Category: play

Toy Fair Preview: N-Strike Elite NERF Cam ECS-12 Blaster – Coming Fall 2014

“Cry havoc and let slip the dogs of war…” – Julius Caesar: Act 3, Scene 1, page 13
 
 And Engadget sure did.  They posted Yet Another Nerf Exclusive and it was the N-Strike Elite NERF Cam ECS-12 Blaster.  No press release, but as discussed on my Facebook page (join the conversation!  “Like” me!) here is the story so far:

  • Integrated camera (!) – 0.3 megapixels (urk) at 20 fps(urkx2), comes with 4 GB SD card (ok).
  • MSRP: $75 (?!)
  • 8 (!?!) AA batteries (4 for the camera, 4 for the blaster)
  • Flywheels (dat accelerator trigger)/semiauto (but looks like a Rapidstrike, no?)
  • Allegedly hits up to 90′ (probably angled)

 

Nerf Cam ECS-12 (prototype to Engadget)
Photo courtesy of engadget.  Opted for this one because it’s the real life prototype they used.  Final will have a clear magazine and blue trim.      

That being said, let’s get some quick thoughts down:

Holy carp, $75?  The biggest complaint I’ve been receiving is that is just too much $$$ for a camera that isn’t even a single megapixel.  Furthermore, even if it is for kids (which it is), that’s a lot for an 8 year old’s toy who either has a mobile device of some sort or some other camera in this day and age.  Even if it is integrated, that price is so darn high against other tech toys with better resolution.  Regardless of the blaster hitting 90′ (the Elite line originally touted 75′ ranges) I can’t see telling anyone to pay for the camera AND blaster when the camera is of such low quality.  Engadget’s piece also has a video, and…. well, I hope the camera gets an improvement from this prototype to the final version.  The flywheels and camera each require 4 AA batteries, so there’s an additional cost right there.

Also, the proximity of the camera to the motors.  The engadget video illustrates it perfectly: “VRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR” is what I heard. 

Otherwise, the aesthetics and power boost (hopefully) are the better parts I can see about this blaster.  While I can’t advocate strapping an expensive iPhone or iPod Touch to the top of your blaster (personally, I use a GoPro, but that’s me.  Yes, maybe the camera will provide a tactical advantage cornering and yes, the camera integrated into the shell is more streamline, but a Rapidstrike is considerably less and full auto.  If you need practice with trigger control, then this is more your style unless you would rather get a Stryfe.

So I’m ambivalent about this blaster.  I want to love the way it looks, but I don’t know if that’s enough for me.  For $75 I could buy a Rapidstrike or Stryfe and extra darts.  I can remove whatever camera I’m using to put on other blasters or for a project unrelated to Nerf.  But for the Nerf Cam?  Thumb middle of the road until the final version.  Hopefully this will be available at New York Toy Fair, and I’ll get a better look then.

G’luck in your struggles!

London Toy Fair 2014 – UK Nerf’s report

London Toy Fair 2014 – Thoughts on the Nerf overview from UK Nerf

UK NERF was at the London Toy Fair this week, and posted up a report of what Hasbro had on display.  Hasbro sent out exclusive release info already on the Nerf Zombie Strike Slingfire, N-Strike Mega Thunderbow, N-Strike Elite Demolisher, and Rebelle Agent Bow.

UK Nerf, was able to try them out.  Make sure to read the entire report, but here are some choice bits:

About the Slingfire:

“About the same size as the Sledgefire and roughly the same weight. This was designed to be used one handed so the balance is spot on. You can flick it to prime it and it lands neatly in your hand so rapid fire with this technique would be possible with a little practice, keeping the other hand free for a secondary or to reload.”

The Demolisher:

” The Grenade launcher is not detachable, nor can it be without a lot of work (as far as I could see). It is fairly heavily integrated into the shell and I think if it were removable, simply using it would wrench it off the rail anyway.”  Word has it the Demolisher may be full auto due to the popularity of the Rapidstrike, so that remains to be seen.

