Confessions of an Automationeer, Part 11: War Wagons

Confessions of an Automationeer, Part 11: War Wagons

After two straight rounds of building what were essentially street-legal track cars (especially appropriate given the context of those rounds), CSR changed tack again. This time, users were given the enviable task of building fast, sporty, yet practical daily drivers - with wagons (estate cars to those of you in Europe and elsewhere) being the preferred body style. As such, while I wasn't required to build one, I did so anyway. And once again, I decided to take full advantage of the engineering time and cost limits - now more generous than previously - by throwing in the kitchen sink when designing my entry.

Does this tick all the boxes for an enthusiast with a growing family... It sure looks like it does...

For the fourth straight round I opted for a straight-six engine up front (it isn't among my favorite engine configurations for nothing), driving the rear wheels, and as was the case during CSR39, it was normally aspirated, with an alloy block. Yet again I chose a fully independent suspension on both axles, and set it up to oversteer, just so that I could give the driver a sportier feel from behind the wheel. Again, all the fundamentals for a great driver's car were present - manual gearbox, limited-slip diff, high-performance tires, etc.

So far, so good. But as soon as one particular entrant revealed and submitted his entry, there was absolutely no chance of anyone else winning the round outright. But why? A quick look at its dyno sheet revealed the answer.

How's this for consistency?

Looking at the menu for the turbo setup, it's clear that what turned out to be the winning car had a turbocharged straight-six with a small-diameter compressor and turbine, plus a small amount of boost and a lean air/fuel ratio. This provided an extremely high level of efficiency, especially for 1995, the year in which this round was set. More importantly, with a fat, flat torque curve throughout the rev range, in-gear acceleration would have been incredibly rapid. One can only wonder how much more potent and economical it would be if it were modernized with direct fuel injection...

Get used to that rear view - you'll have little time to appreciate it...

So, to hardly anyone's surprise, the Dragotec Helios took a comfortable victory in CSR41. It was economical, fun to drive and shot through with quality. On top of that, it was still affordable, both in the short and long term. However, I could once again finish the round with my head held high, as I usually do - my entry attracted glowing praise for its sporty dynamics, especially considering that it was purely rear-wheel-drive. At the time this post was published, the theme for the next round has yet to be announced - I will be curious to find out.

Confessions of an Automationeer, Part 10: Back on Track

Confessions of an Automationeer, Part 10: Back on Track

You may be wondering why I named this post "Back on Track". The reason is twofold. I originally planned to begin writing on Tuesday, but a suicide bombing in Manchester, combined with a few other well-known people passing away within the same 24-hour period, made me reconsider. So I gave myself some time to grieve, and it would be several days before I could muster the mental strength to continue.

On a more positive note, this post earned its name because, for two rounds in a row, CSR - the crown jewel of competitions on the official Automation forums - had a racing/track day theme. CSR39 was about building a relatively affordable, reliable car capable of dominating a track day at Circuit Zolder in Belgium; CSR40, on the other hand, was a challenge to supply a race team with a fast, reliable turbocharged touring car. Naturally, I jumped straight into both rounds. In fact, given that I started work on this post on the same day that the Monaco Grand Prix and Indianapolis 500 were held, the topic of this post is particularly fitting, as is its name.

My CSR39 entry, the 2000 Zorg ZS36, was quite straightforward - a front-engined, rear-drive coupe with double wishbones at each corner and powered by a 3-liter normally-aspirated straight-six. I set it up to oversteer, but not to the point that it felt unacceptably wayward. As befitting the track-day theme for CSR39, it came with a sports interior, a six-speed manual gearbox hooked up to a mechanical LSD, and vented disc brakes front and rear. And on top of that, it was finished in bright yellow, making it utterly unmissable.

