Tag: outdoor

Des Plaines Nerf Tournament, 2016

Des Plaines Park District in Illinois Beats the Heat to host 4th annual Nerf Dart Tournament
Vas The Stampede

https://photos.gstatic.com/media/slideshow.swf

Over the weekend, I dropped in at the Des Plaines Park District for their 4th (pretty sure it was their 4th) annual Nerf tournament! Nerf was nice enough to send along prizes for the players, thanks so much to them for that. Players braved the heat and humidity for a few hours of foam slinging fun, and got a blaster for their efforts. I sincerely hope everyone had a great time! This park district is consistent at their love of the hobby, and is one of the few Park Districts I know of that implements blaster games in their events. Their rules are a little different from the usual NIC rules obviously, using stock blasters and ranges, but given the size of the playing field and the layout, it still makes for some fast-paced gameplay. Keep it going, Des Plaines, and looking forward to the next one!

Full Gallery is HERE

F2A Friday Five – Five Gametypes For Small Groups!

Thanks to Hummer, a blaster game runner from Wisconsin I game with regularly, on the help for this one! He runs his games with a Milwaukee area crew in Wisconsin, check out M.A.N.O. for their shenanigans. Nerf games don’t always have to be groups of 20-40 people running around (though that’s a lot of fun, and these games types tend to work well in small groups of 10 or less (5 v 5 ultimately, or even less.)

Hummer in action during a game


Gametypes:

1. Zombies. Zombies can be added into many gametypes in addition to being played with variations (Dismemberment, chopper, ect.) (Stampede chiming in here) Zombies are players who would normally be considered “out” but instead find a new life as a facilitator of game play, marching around the field and tagging players who are still alive. I like instituting this facet because it means people don’t have to sit out during a game, and zombies help prevent standoffs/camping. The rules we usually play with this game are there is an OZ or two, and they start off unknown (like HvZ), tagging players. Getting hit with a dart means a 7-15 second stun for the player to get away. This can be altered as noted above with variations, including large ammo.

2. Catch ’em all/blob – best played with 6+ people, but not above about 15. (Everyone starts with unlimited lives, 15 second respawn. Free for all. When you get tagged, you respawn on that persons team. Play until everyone’s on the same team).

3. Free for all – Make sure you set boundaries, otherwise, you’ll get the one camper who’ll come in mostly fresh on lives. Adding zombies helps with campers 😉

4. Freeze tag – getting hit with a dart/projectile/weapon results in the victim being frozen in place. A teammate may release/revive the tagged player with a touch to the frozen player’s person (BE NICE. DON’T BE RUDE ABOUT REVIVING YOUR TEAMMATES.) Frozen players may be used as cover, with hilarious results.

5. Royal rumble
Royal rumble: Start off with one person in the field, with everyone else lined up on the sidelines. add a person every 15-30 seconds. One life. Go until there’s noone left or keep cycling in the dead players ’til tired. Alternatively, you could try to enforce a lives system, where you have to get back in line every time you die.

Some gameplay video from a recent game he organized, taken by CrissWolfNerf.

Questions? Comments? Hopefully these game types or some variant will be useful to you!

NXT Tactical Shotgun – Review!

NXT Tactical Shotgun Review
Vas The Stampede




Fact Sheet:
NXT Tactical Shotgun:
Price: $42.99 at Toys R Us
Range: 20′ (flat, angled = approx. > 30′)
Ages: 5+
Ammo: Foam darts (3 velcro/3 suction) – proprietary, does not match any other brand of dart. Additional ammo packs are available.
Availability: Most major retailers.
Includes: 
Tactical Shotgun x 1
Darts (3 suction type, 3 hook & loop)
Target x 1
 

Sample was provided by the manufacturer, opinions are my own.

A look at the NXT darts – they’re shorter than most other brands.

The push-button breech, load the darts here.

NXT Generation Toys is a company I ran into at New York Toy Fair this year. I’ve seen their products at Toys R Us, but haven’t picked one up before. It was an unfamiliar brand, and I can only budget so much for blasters. But, they were kind enough to send along a sample, so let’s see what I’ve been missing out on.

