History Main / LaserSight

%% Needs Context * Averted in ''Manga/GunslingerGirl'' with Rico, the resident ColdSniper.

* In the ''TabletopGame/BattleTech'' novel "Lost Destiny", a Clan elemental who is hunting Kai Allard-Liao with as few resources as possible uses a laser pointer aimed at Deidre, Kai's love interest, to convince him to come into the open. Kai does so, and the elemental mocks him for falling for it. [[spoiler: Kai challenges him to a duel and breaks his neck, no small feat.]]
** Averted by another novel, "Assumption of Risk." Here, an entire chapter is devoted to the death of a major political player in the Inner Sphere. [[spoiler: Ryan Steiner, the Skye Separatist faction leader,]] is assassinated by a highly competent sniper. As pointed out above, the universe does have some weapons with laser sights (especially targeting acquisition gear, which actually sends targeting data to artillery as opposed to being mounted on a gun), but for once, they aren't mentioned or used in any major sniping events in the course of the 'Classic' series of books.
** "Tactics of Duty" has a variation where an integrated laser ArmCannon on a PoweredArmor unit has a targeting function, triggered by half-closing the hand in the laser arm. This paints an inch-wide green circle on anything on the other side of the bore, a threat one security guard does not respect (to his immediate and fatal regret).

** [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semi-active_radar_homing Semi-active radar homing]] works on the same basic principle, using a radar beam instead of an infrared one. The missile's guidance is simply a radar receiver, made to home in on the reflection of a radar beam emitted from the attacking aircraft; they're often called "beam-riding" missiles for this reason.

* ''Film/{{Transformers}}'', surprisingly enough, uses it realistically in the final battle when the US forces try to destroy Megatron's loyal underling Blackout. SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome occurs when said Decepticon sees the targeting laser on his arm.
* ''Film/{{Transporter 2}}''. RuleOfCool when attached to TheDragon's GunsAkimbo machine-pistols, but justified in two scenes where it's used to force the protagonist into doing what they want (the first time a laser dot is on the head of the kid he's protecting, the second it's on Frank's chest to make him get into a car he knows is rigged with a bomb).

* ''Film/{{Wanted}}''. Towards the beginning of the movie, a man is shown talking with a woman, and a laser-point appears on her forehead prior to a BoomHeadshot. Possible lampshade, however, as she was Indian, she had a bindi, which was naturally where the sniper aimed anyway. The man doesn't realize it's a laser sight until she moves her head (meaning the laser is no longer on the bindi), but by that point it's too late. On subsequent viewings, it's pretty obviously a laser sight.

* ''[[VideoGame/Ashes2063 Ashes Afterglow]]'': The first workbench upgrade to the semi-automatic Glock pistol is, among general touch-ups and cleaning of the gun, a laser sight -- which, according to the blueprints, is just [[ScavengerWorld a regular old laser pointer attached under the barrel]]. This makes the pistol a lot more accurate, on par with the .45 revolver. It even changes name from "9mm Autoloader" to "Tacticool Autoloader".

* ''[[VideoGame/Ashes2063 Ashes Afterglow]]'': The first workbench upgrade to the semi-automatic pistol is, among general touch-ups and cleaning of the gun, a laser sight -- which, according to the blueprints, is just [[ScavengerWorld a regular old laser pointer attached under the barrel]]. This makes the pistol a lot more accurate, on par with the .45 revolver. It even changes name from "9mm Autoloader" to "Tacticool Autoloader".

* In ''VideoGame/TheFall'', ARID's pistol has both a dual laser sight/flashlight module attached. When the laser sight is active, the gun is ready to fire.

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* Averted in ''Manga/GunslingerGirl'' with Rico, the resident ColdSniper.

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* ''Film/RoboCop3''. A criminal enters a cafe/doughnut shop, unaware that the old cliche about doughnut shops being a standard hangout for cops actually applies to this establishment. As soon as he pulls out his piece and demands money from the cashier, there is what could be called a ''ClickHello'' on steroids, followed by three laser sights pointed at the poor sap's face. DonutMessWithACop!

