Interesting Things

My next stop was to Bowlero in Lone Tree, CO to experience their Urban Mission Laser Tag.

I have seen this motif in some of their other locations, but I’m taking stock of what was right in front of me a few things did catch my attention, starting with their REALLY cute original briefing video. This production was humorous, utilizing a cheesy 50s tv announcer theme and had a couple of actual laugh out loud moments. If there was still an ILTA to give awards for this kind of thing I would think this one would certainly be in the running for “best original briefing video.”

I vested up for a game of Rift with Tiara (whose name I just love…if I had kids I would name a girl Tiara!) and we got ready to enter the arena.

I did a quick review of the map of the single level to find my base…

…and then we were off and running!

This arena looks sharp! Nothing about the arena itself was unusual, but it popped with color and looked very new, even though the game master speculated it’s last remodel may have been around 2011. As I’ve always said, lighting makes a BIG difference, as does the neon airbrushing on the walls.

Little things stand out to me that may or may not catch everyone’s eye the same way. For example, I noted the shaping on the walls. I told Tiara that “cut” corners mean nobody “cut corners”…lol, I crack myself up!

This is not a very unusual arena design, but it includes street signs, just like the arena where I play in Albany. At my other site I was told that the signs reference local streets in town, so I wondered if the same was true here.

Of course there were a few familiar CW structures I see often, like the centerpiece and base housing.

But what was under the base housing was intriguing to me. For some reason the base was slightly offset with an odd alignment, which seemed to be a deliberate choice because it was the same on both bases.

That meant to deactivate it I had to actually shoot over the plastic to get the angle on the sensor. I don’t know why this was like that, but I’ll file it in the category of “things that make you go hmmm.”

Another thing in that category was the music, or rather the lack thereof. There was no music at all and nearly completely quiet with only the ambient whirrr of bases, which was actually a cool effect, whether by design or not. Playing in a silent arena has an almost spooky vibe to it. Sometimes I’m not aware of music in an arena, but I am definitely aware of something missing when there is no sound at all.

It turned out this was only Tiara’s second game of laser tag ever, so I shared a few tips with her. When we were done I told her my impression of this site was quite favorable because the arena looks really good and the equipment played very well.

I also liked a few of the interesting things in other parts of the facility, for example this picture of a deer playing croquet.