The basic tagger on it's own is just a gem of the Lazer Tag brand. It combines the best of both the LTTO and LTX world in that it has a beacon for Lock On signatures and IFF, easy reload, toggle shields, comfortable design, and a wonderfully accurate iron sight. You lose the iron sight when the iOS cradle is attached, but the HUD that provides makes up for this loss. I'll be doing a review of that feature later on. The LTAR will be available at most major retailers and you can purchase these as single units in White or Orange OR you can purchase two in a set. They all come with the iOS cradle as well as protective rubber cases that fit the 4th Gen iPod Touch and iPhone. Each unit takes 6 AA batteries have indoor/outdoor settings to adjust sensitivity for lighting changes. Single units are roughly $35 and a set of two is roughly $70.UPDATE! Just finished up both the review of the Basic tagger and an LTAR fully equipped with an iPod Touch in the cradle. Check out both the videos below to see it in action!
One thing you missed in at least the iOS-less review, is that you can hold down the reload button to switch between the 10-round clip single-shot mode, and a 15-round clip full-auto mode. Haven't watched the iOS device video.
ReplyDeleteActually, I didn't miss it. I just flat-out didn't know about that feature until recently! D'oh!
DeleteAlso of note, it /is/ a 10-round clip in default mode, not 12. Other than that, I think you covered all the important stuff.
ReplyDeleteThe Airstrike /will/ work against a base blaster, it will just do a fixed amount of damage rather than doing the AR game(Which I would prefer anyways... Those AR drones are a /pain/...).
Hrm. A correction. I tried the air strike against a deviceless tagger, and it doesn't do anything... Odd... Guess I misunderstood.
DeleteThanks for the nice review Bazookafied!The new LTAR system looks like nearly perfect.One thing what I have been wondering, is that can you hit your opponent from any angle in iDevice mode, or have you also to hit the sensor beacon to score in that iDevice mode too.So is there 360 degree hit radius with using smartdevices?
ReplyDeleteIf I get some sort of iPod Touch or iPhone (which I might have to soon, my old iPod is dying on me), I might have to pick up the LTAR set. These things look like a ton of fun, especially with the iPod connectivity.
ReplyDeleteNice review! Does it have the ability to host/join a custom game like with the LTTO blasters?
ReplyDeleteIt can join LTTO Hosted games, but can't host itself... yet.
Deletehttp://youtu.be/gKw0kZ_iwqQ
Will it host custom games in an update?
ReplyDeleteDoes the LTAR have unlimited shots in a game? And does it have time limits on games?
ReplyDeleteWhat are the ranges?
ReplyDeleteRange is the same as the LTX, around 250 feet during the day.
DeleteYou get a measly 250 feet with these and the LTX? Our group has experienced much better ranges than that. Closer to 400-450 in full daylight with it jumping between 500 and 600 at night.
DeleteAre you noticing that the LTAR is overly sensitive to getting hits??? When we try and have a game indoors (set to the indoor setting) you get a hit if you shoot anywhere -- from around corners, from the other room, off of the floor etc. This is very frustrating and makes the game unplayable! We have tried with the LTX and they don't react this way at all! You have to aim with the LTXs! We have tried with 2 LTARs and they take hits without the enemy aiming at all!
ReplyDeleteHELP???
Never noticed this on account of we haven't used the LTAR for any indoor games. We play laser tag outdoors and Nerf indoors.
DeleteCould you give it a try and tell me what you find please? I have 2 different LTAR guns and can't imagine they both are defective. It would be a shame if the new LTAR system is unusable indoors -- The LTX system works so well all around. Plus the LTARs have a harder time making hits on LTX guns.
ReplyDeleteI would really appreciate if you gave it an indoor test! THANKS!!!
From my indoor tests with 4 blasters (2 LTAR and 2 LTX) and from what I can tell, LTXs' indoor mode is less sensitive than the LTAR's. It's not a gigantic difference, but you need to be considerably more accurate with the LTX. I'll look into this more and ask my taggin buddies and see what's up with this.
DeleteThanks! How easy was it to score a hit on the LTX using a LTAR? Also, were your shots bouncing off of walls, floors etc. and going around corners? We are finding that if you take cover using the LTARs you still get hits - we even tested this outside last night and we were getting hits through huge trees! VERY FRUSTRATING!
DeleteThanks and please let us know what you find.
With a light-based game, you're always going to have some sort of issue with reflection hits and such. The LTAR was more susceptible to this. We've been using the LTAR in outdoor games for the past 2 weeks and have not encountered any issues getting shot through trees at all, though. I would imagine the guys who used these at TagFest would've encountered similar issues if they were a real problem and reported it. No problems with that kind of stuff outdoors.
