28 replies to this topic

[Langley]

From now until May 31st, post a full write-up of a modification for a Nerf product with a 2013 release date, post a link to your write-up in the submission thread, and you will be entered to win the 2013 New Releases Mod Contest.

Click here for rules, prizes, etc...

Update:
Get your entries in! You have until 11:59PM EST to post your entry in the Submission Thread. It looks like the Purple Prize Pack may have been unlocked, but I'm still reviewing contest submissions to see if they are valid, so I won't know for sure until tomorrow.

[Langley]

Rules
In order to be considered, your submission must satisfy the following criteria:

• The primary blaster being modded must be an official Nerf product.
• The blaster must have a 2013 Release date (More on this below. If you're not sure, feel free to ask)
• You must complete a full write-up of your mod with detailed build instructions and photographs of the process. Every step required must be documented.
• The write-up must be reproducible. All parts and materials must be widely available and tools used must be common to most nerfers.
• The write-up must be easily understood by new nerfers. Do not assume that the reader knows what you're talking about. Your writing must be accessible to people who are new to this site.
• You must post the write-up between the time of this writing and midnight on May 31st, EST. If you already posted a mod that applies before the beginning of this contest, you can't re-post the same mod. You can build on an existing mod and improve on the write-up.

If your write-up fails to satisfy any of these criteria, it will not be considered, nor will it be counted towards the official list of submissions.

Edit: I keep getting questions about this. The primary blaster being modified must be a Nerf product with an official release date in 2013. When I say primary, I mean the blaster which is the focus of the mod. If you just stick a triad in a modified UMB, that doesn't count. You can do a number of modifications to a 2013 nerf blaster, including integrating it with any other readily available product as long as the 2013 nerf blaster is obviously the main part of the integration. If you can't figure out what I mean from that, there's no hope for you. I don't know how I can make this clearer.

Edit Edit: Rules are based on American release dates, and even in the US blasters were available in 2012 which didn't officially release until 2013. Use common sense.

You can assume that any Elite blaster qualifies, EXCEPT for the Retaliator, Rampage and Hailfire. Even if the Elite edition of a blaster is internally identical to an older release, you must use the Elite edition in a mod (and Elite darts if you are using stock darts.). The contest is open to other 2013 blasters out side of the Elite line. If you're not sure, ask.


Submissions will be judged on the following qualities:

• Performance increase. How much does the modification increase the performance of the blaster? How effective would the blaster be in EITHER an NIC nerf war using homemade stefan darts OR a war requiring the use of stock nerf darts (such as the HvZ games frequently played on college campuses). Has the range, rate of fire, comfort and/or durability of the blaster been improved? Have any of these qualities been hampered by the mod? Worth 40%
• Write-up Quality. Are the instructions clear and easy to follow? Could a new nerfer understand them? Are they well-written and free of spelling and grammar errors? Are the accompanying photos clear and comprehensive? Worth 50%
• Aesthetics. Does the mod make the blaster look ridiculous? Does the mod look slap-dash or half-assed? Purely cosmetic improvements will not earn you many points, but you can loose points if your mod makes the gun look like crap. Worth 10%

Submissions must be in by Midnight on May 31st, 2013.

If you borrow from someone else's work, or base your submission on someone else's mod, please give them credit in your write-up. You are free to build on other people's work, as long as you provide attribution.

Prizes

Blue prizes will be unlocked by 8 or more accepted entries.
Purple prizes will be unlocked by 12 or more accepted entries.
If there are fewer than three entries total, only the Custom Title and Wristband will be awarded.

1st Place

• First pick from the blaster prize pool
• NerfStrong wristband
• Custom Title
• Custom Avatar (one time only)

2nd Place

• Second pick from the blaster prize pool
• NerfStrong wristband
• Custom Title
• Custom Avatar (one time only)

3rd Place

• Third pick from the blaster prize pool
• NerfStrong wristband

Blaster Prize Pool
Your pick, as per above of the following:

• Elite Rayven
• Roughcut
• Firestrike & Jolt
• Strongarm
• Reflex & Triad
• Vortex Diatron
• MYSTERY BOX??????

Judges
The entries will be judged by the Admin/Moderation/Contributor team. The members will also be allowed to vote, and the score from the members poll will count towards 10% of the final score.

Terms
By entering this contest you grant NerfHaven permission to reproduce your submission in other formats and/or on other sites for noncommercial purposes (you will be credited as the author). You grant NerfHaven permission to host images and other resources which are included in your submission. You grant NerfHaven permission to make (mostly minor) changes to your writeup after the contest has concluded and winners have been announced. All contest winners outside of the contiguous 48 states must pay the difference in shipping to their location. All submissions must be written and created by you, the contestant and you must post your submission on this site. You must be an active member in good standing (not banned or suspended) during the contest submission period and judging period.