FIRST OFF: I got a little background on the company, and their aim (is it were) is on target practice, giving parents another avenue to teach their child about hunting and marksmanship. They not only have shotguns, but crossbows, bows patterned after compound bows (a long bow too), and a bit of an old-time element with flintlock pistols and long rifles (see: Frontier Series).

BUT, the intended use for them is – target practice. The tactical shotgun came with a target of its own, but there are others available in the cartoon shape of animals and more traditional archery targets, reinforcing the hunting and outdoor sportsman theme.

Performance:

One of the neatest features about the tactical shotgun was the popout chamber. You push a button, out pops the dart chamber, you put the dart in, prime the shotgun, pull the trigger. It is one of the more unique ways to load a toy. However, this means it is also a single shot, and the chamber is small to accommodate their own ammo, but no other brands.

The NXT Shotgun only hit about 30′ at most with the toy angled, and 20′ flat after a number of shots. Compared to other brands currently, this isn’t something we see nowadays, especially at their price. In this case it might be a question how much you like how it looks.

Aesthetics:

Tactical means tactical. The toy is a solid matte black, with the obligatory orange tip. It feels light, and built so that the intended market (5+) should be able to manipulate the pump, with a little help from an adult (also part of the experience of making target shooting a parent-child experience). The pump does feel pretty solid, though I have to admit the feel of the toy doesn’t seem to be as robust as more recent toys. Again though, this follows with being built so a small child can use it. There’s no questioning what type of firearm this is modeled after though, so yes it can shoot targets but it might also be a good purchase for cosplayers and around Halloween.

The darts – the foam doesn’t match the current feel of other current brands. The foam feels lighter than other dart types, and the tips felt like they could peel off, especially if the dart got caught while pushing the chamber back into the body. 

Ultimately, is it a buy? If you really want that shotgun look and pump-action feel, then go nuts. But the ranges are low compared to what else you can get recently for a similar amount of money. In close quarters this could be fun, but you would be limited to the proprietary ammo which means you’re lacking a lot of flexibility if you intend to go player vs player. As a target shooting game alone, combined with the targets and 20′ of space it could be a fun experience for the young kids to learn how to aim and maybe begin familiarizing themselves with outdoor shooting. Hopefully this helps, and if I’ve missed anything feel free to submit a question or comment below.

Nerf Des Plaines II – REVISITED (Illinois Tournament)

Nerf Tournament in Des Plaines, Illinois (thanks, Des Plaines Park District!)
By: Vas The Stampede

Last year, the Des Plaines Park District hosted a Nerf Tournament. Darts were fired, and fun was had. The fun was so plentiful they went for a second go recently as well! From the looks of it, there were about 30 (24 in the group shot below) who showed up to play, that’s up from the (roughly) 17 in last year’s group photo. Given that this is one of the few (if not only, at least as far as I know) park districts near me that uses Nerf/toy blasters as part of its programming, this is progress. (Niles, Morton Grove, Glenview, I’m looking at you.)

Here are (some of) the pics from 2014 – the day started off with some free skirmishes for the teams to get warmed up, then into round robin and eventually the knockout round.

The Des Plaines Park District set up the whole event-

The game of the day was Capture the Flag – teams would hide their flag somewhere on their half of the field, then search out the flag of the other team. If a player was tagged with a dart (and only a dart) they had to run back to their end of the field, count to 5, and jump back into play. A team only needed the other team’s flag to win, if their flag was moved they just had to hustle the other team’s flag back to their own base before their flag reached the other side. If a flag carrier was tagged with a dart they would drop the flag and it was to stay where it landed, a team could not move their flag back to base.

A little different was teams could only use ammo they brought into the game at the start; reloading from darts off the field was not allowed (probably to speed up the game, as teams would end up putting up strong defenses and reloading magazines. Even in a 5 minute round, this got a little slow.) If a player was hit, they were to pick up ONE dart from the ground and drop it into a bucket at their base. If there was no flag capture by the end of the 5 minute limit, whichever team had the most darts (meaning their players were tagged more) lost the game. Eye protection was mandatory, and players supplied their own ammo. Obstacles were provided by the park district, along with some loaner blasters when necessary.