DeleteGot a great answer from the guys on the LTTO Yahoo! Group:
Delete"Yeah, I think this is just the difference between how the LTX and the LTARs do the indoor/outdoor mode.
The LTX is the odd man out, I belive, in that it reduces the sensitivity of the dome when you switch it to indoor.
Every other tagger (Deluxe, Drone, TMB, LTAR) reduces the power of the IR being sent out the barrel.
High-sensitivity dome indoors, yeah, you won't have to aim as much, even with reduced power IR. Mixing and matching LTXs and anything else indoors is a big no-no, too. The LTXs will dominate, thanks to them sending out full-power shots, hitting all the full-sensitivity domes."
Very disappointing!!! The LTX is a way better system! We never have had any problems with any of this = it just works great both indoors and out! I don't believe the issue is just LTAR vs LTX- we have the same issues when we use just the LTARs only during outdoor and indoor games-- shooting through walls, huge trees, etc. and taking cover does very little if anything at all. It makes games very annoying when you are getting hits from around solid cover!
ReplyDeleteThey said that the systems were going to be compatible - this is not the case. We are returning the LTAR sets and just going to be buying up all of the remaining LTX taggers we can find. What a bummer!
Thanks much for your research and response. It was very helpful.
Don't blow this out of proportion. The LTAR is directly compatible with the LTX and LTTO systems. Compatibility is not the case. The difference is how the Indoor/outdoor switch effects the performance. Like they said, the LTX is the "odd man out" since it is different when it comes to Indoor/Outdoor modes than the other two systems.
DeleteThe Indoor/Outdoor switch on the LTX was troublesome and it caused problems on earlier models. Because it dealt with the amount of power going to the dome instead of the power in the IR LED, it often caused electromagnetic interference with the internals of the LTX causing them to "Lag" fire. This was a problem I had to face when working on my LTX EF5. It's likely the reason the LTAR switched back to the same Indoor/Outdoor setting that the LTTO blasters use.
DeleteI am not blowing this out of proportion at all. The LTAR is unusable if you can't take cover behind objects or behind walls! We did many many tests using JUST LTARs and the LTAR took hits even if you were pointing the other LTAR away from the intended target! Trying NOT to aim at all! The LTX works great and you could use objects for cover and play with tactics. The LTAR is cool in concept but not for battles where you want to use cover indoors or outside. If you just want to shoot at each other and watch the cool ios screen lasers etc. than it is okay - but if you want a real battle, stick with the LTX taggers! A REAL LETDOWN!
ReplyDeleteI suppose it just seems like your opinion of it is a bit extreme since seasoned laser taggers both in my group and at TagFest Northwest have been using these without the dealbreaker issues you have been citing.
Deletehttp://youtu.be/fnmRFfhCOVk
If anything, the only reason folks have said they prefer the LTX to the LTAR is usually the lack of a rumble pack/recoil hammer.
Does the Ltar have all the game modes as the team ops taggers? I'm just getting into lazer tag and am torn between this new tagger and the older ones on eBay.
ReplyDeleteThat's a great question! Currently the LTAR can only do basic team games and settings, but it CAN join games hosted by an LTTO blaster. Eventually, as the App gets more developed, the LTAR will have more features for multiplayer hosting.
DeleteIf you ask me, as fun as the older LTTO blasters are, I prefer hit lights on my blasters. the LTTO Deluxe and Drone don't have this and it's kind of a pain trying to see if you hit your opponent or not. There is a "hit light mod" for these blasters, but it's not for beginners.
I also don't ever use the different game modes on the LTTO blasters, as I'd rather have scenarios and such set up with my group instead of having the blaster dictate the settings. It's also much easier to grab-n-go with games, which works better for the style of play our group does. It's personal preference at that point, though. I know groups that still love using the game modes in LTTO.
Another question. Does the Ltar show everyones stats or just your own?
ReplyDeleteWithout the iOS, there's no readout (or any visible gauges) that show anything like that. You can't join LTTO hosted games from an LTAR with the iOS connected either.
DeleteIn the same way that the game modes aren't really useful to the folks I tag with, we also don't fret too much about stats at the end of games. Since the majority of the blasters are LTARs and LTXs anyways, these LTTO-centric features often aren't a factor.
The few times we have used post-game readouts it hasn't really been worth the trouble. Our players would rather discuss how the game went afterwards than see their K/D spread.