Zorg ZS36 Coupe

When the time came to judge the entries the ZS36 was clearly a car to consider. The host's only complaint was that it oversteered slightly more than was preferable, but otherwise it was a strong contender. In the end, though, the win went instead to another yellow coupe - the Smooth Pretaco R. In hindsight, it was hard to see anything else winning the round; its light weight, combined with its free-revving engine, made it nigh-on unbeatable around the track.

Smooth Pretaco R

In the very next round, entrants were tasked with building a touring car powered by a turbocharged engine with a displacement of up to 2500 cc, preferably with 4 or 6 cylinders. Once again I made yet another rear-drive coupe - the 1985 SMG Taikan A-Spec. Finished in white and adorned with a prominent rear wing, its turbocharged all-alloy straight-six developed around 300 bhp, which I reckoned would be enough to make it competitive.

SMG Taikan A-Spec

Once again, it was difficult to determine the finalists, let alone the winner. Even so, anything with ineligible (or overly complicated) parts, or was too slow, unreliable, uncomfortable, undrivable and/or expensive would be rejected out of hand. My entry wasn't among the many cars to suffer this fate, though. However, it was ultimately eliminated later on due to concerns about engine reliability, presumably because it had an all-alloy engine. In the end, another coupe from Smooth took the win; this time, it was the blood-red, wedge-shaped, whale-tailed Duster SR, whose combination of simplicity, affordability, endurance, and outright pace was unmatched.

Smooth Duster SR

As this post is being written, CSR41 has just concluded, and ideas for CSR42 are being discussed. Thus, it would make sense for me to discuss either or both rounds in my next post. Meanwhile, with the UE4 version of Automation in open beta, I will soon have to decide whether or not to test it before it is publicly released...

Confessions of an Automationeer, Part 9: The Search for a Ute

Confessions of an Automationeer, Part 9: The Search for a Ute

CSR38 was another one of my favorite rounds in the history of the competition, but for an entirely different reason compared with the previous one, which had the dark, gritty and adrenaline-pumping feel of a late-80s action film such as Die Hard. Instead, it was much more humorous and lighthearted, and on top of that was set in the present day instead of being a period piece. Most significantly of all, though, entrants were tasked with building examples of a kind of car that most people outside Australia and New Zealand are largely unaware of: the ute. Basically, a ute is similar in design to a pickup truck, but is based on the body and chassis of a passenger car. And given that I had seen plenty of utes (especially V8-powered ones) during both of my visits to Australia, entering this round was a no-brainer for me.

At the time this post was published, the ute body style was just a few months away from being consigned to the history books, with the possible (but unlikely) exception of one-off bespoke coachbuilt special based on existing two-door coupes. With this in mind, the client for this round requested a ute that was not only practical, but reasonably fast in a straight line and yet cheap to buy and run, thus keeping the genre alive for ute-lovers everywhere. On top of that, there was a possibility that the ute's value would increase over time if it were prestigious enough - the car's age would also be factored into this calculation. And so, having read the requirements, I set about building my entry.

A ute that thinks it's a sports coupe: the Zorg ZV4 Utility

After a few hours of deliberation, I settled on a car-based ute with all-independent suspension at each corner (sacrificing load capacity for improved dynamics), and powered by a small-displacement (2.6 liters) turbocharged straight-six optimized mainly for economy and running on regular (91RON) unleaded. The resulting car was called the Zorg ZV4 Utility and, in this trim at least, was offered in a bright metallic blue. To keep the occupants happy on long trips, I made a premium interior and infotainment system standard, with an advanced safety suite and a full set of driving aids thrown in for good measure. And yet it was merely the base model for the entire model line I had in mind, with more powerful engines being optional across the range - but I won'd get too far ahead of myself; a detailed description of the ZV4 will have to wait until later.

