Laser Tag

[ShadowHawk1980]

I'm currently working on a project that involves converting the Roddenberry.com phaser props to function for the laser tag game. What I wanna do is buy some cheap laser tag guns and take them apart and see if I can switch the light bulb on the electronics kit for the Roddenberry phaser with the infared bulb on the laser tag game. Not sure if it can be done but it's worth a try and would make a damn cool laser tag game. Any thoughts and opinions are welcome.

 

[Robiwon]

Enteresting project. However, most of the laser tag type guns would require a lot of reworking of the PC boards to fit in a smaller gun like a phaser. I have several of the WOW Lazer Tag guns and have opened them before. The boards are quite long. I replaced the IR module in one of them with a green laser diode from a laser pointer. Now when the trigger is pulled you get a visible laser beam shot.

Good luck though and post your results.

 

[Mercury]

I'd try with the AA phasers first or if you're going with a Next Gen type maybe one of the old playmates versions unless you already have the Rodd versions. It'd be cheaper and keep in mind you'd be using it in a battle situation so you wouldn't have to worry about any damage.

Cool idea though and will look forward to the results.

 

[SUPERprops]

I'm no electronic expert but could you have some of the stuff, like the lights, inside the gun with a wire coming out the bottom leading to a pocket made to store the circuit board in the chest thing?

Just a random thought.

 

[Commander Max]

Many years ago myself and some friends played laser tag. We used guns from Hasbro called Survivor Shot, they were green and had better range than the old Laser Tag guns. We called them Nukems or green snot guns, the nukem term came into play because these guns would demolish the old Laser Tag stuff(in game play of course).
I did do some mods of the Survivor Shot guns. One was a Borg arm, I'm sorry I don't have any pics(If I come across it, I'll get some pics up).

I don't know what generation of laser Tag guns you want to use. The old ones used a LED which could easily be put into any prop gun. But you might have to use a belt pack to house any electronics and batteries. But one thing to keep in mind, playing these games puts the guns through a lot of abuse. I don't think a resin prop gun would stand up to the abuse. You would be better off with something from Art Asylum(plus a lot easier on the wallet, if that's what your going for).

Post any questions I''l be glad to answer if I can.

 

[JMChladek]

Funny enough, Phasers were the first use of an IR target gun game. Southbend Electronics did a pair of ST:TMP Phasers back in 1979 for the release of the movie. Essentially it was two phasers that could fire infrared beams at one another. Each gun had a receptor next to the emmitter and if you scored a direct hit, you would knock out the other player's gun until it reset itself. I used to have them and it was a fun game. Plus the guns held up for many years.

 

[knightone]

A TMP or TWOK phaser might work. Perhaps even an assault phaser. As would a dustbuster or cobrahead probably. All of those have long, wide, straightline bodies.