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LASERTREK: the big kids' version of the game of tag
Putter's indoor laser tag arena combines the game's long history with family fun
by Ronald Bond | Freelance Reporter |
PUBLISHED ON 4/16/08 IN Steppin' Out
From its humble beginnings as a game inspired by a "Star Trek" movie and by technology used by the United States Army, laser tag has evolved into a sport that, nearly three decades later, is still popular with people of all ages.
The Army first used what it calls MILES (Multiple Integrated Laser Engagement System) in the late 1970s as a training device to help simulate a realistic battlefield environment for soldiers. MILES used a laser as bullets fired at laser detectors worn by enemy soldiers, similar to what one would experience in a game of laser tag today.
The first actual laser tag game came out in 1979, with laser guns resembling those from "Star Trek: The Motion Picture," but the game never really gained popularity until the 1980s, when, according to lasertag.org, George Carter III founded Photon and opened the first laser tag arena in Dallas in 1984. Photon took off. Just two years later, Worlds of Wonder introduced a laser tag toy and the popularity of the game skyrocketed.
Today, indoor laser tag facilities can be found just about anywhere, including several locations in Eugene. One place that has seen a major growth in popularity since it opened at Thanksgiving is LASERTREK, an indoor laser tag facility that is part of Putters Family Entertainment Center located at 1156 Hwy 99. The facility is unique in that it is one of the few multi-leveled arena in the Northwest.
The Army first used what it calls MILES (Multiple Integrated Laser Engagement System) in the late 1970s as a training device to help simulate a realistic battlefield environment for soldiers. MILES used a laser as bullets fired at laser detectors worn by enemy soldiers, similar to what one would experience in a game of laser tag today.
The first actual laser tag game came out in 1979, with laser guns resembling those from "Star Trek: The Motion Picture," but the game never really gained popularity until the 1980s, when, according to lasertag.org, George Carter III founded Photon and opened the first laser tag arena in Dallas in 1984. Photon took off. Just two years later, Worlds of Wonder introduced a laser tag toy and the popularity of the game skyrocketed.
LASERTREK
| LOCATION: | Inside Putters Family Entertainment Center at 1156 Hwy 99 |
| PRICE: | $10 for 30 minutes, or $16 for an hour. Group packages are also available. |
| HOURS: | 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Sunday, 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and 11 a.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday. |
| PHONE: | 541-688-8901 |
Today, indoor laser tag facilities can be found just about anywhere, including several locations in Eugene. One place that has seen a major growth in popularity since it opened at Thanksgiving is LASERTREK, an indoor laser tag facility that is part of Putters Family Entertainment Center located at 1156 Hwy 99. The facility is unique in that it is one of the few multi-leveled arena in the Northwest.
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