Indoor laser tag: looking for a place
Due to the fact that indoor laser tag is a stationary game, your foremost goal is to find a place for setting up a proper playground. This place must have several important features:
1. It must be spacious
The size area of the labyrinth depends on the potential number of players: 10 to 50 players (but possibly more). The following area calculating formula is commonly used:
10-15 people – 200-250 square metres;
15-20 people – 250-300 square metres;
20-30 people – 300-400 square metres;
30 or more – 400 square metres or above.
However, indoor laser tag is more than just a labyrinth. Besides it, arena comprises several parts: a reception room, a room for charging the equipment and a changing room for the players, a briefing room (the room where the players get their instructions), a waiting room and a dining room, staff rooms, toilets and shower cabins. Certainly, you can omit certain areas (for example, a dining room), especially if your arena is in a shopping centre, which must have a food court, but your aim is to make the arena as convenient for the players as possible. Besides, some sections can bring you a good income: for example, a dining room or a bar where the fans can have a comfortable time while waiting for the players, and the players can have a rest after the battle. So, consider all those places while calculating the general area. (each section will take 25-30 square metres).
2. Ease of access
It has already been mentioned in our previous articles that arenas are frequently set up in big shopping centres. Thus laser tag business owners cut their expenses on advertising and make their labyrinths more cost-effective. Since an arena located at a shopping centre is easy to find, some clients may stumble upon it and will come in to play.
Finding a separate place for arena is a good option. Any town has empty warehouses that haven’t been in use for a long time, empty basements or not functioning factories, whose owners will meet you half-way and rent a place out to you. It this case you can find and equip a place the size you need, instead of having to comply with the shopping centre landowners’ conditions. But remember the main rule: the arena has to be easily accessible! If it is hard to reach, no advertising, super modern equipment or mega impressive labyrinth will help.
3. Safety issues
This is an important element, and you ought to study the essential safety measures requirements before signing the rent agreement. No uneven or slippery floors, low ceilings, fragile and flammable constructions, steps one can stumble upon, or sharp corners and sticking out nails are allowed. The essential bits:
- a good ventilation system, especially if you are going to set up smoke machines;
- soundproofing, if the arena is situated in the residential area;
- fire exits.
It you want to construct a multi-level labyrinth, then forget about stairs. The descent between the levels must be gradual, so that the players are not likely to fall down. Anyway, you must always remember about players’ safety. Far from all places are suitable for laser tag arena construction.
Certainly far more nuances may come up while choosing a place, a lot more than we have described. In the following articles we will try to disclose most of them, paying particular attention to each arena part, especially to the labyrinth. Still these three main points will help you put aside all the unsuitable options and find a decent place for establishing your laser tag business.