Go read the rest if you want to know more!  It sounds promising though, and I am looking forward to getting a turn at these come New York Toy Fair.  UK Nerf mentions a total of 10 releases, so it’s bound to be a busy year.  No word on N-Force or Dart Tag though, we’ll have to wait and see.

I’d really love to say more and speculate, but honestly there’s not much to say without the blasters.  It’s a little weird to see the Thunderbow reliant on the bow arm as part of the priming mech, unlike the Big Bad Bow or BnA, where the bow arms were extraneous.  The Demolisher is going to be fun I think, and I really want to know if the diameter of the missile is the same as the Mega darts.  I strongly think the Rebelle Agent Bow is going to be the dark horse of the new releases, with the new arrows (tipped something like ball, per UK Nerf).  Anyway, have fun with the info!  It looks like Hasbro didn’t allow video or photos at all in their showroom hence the lack of images and photos from anybody.  UK Nerf does have some new angles though.  Thanks to them for taking time out of their lives to make the trip!

Lock and Load.

A shot from last year’s New York Toy Fair

 

Chicago Toy And Game Fair 2013, the pics!

Back the weekened before Thanksgiving, the Chicago Toy & Game Fair (ChiTag) rocked the city with a weekend of toys, games, gift ideas, innovation, invention, and creativity.  This year was no exception with a bigger feeling to it, and some of the best brands I’ve come to know and enjoy seeing year after year. 

Razor, Spin Master Toys (seriously, the Tenkai Knights building sets they brought were amazing innovations in construction sets), Mayfair Games, Bananagrams, and local favorites like Floppets were all on the show floor, bringing the humor for everyone.  That being said, here are my galleries from the weekend.

PlayChic – The fashion show for the weekend, that combines a famous fashion designer’s touch with the inspiration of a toy or game at the show.  Joan Severance, inventor of the txTylz game, was on hand even to lend her talent to the show.

 Full album is here!

https://static.googleusercontent.com/external_content/picasaweb.googleusercontent.com/slideshow.swf

Aaaaaaand pictures from the ChiTag Show floor 🙂

https://static.googleusercontent.com/external_content/picasaweb.googleusercontent.com/slideshow.swf


Review: Skylanders Giants – Tree Rex Smash Hands (of Foam!)

How was your Halloween?  As you hopefully spent it in costume, let’s look at a toy out there for the costuming/role play/imagination bunch, Skylanders Giants Tree Rex Smash Hands from Mega Bloks!

Based on this guy:

Come these hands (sample provided by Mega Bloks) intended to protect the world.

Approx. $24.99 (based on the availability)
Range:  Uhm… what?
Comfy: Totally.  Though obviously built for a kid, these will fit on adult hands too.

Thanks for the sample, Mega Bloks!

Image originally from Megabloks.com

You use them as such:

and first things first, they protect your hands! Dress like Tree Rex, minus a lot more external bark on you.

The foam of the hands is thickest and at least a couple of inches thick at the knuckles, so while I don’t recommend using these as boxing gloves or striking people, animals, household plants, or sparring in a mixed martial arts class, they are pretty soft.  There is a small strap on the inside to hold onto while wearing the fists.  The box is open, so when you see these on shelves you can check for yourself just how soft these hands are.

Skylanders Giants and Mega Bloks offer up a way for youngsters to role play as Trigger Happy and now Tree Rex, taking the action from the video game/construction sets to getting up and imagining themselves as their fave characters.  Maybe a play group out there utilizes a melee weapon ruleset, and need something past the Hulk hands of the past.  Either way, I do like the look of these toys and hopefully we’ll see more of Skylanders Giants and their role play toys as the franchise continues.

Like it?  This is also out – Ignitor’s Flame Sword

Nerf Vortex Revonix 360 – Taking a Look (Review)

Imagine if you will, a time back in February.

