22 replies to this topic

[Viper]

I just created a new google group: Nerf guns

GoogleNerf

[Illadar]

Well thats pretty cool, I just joined it, though I dont really see the point of it. Maybe you could alaborate.

[Viper]

We get exposure on the best search engine in the world.......

[man with many guns]

I just joined it. Do you think we'll draw people into the sport?

[Jakethesnake]

With all due respect to viper, I don't think I want nerf getting much more exposure than it already does. I mean, nerf isn't nerf unless it's underground you know? I just think it would change nerf if all of a sudden this site grows by 1,000 members overnight. It just wouldn't be the same.

[Nerferc]

What could help people like us more than increased exposure? If more people start nerfing then demand for products will increase and more companies will see it as a market to make money in. This means more guns. Also, with more people like us then the companies will have a larger market for making guns like how we want them made.

[The Infinite Shindig]

With all due respect to viper, I don't think I want nerf getting much more exposure than it already does. I mean, nerf isn't nerf unless it's underground you know? I just think it would change nerf if all of a sudden this site grows by 1,000 members overnight. It just wouldn't be the same.

At the rate we've been validating new member registrations recently, an influx of new members posting on the forums is highly unlikely.

[Doom]

With all due respect to viper, I don't think I want nerf getting much more exposure than it already does. I mean, nerf isn't nerf unless it's underground you know? I just think it would change nerf if all of a sudden this site grows by 1,000 members overnight. It just wouldn't be the same.

Just by reading this, I can easily tell who didn't do their homework. Starting a Google group doesn't make something popular. It might bring in a few people, but in all honesty, I've never seen a Google group rank well in search engines, where the vast majority of people go to find information. Put together the pieces in your head - it doesn't work out. Barely anyone uses the Google groups search compared to the number of people who use the regular search too.

I have done a little research in the past into SEO (search engine optimization) for a Nerf website before. If someone wanted to, they could very easily attract the vast majority of those searching for Nerf related terms relatively easily. There is no website that appears to designed in that manner, so I am assuming that people either don't know about SEO or want to keep Nerf an "underground" thing. The underground is a moronic cliche as far as I am concerned, so the former is more likely in my eyes.

Interestingly enough, the last 20 or so registrations here aren't validated, so I wouldn't be worried as The Infinite Shindig said.

[man with many guns]

With all due respect to viper, I don't think I want nerf getting much more exposure than it already does. I mean, nerf isn't nerf unless it's underground you know? I just think it would change nerf if all of a sudden this site grows by 1,000 members overnight. It just wouldn't be the same.

So what if it did? Nerf would only grow, and draw in a bigger crowd. In return it would make more n00bs, but it would insure the future of nerf. It would also bring gunises to differnet feilds of nerf, such as Boltsniper is to homemades. I mean do you think every one would be making homemades if it wasn't for Boltsniper? In other feilds of nerf what if some one made a new technique of modding, or a new specialized stefans. I mean we could be bring the einstein of nerf into nerfing. Nerf could only prosper from this.

[BloodMoon]

Two things. First, having a Google group probably won't do anything dramatic. Second, more nerfers isn't a bad thing. Second, I'd have to agree with Doom in saying that 'the underground' is a moronic cliche. More nerfers is always a good thing.

[Jakethesnake]

I just think it would change the meaning of nerf if it became less "underground".

[Team Slaya]

Define underground. It's pretty unique to find a couple of random guys who modify nerf guns, and there's of 1700 registered. And probably many more that haven't. But that's still enough to be out in the open enough, for this particular hobby, to not be so small and secluded to be considered "underground". And plus, isn't that just for druggies?

TS

[LordoftheRing434]

At the rate we've been validating new member registrations recently, an influx of new members posting on the forums is highly unlikely.

Yeah, no kidding. Winter's setting in, and the boards are a little cold as well.

I agree with the others in saying that the group won't do a whole lot. Sure, it's always a good thing to get more nerfers in the scene, but in all reality, I'm not sure there will be much more action.

~Rings

[The Infinite Shindig]

Yeah, no kidding. Winter's setting in, and the boards are a little cold as well.

I actually just caught up on two weeks worth of user registrations. This could mean we'll have another influx soon. I've been pushing for a different system regarding new users, but the admins are so bogged down that checking the forums on a regular basis is becoming cumbersome as is.

[Langley]

Since when has Modded Nerf been underground? Sure, NH has always tried to be the more exclusive of the two forums; but if the previous generation of forums is any indication, nerf forums have never been intentionally 'underground' -- The administrators of NO and NC were known by many for their desire to get their sites seen. The only difference now is that this generation of forums is somewhat more interested in quality of quantity.

