Level Up!

I recently had a chance to try out a few new game features that Laserforce has unveiled and I must say that some of what I learned about is really interesting. If you thought you had ascended as far as you could (which in most arenas is Level 6 - Laser Master) then get ready to level up! There are officially three new levels that have been added. Yes, I realize some arenas have already been using their own customized criteria to create additional levels, but I am more in favor of standardized levels (making comparison more “apples to apples” between sites) and I’m glad to see more of them. Now you can earn a Level 7 (Conqueror), Level 8 (Titan) or Level 9 (Legend) and to do so you are required to play a minimum number of games at each new level before ascending to the next. I like the idea that this will prevent simply jumping the levels. The one feature that accompanies this expansion to the skill level system that I am most enthused about is the option for battlefield promotion, which I understand will be an option for ZapTag systems (i.e. sites without memberships) and THAT is a real game changer…literally! It allows for leveling up to occur WITHIN A GAME, meaning that if you are at a site where everyone defaults to Level 1, now the more experienced players will advance to more challenging levels during the course of playing the game and that should offer a bit more balance to those games. I hope this will be implemented at some of the non-member sites where I play because I consider this a particularly useful new feature that will help make things more fun for everyone. It will also make a difference at a few member sites too in that it should help to keep experienced members from going through their rolodex of membership cards just to strategically use them (or not use them at all) to farm points on non-members (ahem, *cough*…Cody). It looks like the site will have the option to choose whether leveling up will enable special abilities or not, which may also make things a bit more interesting.

I learned about these new features while playing with a group of members in Syracuse who were on board to try a new game format called “Level Up” for which the objective is to ascend from Level 1 all the way through to Level 9. Everyone starts at Level 1 which is denoted by the pack lighting up red.

As you “level up” your pack changes color. I watched mine go from red to orange to yellow to green, etc. Playing with an experienced group made this an interesting game and I would be curious to see how it goes over with the general public. I think non-members will find acquiring special abilities that they otherwise might not get to try to be a really unique aspect of this game.

And the final thing that I learned about that night was the release of new Gen 8 avatars. To me personally the avatars are not that big of a deal, but seeing the new designs did get some conversations started among the members.

There are some pop culture resemblances that everyone picked up on, but the one my team debated about the most was the guy second in on the top row. I say he’s a dead ringer for Diedrich Bader’s character in Office Space. Everyone else see it now? And I even think I see a player resemblance in the first avatar…but I leave that to you to decide.

All in all, my takeaway after playing is that these new levels will make the biggest difference in making games more enjoyable where there is a wide disparity between player abilities. I think this will help casual players to have a better time and not feel overwhelmed by experienced players (who might not have a member night available right now) and at a time when the laser tag industry is still rebuilding in the wake of the pandemic I think anything that helps all players, regardless of skill level, to enjoy laser tag together is a good thing.

 

Comments or Questions?

Contact: Tivia@tiviachickloveslasertag.com

Websites: www.tiviachickloveslasertag.com and www.photonforever.com

Raising Funds and Awareness Through Laser Tag

The very first Tag 4 A Cause Laser Tag 5K Challenge supporting the Lustgarten Foundation Pancreatic Cancer Research will continue to be an opportunity for fitness and fundraising through laser tag during the entire month of November! It got off to a great start and I was able to complete my personal 5K challenge while hosting an event with thanks to Apex Entertainment in Albany, NY.

November is Pancreatic Cancer Awareness month and that made this a timely opportunity to encourage others to help make a difference by donating to the cause while pledging to laser tag the equivalent of 5K (or 3.1 miles) by tracking their own cumulative distance over the course of several games of laser tag. How many games would it take for me to get to 5K? We would soon find out! Wearing s purple ribbon on my laser tag pack I was ready to begin the challenge.

And I wasn’t alone in taking on this challenge. Although the games to complete the challenge would be played with public groups throughout a busy Saturday afternoon, I was met right at the start of the day by TJH (from the alternative punk band “Straight Edge Punks”) who was the first player to join me in taking on his own laser tag 5K challenge. Props to him for being the first!

We tracked our steps together through several games as I measured my own personal distance on my Fitbit (although you can use any fitness tracker or phone app as a pedometer) and within only three games we had hit the first milestone mark getting to 1K.

Various groups played throughout the day as the challenge continued.

This provided an excellent opportunity for raising awareness. Prior to each game I was able to let the players know that this is Pancreatic Cancer Awareness month and to symbolize this everyone was offered a free purple ribbon. They were also welcome to take a glow in the dark TiviachickLovesLaserTag.com wristband.

Games continued and before long I had hit the 2K mark.

And each step of the way I was live blogging and posting updates and awareness via social media. I shared my personal reasons for supporting this particular cause. My big brother, Guy, passed away from pancreatic cancer in 2012. I kept his photo on display so that people would know that this day I was there to laser tag in memory of my brother.

Every step of the way we got closer to the goal, keeping track of the cumulative distance on a display board in the lobby.

Closer and closer…

…arriving at the 4K mark playing alongside this group.