Here’s the gallery:

https://photos.gstatic.com/media/slideshow.swf

Interesting note, I didn’t see any off-brand blasters. Whether it was the marketing or just preference of the players, I’m not sure. The blasters were stock (from what I could tell, and mods weren’t allowed anyway) but from talking to some of the players were definitely aware of the larger community, yet here they were doing work on the field laughing and playing with stock blasters.

The players range from 6-14 (maybe? I hadn’t really asked) but the kids came to play. Park staff acted as referees through each game and resolved any disputes and rules questions, and things went through pretty smoothly. The whole event took about 4 hours to complete from briefing to awards.

The kids definitely came to play, they were hustling, talking strategy, scouting other teams, all hallmarks of really wanting be competitive and put on a good show during each game. Admittedly, the games I played in the past at other meetups are a little less competitive so it was refreshing to see Nerf through the eyes of a more competitive mindsetthan I normally see. (Ask me about “Cannonball” sometime to get a feel for how I Nerf.)

I provided a little tech support (and some photographic coverage) but ultimately these kids may be the ones to pick up the hobby and continue to demonstrate that yes, blasters are still a valid toy market! Thanks again to the Des Plaines Park District for letting me be a part of this event and hope to see some of these faces again next year!
 

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!

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!

F2A Review: JT Splatmaster z300

JT Splatmaster z300 Sniper

You know the drill.

First, a little more about what JT Splatmaster is about, what the JT First Shot Challenge is, and where Splatmaster is going next, thanks to Rich Telford (XSV Paintball), commissioner of the JT First Shot Challenge, Pro Paintball player (for 20 years now), and overall cool guy:

And that being said,  here’s the demo video and some shots I traded with Thomas Taylor after PSP Chicago.  Dude is a beast at normal paintball, and it was an honor to trade paint with him.

STATISTICS:

  • Price: approx. $49.99
  • Available:  Now, varies by location 
  • Range: approx. 100′ (flat, not angled)
  • Priming Mech: Side-lever arm, mimics a bolt-action feel of sorts
  • Capacity: 15 Splatmaster .50 paintball rounds
  • Loading: Breech-loaded, through an opening on the top of the marker.
  • FPS: Approx. 140, but may shoot higher.
  • Attachments:  Tac rails on top and bottom (perfect fit for picatinny mounts, I have used a GoPro mount), removable and adjustable stock.  Stock has a spot to attach a sling/bandolier.
    Barrel plug is included.
  • EDIT 07/16/13 Sorry for overlooking this – if it wasn’t obvious the priming arm is on the LEFT side of the blaster, effectively making this only for right-handed people.  The z200 is still a decent enough primary for both lefties and righties, but lefties are going to have a bit of a different mechanic from righties if they use the z300.
JT Splatmaster z300 (barrel plug is in)

Tactical rails along the top and bottom of the barrel; picatinny mounts work just fine 🙂

Safety button

Down the sight, and this aims pretty well.!

The lever arm priming mech; kinda felt like a bolt-action rifle after a bit.

.50 paintballs are loaded throught the breech here (the blue part is a door you push open to load)

Your ammo stores here; see how many shots you have left

 I first checked out Splatmaster with the z100 pistol and z200 shotgun, and the z300 is way different from either. 

The z100 and z200 were tested with a chronograph to around 120 fps; the z300 will usually hit around 140 fps but I have seen videos where the fps hit around 180 fps at max.  So, definitely a beefier, stronger shot.  However, the priming arm mechanic feels a lot slower than the z200’s pump-action motion so there’s definitely going to fall on the player whether they want the power of a z300 or a faster run and gun style the z200 lends itself to.  Additionally, the z300 adds a little backspin to keep the shot aloft (hop up?), so I sometimes sailed a little high from my target.  It took some adjustment at first, but eventually I got comfortable.  Still, the power and accuracy in the z300 are pretty righteous.  It’s a nice trade if you have a more deliberate and surgical play style.  Overall, the range and accuracy are pretty impressive.  I’ll definitely do a follow up with higher standing targets and revisit this in the future.

The EXPERIENCE:
  
 Let’s talk about how the z300 handles and feels.  As far as holding it, the adjustable stock really helps.  It’s comfortable, and after holding other toy blasters it feels skinnier and a bit easier to aim, carry, hold, and run with by comparison.  The styling lends itself really well to a proper rifle, making moving and aiming pretty intuitive.  If I had to critique anything, I’d say it needs a bipod, as this is the Sniper type of marker in the lineup.  The priming action is smooth, the trigger pull doesn’t fight, and the arm sits against the body in line with the rest of the marker, so if I strap it to my back it doesn’t jab at me.  There is only one sling point though, and that’s on the back of the removable stock.