I saw this:

Recorded this:

Tried again during this: (start at 0:33)

and FINALLY, recorded these:

So after a long journey that started at New York Toy Fair 2013 to July 2013 I finally saw a full production Nerf Vortex Revonix 360.

STATISTICS:

Nerf Vortex Revonix 360

  • Available Fall 2013
  • Approx. $39.99
  • Integrated drum
    • 30 Disc capacity
  • Range:  70’ish
  • Slam Fire
  • Includes:
    • Revonix 360 x 1
    • 30 XLR Vortex discs

 And there you go.  The Nerf Vortex Revonix 360.  So what of it?

Well, I like it.  I was a big fan of the Nerf Vortex Pyragon when it came out, mainly because of the level of firepower it packed.  Sure, the reliance on magazines is a sticking point for me in protracted Nerf games, but the slam fire was smooth, it looked good, and felt comfortable with a Nerf Super Soaker Lightning Storm stock.  And the Revonix?  Worth the cost.  A big blaster (almost reminiscent of a grenade launcher, honestly) good range, and comfy to use, especially with a stock.

BUT, it takes a little getting to know.  First thing, as Adult Fans of Nerf likes to say, the thing is a blaster you can reload on the run, like the Dart Tag blasters that have integrated mags (Quick 16, Speedload 6 come to mind).  And the reload takes some practice at first but if you can manage it, you’ve got something good here.  I always appreciate a loadout where I am boiled down to a player with a pouch full of ammo and a blaster by my side (anyone see what I did there?)  One must be familiar with the feel of their blaster to keep loading while running around, while also keeping your eyes on the field.  It’s good to know where the magwell is by feel, and turrets, and so on.  Those brief seconds you spend looking down could get you tagged.  I was able to work it out with the Dart Tag blasters, I’ll have to do the same here with a little more field time.  Initially, it feels easy to fumble discs or slow down to search for the loading points (especially since the mag drum freely spins around) but just keep at it if you want this to be a primary for you.

As one of the videos above shows, the Nerf Vortex Revonix 360 loads through a divot on the left or right side of the blaster, and pumping the handle primes the blaster to fire.  Holding the trigger down while pumping the handle activates Slam Fire.  Needless to say, that’s basic nerf knowledge, I think.  But eventually you too will go “click click bamf!” when you light up your opponents.  Maybe.  Ultimately, the slam fire on the Pyragon felt just a bit smoother than the slam fire mode on the Revonix but I think part of that is the new mechanism (this loads discs vertically and pushes discs into position, the Pyragon discs were already horizontal and didn’t need any additional adjustment from the drum mag or the firing mechanism.)  However, that is practically splitting hairs.  Both blasters send out a bunch of ammo REALLY FAST, and a cloud of discs can be a scary sight during a game.  Maybe even scarier than a cloud of darts.

Should the blaster get jammed, there’s a disc release and the jam door (both pictured)  I believe Mr. K at AFON pointed out this is the first/only Vortex blaster to have one(?):


 As for the range, I was hitting 50′ – 70′ with discs.  Not unexpected, considering that is the deal with Vortex line, hitting high distances.  The only caveat here is the accuracy (as with most things Nerf and maybe especially Vortex) may lack a bit.  The videos above show how hard it is to hit a reliably accurate point the farther you are from the target, and that’s even more noticeable with the frisbee styled vortex ammo.  Not to say I haven’t had success with this blaster, but it adds a little bit more of a challenge.  However, that is also a Vortex blaster’s strength to some degree, the unpredictability when trying to avoid a hit.  A duck or sidestep that would normally get you out of the way ends up sending you into the path of a disc.

That craziness is part of the reason I really like the Vortex line.

The paintjob is striking, for sure.  While the Vortex line has a new deco for 2013, all flame-styled in a way. 