Just bought a Ltar. It works fine with my ltx but the after game report doesn't show me making any hits. Even when I test it by simply killing my ltx. Any ideas or suggestions?
ReplyDeleteJust bought an LTAR set "blind" and now I'm feeling like it was a horrible mistake and waste of money. I unfortunately rediscovered and decided to "get back into" laser tag right at the time that the old LTX guns were discontinued (still sad I missed out there) so was pretty much out of luck. When the LTARs were announced, I hoped they'd be an updated, more awesome version so I wouldn't feel so sad, but it seems that this is not the case; for a start, an Android user like me seems totally out of luck for anything but the most basic features (not even any readouts on the guns?!) thanks being iPhone-only and lacking the cool physical "attachments" the LTX guns had. Now I read that indoor use is worse than the LTX too? I'd happily return my new LTARs and pick up a set of LTX guns from overseas, but those seem to have increased to even more ridiculous prices since I last looked ($200-$400 per pair!). Really wishing I'd read this fantastic blog about the LTAR before buying. The fact I got the set for $50 isn't really a consolation. :(
ReplyDeleteI just bought a pair of the black and white ones it says in on the side lt/ar and there is another one orange and white that has on the side fc what are the differences in these and is there one better than the other.
ReplyDeleteThere isn't a "black and white" one. There's White with orange accents and Orange with gray/white accents. There is only one "LTAR" that's out there with two different color variations using the same shell.
DeleteHey I was considering buying either the LTAR or the ltx because I can get them same price which should I get?
ReplyDeleteIt depends on which one you like more, I guess. Some folks prefer the LTAR because of it's slender design, ease of operation, and solid performance. Some folks prefer the LTX because of it's nifty reload function, rumble pack, and LED gauges. I wouldn't say one is better than the other because they cater to different needs but still deliver the same great gameplay. Decide which features you like best.
DeleteThanks. I think I'll get the ltx because of the cool recoil and reload and future 2nd hand value. I might get a few of the LTARs later
DeletePS your blog is great
can it already host a custom game for LTTO and LTX to join?
ReplyDeleteNot yet. I'll post an update if/when that happens.
DeletePosted this on Urban Taggers by accident. I watched your video on hosting the three different systems and somehow ended up there instead of here. Figured I'd better post to the proper place. I have a question and am hoping you can help when you have some time.
ReplyDeleteCan the TTO system host the LTAR's on different teams or do they all have to be solo? I've actually read the TTO instructions and I know it can do team games with that system, but based on how you joined the game in your video, it looks like you have to select Solo mode with LTAR's.
A bunch of us have played 4 on 4 team games and it would be awesome to know who hit who. If the TTO system will do the LTARS on teams, I'll pick up a set ASAP.
Might have to pick up some more blasters, there were people waiting to get into the game and EVERYBODY had an awesome time. We're already planning our next game and a couple of the players already bought their own blasters.
Thanks!
LTARs can join LTTO Hosted games on any team. Same method as setting up this game that I did on YouTube> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gKw0kZ_iwqQ
DeleteOnly difference is that I just did a basic hosting without teams in the interest of time on the video.
Awesome, thanks for the info! Now to track down a TTO system.
DeleteUpdate: I got my hands on an LTTO set! Hosted a couple of 2 and 3 team games for testing. It sorta worked and it sorta didn't. The LTTO updated the game parameters (number of hits, I didn't actually time the shields or try own team hits yet) to the LTARs. It started games and found all the blasters at the end without issues. Will do more testing with shields and reloads another time.
ReplyDeleteThe tags/hits info on the LTTO blasters were right on every time.
The number of tags/hits on the LTARS were hit and miss. Sometimes it would show the proper number of tags, other times it would show "??" and if you hit the "OK" button as per the manual to retrieve the data, it would just reset it to 00. I tried a lower number of hits with the same inconsistent results. When it did show the proper number of tags, it was pretty cool!
The hits taken were always right and the over all player rank seemed to be right as well so we had an idea of how we did overall.
The LTTO was also slower at taking hits. The LTARs would take 2 hits while the LTTO would only register 1. Huge advantage for the LTTO team :)
So pretty good compatibility between the systems as you showed in the video.
We have another game scheduled for Friday night! Might try to host a couple, but we'll probably just play without the LTTO host.
Hope this info helps!
Update 2: Shield time, team hits and reload parameters were accepted by the LTAR's! Couldn't figure out if the Megashot or Medic Mode worked or not. Holding down the reload on the LTAR's would still give it rapid fire, but the Megashot didn't seem to work. It was hard to keep track if Medic Mode worked or not. Leaning towards not.