Edit: None of this has anything to do with a google group for nerf though. The google group thing is just silly. We have a message board for christ sakes, what do we need another nerflist for? The only purpose a google group --which is really just a glorified list serv if it's anything like it's yahoo counterpart-- would be to link people who are in a regional nerf group for announcements about wars.

Edited by Langley, 07 November 2005 - 12:33 AM.

[Viper]

I never said that it would make nerf mainstream just by setting up a group! I merely stated that we could use people searching groups for nerf through the popular google website. What homework are you speaking of doom? It takes litterally seconds to start a google group. Its not some fucking massive scale internet startup. Chessler has already asked if he could post something and I'm sure we'll get some decent discussions on it. Its just another option for nerfers to discuss topics on. I don't think now that we'll have hoards of people, people still search nerf on google and find nerfhaven, so .... I have another project under development that I could see iniate more people to the nerf-type forums.

[Jakethesnake]

Nerf is underground because %99.9 of the world does not know what a quad cpvc'd at2k is.

Edit Viper beat me and I'm sorry if I started a discussion that went off topic in your thread vipe.

Edited by Jakethesnake, 07 November 2005 - 01:52 AM.

[Doom]

I never said that it would make nerf mainstream just by setting up a group! I merely stated that we could use people searching groups for nerf through the popular google website. What homework are you speaking of doom? It takes litterally seconds to start a google group. Its not some fucking massive scale internet startup. Chessler has already asked if he could post something and I'm sure we'll get some decent discussions on it. Its just another option for nerfers to discuss topics on. I don't think now that we'll have hoards of people, people still search nerf on google and find nerfhaven, so .... I have another project under development that I could see iniate more people to the nerf-type forums.

"Homework" is sarcasm. I was referring to the practice of SEO. Viper had implied that starting a Google group would make something popular, which is not true. Why you are cursing me is also beyond me. If you think that you can make something that will attract a good amount of visitors, by all means do! I think that was the point of my second paragraph.

[Viper]

We have a few posts on there, we'll tst it out to see if anyone's interested.

[Falcon]

I think that keeping nerf relatively exclusive is really just a way of saying we want to keep it from becoming the popular thing to do. Doesn't it piss you off when you do something that is out of the ordinary, that nobody thinks is any fun, and then suddenly it catches on, and now everyone is doing it? Nobody remembers that you were the first, because it's not different to do what you do anymore.

I try to discourage my clan members from inviting their friends to our wars for a number of reasons. First of all, it means someone has to supply them with a gun. That's a pain in itself. Secondly, we have 15 people. If our group got any bigger than that, it would soon become a schoolwide thing. Even worse, word might get out, and some asshole airsofters might show up at one of our Glendora wars and try to fuck with us a bit. We've had threats before, and the people they came from use gas guns. Believe me, we're not scared of them, persay, but we want to enjoy our day. We don't want to make it into a tense competitive day in the park.

In short, if all of the preppy, stuck-up, airsoft/paintballing assholes on my campus started nerfing, it wouldn't be fun anymore. Having something that is far more fun than anything anyone in town does, that they don't know about is fun. When I wear my NHQ "Nerf Warrior" shirt to school, people think it's a joke. Then they see the "www.nerfhq.com" logo on the back. If they want to check it out, they can, but I don't recruit anymore.

In short, keeping it "underground" as one might say makes it much more fun, in my opinion. We don't need to advertise all over the net to keep nerf going. There's enough people on the forums to keep it alive for a long time, and there's always the people who buy a gun at Target to go back to their childhood, and then search the net for nerf to reminisce. Google searching "Nerf" pops this site ad the HQ up in a matter of seconds. It'll keep itself going, alright.

[LDM]

Agreed, Falcon. However, we have to be careful of elitism. I know some people that like Nerf being underground so much that they immediately shun anyone away who tries to Nerf with them. It's a matter of knowing where to draw the line.

[The Infinite Shindig]

I feel like I'm in a philosophy class. I used to make lengthy posts in topics like this one. Hell, I even wrote an article about the current status of the community when NE opened.

I have learned one thing since then. For the most part, the cards will fall where they may and the community will continue onward. We've survived many things that looked devastating at the time, but yet we still move on. I don't care how popular or unpopular Nerf is and may become, I'll still be here looking to fire foam darts at a group of Nerfers who have become good friends over the years.

[Pineapple]

I agree with Shinny.

If you got a dollar for every time someone said "Nerf is going down", you'd have a healthy stack o' cash. Nerf has had it's ups and downs, and for the most part, the Nerf forums enjoy a dynamic that waxes and wanes, with members coming and going, for whatever reasons.

The determinant is really how dedicated they are to Nerfing, not if they can become legends in their own minds, make a name for themselves on the boards, etc. etc.

If you're joining the forums for any reason other than sharing good times with like-minded people who love to Nerf, you won't last. That's a promise.

Enjoying the hobby is the key, not trying to be the king of it.


-Piney-