And it works for me.  I honestly very rarely go “WHOA” on a blaster’s paintjob but this does look cool all the same.  The main body is very vibrant with the white and orange accents, and the grey just works with it in my opinion. 

So for $39.99, is it worth the purchase?  If you prefer having the full 40 shots from a Pyragon, and prefer to not reload one at a time (even on the run) then you might not get a lot out of this blaster.  I find the reloading mechanism unique enough that when I am on the field and hurriedly running around collecting my ammo to reload, (if the round is still going) it is MUCH faster to just load a turret than load a mag, and slam it in.  Granted, you can carry smaller mags if you’re using a Pyragon but then that’s still additional weight you have in your loadout as opposed to just a pouch/pocket full of discs.  So, player, know thyself.  The performance was on par with the Pyragon though not as smooth on slam fire, and reloading without additional magazines is nice.  This being Vortex discs you might have accuracy questions, but the ammo output just might compensate (Spray & Pray, my friends.)

If you like your Vortex blasters those are probably the best selling points about it.  Hopefully, I’ve been helpful in making a decision.  If you have questions, feel free to shoot them my way, and good game!

Tek Recon goes to E3! Press Release received!

“TEK RECON: E3 BOUND AND BRINGING LIVE ACTION ONLINE GAMING TO LIFE!

FOLLOWING A VERY EXCITING KICKSTARTER CAMPAIGN ONE OF THE MOST ANTICIPATED NEW GAMES TO BE SAMPLED FOR THE FIRST TIME AT E3 JUNE 11-13 IN LOS ANGELES



TORONTO, May 21, 2013 – TEK RECON, one of the most anticipated new product launches of 2013 will be available for demonstration and sampling by fans and consumers for the first time at the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) in Los Angeles, California June 11-13, 2013.
E3 will immediately follow a crowd funding campaign hosted on Kickstarter that began May 9th.  The response to TEK RECON from gamers, tech enthusiasts, and blaster fans has been exceptional as backers and players from all over the world have reached out to provide valuable feedback, insight and support. The campaign is currently more than 50% funded and tracking to exceed the kickstarter goal of $50,000.
Gamers, adventure seekers and fans of technology, get off the couch and into the game as we need your help to create a revolutionary new way to connect and play! TEK RECON Blasters feature a first of its kind design with real trigger action, authentic recoil and specially designed reusable “NRG Rounds”.
To optimize the battle and team experience TEK RECON developed a free “Live Action Online Gaming” app to enhance blaster battles. Simply connect your mobile device to the blaster to bring video game styled play to life through mobile and GPS technology.  The free TEK RECON App will be available for iOS and Android devices, enhancing real battle experience through an interactive heads up display, live chat, vision modes, and more.
“Bringing TEK RECON to market is the most ambitious and exciting launch in our company history,” stated Brad Pedersen CEO of TEK RECON Inc. “Two years ago we set out on a mission to bring video games, online connectivity and social interactive play together through innovation and great product design. The outcome, TEK RECON has come to life and created a phenomenal play experience that has exceeded our expectations.”
The time is now to be one of the first to experience Live Action Online Gaming and change the way you play. For more information on this product and the KICKSTARTER campaign please visit TekRecon.com.
Take a live look at the Tek Recon Blasters during the E3 2013 Show in Los Angeles, CA at Booth #5636 in the West Hall.”
And the buzz just keeps on going for Tek Recon! From Toy Fair now to E3… who knows what’s next?

Tek Recon: Update #4! – (New video and info uploaded to the Kickstarter page!)

Update from Tek Recon after the break – I’ll put my 2 cents in a little later when I have a bit more time.  But… wow.  The movie start pledges got picked up, and there will be some new products possibly by 2014!

To view the latest vid, head over to their kickstarter – http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/graemebissett/tek-recon-the-first-real-life-video-game/posts 

“We are excited to know that we recently had 2 of the 5 “Movie Star” pledges get scooped up by fans. These 2 people are in for a real treat, and timing is perfect as we have just finished our first commercial shoot and we want to share with all of you a “sizzle” that we have produced.  This spot has many of of the key shots that will be used in the final commercial that we intend to air later this year.