Removable stock with 5 different settings.  The sling point is that loop on the back of the stock .

Furthermore on the handling.  The z300 loads through a door in the top of the marker that holds the paintballs (illustrated in the pics above.)  With every move of the priming handle, a ball loads into the barrel (via gravity and a follower that pushes the balls along, it might take some practice or jiggling if you experience any misfires) and the trigger pull launches the ball.  I didn’t experience any chopped/broken balls so far and misfires are rare (and I’ll attribute those to human error), so between the paint and the marker itself, everything is pretty reliable.  You can reload the chamber either one at a time with paintballs but there are also speedload tubes (pods) that JT makes (see the pic below) to expedite the reload process.  It took a little practice to get the right motion/angle to get the tube to push the door down and feed the balls, but as you can see in the video above I got it.

In a way, this simulates refilling your hopper with a full pod (and it’s very possible to miss reloading a proper paintball hopper too, so that’s just part of the game.)  Either way you choose to do it, you have options.  In fact, of the existing ammo containers, the grenade shaped ammo packs work pretty well too, just they’re bulkier than the speedload tubes (and during the Splatmaster First Shot challenge you only have 30 rounds per player, so starting ammo & 1 tube.)

Bottom line, while the priming motion and rate of fire is a tad slower than the z200, the z300 is definitely worth the $49.99 for it’s power, range, accuracy, portability, aesthetics, and just overall feel.  For kids and adults looking to start in paintball this is a great offering.  It is definitely one of the coolest looking things I’ve used, and handles so nicely.  That the rails accommodate picatinny accessories (like my GoPro mount) is a huge plus (and might address the bipod gripe I have) and only adds to how much I like this marker and is a must-try for anyone thinking about this line.  So far Splatmaster has the z90 (not reviewed yet, debuted at JT Splatmaster Chicago), the z100, z200, and now the z300.  Each offers a little something different in the play experience so see which suits you!  Just please remember to obey the local laws regarding paintball products, please. 

In closing, big thanks to Rich, Thomas, and everyone at Empire/JT for their time and efforts.  Hope to see you all again!  As a majority of my time with them was spent at THE FIRST JT First Shot Challenge in Chicago, of course I have pics 🙂  Splatmaster is a brand worth watching with what their goal is (building paintball by making it more accessible to people) and what they’re making for people.  They’ve got some great ideas, and I hope to see them come to fruition.

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

 PIC PREVIEW SPAM:

 

Nerf "Bash at the Beach!" – Nerf Centurion, Nerf Rapidstrike, Nerf Revonix 360, AND the Nerf Rebelle!

Well, it is now the Day After the annual  release/Media Big Bash for Nerf.  Starting in 2009 with the release of the Nerf Stampede, myself and a number of other U.S. bloggers are lucky enough to be invited to this event.

PIC HEAVY UPDATE AFTER THE BREAK:

Members of the Hasbro/Nerf design team and marketing chain of command are on hand for us to discuss/inquire about the products on display as well as some elements of the design process.  It is s usually pretty eye opening affair, and this year was pretty fantastic as well.

The focus this year was a “Bash at the Beach” themed event where some major releases such as the Nerf N- Strike Elite Mega Centurion, Nerf N- Strike Elite Rapidstrike, Nerf Vortex Revonix 360, the Nerf Rebelle Heartbreaker Bow, Nerf Rebelle Guardian Crossbow, and Nerf Cybershot Hoop were alll on hand to play and get a first-hand feel for them.  Also a prime moment to give some feedback before the blasters go into full production if necessary.

ALL THE NERF BLASTERS.

Super Soakers and the Nerf Firevision Disc Flyer

The Nerf Sweet Revenge blaster with the holster attached. Sadly, not up for demonstration.