And a couple of games later I completed the challenge as I hit the 5K goal!

However, with a couple of hours remaining in the day I decided to see how much further I could go. As another member of the S.E.P. group joined the Tag 4 A Cause challenge a bit later in the day we had to keep it going so that he could reach his goal as well. After all, pledging to laser tag 5K and donating to the cause is how you earn one of these victory medals!

By the time the arena was ready to close I had completed 15 games and come within .03 miles of hitting the 7K mark…so close!!!! So even though the night was over I asked the game marshal to run one more partial game for the three of us who were still there, just to play long enough to cover that tiny bit of distance. So the 16^th game only last a couple of minutes, but put me over the 7K mark and getting these two guys to the completion of their challenge goals as well.

This was an amazing opportunity to bring some attention to the pancreatic cancer research. One of the reasons that I selected the Lustgarten Foundation Pancreatic Cancer Research as the recipient of support from Tag 4 A Cause is because their website proudly affirms that “Thanks to separate funding to support administrative expenses, 100 percent of every donation goes directly to research.” (lustgarten.org)

And for the entire month of November I will continue to host the challenge online for anyone to complete in ANY laser tag arena on their own. Want to get involved and help make a difference during Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month? Here’s how in three easy steps...

1. Pledge to laser tag the distance of a 5K in the laser tag arena of your choice anytime during the month of November. It’s like a virtual run/walk fundraiser, only you laser tag instead and measure your own cumulative distance using a fitness tracker or phone app. It might take approximately 10-12 games to reach the equivalent of 5K (or 3.1 miles) and can be done all in one day or over multiple days at your own pace. Please share your results!
2. Donate (suggested donation $20.00 or more) to the Lustgarten Foundation Pancreatic Cancer Research using my fundraiser page at https://events.lustgarten.org/fundraiser/3001017.100 percent of every donation goes directly to research!
3. Claim your victory medal by submitting the confirmation number from your receipt to verify your donation using the online form found at https://www.tiviachickloveslasertag.com/laser-tag-5k-challenge-nov-2020 and celebrate your 5K achievement with this token of my thanks for your participation and donation. *Medals are available in limited quantities for the first 50 participants who donate and submit the form. Due to shipping costs, medals will only be sent to U.S. mailing addresses, but digital certificates will be emailed to participants outside of the U.S. 

 Once again, my thanks to Apex Entertainment in Albany for hosting me for this challenge. Together we are making a difference and I thank everyone who played a part in helping me launch the very first Tiviachick’s Tag 4 A Cause Laser Tag 5K Challenge!

Comments or Questions?

Contact: Tivia@tiviachickloveslasertag.com

Websites: www.tiviachickloveslasertag.com and www.photonforever.com

Join Me and Laser Tag 4 A Cause During Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month

Would you like to play some laser tag, support important research and earn a victory medal all while helping the fight against pancreatic cancer? You are invited to be part of the very first Tiviachick’s Tag 4 A Cause Laser Tag 5K Challenge, which is an opportunity for fitness and fundraising through laser tag to help make a difference during Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month.

Here’s how in three easy steps...

 

1. Pledge to laser tag the distance of a 5K in ANY laser tag arena of your choice, anytime during the month of November. It’s like a virtual run/walk fundraiser, only you laser tag instead and measure your own cumulative distance using a fitness tracker or phone app. It might take approximately 10-12 games to reach the equivalent of 5K (or 3.1 miles) and can be done all in one day or over multiple days at your own pace. Please share your results!
2. Donate to the Lustgarten Foundation Pancreatic Cancer Research using my fundraiser page at https://events.lustgarten.org/fundraiser/3001017.100 percent of every donation goes directly to research!
3. Claim your victory medal by submitting the confirmation number from your receipt to verify your donation using the online form found at https://www.tiviachickloveslasertag.com/laser-tag-5k-challenge-nov-2020 and celebrate your 5K achievement with this token of my thanks for your participation and donation. *Medals are available in limited quantities for the first 50 participants who donate and submit the form. Due to shipping costs, medals will only be sent to U.S. mailing addresses, but digital certificates will be emailed to participants outside of the U.S. 

Raising awareness for this research is important to me because I lost my brother, Guy, to pancreatic cancer in 2012. 

I will be completing my 5K at Apex Entertainment inside Crossgates Mall in Albany, NY on November 7th from 12:00-8:00. If you are nearby, stop in and play some laser tag. Apex Entertainment in both Albany and Syracuse will be offering all day laser tag for $77 (that’s all you can play for the price of only seven games) plus a game voucher that day for anyone who donates to the cause and participated in the challenge with me! Plus there will be door prizes and “new high score” prizes in Albany as well!

As always, remember safety first. If you are in a place where you are not currently able to play laser tag, please consider donating now and completing the challenge later. Of course I encourage you to wear a mask, wash your hands, keep your social distance and play safely while you show support and patronage to your local laser tag business.

Thank you for helping to Tag 4 A Cause!

 

Comments or Questions?

Contact: Tivia@tiviachickloveslasertag.com

Websites: www.tiviachickloveslasertag.com and www.photonforever.com