We think you are going to love the sizzle reel as it really helps demonstrate the product performance and convey how we envision team play and collaboration could work.  You should note the following features in the spot:

Magazine swap out. Check out the flip and clip action on the Havok. We had much feedback from the community that you want more ammo and you want it fast.  We are happy to to offer you up this, in a slick system that has quick access.  Per the video, simply un-clip, flip and lock in the opposite end of magazine and you are good to go with another 36 rounds. Based on additional feedback we are planning on developing more ways to get ammo fast, in future developments of the project.
Communication via the app. One of the coolest features in the app is the walkie talkies. Your team is all linked via a comm system and when you press the screen icon, you are instantly connected and sharing intel. HINT – When used in game play, you will need to be careful as there are some power ups that the opposing team can acquire and when deployed “hack” into the comm system to listen in on your teams plans.

Distance of the ammo. In the video you will see a point where there is a 2 way battle over a concrete barracade. This should give you an idea of the distance that the blaster can achieve. In a recent blog post; one of our fans described Tek Recon as “friendly airsoft for the masses”.  We are confident you will be very happy with the performance but also knowing that it is safe to use and play with.
Bank Shots. Another key advantage of the NRG rounds vs other projectiles is that they are dynamic and as a result you can “ricochet” the ammo to strike your target.  We think that is a big idea and helps separate the men from the boyz!

Recoil. For those of you who have not had a clear look at what the recoil looks like there is some nice close ups of the product in action. We have just got to say it feels awesome and you cannot help but have a smile on your face every round you squeeze out!

Dynamic Targets. Yes we already had a video on this but thought we would give you a couple angles to look at it from. There is a “big” pay-off when you hit the target that we are pretty sure you will think is cool.  These are included in our battle packs, squad leader and envoy pledges.
Girls! We love the fact that we have both genders featured in the forthcoming spot. Yes this is a shout out to all the ladies who hate the stereo type that girls are not interested in blaster play.  We know there are a bunch fo you who believe they can outwit and outplay their male counter parts and do not need a special pink or purple blaster to do it.  [Unless you really like pink….in which case you can make a custom metallic pink blaster as part of our “Custom Havok” pledge:)]

We aspire to create a product we are proud of and deliver “wow” with Tek Recon and the play experience it will offer. We hope by now that we have demonstrated that we in fact are breathing life into this project and doing so by taking feedback from you, our fans, to shape what we finally produce.

We have had a lot of questions about the app and different operating systems etc that can be supported. What is important to note is that the blaster on it’s own is an incredible product; it has a unique design with features that are truly stand out and will provide the best performance on the market. That said we have taken Tek Recon from “good to great” by creating a “digital layer” that enhances the play experience.  The Tek Recon app on an IOS or Android smart device will give you a first of its kind FPS video game experience in live action play!

Thanks to those who have supported us thus far. The “movie star” still has 3 of the 5 positions available and if after seeing the sizzle you want to be part of the next commercial then you can either change your pledge or let your network know there are a limited number still available. The plan is to film the next spot with our top secret new Tek Recon blaster design in January of 2014.   Thanks for helping us spread the word and for your efforts in making Tek Recon a reality!”

