THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, November 27, 1994 TAG: 9411250386
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: E1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ROY A. BAHLS, VIRGINIAN-PILOT/LEDGER-STAR STAFF
LENGTH: Medium: 86 lines
RED BEAMS streak in all directions as I crouch and make my way through fog-filled passageways. I feel like a mouse in a maze, inhabited by 29 other ``time travelers'' like me.
Rock music thunders overhead as pulsating strobes illuminate my way. Flashing green sensors on my vest and laser weapon act as targets, announcing my every move. A beam hitting one of them would render me powerless for five to 10 seconds.
I know what I have to do: de-activate opposition players and capture their bases, all the while scoring individual and team points. And, of course, save the world from the bad guys.
Welcome to Ultrazone, the final frontier of high tech games.
For now.
Ultrazone, which is played in a 6,000-square foot, two-level arena in Virginia Beach, is a cross between high-tech flashlight tag, capture the flag and king of the hill - with the luxury of computer scoring.
My score after my first close encounter with Ultrazone is considered ``average.'' Our team lost. I accidentally de-activated four of my own teammates and eight of them de-activated me. Obviously, you don't master Ultrazone in one shot.
``I was scared and nervous at first,'' said Shannon Walsh, 21, of Virginia Beach, a first-time player like me. ``But after I got in there - it was great.''
The game, which touts itself as the ultimate laser adventure, recently opened on Dean Drive. This is the second site for the Virginia-based franchise. The first opened in Richmond in April and was an instant success.
Some 18,000 players racked up 70,000 games in the first 6 months. Some players have survived the experience 400 times. Two more sites are planned, another in Richmond and one at Springfield Mall in Northern Virginia.
You don't just step into the Ultrazone and start firing away with your laser. First, you go to the briefing room where a Game Master divides the players into three, 10-member teams and explains the rules and equipment. The layout of the arena with its medieval castle, command centers, power stations and time sentinels is detailed.
Then it's into the vesting room to be outfitted with electronic-lighted vests and lasers. And finally, it's off to save the world from the two opposing teams of time travelers.
Ultrazone co-owner Troy Peple, 31, likens the 30-minute experience to being inside your own video game.
``This is a game,'' Peple said, ``not a sport. It's for ages 8 to 80. You don't have to run, and the equipment is lightweight. First you learn your way around, then develop teamwork and strategies. The more you play, the more challenging it becomes.''
Ultrazone is not a violent game, Peple said.
``You just get de-activated and shoot at lights on people's vests,'' he said. ``We don't use the word `gun,' but `laser.' Or `kill' - we use `de-activate.' And the laser is FDA-approved and regulated. We even get church groups in.''
With the game's state-of-the-art technology and fast-paced action, he believes, people will play over and over.
``We could have put this down at the beachfront, but we chose to be near neighborhoods. The game is complex enough for people to keep coming back.''
As in Richmond, he foresees team-building sessions for businesses, along with special functions and league play.
``I liked it,'' said Eric Haynes, 26, of North Carolina, still a little out of breath after his first game. ``It's an excellent way to relieve stress, and it's a good workout.''
Haynes echoed my own feelings about the game as he headed for the briefing room and another Ultrazone experience.
Mimicking a thick Arnold Schwarzenegger accent, he said, ``I'll be back.'' MEMO: ABOUT THE GAME
What: Ultrazone, a laser adventure.
Location: 2682 Dean Drive, Virginia Beach.
Hours: 2 p.m. to midnight Monday through Thursday, noon to 1 a.m.
Friday, 10 a.m. to 1 a.m. Saturday and noon to 11 p.m. Sunday.
Admission: $6 per game, $7 prime time (7 to 11 p.m. Friday and
Saturdays). Annual memberships ranging from $10 to $38 provide discounts
and additional advantages.
More information: 463-6300.
ILLUSTRATION: Color photo by Martin Smith-Rodden, Staff
Ultrazone, laser adventure
by CNB