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* In ''VideoGame/HalfLife2'', the Combine snipers not only have laser sights, but unlike real lasers, the beam is visible from the side.

** And used again in ''VideoGame/TeamFortressClassic'' - The easiest way to tell a Sniper is watching is if he's charging his shot, which causes a laser dot to show on a wall. Having one show up on your vision means you're pretty much fucked.
** The rocket launcher in both games uses a laser sight to guide the projectile.
* Blaster users in ''VideoGame/KnightsOfTheOldRepublic 1'' and 2 will have a laser guide or a crosshair projecting from their weapons when using the Sniper Shot skill.

** In ''Metal Gear Solid 4'', you can purchase laser sights for some of your firearms in order to improve your aim, as well as the distance at which you can Lock On to a target with the weapon; however, in both single-player and multi-player the beam itself can be seen.

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* ''Film/TheTerminator''. "The .45 longslide, with laser sighting." At the time, laser sights were nowhere near as common as they are now, and Creator/ArnoldSchwarzenegger had to hide the battery up his sleeve. [[FridgeLogic Of course, this invites the question as to why an advanced cyborg with night vision who can probably calculate the ballistics of a round would need to use a laser sight.]] But it does give a [[RuleOfCool cool]] ImpendingDoomPOV when Sarah Connor's vision goes red as the Terminator puts the laser dot right between her eyes.

* In ''Film/Terminator2JudgmentDay'', Sarah uses one with her rifle when she goes to kill Miles Dyson. Of course, Dyson's back is turned, so he can't see the laser.

-->'''Rath:''' [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ckw3pc0InKk&t=10m50s Ooooh!]] Hey, come back here! Now I got- huh? Where'd you go? ''[continues to paw at the moving red dot]'' [[CatchPhrase Lemme tell ya somethin']], little red dot which is curiously devoid of mass or volume!

-->'''Rath:''' [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ckw3pc0InKk&t=10m50s Ooooh!]] Hey, come back here! Now I got- huh? Where'd you go? ''[continues to paw at the moving red dot]'' catchphrase Lemme tell ya somethin']], little red dot which is curiously devoid of mass or volume!

-->'''Rath:''' [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ckw3pc0InKk&t=10m50s Ooooh!]] Hey, come back here! Now I got- huh? Where'd you go? ''[continues to paw at the moving red dot]'' [[{{Catchphrase}} Lemme tell ya somethin']], little red dot which is curiously devoid of mass or volume!

* In ''VideoGame/TheFall'', ARID's pistol has one attached to it.

* In ''VideoGame/DeusEx'', a laser sight is one of several modifications that can be added to your guns.

** ''Film/TheWorldIsNotEnough''. In the ActionPrologue in Bilbao, Bond is about to be shot by a mook when he sees a laser dot on the man's chest just before the sniper shoots him. This tells him someone out there wants him alive, [[CantKillYouStillNeedYou but only for now]]. After [[spoiler: [=MI6=] headquarters is bombed and James is looking out the hole in the building wall]], he sees a laser sight just in time to duck out of the way. The shooter was located on a boat, about 300-400 meters away, with G36 equipped with a scope. And she ''missed'' (in that case not on purpose).

* Used in ''Film/PhoneBooth'', like DramaticGunCock, for very effective psychological reasons on Stu. It also works against the Sniper, [[spoiler:as the lead cop sees and begins to understand the situation]].

* Present (as a Laser Designator) in ''VideoGame/{{Starcraft}}'', where a sufficiently observant player can identify the target of an incoming Nuclear Missile by the pretty (and ''very'' small) red dot dancing around on it. In fact, spotting the red dot and using it to locate and kill the ghost is the only way to abort stop a nuclear strike (Presumably with the target designator lost the nuke self destructs).

A little laser pointer [[GunAccessories mounted to a firearm]]. Allows a marksman to accurately point a weapon in the dark. Also tips off the target [[RuleOfPerception (and audience)]].