So…. it happened.  some enterprising individuals picked among the biggest prize packs on Tek Recon’s kickstarter (the E3 pass as a spokesperson, and now 2 of the 5 “movie star” commercial spots) and are going to benefit HUGE.  Exposure, lots of product and in the case of the movie stars, advance product.  Here’s are the exact details of those prizes:

  • Pledge $3,500 or more
    1 backer All gone!
    ATTEND E3! Flight and Hotel included to attend E3 in LA June 11-13, 2013 to help present Tek Recon at its premier launch event! As well as a MASSIVE Tek Recon prize pack, to ship Aug 2013. (US/Canada Only)
    Estimated delivery: Jun 2013
    • Pledge $5,000 or more
      2 backers Limited (3 of 5 left)
      MOVIE STAR Receive 1 Flight and Hotel room for anyone under 18 to fly to our film set so you can appear in the next Tek Recon commercial! Oh, and you’ll get a ton of free product. The perfect gift for the blaster fanatic or aspiring actor in your family (US/Canada Only – Anyone under 14 requires chaperone). MASSIVE Tek Recon starter pack to ship Aug 2013. Commercial set to film Jan 2014.
      Estimated delivery: Aug 2013

     
    These are some great packages, for sure!  And they helped get Tek Recon over the 50% funding mark with a good amount of time left.  It’s almost a guarantee we’re going to see a whole lot more news and features before the kickstarter is over.

    As for the video, you kind of get a feel for the action pace they expect with Tek Recon, and the one feature not ready at Toy Fair was the recoil.  But it’s the little touches that matter like the flip clip, the recoil, and the semi auto.   Either way, this is exciting!  Can’t wait to see everything.

Announced: JT Splatmaster Tournament is coming to Chicago(land!) PSP Chicago, June 2013!

Fresh from JT Splatmaster… they’re starting a way to introduce newcomers to league play and competition!

(my original review here: http://foamfromabove.blogspot.com/2012/10/review-jt-splatmaster-z100-z200-and.html)  I was a fan of it then, and am still a fan of it now.  Between the accuracy and the comfortable feel of the Splatmaster line, it’s a solid buy if you’ve been thinking about it.  It’s nowhere near as painful as paintball (due to the decreased fps) but tons of fun at closer ranges than you might expect with paintball.

All the rules and regs are listed here:
http://empirepaintball.com/jt-first-shot/. More, after the break.

Players must NOT have any tournament experience!

When:
  • Saturday, June 22
  • 8am-6pm
Where:
2903 Schweitzer Road
Joliet, IL 60436
Registration: $75 for a 3 person team.  But here’s the part where I find it interesting….
Divisions
  • JT SplatMaster
o   No previous paintball tournament experience
o   4 players max per team roster
o   Age Groups
–  12 and under
–  13 and older
o   Equipment – Must use provided event equipment to participate
–  JT SplatMaster z200 Shotgun
–  JT Goggle
–  JT SplatMaster Ammo
–  Quick Load Tube
–  JT SplatMaster Versus Vest
o   Paint Consumption
–  30 balls per player per point
o   Simple Rules – 
–  4 minute matches
–  If a player is hit directly by a ball that player is eliminated
–  If a ball breaks on the bunker and sprays on the player that player is not eliminated 
–  No foul language
–  No Alcohol
–  No physical contact
o   Prizes Per Age Group –
–  1st Place
–  Trophy per player
–  JT SplatMaster z200 Shotgun per player
–  2nd Place
–  Medal per player
–  JT SplatMaster z90 Pistol
–  3rd Place
–  Medal per player
So there you go.  If you’re an adult and not quite sure how you like regular paintball (like many of my friends), a parent with a 13+ child and looking for a fun activity to get into together, or just looking to introduce yourself to the sport or try something new, this might be the way to go!
Nevermind that CPX is known worldwide as one of the best fields in the nation (if not the world) but just to get out there and try something new.  
I do love Nerf and everything that goes along with it, but I also keep an open mind.  I’ll be checking this out, and hope to see you on the field.

New from Quest in Merry Hill – Inside the Nerf Arena Action!

Not much need be said about this. The Nerf Arena at Quest in Merry Hill is operational! Looks like the attendees have had a bunch of fun, so here’s hoping they keep it going. All the best, Quest! This looks much bigger than the original NDTL inf For more info on the stats and specs of the arena, feel free to refer to my other post: or contact Quest at: info@thequest.co.uk Maybe check them out on Facebook?