« back | 31.03.2007: ALEX MOON (STERADIAN): "TIME TO JOIN THE NEW REVOLUTION IN LASER TAG"

TRUTNEE: - As far as I know the level of competition among different manufacturers of outdoor laser tag systems in the USA is extremely high. What are the distinctive features of your equipment that make it so successful in this market? Your slogan says: “Time to join the new revolution in Laser Tag.” What is so revolutionary about your system?

STERADIAN: Our system has a number of unique features that all work together to create a system that's hard to beat. We were the first US-based manufacturer of outdoor laser tag equipment and the first in the world to introduce a fully digital outdoor system with individual scores and all the other features of a digital system. But the component which truly makes our system unique is the SunPlay sensor. It's sensitivity, which is many times greater than that of our competitors, allows us to make a system which is smaller, lighter, and easier to use, but still has superior performance. Our heaviest gun is less than 2.5 lbs in its base configuration and is far more comfortable to hold and use than most outdoor laser tag guns.

We also have a unique range of accessories with our Medic and Ammo boxes and our Scorpion II grenades, not to mention the Game Controller referee controller and the Scenario Master scoring software.

TRUTNEE: - Steradian phazers do have rather impressive fire range. Being not a technician, as far as I understand such result can be achieved either by increasing the power of the beam or by increasing the sensitivity of the sensors. I presume you have used both ways in your equipment, applying your SunPlay technology. But why not to use a laser beam instead of an IR one? I’ve heard one of the indoor laser tag manufacturers claimed that IR technology had become obsolete and should be replaced by a laser one. Laser based technology is much more accurate, reliable and has a much more sufficient fire range, they say. Probably, precise accuracy and extra long fire range are not of a critical importance for indoor laser tag, but are very important for an outdoor system. Yet, I’ve heard of none of the commercial outdoor laser tag manufacturer using a real laser beam instead of an IR one. Why is it so? What do you think about the laser technology?

STERADIAN: There are many problems with using actual laser technology in the outdoor environment. The main issue is a question of power. Outdoor laser tag emitters need to be much more powerful than their indoor counterparts in order to achieve longer ranges and compete with the intensity of the sun. If you generate that power with a laser you will surpass the limits for the eye-safe laser classification.

In addition, the outdoor game has some special issues with lasers:
- There may be bystanders watching the game or nearby who could be exposed to the laser light even if they are not participating in the game.
- Outdoor games often involve the use of magnifying sights, which can increase the effective power level of a laser that hits them.
- Laser beams cannot be seen without a dark, fog-filled environment, so there's no visual advantage to having a laser.
- Most outdoor systems use head-mounted sensors because they are much more effective in an outdoor environment than vests. However, head mounted sensors mean that a laser would frequently be aimed directly at the target's eyes.
- Outdoor systems also tend to use fewer, smaller targets than indoor systems and are shooting over much longer distances, which means that placing a narrow laser beam on target becomes very difficult and much less fun for most players.

TRUTNEE: - It seems that everyone appreciates your new additional gear, i.e. Medic Box, Ammo Box and Scorpion II Laser Tag Grenade. Frankly speaking, the idea is truly great: it looks like the world of computer games all of the sudden becomes a reality! Can you please give a more or less detailed description of these devices? I’ve tried to get some additional information about them at your web-page, but found only the pictures and a very brief description of them…

STERADIAN: Sure! The Medic Box and Ammo Box are very similar. The Medic Box allows you to regain lives during a game, while the Ammo Box allows you to replenish your ammunition in a limited ammunition game. Typically the boxes will either be given to players who take on the roles of Medic or Ammo Carrier, or they will be placed on the field for players to find and use during the game.

Each box can be programmed with a limited number of uses during the game as well as a number of other settings including the number of lives/clips it will restore, team-specific modes (so a given box may only work for one team or another), narrow or broad beams, recharging of uses over time, and more.

The Scorpion II grenade is very simple. It is a flexible plastic tube, padded with foam with a pull chain on one end. Pull the chain to arm the grenade and a countdown begins. Throw it towards the enemy and five seconds after the countdown began it will go off, hitting anyone within about a 5 to 10 meter radius.

