About this project
$13,587
228
The Dream
Traditionally, laser tag has been a game of blasters and body armor. We decided to produce a line of subtler products. This is laser tag for James Bond, not RoboCop.
By reenvisioning the equipment's classic form-factor, we've unlocked a range of new laser tag games and experiences. Here are just a few games we like to play (consider our "Supreme Tactical Party Leader" reward for more ideas):
Assassins
Give a high tech upgrade to your campus's annual game of Assassins. Our minimalist guns can be hidden in the palm of your hand or in everyday objects. Lay traps. Hire a hitman. Or make the kill yourself. Your target won't see it coming until it's too late.
Mafia (Werewolf)
In the classic Mafia party game, you can eliminate your targets silently, in the night, with undetectable infrared light. The townspeople won't know what hit them.
Indoor tag
Tag isn't just for recess anymore. Play it indoors, at school, at coffee shops, or at the mall. The "guns" don't look like guns, so you won't freak out your principal, the police, or innocent bystanders.
The Gadgets
The targets
We designed these targets to be fully functional even underneath ordinary clothes. They're guaranteed to make even a plain white t-shirt into an eye-catching fashion statement. The six LEDs represent your hit-points and change from green to red each time you get tagged.
The above prototype is similar to what our Elite Operatives ("MacGyver"-Level and above) will build. If you think it looks dumb, don't worry. Our first professional PCBs will be arriving in a few days. And making the hardware look cooler is exactly what this Kickstarter project is all about.
The "guns"
The guns are inconspicuous, enabling you to discover an endless variety of creative places to conceal them. They also have a powerful range. We've tested them from 1 to 20 feet.
Not only that, but you don't even have to use our guns if you don't want to. Just grab your nearest TV remote or one of these keychains. Any infrared light that oscillates at 38 kHz will work.
The Plan
We'll be using Kickstarter funding for two things:
Better looking hardware
The microcontroller's software is complete. We've playtested our early prototypes extensively. But as you might have noticed, our DIY prototypes aren't easy on the eye. So your contributions will help us bring home the first production round of sleek, stylish, beautiful PCBs. Time permitting, we'll also add features such as sound and vibration to the design.
The website
What you see on this page and in our video is just the beginning of an entire line of laser tag innovations that have been designed by the participants in ThoughtSTEM's Young Tech Entrepreneur's program. These innovations need a home in cyberspace -- a place where people can order them, thereby supporting our innovative approach to science and engineering education. Proceeds from online sales will ensure that the Young Tech Entrepreneur's program will continue to thrive, providing critical training for the next generation of dreamers, makers, and doers.
The Team
Risks and challenges
It's possible that our industry partners will experience delays in PCB production. We are working with a local fabrication company, however, which will streamline future collaboration and will eliminate potential shipping hazards or delays on their end. (We can literally drive down the highway and pick up the PCBs if we have to.)
Also, we've wholeheartedly adopted the sage advice "Under-promise and over-deliver". By setting our reward delivery date late this year, we've given ourselves a large time buffer to handle the unexpected and to even to add new features to our current design if time permits.
Learn about accountability on KickstarterQuestions about this project? Check out the FAQ
Support this project
Funding period
- (30 days)