Europe in 2021.
North America Challenge (NAC)
Laser Quest used to hold a corporate tournament called the North America Challenge, or NAC. To qualify for NAC, members from a particular centre hold a series of try-outs. The top nine players, plus one potential alternate, then go to one of three regional tournaments held in June of each year. The top teams from each of these regional tournaments will then proceed to the continental tournament, typically held in September. The top teams from each regional tournaments compete in the national event to determine the best team in Laser Quest.Beginning in 1999, and continuing until 2007, the top five teams from each of the four North American regions advanced. Following a series of centre closures, and new centres opening, regional lines were redrawn and three regions formed.
Changed again in 2010, each centre did not have a tryout, and teams were able to form their own homegrown teams, with 8 starters, and 1 extra for an alternate.
NAC Champions and Runners Up
| Year | Winner | First Runner Up | Third Place | Consolation Winner/4th | Finals Location |
| 2012 Details | TSA Toronto | NRH North Richland Hills | Mesa Mesa | Denver Denver | Las Vegas |
| 2011 Details | NRH North Richland Hills | TSA Toronto | Mesa Mesa | Federal Way Seattle | Las Vegas |
| 2010 Details | TSA Toronto | NRH North Richland Hills | Mesa Mesa | Federal Way Seattle | Hoffman Estates |
| 2009 Details | NRH North Richland Hills | TSA Toronto | Federal Way Seattle | Team OFF Hoffman Estates | Las Vegas |
| 2008 Details | NRH North Richland Hills | ShadowZ Lincoln | TSA Scarborough | Team OFF Hoffman Estates | Hoffman Estates |
| 2007 Details | 9 Deadly Venoms Houston | Brampton Brew Crew Brampton | Team OFF Hoffman Estates | NRH North Richland Hills | Gwinnett |
| 2006 Details | ShadowZ Lincoln | Westland Wolfpack Westland | 42 Appleton | Brampton Brew Crew Brampton | Las Vegas |
| 2005 Details | NRH North Richland Hills | 9 Deadly Venoms Houston | Westland Wolfpack Westland | Brampton Brew Crew Brampton | Mesquite |
| 2004 Details | Brampton Brew Crew Brampton | NRH North Richland Hills | 9 Deadly Venoms Houston | Phoenix Pyros Phoenix | Rochester |
| 2003 Details | Paragon Denver | Westland Wolfpack Westland | ShadowZ Lincoln | Brampton Brew Crew Brampton | North Richland Hills |
| 2002 Details | Paragon Denver | Phoenix Pyros Phoenix | 9 Deadly Venoms Houston | ShadowZ Lincoln | Norridge |
| 2001 Details | Paragon Denver | Westland Wolfpack Westland | San Antonio San Antonio | Austin Austin | Colorado Springs |
| 2000 Details | Phoenix Pyros Phoenix | Paragon Denver | Tulsa Whoopdonkeys Tulsa | Westland Wolfpack Westland | Scarborough |
| 1999 Details | Phoenix Pyros Phoenix | Paragon Denver | Austin Austin | NRH North Richland Hills | North Richland Hills |
| 1998 Details | 9 Deadly Venoms Houston | Phoenix Pyros Phoenix | Armageddon Lincoln | Mesa Mesa | Knoxville |
| 1997 Details | Team MAD Madison Heights | Paragon Denver | Oshawa Oshawa | Phoenix Pyros Phoenix | Downers Grove |
| 1996 Details | Oshawa Oshawa | London London | Brampton Brew Crew Brampton | Charlotte Charlotte | London |
| 1995 Details | Oshawa Oshawa | Brampton Generals Brampton | Brampton Wildfire Brampton | London |
European Laser Quest Championship (ELC)
This 9-man constructed team tournament consists of players from UK, France and the Netherlands. The tournament is held annually, with the location alternating amongst participating countries. The current format of the tournament is 6-man teams compete in triple-quest prelim games, then depending on their prelim rank they will either play the cup or plate knockouts which are pack-set double/triple quest games. The top teams in the cup and the plate will then go onto the finals which are pack-set double-quest games.ELC Results
| Year | Location | 1st Place | 2nd Place | Plate Winner |
| 2001 | 'Guildford / Woking ' | 'A Tribe Called Quest' UK | 'Wildcards' NL | 'Freestylaz' UK |
| 2003 | 'Swindon ' | 'A Tribe Called Quest' UK | 'Badgers' UK | 'Holland Antje' NL |
| 2004 | 'Groningen ' | 'LQ Legends' NL | 'A Tribe Called Quest' UK | 'DTC' FR |
| 2005 | 'Reims ' | 'A Tribe Called Quest' UK | 'RAW' UK | 'Phoenix Cende' FR |
| 2006 | 'Eindhoven ' | 'LQ Legends' NL | 'Team Win' UK | 'Badgers' UK |
| 2007 | 'Bristol ' | 'Sorry Team' FR | 'A Tribe Called Quest' UK | 'LQ Legends' NL |
| 2008 | 'Bourges ' | 'Sorry Team' FR | 'A Tribe Called Quest' UK | 'Badgers' UK |
| 2009 | 'Bournemouth ' | 'A Tribe Called Quest' UK | 'UK Rage' UK | |
| 2010 | 'Bournemouth ' | 'A Tribe Called Quest' UK/FR/CAN | 'France' FR | 'Bournemouth' UK |
| 2012 | 'Beauvais ' | 'Phoenix' FR | 'Roxxage' FR | 'Fromage' NL |
| 2013 | 'Coventry ' | 'Mixteam' FR | 'Phoenix' FR | 'The Good Looking TCQ' UK |
| 2014 | 'Eindhoven ' | 'Sorry Team' FR | 'Phoenix' FR | 'LQ Legends' NL |
| 2015 | 'Boulogne-Sur-Mer ' | 'Phoenix' FR | 'Roxxage' FR | 'LQ Legends' NL |
| 2019 | 'Woking ' | 'Phoenix' FR | 'A Tribe Called Quest' UK | 'LQ Legends' NL |
| 2021 | 'Eindhoven ' |
Currently, 14 European Championships have taken place. France currently holds 7 European titles. The UK holds 5 European titles. The Netherlands holds 2 European titles. France are the current European Champions. However, The Tribe Called Quest hold the most titles.
The next ELC will be held at Laser Quest Eindhoven, NL, 2021.