TRUTNEE: - By the way, I think the Medic Box and Ammo Box can give the player an absolutely new and exciting experience when used in a game played not outdoor only, but in the maze as well. You say a special Lens Reducer can be used to narrow the beam and shorten the range for indoor play. How it works and how much time will it take to convert the phazer into an indoor variant?

STERADIAN: You can convert a gun to indoor use with the lens reducer in about five seconds. The lens reducer is simply a specially designed plug that is inserted into the end of the barrel and effectively reduces the size of the lens by about 90%. The plug is designed so that it cannot be removed without a tool so you don't need to worry about players removing it during the game, but with a tool it can be removed to easily convert the gun back to outdoor use.

TRUTNEE: - Scenario Master: how is the members’ stat being tracked and processed? Do you use the radiocontrolling function?

STERADIAN: The Scenario Master loads each player into the game at the start by using an infrared "wand" to send the game parameters to each gun in turn. During the game, each gun remembers each hit it takes, each shot it fires, and various other statistics. Then at the end of the game, the Scenario Master's wand retrieves that data from each gun and uses it to construct the individual and team scoresheets and calculate all the other stats. This system allows the guns to be completely independent of the Scenario Master during the game so that you aren't limited to the range of a radio system and you can even turn off the Scenario Master computer during the game (which can be important for mobile operations running off a laptop with limited battery life).

TRUTNEE: - AWS: It is said at your web page that these components can be mounted to any airsoft or paintball marker adding laser tag practically to any custom body. How popular is this system? Have you sold a lot of such kits?

STERADIAN: The AWS is not our top seller, but it allows us to provide a solution for people who need a specific look or have other special requirements. For most people our complete gun sets are going to be a simpler, more convenient, and more reliable option. But for those with special needs, we have a solution they can use.

TRUTNEE: - By the way, your Company seems to be very devoted to the safety measures – both the external design of your phazers and use of special orange markings are used to achieve one and the same goal: to eliminate any resemblance with an actual weapon. Why? Is it really so important? Here in Russia I often hear opinions that the more phazer resembles the real gun the more fun the players have…

STERADIAN: Safety is a primary concern with all of our equipment. Because outdoor laser tag equipment is often used in areas where it may come in contact with the general public, we feel it is important to differentiate the equipment from a real weapon as much as possible. That said, while we periodically have people tell us they would like a more "realistic" weapon, once they get our equipment in their hands and play a game or two those concerns vanish. Even if the guns don't look "realistic" at first glance, the game play is extremely realistic.

TRUTNEE: - Some of your marketing materials say that all your equipment is made in the USA. Does it mean that absolutely no one electronic component has a such “popular” marking “Made in China”? I.e., every single part and component of your equipment is really made in the States?

STERADIAN: Of course in todays global economy, some parts and components will always come from other countries. However, all of our custom components are manufactured in the U.S. and all of our guns are assembled right in our factory in the U.S.

TRUTNEE: - How long it usually takes you to produce a “standard” set of 20 phazers – starting at the time of placing an order by the Customer and till the equipment’s dispatching?

STERADIAN: Our typical lead time is 4-6 weeks.

TRUTNEE: - I assume that your equipment is reliable enough, but being a rather complicated electronic system it still may malfunction from time to time… How often do you receive the Customer claims and what is your standard warranty term?

STERADIAN: Our standard warranty is two years for all of our equipment. When there is something that needs to be repaired we will work with our customer and either send the appropriate parts for them to do the repair themselves or have the faulty item shipped back to us so that we can repair it in our shop. When we receive repairs in our shop we will typically complete the repair and ship them back out to the customer within one business day.

TRUTNEE: - The last – “traditional” – question asked by an European: what are your plans concerning the European market? Do you plan to intensify your presence here in the nearest future?

STERADIAN: We sell our equipment worldwide direct from our headquarters in the U.S. We have many customers in Europe already and expect we will have many more as time goes on.

TRUTNEE: - Thank you and Best regards.

STERADIAN: My pleasure.

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