ReplyDeleteTagged Them/Tagged You end game report was still inconsistent. Managed to have 3 or 4 two team games (4 players total) where it worked perfectly and then another where it would show "??" again. Three player games seemed to show "??" a lot more (1 vs 1 vs 2). But the overall rankings still seemed right.
LTTO's will take simultaneous hits from different blasters, but it would not take quick successful hits from same blaster. The LTAR's seem to be more responsive to quick shots.
If there's anything anyone wants tested with this combo, let me know and I'll try to find out. I haven't tested any of the other game modes yet.
Overall, I'm very pleased with how these sets interact! Changing the options allow for some dynamic games based on who's playing. I can see Hasbro easily coming out with a scoring system of some sort and hopefully they do!
Hi,
ReplyDeleteI recently started to get into Lazer Tag and thought I'd post a quick fix for the LTAR's indoor sensitivity.
What I did was cut-out a trapezoid shaped piece of cardboard to fit over the upper lens of the LTAR. I then used a screwdriver to punch a small hole in the center of the cardboard and then taped it over the LTAR's upper lens.
After a quick test, it seems to REALLY reduce proximity tags, you really have to aim at the dome in order to get a tag. You can enlarge the hole if it's not sensitive enough. There are still issues with rebounded shots, but overall it makes indoor play with the LTAR's a lot more enjoyable.
I hope this helps people enjoy their LTAR's more!
Bazookafield, thanks for creating this blog, lots of info here! I saw a picture on the facebook page that it was a pain to disable the IFF beacon. Is this the annoying "warning!" near hostiles or "beep" when near a team mate? If so, could you post a video or a guide on how to disable that?
Thanks, Joseph! Glad to hear you've been enjoying the LTAR and making it work for your group. The IFF beacon disable is something we have unsuccessfully tried to do. Once we get it figured out, we'll likely have a video up about how to disable this feature.
DeleteWe're also developing some attachments for the LTAR, including a long-range lens, Weaver rail, and Stock attachment. Hope we can continue to help fellow laser taggers!
Are the LTAR better outdoors than indoors combined with the LTX? Indoors, I have the same problem as another commenter, I am easily tagged indoors with the LTAR by the LTX. It is winter at my place and just wondering if I wasted my money and should send back the LTAR or not.
ReplyDeleteThe LTX's "Indoor Mode" cuts power to the sensors and keeps the blaster's IR LED performance (for shooting) the same. The LTAR's "Indoor Mode" cuts power to the blaster's IR LED and keeps the sensors the same, hence why LTARs are more easily tagged inside.
DeleteWe rarely run into this issue, as the majority of our games are held outdoors. Indoors, we have enough LTXs to go around where we don't need to use LTARs and face this issue.
Had anyone tried to attenuate the power to the sensor with a resistor or IR shield?
DeleteStill no ability to host games with ltar using ios? Seems a shame with ltto no longer available. Can't believe ltar are $19 on amazon! !
ReplyDeletelooking at the Dome of the LTR, it appears that there are red LED lights, 3 infrared LED transmitters, & 3 infrared receivers.
ReplyDeleteif you were to snip off the infrared transmitters (clear LEDS) then that would probably remove all proximity transmission, and it would have to be done on every ltar.
the little roundish black things that stand up, are the IR receivers. If you put a resistor on one leg of it, and hook it up to a switch, then you could cut down the strength of the receiving signal for indoor play.
has my alt I was only 16 dollars, I plan to do both modifications.
Dear Jason, I too am looking for a way to modify the LTAR is not making some of the audio feedback that they are giving now. I do not like the lock on signal, the friendly fire aim sound and the warning sound. However I love the hit confirmation. I've tried neutralising the lower receiver barrel and this neutralises some sounds but also the hit confirmation AND leaves the warning sound. Were you succesfull in this? Thank you very much!
DeleteHello! In LTX is possible to configure the damage that will be caused?
ReplyDeleteHi, I just bought a mix of LTTO, LTX, and LTAR taggers off ebay for my husband for Father's Day. How do you remove the iDevice from the LTAR? I want to use it as a basic tagger. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteCongrats! Great gear you've got there! It's a bit tricky to remove the iDevice Cradele, but it's doable. Open the cradle and find a small square nub inside the lower center part of it. Get some long nose pliers and hang on to that sucker and pull outward. It can be tricky to get a decent grip on that square peg. By pulling on this, you're releasing the plastic clip that is wedged into the blaster. Once you've got that pulled, push upwards on the cradle and it should slide off the top.
Delete