As the other entrants submitted their entries I was awestruck by the sheer number of approaches to the client's request, and gradually became increasingly confused as to which one of them would win the round - arguably more so than the round host, in fact. While I was building a show pony that could tackle even the twistiest roads with aplomb, some users built straight-line stoplight warriors capable of showing a clean pair of tailpipes to most sports cars (but weren't usually quite as good at everything else); others built honest, no-nonsense cargo haulers so far removed from the definition of ute that they were, to all intents and purposes, trucks - which, sadly, have largely replaced the ute as the vehicle of choice for Australian tradesmen. There were even several wildcard entries using older bodies (including a few cars which were essentially restomods - older models fitted with modern mechanicals), if only for the "retro factor" the client requested from the dozens of entrants. Specifically, a car which used an older body, or was introduced in an earlier year, would be deemed more desirable due to the client's preference for classics, although in order to pull that off, the rest of the car would have to be a true standout in many other areas as well.

Among the entries were a few utes sent in merely to make up the numbers and were built by users who knew full well that they would not make it past the first cut. But this eclectic mix of not-quite-trucks also contained a few all-purpose utes that, on first impressions at least, were good all-around choices. And although I hadn't entered to win, I was still keyed up with anticipation as the results were announced, as I had always been. Clearly the contest needed a change of tone after the dark, moody feel of the previous round.

When the results finally arrived I immediately burst into laughter after seeing the first set of reviews, which proved to be blunt yet very lighthearted, even for CSR. Even as I found out that my ute was not quite practical enough to make the first cut, I did not care one bit because the host had elevated the standards of writing and story development (for this contest, at least) to a hitherto unseen level. Considering that the previous round had already set the bar very high in this regard, that's saying something. And still the reviews kept coming, each one being more hilarious and honest than the last. After this, the list of semifinalists was finalized; it consisted entirely of vehicles which were not only practical enough for consideration, but were quite fun to drive, as well as being easy on the wallet and eye.

Thus, after the first round of cuts, there were only a dozen utes still being considered: the El-Enterato, the Daemon TK, the Dragotec Coyote, the Maverick Loadstar, the Cario Clone, the Factory Lorry, the Starfire SE-8, the Ridgeback Express, the BandicUte (either a portmanteau of Bandit and Cute, or Bandicoot and Ute - either one is correct), the Reveho GX-Z, the Quebec Utility S, and the FOA Outlander. Of these, only six of them would be finalists. The rest would, sadly, be eliminated at this stage, even though they were not without merit, unlike some of the less successful entrants. It is worth noting that had some other users been able to finalize their entries, they would have entered this round as well, which would have made at least the first round of cuts even tougher still.

In this next round of cuts, any remaining utes that lacked the necessary utility value to be viable were cut, as were entries that were too expensive. In particular, the Reveho was cut simply because it was a truck with two rows of seats - definitely contradictory with the traditional definition of a ute. Likewise, the Starfire SE-8 was overpriced, while the Quebec Utility S and Cario Clone were too middle-of-the-road to make it to the final cut. Finally, the BandicUte was just too small. Every other semifinalist was still being considered, however.

Top to bottom: CSR38 semifinalists - Reveho, Cario Clone, Quebec Utility S, BandicUte and Starfire SE-8

And so to the final decision, which proved to be the toughest one of all. First to go was the El-Enterato, which was simply outclassed by its remaining rivals. The Outlander, meanwhile, had tires that were far too narrow for a ute, much less a quasi-off-roader, and the Daemon TK was just too old to be an economical choice in the client's view. Most disappointingly of all, the Maverick Loadstar was not safe enough, and the Coyote's lack of traction control made it an unacceptably difficult everyday proposition.

Top to bottom: CSR38 finalists - El-Enterato, Daemon TK, Outlander, Coyote and Ridgeback

This left the client with just two utes to choose from: the Ridgeback and Factory Lorry. Deciding upon a winner turned out to be extremely difficult, but in the end the Factory Lorry got the nod, mostly on account of being a more honest and useful workhorse overall, even though it was much less of a show pony (i.e. fun to drive) even than the Ridgeback. Even so, with a few changes, it would have been highly likely that victory would have gone to the Ridgeback instead. And so, after a round spent building a kind of car that will soon be consigned to the history books in real life, CSR changed tack - and shifted its focus to track cars.

