ZTag will be bringing its live zombie infection game to Santa Clarita, California for 10 weekend nights starting from Sept. 22 to Oct. 28. The first 30 people to sign up for any of these events have the option to play for free as “beta players.”
Gantom Lighting & Controls, the designer of ZTag, is conducting these beta games to finalize new game mechanics prior to the launch of ZTag on a national level. ZTag is looking for people of all ages who like to experiment with new, live, interactive games and provide feedback.
Gantom, formerly Darklight, manufactures special-effects lighting equipment catering to the themed attraction industry. Gantom Live! specializes in live entertainment games.
ZTag’s “style is similar to laser tag but, instead of guns, we use LED badges,” said Quan Gan, founder of Gantom and designer of ZTag, in a statement. “We’ve taken the schoolyard game of tag and re-invented it with zombies and flashing lights. Each player wears the ZTag as a badge with an LED health indicator over their heart. If you’re a human, your light is green. If you’re a zombie, your light is red. Zombies can ‘infect’ human players just by getting close. Each ZTag receives and transmits information to the other ZTags within its reach, which is three feet, face to face. Within this range, a zombie is able to tag a human player, who then becomes a zombie that spreads the infection. Humans stay alive by avoiding zombies. The last human remaining is the winner,” he explained.
Participants should be prepared to run, dodge, and hide, so hiking boots or all-terrain shoes are recommended. Knee pads and gloves are a good idea too, to prevent scrapes, as are bottled water and snacks to sustain players for the two hours of game play.
The ZTag games take place from 7 – 9 pm at ZTag Ground Zero, 29753 Bouquet Canyon Road in Santa Clarita on Sept. 22 and 30, and Oct. 6, 7, 13, 14, 20, 21, 27, and 28. For directions, a map, and more information, visit the event page here . To sign up for the event as a beta tester or under the regular admission fee ($15), go here.
