Step #1 – Choose a “Battlefield TAG” as your Gaming Theme
What is the best gaming theme for a kid’s party?
The "Battlefield Tag" theme uses family-friendly language and sound effects. It is a family-friendly take on the traditional "army party!" theme.
As a rule of thumb players aged 10 and under run with the Battlefield TAG theme. It is perfect for little kids.
For players aged over 10, it is recommended to select the Battlefield Royale theme with supply crates. Supply crates make a huge difference to the player experience. (More on that in another blog!)
Setting Up Your Controller 101
Turn the Controller on (assuming it is not already locked) and push the black button to go to the “Uncommon” menus. This screen will give you a series of options.
The first option is to choose the theme.
All the games and settings flow the theme settings.
In this case, you want to select “Battlefield TAG”.
The next option is “Reset” (yes/no) choose No.
The next option is “Device Role” – scroll through the options until you see “Control-Simple”.
The next option is “Edit Config” (yes/no) choose No.
Press the green button/trigger to choose your selection. The system will go back to the boot screen.
Once on the boot screen press the green button / pull the trigger again to activate the units.
The “Simple Controller” is a great tool to help Operators run mobile laser tag for kid’s parties.
In the Battlefield TAG theme, the following missions are built into the simple controller:
• CAPTURE AND HOLD (the equivalent of one point
Domination)
• CAPTURE (MULTI) equivalent of 3-point Domination
•
HEIST (with money drop box centrally and each has a Vault)
•
ROYALE (Squads) – A shrinking field with no reactivations (Respawns)
•
FREE FOR ALL (Shrinking field but everyone for themselves)
Once the Operator has configured the Controller to act as a Simple Controller the first option is “Select Game”.
Press the red button to set Game Timer.
• Unlimited (is the first option – but it is best to actually have a game duration. Such as 10 minutes).
• Press the red button. Each time you press the red button the duration of the Game changes on the screen, for example 10 minutes, or 12 minutes or 15 minutes, etc. Choose the game time you want.
• Press the red button. This is “Briefing (RF)” This automatically pauses all the players and clears all their stats.
• Press the red button. This brings up the “Start (RF)”. This will start everyone.
• The press the green button. This will start everyone and automatically finish the game for the minutes you’ve selected.
Step #2 – Play the “Capture & Hold” Game First Up
The best game to start with and a great ice-breaker for a mobile laser tag event is “CAPTURE AND HOLD.”
As an Operator you will need:
1. A controller set as a “Simple Controller”
2. A number of laser taggers, half set on the red team and half on the blue team (use the “Set Team Blue / Set Team Red function on the Controller)
3. Three Battle Boxes. One set as a Red Team Combo Box (so it will issue re-activations and ammo). One set as a Blue Team Combo Box. And one set as a “Game Box”. The game box is also known as a Domination Box. This is the one that is placed in the center of wherever you are playing.
The game “Capture & Hold” is a great game to start the event off. As is gives all the players a reason to move out of their base and get in the middle of the action. It is really initiative.
The players need to tag (or shoot) the box in the middle and each other. When the red team tags it the box will flash red. When the blue team tags it, it flashes blue. The team who controls the box it the longest, wins!
Super easy.
This game is easy to understand. And it is easy to see which team is the winner. Because, at the end of the time, the Battle Box in the center will flash the winning team’s color.
So, go ahead, play “Capture & Hold” as the first game.
“For a kid’s party, I tend to run 10-minute games. Each game should be run at least twice, changing ends. In other words, if the red team starts at the north end of the backyard and the blue team starts at the southern end for the first round. Then in the next round, each team swaps to start at the opposite end for the second game,” said Peter.
After playing two “Capture & Hold” games have a break!
It is important to keep the players hydrated. And let’s face it, everyone loves party food and drink!
Allowing for a drinks break means each part of the event will take around 30 minutes.
During your 2-hour mobile laser tag event, the maximum number of different games to play required is four. More than that, it’s just too much for the kiddos.
Depending on the weather and the fitness of the group, you might need to give the players longer breaks.
Step #3 – Next, Play the “Capture the Flag” and/or “Team Elimination” Games
One of the most popular games to play at a kids’ birthday party is “Capture the Flag”. It is a new twist on a popular favorite.
Instead of a flag made of material, the kids need to capture virtual flags.
Gamers need to run the other team’s flag box, shoot it to capture a virtual flag. Then they have to make their way base to their own base and shoot that, without getting deactivated. It’s not as easy as it sounds!
That scores one flag.
The team with the most virtual flags at the end of the game wins.
If you want to play yet another game, then go for Team Elimination (also known as TDM).
“If the group are under the age of 8 years old, in fact, you may well find that all you run the whole time is a simple TEAM ELIMINATION,” said Peter.
“When we run the special junior session in the forest, we only do 2 x 15-minute games before the kiddos are ready to have a break, and eat the party food and drink,” said Peter.
“If the group are under the age of 8, you may well find that all you run the whole time is a simple TEAM ELIMINATION,” said Peter.
Team Elimination is physically easier than Capture the Flag. It is easy to play and understand.
Each player gets HP5 when they’ve been tagged 5 times their phaser deactivates. The player needs to return to their base and stand near it for a few seconds. The computer inside the battle box will automatically reactivate the player. And then they go back into the game for a bit of “pay-back!”
The team with the least number of reactivations wins.
SUMMING UP – How to Run a Mobile Laser Tag Event for a Kid’s Party
In summary, are some easy games to play at a mobile laser tag event.
These are:
• CAPTURE AND HOLD (2 x 10 minutes)
• CAPTURE THE FLAG (2 x 10 minutes)
• TEAM ELIMINATION (2 x 10 minutes)
One other thing to note, is that you might need to subtly adjust the difficulty settings on one team to ensure that the teams each win at least on round. You don't want one team to white-wash the other team! Afterall laser tag is an entertainment, not a sport. For more on exact how to manage this "every child wins a prize" strategy, click here.
In summary, during the a two-hour event the Battlefield TAG gaming theme offers a party the players will never forget.
POSTSCRIPT
If you want to switch back from your unit being configured as a "Simple Controller" to the comprehensive Master Controller , here's how.
- To get to the advanced options you will need to convert Simple Controller to a Full Controller.
- To unlock the controller, turn the controller on with the key and hold down both the red & black buttons at once.
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