Confessions of an Automationeer, Part 8: CSR37 Retrospective

Confessions of an Automationeer, Part 8: CSR37 Retrospective

There have been thirty-eight Car Shopping Rounds held on the Automation forums since the contest began in January 2016, but the thirty-seventh one, set in 1987, is my clear favorite for several reasons. First, the host gave entrants a fairly liberal rule set to work with, even though there were quite a few key guidelines to follow, leading to unprecedented diversity in the ways it could be interpreted. Secondly, a comprehensive story was provided, ensuring that entrants would be immersed in it until the very end. Finally, when the results were announced, the buildup and epilogue drew plenty of inspiration from action movies of the late 80s.

So to give some explanation for the context of this round, I'll start by mentioning the backstory. Some time in 1987, an enigmatic client requested a car from a brand with sporting provenance... as long as it costs less than $20,000 with a 30% markup in place. He also wanted a radio and a tape deck, while the engine and car had to be developed fairly quickly and at a reasonable cost. And on top of that, it had to look good - including the paint job.

Despite the restrictions I was forced to work with, the rule set was still liberal enough to allow a wide variety of interpretations on the users' behalf. In my case, it led to the creation of a traditional front-engined, rear-drive, normally-aspirated, V8-powered muscle car: the NMI (National Motor Industries) Arrowhead 5.7. I opted for such a design philosophy because I wanted to have some cash to spare and keep the reliability levels high. In fact, the Arrowhead was heavily inspired by the era's American muscle cars (Camaro, Corvette, Mustang, etc.) but had an independent rear end to give it the handling prowess enthusiasts normally associate with premium European imports. However, the use of a normally aspirated engine would have ramifications later on, not all of them positive, although I didn't know it when I submitted the design.

My entry for CSR37: the NMI Arrowhead 5.7

As the days went by, the host received a flood of entries, and I could not help but be awestruck by the sheer variety of the field. Considering that the round was set in a period where performance cars had undergone a renaissance, the entry list was quickly populated by everything from supercars to rally homologation specials and virtually everything in between. In fact, I was wondering if my submission was among the more conservative entries, not just mechanically but also visually.

After a week-long period in which entries were submitted, the host began to announce the final results. As expected, the first cars to be cut were either poorly designed or simply did not perform well enough - or both. Naturally, this eliminated many promising contenders, but my Arrowhead wasn't among them - yet. The quality of the remaining contenders clearly made the next round of cuts much more difficult.

Next to fall were the normally aspirated cars - although in fairness, nobody who submitted them, myself included, saw this coming. Considering that the client only wanted turbocharged cars in the end, however, this was clearly justified. This left just seven cars to battle it out for victory. Deciding a winner, however, turned out to be even tougher than compiling the shortlist of potential contenders.

Once again, any cars that didn't meet the client's exacting standards would be cut. Inevitably, this led to yet more contenders being eliminated, leaving just three cars: the Butzi BiTurbo, Salmon GT-Sprint, and Miglia Turbo. Either of the former two could have won, but did not; as fast as they were, the Miglia turned out to be even sportier - and better-looking to boot. So the car that looked and felt most like a supercar ended up taking a well-deserved victory.

Top to bottom: Butzi BiTurbo, Salmon GT-Sprint and Miglia Turbo

What made this the most exciting round of CSR up to that point (at least in my opinion), though, was the epilogue, in which the client was attacked by several heavily armed mobsters and attempted to escape from them in the Miglia. While reading it, I was reminded of contemporary action films and TV series such as Die Hard, Miami Vice and the like. In fact, considering that the prologue revealed very little about the client except for the fact that he wanted a relatively affordable performance car, I was convinced that this would be a round with a darker tone than usual, and events proved me right.

