So, a few more thoughts on the recent Zedtown, slightly more critical than previous: the QR code readers not working at the start was irritating, and the territory mechanic wasn’t really explained. Knowing that we had to start a quest at a point to use the code, as opposed to just being there would also have helped. I’m happy to give them leeway, as this stuff has to be tested, but explaining the process would have helped. Also, some indication of where the bases where at the start of the game, or an organised convoy to take us there like at Outbreak (Last year’s game at Olympic Park) would have been nice. Given we had 5 minutes before zombies could start tagging people, there was some pressure. I don’t want to sound like I’m ripping on the game all of a sudden, as I had a hell of a lot of fun, but now that the initial adrenaline has faded, there were some issues. Nothing that majorly detracted from the game, more stuff that will hopefully be corrected in future events.

I also regret not congratulating Jordon Raskopolous when I saw her in the queue. Well, congratulating’s the wrong word, more giving a quick note of support. But every time I saw her she was either in conversation or looked busy and I don’t want to interrupt. Besides, I have a bad record of interaction with geek celebs – I’m still embarrassed about the idiot I made of myself when I met Richard Biggs (Dr Franklin from Babylon 5).

Other costume ideas that have been suggested (Not all are mine, I’m just listing ones I’ve heard):
Two people in a pantomime horse outfit. They’d get tagged early, but then two part ZOMBIE HORSE.

Judges. I assume you know what sort I mean. Because why the drokk not?

Original Series Star Trek crew. Bonus points for using mobile phones like comunicaters, acting as if they’re an away team and ripping their shirts when they become zombies.
As the counterpoint – a group of Klingons, or, the crew of the NSEA Protecter. I can picture it now, as a comrade get’s tagged, one of the crew grabs them (striking a dramatic pose) and quietly whispers ‘By Grabthar’s Hammer, by the suns of Warven, you shall be avenged…’ and then is promptly swarmed by the other zombies. Fuckin’ zombies – no respect for good drama.

Kurt Russell. I’ve already called dibs on Snake Plissken, but given time I can beard up like John Ruth from The Hateful Eight. Or, if you need variety, expand that to John Carpenter movies. You still have Snake Plissken and Jack Burton, but with bonus Rowdy Roddy Piper!

Colonial Marines. Because who hasn’t held up a Nerf rifle and quoted Aliens?

I’d also love to see some more roleplay put into it. I get it, it’s been 5 hours or running, you’re cold and tense and can’t be arsed getting back into character, but that’s some of the best time to. Given the atmosphere of the game and the paranoia it encourages, there’s a solid framework for this, and that’s without going into the faction based racism. It seems disturbingly natural as within minutes other players move from fellow survivors to “They aren’t us? Fuck those guys.” It’s only late game when the zombies have multiplied drastically that any sort of human solidarity starts to emergere, and even then any alliances are tense. Mind you, the Reds moving away from the would-be evac point during the late game countdown seemed kinda odd, but given the cold I can’t really blame them for not thinking.

Now, looking to future loadout changes:
Given the success of the Hammershot and the beauty of the holsters we bought the plan is to go two pistol, possibly with a Slingfire rifle as backup. Outide of the sheer awesome of the western theme, the Hammershots can put enough darts in the air to (hopefully) give most zombies pause and are quick on the reload to boot. How time flies – I remember when the Maverick was the height of Nerf weapons technology…

As I posted previusly, the Slingfire is a fine weapon (I’m a sucker for lever action blasters, even the terrible ones BuzzBee did a few years ago with the shells), but it doesn’t fire fast enough, which has led me to the Rapid Strike. I’d talk about how accuracy is needed, but it’s a toy dart gun and you aren’t going to get it. Since you can’t really get that it’s down to varying amounts of spray and pray. Most blasters will put the dart roughly in front of the barrel at a decent speed, but it’s how quickly you can get that next dart out that really matters. As for spray and pray, it goes against everything I hold dear when playing laser tag (Where I’ve been described as a cold blooded sniper), but the Rapid Strike does put a lot of darts out there.  Normally I go by the Rule of Cool, but I figure next event is time to experiment.Besides, I have one of them (Thank you Kmart $15 sale!), so why not use the thing? As for the annoucement of the next event, well I have two words:

(Looking back on this, I’m sure if you told 14 year old me I’d be doing this at 36, he’d have laughed. Oh, what a wonderful geek happy world we live in. ..)