30 replies to this topic

[Langley]

I've been invited to a brief online Q&A session with the Engineers at Hasbro. If you have any questions you would like me to pass along, let me know. Obviously I can't ask anything that would make their lawyers/PR team cringe, so be reasonable about it.

[Exo]

I've been invited to a brief online Q/A session with the Engineers at Hasbro. If you have any questions you would like me to pass along, let me know. Obviously I can't ask anything that would make their lawyers/PR team cringe, so be reasonable about it.

How about a question about gears in internals? We've seen them in the Roughcut, in the new Slingfire, etc. Are they purposely going out of their way to make things weaker and more complex? After all, we've seen the Sledgefire (on Nerf Modders Welcome) and the Raider/Rampage (On NRev, I think) both been leverized very simply and without needing any sort of gearing systems.

[Draconis]

1) Do they have computerized models or equations for the plunger dynamics, or do they derive everything? Do they even care about that when they create new blasters?
2) WTF with this year's Soaker line?
3) Are there any plans for new ball blasters in the Nerf line, or have they been relegated to the failing Koosh line?

[Kronos Nerf Mods]

In their honest opinions do they think that the crossfire bow is an adequate replacement to the original crossbow in its efforts to "bring crossbow action back to nerf!!!"?
Why didn't they put a real air tank in the demolisher?

[Sam-underscore]

1) I think it'd be interesting to hear their opinion on Homemades and Stefans
2) will the US be getting the new ZS longshot?
3) elite stampede? (I know it won't happen, but it's worth throwing it out there I guess)

[Langley]

Obviously I can't ask anything that would make their lawyers/PR team cringe, so be reasonable about it.

Are they purposely going out of their way to make things weaker and more complex?

2) WTF with this year's Soaker line?

In their honest opinions do they think that the crossfire bow is an adequate replacement to the original crossbow in its efforts to "bring crossbow action back to nerf!!!"?

1) I think it'd be interesting to hear their opinion on Homemades and Stefans

Yeah, those are all really good examples of what I was talking about. Thanks guys.

Seriously though, I'm sure the geared blasters are meant to make the guns more powerful but still accessible to their target age range. The crossfire bow has better range and rate of fire than the original nerf crossbow ever had out of the box (seriously, it was pretty bad stock). I can tell you that an individual who worked for Hasbro and who has since moved on to other design/engineering jobs has expressed that they think the modifications and stefans are cool, and that they would put a 'modability' rating on the side of the box if it were up to them.

I'm only going to get to ask a couple of pre-screened questions, so you need to find a non-confrontatinal or critical way of presenting your question if you have something you want to ask.

[Majestic]

I would like to know how blaster lines are developed. Do graphic designers and marketing teams come up with fully realized shell designs and ad campaigns, then task the engineers with creating mechanisms that function in a given internal foot print? Or perhaps is the whole process much more integrated?

[Exo]

Oh, so this is just a game of pattycake, not legitimate questions about their design processes.

Langs, we're MODDERS. We're going to have questions related to MODDING primarily, and other points of interest due to our personal tastes secondarily. We're a pretty small sector of their market, and a pretty forgiving one. We're not going to get pissy if their answers confirm that they're not designing stuff for US, but for their PRIMARY MARKET.

I'm a Mech Eng. I think about mechanisms. Gears are a sucky way of doing things, especially when they're made of a fairly fragile material and are filled with failure points. This is the sort of thing I think about, and I have questions on why they did things the way they've done things.

If you're so worried about some paper-pushers getting a little hot under the collar over some questions that are asked to engineers, then feel free to preface "these sorts of questions" with something like "This may be a sticky topic, so please feel free to not answer."

[roboman]

I can tell you that an individual who worked for Hasbro and who has since moved on to other design/engineering jobs has expressed that they think the modifications and stefans are cool, and that they would put a 'modability' rating on the side of the box if it were up to them.

Adding onto this, from what my interviewer told me when I was interviewing for a Hasbro co-op (turns out they blanket-deny freshmen, which is why I'm not there right now), quite a few of the employees modify their blasters, though not to the extents that some people do here - more along the lines of AR removals and stuff like that.

[Asamere]

What is the range they hope to achieve next after the 100 foot mark. With competitors like zing boasting 125 feet. Could we be seeing ranges comparable with later models?

What would an expected time frame for new ranges be like within the next 5 to 10 years?

Edited by Asamere, 12 June 2014 - 02:10 PM.

[Draconis]

Yeah, those are all really good examples of what I was talking about. Thanks guys.

Any time! I figured mine was a long shot, and should be phrased more diplomatically.

[sublimedom777]

Gears are a sucky way of doing things, especially when they're made of a fairly fragile material and are filled with failure points.