To put the epilogue in a nutshell, shortly after they arrived, the mobsters stole many of the cars that had been evaluated by the client; realizing the gravity of the situation, he soon picked up his loyal sidekick and shot out one of his pursuers' front tires, causing a massive pileup and triggering a huge explosion. The only mobsters to avoid the crash were the ones in the red Sagata 3.8 Turbo - a car which, despite its impressive performance, failed to make the first cut; they soon opened fire on him again, forcing him to return fire while relying on the Miglia's performance (and his supreme driving skills) to stay one step ahead of his pursuers. But while the local police also took off after the mobster and his prey, they were no match for the firepower of the former or the driving skills of the latter. Eventually, after a brief but intense chase through the city, he shot out both of the Sagata's front tires, sending it sliding out of control into a petrol station and exploding on impact. This time, the mobsters did not survive.

The victor and the vanquished: the Sagata 3.8 Turbo (top) and Merlo Turbo (bottom)

Thus ended the closest thing that CSR has ever had (or will ever have, considering the lighter tone of most other rounds) to an action film. It should be noted that a few months before CSR37, there had been a similar performance-oriented contest (which, unlike CSR37, revolved around building ultra-high-end supercars for a movie director to use in an upcoming film), but it was a one-off set in the present day and was much more liberal, with a far higher budget limit. I did better in that challenge, though, only missing out on a spot in the top three because of my car's styling, which was... unusual to say the least, although I heavily revised it in a second trim I created afterwards. And now, having read the epilogues of both contests, I am starting to see striking similarities between them. Next up is a post about the quest to buy an example of a kind of (virtual) car you may not be aware of.

Automation Earth Day Special: Designing an Engine for Efficiency

Automation Earth Day Special: Designing an Engine for Efficiency

In celebration of Earth Day, I have chosen to create a new post specifically with environmental awareness in mind. For this I have chosen to show an example of an engine configured for high fuel efficiency and low emissions. In particular, I will share how I achieved both of those objectives. But before that, I will go into why I built the car which is powered by that engine.

A few weeks ago, I found a contest on the Automation forums that required entrants to build an economy car for a buyer whose previous car had been destroyed in a crash. Given my expertise in optimizing an engine for high efficiency, entering this challenge (which would easily have been a round of CSR if not for its creator not having won the most recent round) was a no-brainer. So, after a few hours, I came up with this:

The Zorg ZV2 1.7 AWD: Designed for economy at a reasonable price

My entry, the Zorg ZV2 1.7 AWD, looked like a normal, if small, three-box sedan from the outside, but with all-wheel-drive, fully independent suspension at each corner and alloy panels on a high-strength steel chassis, it was a technically advanced offering. It was also practical and affordable enough to be a sensible daily driver. However, the real genius lay under the hood.

Top to bottom: Internals and variant capacity, cam profiles and compression, turbocharger setup, fuel system configuration, and technical overview of the 1.7-liter straight four in the Zorg ZV2 1.7

In an attempt to extract as much efficiency from the engine as possible given the limited budget, I settled on low-friction pistons (which provide a significant increase in efficiency), a shorter stroke (to prevent the redline from restricting power outputs too much), mild cam profiles (which ensures that the valves are open for a shorter time) and a lean air/fuel ratio (again, providing sizable economy gains). The most significant work, however, was tuning the turbocharger for increased fuel economy. For this application, small compressors and turbines with modest boost and a low AR ratio were a necessity, and I did not hesitate to apply my expertise here.

The end result was an efficiency rating of 32% - an impressive figure given the tight budget. As installed in the ZV2, it provided excellent fuel economy figures (although in a lighter car, it would have yielded even better results) - high-40s to low-50s US MPG on the combined cycle - and very low emissions. Speaking of which, hypereutectic pistons actually reduce emissions even further than low-friction pistons, but aren't as useful in economy-oriented applications due to their increased friction, although they are strong enough to withstand higher redlines. For the next post, I will kick off my series of CSR retrospectives... by stepping back 30 years.