Much more common in fiction than in reality. The laser sight is a useful device in some situations, but it's expensive, can break, many holsters can't accommodate it, it needs batteries, it isn't bright enough to be visible in bright sunlight, and in dim light it reveals the shooter's position and intent immediately to everyone who may happen to be looking in that direction (unless it's an infrared laser and the shooter is wearing infrared goggles, but those are even ''more'' expensive and require more maintenance), etc. It does nonetheless decrease the time needed to aim reliably at a target -- especially in the dark.

Law enforcement uses laser sights for its ''psychological'' value: Advertising that they are, in fact, pointing their gun directly at the person may encourage that person to give themselves up without a fight.

* Captain Cross from ''VideoGame/{{Prototype}}'' has a yellowish-green fully-visible sight emitting from his fancy arm-mounted RPG-thingy.

* In ''VideoGame/Prototype2'' all explosive weapons, including helicopter missiles and ''tank cannons'', have flashing blue laser sights (accompanied by an audible beeping sound).

* ''LiteratureKinosJourney'': In "A Tale of Feeding off Others", Kino uses a laser sight while hunting rabbits. Used again in the same episode to show that her knife is also a gun.

* In a scene in ''LightNovel/FullMetalPanic'', Sousuke gets into trouble with his teacher when a red dot appears on her forehead through a window, causing him to tackle her to the floor. Subverted by the fact that it was, in fact, a prank played with a laser pen that depended on Sousuke's paranoid nature -- sniper rifles in ''LightNovel/FullMetalPanic'' avoid this trope entirely, so it's a bit of a stretch why Sousuke, being a professional soldier, would react to it at all. Then again, Sousuke is, as previously mentioned, paranoid and might have suspected ReversePsychology, or could've just not wanted to take any chances. In this case, he was probably acting more on reflex than anything else; when you suspect you are being targeted the first thing to do is TakeCover and figure out the rest of the situation from there.

* ''LightNovel/KinosJourney'': In "A Tale of Feeding off Others", Kino uses a laser sight while hunting rabbits.
** And used in the same episode to show that her knife is also a gun.

* ''LightNovel/SwordArtOnline:'' The VRMMORPG that serves as the setting for the first half of the second season, Gun Gale Online, has a variation form of this trope built right in to the gameplay engine. When you put your finger on the trigger, GGO generates a "Bullet Prediction Line" that shows the path your bullet will take from the end of your barrel to the target. The shooter doesn't see it - they instead see a "Bullet Circle" that expands and contracts with their heartbeat, within which the bullet will randomly hit when fired - but anyone reasonably near the receiving end will, and it's just about the only warning they get. The exception is with a sniper's first shot from a prone position, [[SneakAttack which does not generate a Prediction Line]]. [[HeroesPreferSwords Kirito]] quickly learns to use the Prediction Lines in order to [[ParryingBullets deflect shots]] with his [[LaserBlade Photon Sword]].

Oftentimes used as a ClickHello alternative for ranged weapons.

* For a while it was indeed common for weapons (especially DMRs and sniper rifles) to be issued with a mountable laser accessory, but not for sighting. "Flashers" are barrel mounted lasers that produce the same effect as a laser sight, but are intended for blinding opponents by shinning the beam into their eyes. The practice was incredibly effective but since the blinding was more often then not permanent, these were banned by the Geneva Convention. The US Air Force recently made a flasher that always causes temporary blindness, but it is an entire non-lethal rifle rather than an accessory.

* ''VideoGame/ConkersBadFurDay'' features a laser-sighted crossbow. [[AluminumChristmasTrees Which do, in fact, exist]].

* ''Franchise/DeadSpace'' also does this, being ''VideoGame/ResidentEvil4'' RecycledInSpace, although they're nice bright, blue laser sights like in the ''VideoGame/HalfLife2'' example above. Seeing as (all but one of) the "weapons" are re-purposed mining tools, and as such concealability was a much lesser design concern than precision and ease of use. Knowing where the plasma cutting beam will go would be a ''tremendous'' help when carving up rocks.