Do you think older guns are better?
Yes [ 34 ] ** [39.08%]
No [ 2 ] ** [2.30%]
Depends [ 51 ] ** [58.62%]
Total Votes: 87
WTB: LnL. WTB: SM 1.5K. WTB: Bow and Arrow.
You hear these things all over the forums. Stuff about, "What you'd do to get your hands on..." Whether you're talking about something as old as the Crossbow or as recent as a SuperMaxxx 5000. The thing is, I hardly ever hear anyone mention how they'd ring someone's neck for a NiteFinder, or how they'd maim someone for a MagStrike. I understand that part of this has something to do with the rarity of certain guns. For instance, although there are guns that can hit ranges above or equal to the CrossBow, showing up with a Crossbow in your arsenal says certain things about you. It may say that you've been into NERF for a while. It may say you have classy taste. But other than that, why spend the extra money?
The fact of the matter is, showing up with a newer gun that shoots equal or greater distance than a CrossBow < showing up with a CrossBow.
Why?
It seems the general consensus among some of the community is that the new guns "suck" and the old guns "pwn". The thing is, that isn't true. Hasbro is churning out just as many decent guns as it used to. My NiteFinder can shoot just as far as a Lock 'n' Load. A Titan can get ranges greater than a CrossBow. And yet it seems that a good portion of people have closed their eyes to these facts. Sure, NERF had some really innovative guns that you just can't equal anymore. I just shelled out 20$ for a SharpShooter II. But that was because the SSII matched my needs, and Hasbro isn't making plunger-powered, one-at-a-time, instant switch barrel guns. The thing is, even though there may still be things on the market to match your needs, people still gravitate to older guns.
Once again, Why? If you don't need an older gun, there's no shame in a newer arsenal. Sure, some of the new guns are complete flops, but if Hasbro doesn't experiment, the guns aren't getting any better. So I propose this: Go out to your local NERF carrying store, and by a gun. Doesn't matter what gun. Go home and mod it. I guarantee, that the gun will equal the ranges of one of the older guns, modded or unmodded. So why not sponsor the company that gave us NERF guns to begin with? This way, they keep churning out guns, and we can keep churning out mods. Who knows? The next "CrossBow" could be right around the corner, and we wouldn't even know it...
What's your favorite brand?
NERF [ 33 ] ** [82.50%]
Lanard [ 4 ] ** [10.00%]
Buzz Bee [ 1 ] ** [2.50%]
Mattel [ 0 ] ** [0.00%]
Other [ 2 ] ** [5.00%]
Total Votes: 40
Does everybody remember when news of the Recon CS-6 first reached our ears? The buzz, the excitement. The overwhelming thoughts of, "OH!! This will be great!" Then the completely underwhelming ranges and modding possibilities? I do. It seems to me that the some of the best mods these days are coming from off-brand guns. The Longshot CS-6 and the Recon CS-6 both seemed to offer ranges they couldn't deliver, while guns like the Lanard Max-Shot, which is half the size of a Longshot CS-6, can deliver a single dart 100 feet? Guns like the Buzz Bee Laser-Tek are cheap and easy to mod, while providing ranges comparable or better than their NERF cousins. I remember walking down the NERF aisle seeing all these rip-off guns, buying a NERF, and being ultimately satisfied. Now, I double and triple check, asking myself, "Why get the Titan when the Buzz Bee Big Blast is more compact and easier to mod?" Nowadays, I find myself buying more off brand than not. I can only surmise a few reasons for this recent trend:
1. NERF guns are more expensive
2. NERF is supplying looks over effectiveness
3. NERF is being geared toward a different market
Now, 2 & 3 kind of go together, and I'll explain why. Despite having a feminist mother, she realized boys and girls were different, and so she would take me to Toys 'R' Us and, although she doesn't like guns, reluctantly buy me a NERF gun. It wasn't really violent, it was just fun. But the NERF guns I remember were different. The didn't look anything like real guns, even when painted. They were bright and colourful and oddly shaped and fun. The thing is, today's target market of kids isn't looking for innovative, oddly-shaped fun. They want real, tactical simulations. They want to make believe someone's head is exploding. This is creating the "need" for more realistic looking weapons, even at the risk of being effective. I'm not going to say I never thought of a head exploding as a kid, but I thought of it a whole lot less than some kids today. I'm not going to blame this new trend in violence on anyone either, I am simply sharing that it exists.
With the release of the Vulcan, I am now gearing up to be let down. That's not to say I wish for it to fail, far from it. But I fear that NERF may have once again chosen looks over function, and is now producing a semi-realistic gattling gun for kids. Would I like to see the Vulcan beat our expectations and trounce our speculations? Hell yes. Do I think it's going to happen? Hell no. From here it looks gimmicky and bulky. I would much rather see what new guns Lanard has coming, or Buzz Bee, but until NERF shapes up and starts producing some really good guns again, I have little hopes.
Note: I know some of the opinions in this contradict with what I said in my previous article. I am not denying this. I still think NERF guns are the best, but after the Recon CS-6, I'd really like to see a decent gun again. That's not to say all of the guns being produced suck, that's simply to say that the bigger ones generally do.
Well, my last two essays have had generally pessimistic feels to them, but the truth of the matter is, the future of NERF actually provides me with a lot of optimism. Right now, the current NERF scene is in a sad state because of the type of toys kids want and how NERF is providing them. I said this in my last essay, but here's something I want you to think about:
The current generation of NERFers is obsessed with realistic looking projectile weapons and war games, and so NERF is going for realism rather than usefulness. But here's the catch:
Because kids want a war simulation, they're eventually going to get sick of bad ranges.
You heard me. After thinking long and hard, I believe that current generation may lead to some of the coolest NERF guns yet. These kids are looking for realistic guns, and while what NERF is churning out looks realistic, it doesn't play realistic. Sooner or later, the target market is going to want decent ranges AND realistic weapons. What does this mean for current NERFers? It means we're approaching a crossroad in which visuals and performance are equal in the eyes of the company. Kids love the way the Scout IX-3 looks, but hate the way it fires. To keep kids interested, NERF is going to have to come out with a SECOND Scout IX-3, or whatever gun, only improve on it so kids can play their wargames. Do you understand the meaning of that? I feel that the next generation of NERF guns may look back on ideas like the LnL mechanism to keep kids interested. They're going to need to recycle the older, sometimes better ideas, and merge them with the current visual demographic. I have found my hope, people.
On top of that, if the demographic turns towards non-NERF companies to supply them with guns, then it will give NERF the need to step it up. This will lead to potentially fierce wars between the companies, resulting in some of the most innovative and useful guns in recent memory. NERF and these companies will fight and keep fighting until one of them makes a gun that the target market favors best. And we will be left with some of the greatest foam-weaponry ever created.
By: GreenB
PS: Yes, it is a short essay, but I felt I should leave on a positive note.