Laserforce Explained, Part 4: The Perils of Incompetence

Laserforce Explained, Part 4: The Perils of Incompetence

In my two years of playing Laserforce I have learned how to be a highly skilled player much faster than normal, in large part due to my experience with first- and third-person shooter computer games. Naturally, given that good hand-eye coordination is a requirement to complete them, it seems fitting that this also applies to Laserforce and other laser tag chains worldwide. However, many players, whom I shall not name explicitly, have forgotten about this hint and instead wandered blindly into their opponents' line(s) of sight. In fact, I have been all too willing to exploit this horrific blunder, by scoring lots of points very quickly whenever it happens.

So how can this be avoided? The first and most important step is to maintain situational awareness at all times. This can be done simply by taking a quick look at your surroundings every few seconds, and if you see another, don't hesitate to zap him/her - unless that player is your teammate, of course. Continually keeping score throughout the game is also recommended; by doing so, you will know how well you (and your team, if the current game is a team-based game type) are doing compared to your opponents. Finally, always remember the rules for the current game; since each game type is different in some way from the others, it pays to keep notes of the objective(s) you must accomplish in order to win the match. Even then, it takes time and patience to master all these steps, but it will eventually be worth the effort, and you will realize it sooner or later.

The situation is worsened if the disparity in player skill is increased further, such as during a team game in which one of the teams has a disproportionate number of veteran players compared to the other teams. The resulting game is almost always guaranteed to be extremely one-sided. However, if the differences between the teams' average skill are reduced, all sides will be far more evenly matched. I've actually experienced both scenarios first hand, especially the former. Unsurprisingly, organizers of official tournaments aim to make their contests as fair and close as possible by attempting to evenly distribute higher-ranked players across all teams; while it isn't always successful, it adds a welcome element of unpredictability.

That brings an end to my discussion of how laser tag is so highly dependent on player skill, and yet still has an element of luck as well. In the next few posts, I will resume Confessions of an Automationeer by revisiting some of my favorite competition rounds.

Laserforce Explained, Part 3: Examples of Arena Layouts and Objects

Laserforce Explained, Part 3: Examples of Arena Layouts and Objects

All Laserforce arenas are designed to promote fast-paced, challenging play for every player. They contain a variety of objects that players can find and utilize to improve their scores. Some of these arenas even have multiple floors, which literally adds a new dimension to gameplay. However, all of them have at least three colored targets and at least one Warbot. Since the behavior of Warbots have been described in detail in the last few posts, I will begin this post by discussing targets before explaining other arena objects later.

Targets in Laserforce are generally small plastic boxes or plates with a few colored LEDs inside them. Any player who zaps it three consecutive times without being deactivated or missing the target will gain 801 points, although players can only do this once for each hostile or neutral target during a game. In team games with two or three teams, each team is assigned a target to protect, and can only attack neutral or hostile targets; as such, any target not assigned to a team in these games is considered neutral. However, in individual games and team games with at least four teams, all targets are neutral. Targets may even serve as components for more complex arena objects, including the ones described below. Finally, some arenas even include reusable targets that can be zapped once every minute or so: instead of rewarding players with 800 points, they tend to give other rewards instead, such as a small amount of points (usually 50) or doubling the amount of points they can score for a short time. Therefore, it is recommended that you seek out targets as soon as possible to build up your score early on, and in team games, tell your teammates to do so in an attempt to give your team the upper hand.