HOW DARE YOU BADMOUTH GEARS! Sure he may not be as "sturdy" as me, and can't quite keep up with a Sex Dwarf's drinking, but he's still one of the prettiest nerfers around, and will put you out of a round quicker than you could apologize for the waste of his darts you incurred.



On topic, Perhaps ask if they have plans to branch out from the n-strike line (something less tacticool)? Or expansion of the Rebelle line? That may be in that cringe-territory, I don't know.

Or, something a little more tame, What's their favorite (classic) blaster?

[kbk652]

Why haven't they done anything with an air tank in awhile? Are they staying away from it?

[soloz1]

I can't ask anything that would make their lawyers/PR team cringe...

This might be one of those questions, but..

What is the appeal of using a reverse plunger system?

[Langley]

Oh, so this is just a game of pattycake, not legitimate questions about their design processes.

Langs, we're MODDERS. We're going to have questions related to MODDING primarily, and other points of interest due to our personal tastes secondarily. We're a pretty small sector of their market, and a pretty forgiving one. We're not going to get pissy if their answers confirm that they're not designing stuff for US, but for their PRIMARY MARKET.

I'm a Mech Eng. I think about mechanisms. Gears are a sucky way of doing things, especially when they're made of a fairly fragile material and are filled with failure points. This is the sort of thing I think about, and I have questions on why they did things the way they've done things.

If you're so worried about some paper-pushers getting a little hot under the collar over some questions that are asked to engineers, then feel free to preface "these sorts of questions" with something like "This may be a sticky topic, so please feel free to not answer."

Okay, chill. Like I said, the questions are being screened ahead of time by the PR reps for Hasbro, who are not interested in talking about modifications. The engineers are on to what we do, and on the rare occasion that I get to sit down and have a beer with one of them, I can ask them that kind of question. I would like them to invite me back again next time. I prefer that they look at NH as an important part of their fan base and not a bunch of subversive miscreants like we really are. If there were really something worth making a stink about, I would not pull any punches, but at the end of the day they are just a toy company and we are just a fan site that happens to used their trademarked brand name in our title. So yeah, it's patty-cake, but at least I might get some interesting answers, and not just silence.

[Jacob Melanson]

1. Should we be looking forward to some more MEGA blasters in 2015?
2. Do they have any plans to release an air powered blasters? (Please have another titan-esque blaster)
3. Are there going to be any mega vortex blasters?
4. Are there going to be any dart tag blasters released anytime soon?
5. Do they even lift?

[Zack Dorris]

I have a few questions for the hasbro team.
1) Will they make refills available for the demolishers grenade launcher ammo?
2) Will hasbro make more blasters that use the ammo from the grenade launcher/ mini titan?
3) Will they make rebelle blaster that use the n-strike mags? I think that would make the rebelle line 100 time better than just with turrets and single loaders.
4) Do they dislike the idea of nerfers modding their blasters both NIC and non NIC nerfers like casual backyard nerfers.
5) Did the thought of nerfers modifying their blasters make them come up with the elite line to try to satisfy our need for constantly trying to raise the bar.

Edited by Zack Dorris, 12 June 2014 - 05:25 PM.

[Buffdaddy]

While I'm here, I'll bite.

• How has design philosophy changed in the past 10 years (since the initial release of Nstrike)?
• What's the most interesting thing you've seen happen during product development or testing?
• With so many recent shootings, the coverage has to sit in the back of your mind as you sell your toys. We know they're marketed as blasters, but you're just as likely to hear "Nerf gun". Do promotions need an extra round of review for sensitivity, etc?....TL;DR has marketing changed in any way?

[evilbunnyo]

Are they going to continue making electronically engineered blasters? I like the rapidstrike much better than the stampede and they seem to be doing a swell job so far.

[Aeromech]

Any advice for those of us looking into an engineering/design career? I.E. is there any organization or activity that would help us get hired in a position like yours?

Serious question. I'm going into my senior year of mechanical engineering school. Would just be cool to hear it from the lion's mouth.

[Crater]

What do their children think of their jobs/the blasters they design?
Are there any designs or features they wanted to use, but couldn't due to practical reasons?

3) Will they make rebelle blaster that use the n-strike mags? I think that would make the rebelle line 100 time better than just with turrets and single loaders.

Yes, apparently.

[Aldegar]

Is there any possibility of a Nerf sport line geared towards the paintball/airsoft market, like metal internals, high fps, factory made stephans etc.?

[Phree Agent]

Does Nerf have intentions on continuing the trend of iOS/mobile integration further into their products as other companies have recently?

[UraniumMods]

What is the appeal to make blasters "one sided" like the Stryfe or Rayven? It is an extremely big turn off to people like me.

[Draconis]

What is the appeal to make blasters "one sided" like the Stryfe or Rayven? It is an extremely big turn off to people like me.

Pretty sure that both of those blasters have right and left sides. Also, blasters should not be used for sexual gratification, and thus should not have that effect on you.