[Buffdaddy]

Allow me the first questions!

• Are we only doing improvements upon the blasters themselves, or are integrations considered acceptable?
• For the more Youtube-oriented users, are video writeups allowed, assuming they are in fact complete?
• Should we assume that ALL Elite blasters, and Vortex blasters from Diatron on forward, are included? Otherwise, the list is fairly short for the moment.
• Will there be any consideration for creativity? AKA does adding a different battery combination for a Stryfe not get many brownie points?

I'm sure I can think of more, but that should cover a lot of areas and "what ifs".

[Langley]

Are we only doing improvements upon the blasters themselves, or are integrations considered acceptable?

Integrations are fine, as along as you're integrating with something that's widely available. Accessibility to new nerfers is an important part of this contest.

For the more Youtube-oriented users, are video writeups allowed, assuming they are in fact complete?

The write-up must be primarily text and photos. You can enhance your writeup with videos, or post a video version of your writeup to compliment the thread, but don't count on it earning you a lot of points. The moderators and admins find most nerfers talking head videos unbearable.

Should we assume that ALL Elite blasters, and Vortex blasters from Diatron on forward, are included? Otherwise, the list is fairly short for the moment.

Only the blasters with an official release date in 2013 qualify. Some of these have actually been out since late last year, but the older Elites which were released early last year are not included.

Will there be any consideration for creativity? AKA does adding a different battery combination for a Stryfe not get many brownie points?

If you do something new or different, that will certainly be taken into consideration, but the quality of the write-up and the efficacy of the mod are the main qualities that will be judged. Also keep in mind that if 'Creative' means 'Useless for most people' or 'Impossible to reproduce' it will earn you negative points.

[The Snake]

Another Question.
Does this have to be a Nerf elite blaster, or could it be another nerf product such as super soaker, if it was created in 2013?
Also, if you integrated something, would it have to be a nerf product? For example, a panther is widely available, and is really simple.

[481IceDragon]

Another Question.
Does this have to be a Nerf elite blaster, or could it be another nerf product such as super soaker, if it was created in 2013?
Also, if you integrated something, would it have to be a nerf product? For example, a panther is widely available, and is really simple.

I believe panthers came out in late 2012.

[The Snake]

I believe panthers came out in late 2012.

I understand that, I was just using it as an example. I really just want to know if off brand guns are accepted for integrations.

[Ivan S]

Are multiple entries allowed per person?

[Langley]

The main component of the mod must be a Nerf brand blaster that fires some sort of foam projectile. Super Soakers are off the table. You can integrate whatever you want with any 2013 Nerf blaster, as long as it is widely available. If you want to stick a panther in a roughcut, go for it.

You are allowed to enter multiple submissions, but I think it is fair to only count one per person towards the total for purposes of unlocking prizes. I don't want people submitting extra write-ups just to bump up the total. I guess it will be up to the judges' discretion how many submissions to count from the same person towards unlocking prizes.

[mr trouble]

Is the strongarm an option? It's kinda a older release.

[Griever 2112]

I am going to assume, the only Elite blasters excluded will be the Retaliator, Rampage and Hailfire since those came out in Sept. 2012, but everything else (despite when found) I believe has a release date of 2013.

[Mully]

The primary blaster being modded must be an official Nerf product.

When you say 'primary', does that mean that you can integrate an older gun, that is readily available to the community, that wasn't made in 2013?

All parts and materials must be widely available and tools used must be common to most nerfers.

Dremel?

I am going to assume, the only Elite blasters excluded will be the Retaliator, Rampage and Hailfire since those came out in Sept. 2012, but everything else (despite when found) I believe has a release date of 2013.

Wondering this as well.

[Langley]

When you say 'primary', does that mean that you can integrate an older gun, that is readily available to the community, that wasn't made in 2013?

Dremel?

Wondering this as well.

Jeez. I don't know how I can make this clearer. The primary blaster being modified must be a Nerf product with an official release date in 2013. When I say primary, I mean the blaster which is the focus of the mod. If you just stick a triad in a modified UMB, that doesn't count. You can do a number of modifications to a 2013 nerf blaster, including integrating it with any other readily available product as long as the 2013 nerf blaster is obviously the main part of the integration. If you can't figure out what I mean from that, there's no hope for you.

Yes, a Dremel is pretty widely available and pretty common to a modder's toolkit. Aside from a drill, it's probably the only power tool you can take for granted.

I think Griever's assumption is pretty safe, yeah.

[HOTH]

I am going to assume, the only Elite blasters excluded will be the Retaliator, Rampage and Hailfire since those came out in Sept. 2012, but everything else (despite when found) I believe has a release date of 2013.