A Warbot is basically a stationary swiveling turret that rotates horizontally, occassionally zapping nearby players every so often. Usually, the player being zapped will be deactivated, especially if he/she has outscored most of the other players; however, in some game modes, Warbots may also give special points or items to players who are falling behind. Moreover, in some game modes which feature Warbots, players can control them once per game by zapping them a few times, gaining valuable points in the process and causing it to accumulate points (and also special points to use on special abilities) on behalf of whoever controls it, usually for one minute. Some arenas even contain multiple Warbots for players to avoid or control depending on the situation. In short. learning how to take advantage of Warbots' capabilities is essential to maximizing your score in any Laserforce game which uses these devices.

Some arenas even include objects that combine features of targets and Warbots. Take the arena on Ipswich Road in Woolloongabba, for example. To this day it remains my favorite Laserforce arena because for some reason, it reminds me of a well-designed stadium: spacious, packed with amenities and very enjoyable to play on. Two of its features in particular stand out: the Time Vortex and the Jade Serpent. The former is actually a walkway inside a tube; when all four of its targets (which are located on one end of the tunnel) have been zapped, the tube will light up and rotate for a short time, exposing anyone who is hiding in it for defensive and/or offensive purposes and also rendering them vulnerable until the Vortex has stopped. Anyone who does this for the first time will receive an achievement.

The Jade Serpent, on the other hand, is effectively a Warbot that only activates once the targets on it have all been destroyed. Each target on the Serpent is only lit up intermittently, and even then only for a very short time, during which players can zap them. Given that it takes several direct hits to destroy these targets, exposing the Serpent tends to take a while, especially if only one player is attacking it. Once the Serpent is exposed, it will zap any player that gets close enough to it, and any players hit by the Serpent will be deactivated. However, the Serpent will be deactivated if it is hit enough times. Anyone who does this will receive a large points bonus, plus an achievement if they have not destroyed the Serpent before.

There is also a pair of tall structures near the entrance, called Reactors. Each one has a target attached to it, but uniquely, they will sometimes render the surrounding area impassable without players being deactivated for a short time once per game. This is called a "meltdown", and is preceded by the message "Danger: Radiation Overload!" (or something similar) a few seconds before the meltdown actually occurs. Obviously, avoiding the meltdown is a priority in a game where the Reactors have been programmed to overload.

Whatever props are present, however, the layout of a Laserforce arena is the most important attribute any player should remember. During a game, it is recommended that you find a good hiding place from which to ambush your opponents, while also reducing the probability of being discovered and attacked in return. For example, at Laserforce HQ, I found a small space in front of the Yellow Triffid (the only target on the top floor) and near the walkway leading to the upper floor to use as a hiding place. Like so many other players hiding in this part of the map, I was seldom detected by my opponents, but could easily find and deactivate them, especially if they were less experienced. The arena at Strike Wintergarden, meanwhile, isn't short of nooks and crannies either despite minimal elevation changes; the enclosed area opposite the prop resembling a crashed plane is particularly useful to sneaky players, as is the tiny area behind the desk at the near end of the corridor.

Having briefly discussed the most important parts of the arena at Laserforce HQ, I shall now summarize a few key aspects of the arenas at Sky Zone MacGregor and Strike Wintergarden, the only other Laserforce sites I have visited so far. The former is spread out over three floors, giving it a greater vertical element; as such, ambushes from players hiding in the top floor are not only more common, but also much more effective due to the attackers having a better view of their opponents. In particular, the ramp leading to the top floor is a hot spot for sudden attacks on unsuspecting players. On the other hand, it's rare for anyone playing in the much smaller Strike Wintergarden arena to have the high ground over an opponent, since the elevation change there is minimal. Defensively minded players especially tend to hide behind the barrels near the blue target; on the other hand, offensively minded players tend to launch their attacks along the narrow corridors leading to the blue and red targets, where their lines of sight are often unobstructed.

So if you really want to attain mastery in Laserforce, it is imperative that you remember the layout and features of each arena that you play in, especially the locations of the targets and Warbots. Otherwise, you will have a hard time keeping up with your opponents' scores. Speaking of which, the next post will show some of the consequences of skill gaps between new and experienced players.