The crown jewel of all the blasters for me over the evening was the Nerf Rapidstrike.  It definitely felt lighter and overall more maneuverable than the Nerf Stampede.  It fired faster and found it very easy to either do 3 round bursts or rock and roll at full auto.  Dual wielding did not feel cumbersome either, so I am definitely looking forward to getting these on the field.  It had the clear 18 round magazines and an adjustable stock.  There’s also a flip-up iron sight, multiple tac rails, and a good amount of sling points. 

The Nerf Rapidstrike – yes, it’s awesome.
Fall 2013, $39.99
THE ORANGE MAGS WERE ONLY THERE FOR DEMO PURPOSES.  THE RELEASE OF THE RAPIDSTRIKE WILL HAVE FULLY CLEAR MAGAZINES.

One interesting bit: there was some kind of thin rubber piece leading into the barrel and flywheels.  I do not believe I have seen this before, so I am intrigued what it purpose it serves. Guide?  Stabilizer?  I have to check my Stampede to be sure.

Nerf Vortex’s Revonix 360 was on-hand, and while I have to wait to see the full range (the target walls were maybe up to 40′ away) the blaster is just crying for a stock on it.  The on-the-fly reload is pretty awesome and smooth.  What you give up for 10 shots (the Vortex Pyragon drum has 40) you gain in mobility by not having to carry extra magazines with you.  The slam fire was a bit herky-jerky but there are still some tweaks to make between now and this Fall.  Still though, I loved the Pyragon so I’m wondering how the full production model of this will be (and I feel it will be FANTASTIC.)
 
I forget who photobombed me.
Nerf Vortex Revonix 360
Fall 2013, $39.99
The Nerf Rebelle blasters had the Guardian Crossbow and Heartbreaker bow next.  Functionally, they didn’t feel much different from New York Toy Fair, but the pink was a much deeper hue on these.  I will admit, the Guardian feels pretty comfortable, and my niece should get a kick out of them when they’re out.  Some interesting notes on the Rebelle:
 
– A LOT of research went into the development.  More than some people on the team had ever seen before.
– There’s a woman who worked on the blaster designs as well, so I wouldn’t say that it’s just men thinking what girls want.
– Rebelle is a long-term investment, this is no trial, it’s in for a penny, in for a pound with this line.
– One of the bits of commentary from tests groups was, they wanted pink, but only as an accent color or trim, not the majority of the blaster.
– The Sneak Attackers were a favorite of the initial test groups, due to compactness and relative power. 
– Their test groups (girls) found a better experience at trying to develop skill in using the bow (form, pulling the string back, aiming, etc.) more than the outright shooting targets aspect, which might be why the Heartbreaker Bow is the big item in this line.  
– Sadly, the Sweet Revenge (pistol) could not be demonstrated.  It was zip-tied down and still in box.  The focus was on the Guardian and Heartbreaker (the big ticket end of the release)
– Should start popping up around the 1st week of September, hopefully earlier.
 

In case you don’t like the pink of the Heartbreaker, have a different version!

A familiar face, the Rebelle spokesperson still hard at work!

The Nerf Mega Centurion was there as well, but my review of that is already HERE:

The most info I did get was about the incoming app(s):
There will be TWO separate ones, one for Nerf Rebelle and the other for the Nerf N-Strike Elite blasters.  I’ll have to make a follow up inquiry to see if there’s any interaction between the two apps.  Functionally, they will be similar.

The App Cradle

With the app, players can (at least for now):

  • Record & Share video
  • Add to social media
  • Send media to friends
  • Learn how to play CTF, last man standing, etc.
  • Rangefinder
  • HUD

They recognized all the duct tape magic going on out there mounting cameras, so they finally decided to provide a product (and no, the EPPS was not there.  Basic Nerf brought one, but that’s the only one there.)  Also, Droid fans… don’t worry.  They’re working on it but just want to get it right.

Word has it the N-Force and Nerf Dart Tag lines are currently not the focus of the team, so nothing new to report on that front right now (thanks, AFON)

We couldn’t really get a lot of answers about stuff NOT on the show floor (though AFON got some info on the Elite Spectre, go check!) and that makes sense to focus on the here and now.  If you’re in the woods, you’re worried about the bear 2′ away, not the bear that’s on the next mountain.  So, let’s embrace the 2013 bear for what it is, and I’ll be back to revisit these blasters once they hit shelves.

