45 replies to this topic

[MysticFalcon182]

I'm deciding whether or not to write up a history of the Nerf community which has been online for years. Anybody interested in this before I go writing up stuff for nothing? I'll start from the development of 'modified' Nerf and the first message boards, and end up somewhere around here,

And another simple question... NIC is Nerf Internet Community, correct?

Hello and thanks.
~Mystic~

[Famine]

I'll start from the development of 'modified' Nerf and the first message boards, and end up somewhere around here,

And another simple question... NIC is Nerf Internet Community, correct?

Dude, you're already off to a bad start. The NIC started via internet Mailing Lists, and modded weapons took a bit of time to work their way onto the scene.

[MysticFalcon182]

Meh, wasn't around during some spots :-/

*Hides in corner waiting for more replies*

[Oroku Saki]

That may be interesting, but it might be difficult to put together a decent write up about this. Personally, I think it may be a better idea to do a write up about the history of Nerf guns in general.

[cxwq]

I think it would be interesting and not all that difficult. If I recall correctly from past conversations, the first three members of that initial mailing list were Stefan, Vacc, and Spoon, not necessarily in that order. Seeing as all three have accounts here and two of them drop by quite regularly, interviews would probably be easy enough to obtain.

Of course you would have to convince them that you could actually do a good job writing the thing.

[Blaster]

Sounds like an interesting idea. Since I only got into nerf about 1 or 2 years ago I'd like to hear about the history of the online developement of these communities.

[MysticFalcon182]

I obviously know that modded weapons didn't come right after the release of the first Nerf line...

Does NerfCenter still work? My 56k is killing me...

~Mystic~

[VACC]

I really question the idea of someone who has only been around for a fraction of the lifespan of the community writing up its history. I've been doing this thing for almost a decade now, I've known spoon for just about half of your life. I HATE reading people on the message boards (all the message boards) write about the past like it all started when they took notice. I'm just warning you, if you do what everyone else that has tried to do this has done, I'll not only do all that I can to keep it off this site (which is a lot), I'll also personally deride you to no end.

That being said, I hope you do a fantastic job, and if you want any information I can provide, you've simply to IM me and I'll talk your ear off as long as my time permits. I'm a sentimental retard for remeniscence. Good luck dude.

VACC

[Iceman17]

It might be good if its a compilation of essays, articles, etc. that the veterans have submitted and then your own commentary.

Edited by Iceman17, 06 April 2004 - 11:55 PM.

[VACC]

That's actually not a bad idea, but I think it might be hard to convince a lot of the people with unique perspectives to contribute.

VACC

[MysticFalcon182]

I'll somehow start during spring break because our school's stupid and fucks up all the holidays and stuff. Stupid exams this week >_<

~Mystic~

[Stefan]

Don't forget that we really do owe serious props to Eric Stryker (now a gay porn star?) for <b>Nerf Reviewed!</b>. His approach to gun review and analysis probably had a far bigger effect in forming the first fan base than anybody. "Fan" sites (like Vacc's old school one, or Spoon's original one on flash.net) were well and good, but they didn't take the hardcore physics nerd approach that I think really got things going. I mean, the guy was a pompous prick, but he did a lot. Like Churchill.

Off the top of my head, I believe Vacc and Spoon had had their sites up for quite some time before I came along. There was some sporadic email communication by then but not much. Web forums didn't exist then; we were still in the "guestbook" era. I'd just gotten some hosting from my friend through his school and he mentioned that he could host majordomo lists.. I thought "cooool" and set it up. I recall petitioning Spoon, Vacc, Eric, and a couple other site operators to join, and put up a notice on my page.

Within days, Spoon and Vacc were on board and IIRC they put notices up on their pages as well. Before long we had a dozen or so regulars (call 'em the first wave). Anybody remember who was there? I remember Vacc and Spoon and Famine (Ashplisken@aol.com! - that was Famine, right?) being there.. Adam Hogan came near the beginning, too. Blakhawk and some guy in eastern Canada (Chris or something? He broke up with his girlfriend once and took it out on us and all I remember is reaming him out for being a tool and getting shit from everybody else).

I also remember trying to get Stryker's help in creating the initial homemade darts and him being a total prick about it. Guess I interrupted his cosplay sessions.

[MysticFalcon182]

I remember Vacc and Spoon and Famine (Ashplisken@aol.com! - that was Famine, right?)

Whoa, weren't you the absent moderator of NO's Nerf Wars forum for a few years?



I feel young.

I apparently have some free time this week... Any archives of the old sites?

~Mystic~

[Ash]

Ashplisken@aol.com was Ash... Or Pestilence back in the day.

That's me, by the way.

[Stefan]

Ahhh Pestilence. So it was. Your email always threw me off. Glad you finally settled on Ash... TOO LATE FOR IT TO BE OF ANY USE TO ME!
* throws feces at Ash *

Nope, I never moderated anything on NO. Checked it out a few times and gleefully saw what mac-toting HTML nerds could do when they wanted.

Anybody contacted Hal, by the way? He's got the only surviving archive of my site somewhere (or used to).. I'm hoping he can fire a copy back at me.

[Grinch]

Anybody contacted Hal, by the way? He's got the only surviving archive of my site somewhere (or used to).. I'm hoping he can fire a copy back at me.

Well, it appears all of NO's old hosted sites are gone. Stealthblade's Lair, Spoon's DIE HARD Nerf Warrior homepage, and even Yakman's (yakman.nerfonline.com) have disappeared. I'm assuming he still has copies on his harddrive, however.

If you really want to contact Hal (or Larry Chen, for that matter) just instant message him at his screen name (halbergman). I've talked to him a few times.

[VACC]

Dude, I miss those days. When you fixed that massive image I had as the intro page to my first site, hehe, it used to take hours to load my site on dial-up.

My favorite moment in the history of nerf, and more specifically of your list serve stefen, was one Famine and I were talking about this week. Does anyone (prolly not) remember when Code decided I was too much of a tyrant and demanded moderator elections. They voted me out of office only to vote the other horsemen in. Needless to say I was in power again within the week. Hehe, shit that was funny.

VACC

[Stefan]

Hahahaha yes, that I do remember, though it mustn't have been the listserv - I don't think anybody else was an evil tyrant there except me. And I could barely figure out how to do admin on it.
Calling for elections.. Beautiful.

[VACC]

Yeah, I think it was one of the onelist offerings (technically). Forget which one. You were around here and there though. Either way, it was really quite comic. A botched revolution.

VACC

[Famine]

Did anyone actually retain the archives from some of the old listserves? Christ, I don't know if those would be funny or depressing to read now.

[VACC]

I have a few really old ones from burried somewhere I think, but it was one of those times when a lot of the people you would remember were inactive for a while. It's pretty boring

VACC

[SkiMan]

I think Yakman's is sitll up at http://www.yakman.i8.com/ if I'm not mistaken.

[Ash]

Yes, well, Ash was a better name... and I enjoy throwing people off.


If I remember correctly, I was actually in power for like a day or something. That was a humorous little event.

Edited by Ash, 12 April 2004 - 03:40 PM.

[Famine]

You had admin power for much longer than that. I just don't think I ever told you how to access it. Either way I just think the whole failed-revolution thing was the perfect example of why there should be static admins. If you try to fuck with the system it's just going to fuck you right back, but harder, and without emotion.

[MysticFalcon182]

Any of you remember the dates of major events and/or discoveries? I'll write up a timeline and start from there

Bleh. I still have some things to make up for.

~Mystic~