I think this is correct. Important to note that the N-Strike Rayven was released in 2012, but the Elite Rayven was released in 2013.
Langley- Seeing as two versions of this blaster were released in different years, does it matter which one we use? To my knowledge, the only difference is color. I only ask because I have a few of the N-Strike versions already, but none of the Elite versions.

Refer to this disambiguation page to ensure their release dates.

Also, some of the parts in my speculated writeup are not often used by nerfers, and may be obscure to some people. However, I will provide a link to purchase the parts easily online within the writeup. Does this satisfy rule 4,

The write-up must be reproducible. All parts and materials must be widely available and tools used must be common to most nerfers.

or will I lose some points?
The writeup will be thorough enough so that someone new to modding will be able to understand exactly what to do with the parts.

Edited by HOTH, 20 February 2013 - 03:58 PM.

[Langley]

I think this is correct. Important to note that the N-Strike Rayven was released in 2012, but the Elite Rayven was released in 2013.
Langley- Seeing as two versions of this blaster were released in different years, does it matter which one we use? To my knowledge, the only difference is color. I only ask because I have a few of the N-Strike versions already, but none of the Elite versions.

Refer to this disambiguation page to ensure their release dates.

Also, some of the parts in my speculated writeup are not often used by nerfers, and may be obscure to some people. However, I will provide a link to purchase the parts easily online within the writeup. Does this satisfy rule 4, or will I lose some points?
The writeup will be thorough enough so that someone new to modding will be able to understand exactly what to do with the parts.

An Elite Rayven using Elite darts is preferred.

I guess it isn't perfectly clear from the way I phrased it, but materials should be widely available. As long as the part is consistently available, you can use it, even if most modders might not have it lying around their workshop. The tools should be fairly common to most nerfers, and easy to obtain for someone totally new. A dremel and a cordless drill are pretty common. A tap and die set is kind of pushing it. A band saw or a lathe are right out.

[charlie156]

Are we allowed to take a blaster produced before 2013 as well as a nerf blaster of 2013 and use it for the contest. Say like a longshot and roughcut or kinda like the stryfe and stampede like what ice and coop did. Are we allowed things like that?

[Buffdaddy]

Are we allowed to take a blaster produced before 2013 as well as a nerf blaster of 2013 and use it for the contest. Say like a longshot and roughcut or kinda like the stryfe and stampede like what ice and coop did. Are we allowed things like that?

The 2013 Blaster HAS to be the primary focus of the mod. That kinda eliminates using a Longshot or Stampede in the examples you gave, because THOSE would be the main part of the blaster, and you're reducing the 2013 to a secondary role.

Barring someone completely minimizing the aforementioned blasters to the point where you could mount them under a Stryfe, assume that the answer to your question is no.

[Langley]

Are we allowed to take a blaster produced before 2013 as well as a nerf blaster of 2013 and use it for the contest. Say like a longshot and roughcut or kinda like the stryfe and stampede like what ice and coop did. Are we allowed things like that?

Longshot no, stampede maybe, depending on the mod. I've made myself as clear as I can be on this point. I will not answer this question again.

[HOTH]

Last few clarification questions.

Is the price of blasters or materials considered in their respective availabilities?

Where does a soldering gun stand in terms of availability?

[spencerak]

Where does a soldering gun stand in terms of availability?

I would think that that is widely available, because you practically need one for electric blasters and they can be bought pretty cheep at most hardware stores or online.

[ginga ninja]

In the post you say that the guns may only be from 2013, but i was wondering, would we be allowed to put say, the internals of a 2013 elite rayven, into the body of an older original rayven? it would still be considered a 2013 blaster(because of it internals) but it would have the shell of an older gun.

(I currently don't have anywhere to paint Nerf guns, and i like the shell of the older rayven better than the new one)

[Langley]

I added some information to the original post regarding the questions about which blasters are allowed under what circumstances.

[Langley]

I encourage everyone posting an entry in the submission thread to post the name of the 2013 blaster you used and a photo of the final product as well as a link to your thread.

[Buffdaddy]

Excuse the stupid question, but for the factor of release dates, are there any regional considerations? For example, the Stockade has been released overseas pre-2013, but has yet to be officially released in the US.

Considering the number of modders across the Pacific in particular, I thought some clarification might be helpful.

[cheyner]

Excuse the stupid question, but for the factor of release dates, are there any regional considerations? For example, the Stockade has been released overseas pre-2013, but has yet to be officially released in the US.

Considering the number of modders across the Pacific in particular, I thought some clarification might be helpful.

Not just overseas, we have had them in Canada since at least Christmas.