And let’s not forget about Click Click BAMF who has now made 2 shows, and Shining Foam in his rookie year (along with Basic Nerf) at this event.  Nice putting faces to the pages, always.  Class acts from these guys this year, and hopefully get to see them again at the next event! 

That’s about all I can think of for now… if I find I forgot anything I’ll update the post later.  Until then, I still have plenty of more reviews to do, so check in later this week!  Thanks all for traveling with me, keep on Nerfin’!

Questions?  Comments?  Let me know!

Nerf Centurion – F2A Rundown

//www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/vIeG4R7iKug

Nerf N-Strike Elite Centurion Mega Blaster

And there it is.  The Nerf N-Strike Elite Mega Centurion.  One of the three main new blasters for the year (Revonix and the Rapidstrike being the others so far, besides Rebelle, etc.)

EDIT:  The Nerf N-Strike Centurion is currently up for preorder on Amazon (as reported at Basic Nerf and AFON)!
Buy it now at Entertainment Earth!

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STATS:

Cost: $49.99

Release (approximate): Fall 2013

Includes:

  • Centurion blaster x 1
  • Mega Whistler Magazine x 1
  • Mega Whistler Darts x 6
  • Removable bipod x 1 

Range:
Between 40-75′, depending on the angle, dart quality, etc.

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Now let’s get to it.  When news of a Mega line, much less a “sniper” style rifle that was going to outdo the Longshot and Longstrike came out, I was excited.  There’s always been 1 or 2 players I knew who liked to sit in the back row and provide support for assault/run and gunners.  The Centurion was their stock blaster solution I thought.

After some initial firing…. I think I built it up too much in my head.  First, let’s tackle some of the questions I have about the blaster.

The Size.  At over 3′ long, this blaster is HUGE.  And unlike the Longshot or Longstrike, you can’t remove the front barrel once it’s on.  (You probably could, but not without risking damage to the blaster.  I warned you!)  It makes maneuvering through a jungle gym or tight indoor spaces a bit tougher unless you have it shouldered with a bandolier.  And even then, you’re running without your blaster drawn which could be crucial seconds.  With practice, this might not be a concern but again, that’s with practice.  On the plus side, it’s friendly to lefties and righties.

The rate of fire.  The Centurion has a draw pull that comes out to approx. 13″on a bolt-action motion.  On the run, that could be an issue for a fleet footed player looking to fire back.  Pump-action is much faster in comparison, and electric blasters have the advantage.  Again, this blaster is designed to be used as a sniper’s play style, so it would take some adjusting to remember this and act accordingly.  Methodical, and NOT a spray and pray game.

The accuracy.  Granted, these are Nerf blasters and inherently aren’t known for pinpoint success at 100′.  Even Elite streamlines still veer off course, so nothing’s perfect.  However, there is a level of tolerance that I have come to expect from Nerf blasters and Elite darts, and the Elite Megas definitely left me wanting.  I was expecting them to be styled more like Elite darts, with heavier heads and at least able to hit within range of a target.  In fact, the foam seems thinner and the heads were just as squishy as the original orange streamlines.  So Elite Megas, these were not.  Additionally, it was getting range relative to the other Elite blasters… and I was expecting even a few feet more.  Different functionalities add so much to a play pattern experience!

And as for the bipod?  It does wobble a bit, and does seem like it wants to let go frequently.  Believe it or not though, that bipod is far more stable than the ones on the Xploderz Xranger or Shadow Hawk.  I was pleased with how it felt, and had to try it on all sorts of things –

But!  All that being said, I see potential here.  Larger ammo I also find inherently funny, so the Centurion is a fun, over the top kinda blaster to use on unsuspecting victims.  Much like the Vulcan and the Hailfire, this blaster is designed with a role play mindset factored in; a kid who wants to pretend to be the sneaky sharpshooter, unlike the other blasters where they play a lone wolf hero archetype.  Unfortunately, the form does not lend itself well to the function of the typical way a person might play Nerf.  At least, not right now.  I intend to try the Centurion out in the field more when more mags and ammo are available, as right now with only one mag reloading is an issue as well.

And yes, there are pics out there showing the internals.  Say what you want, but I find the “KA-thu-CHUNK” of each shot oddly satisfying. 

So, where does that leave me?  I’m excited to see mega darts return, but I’m just not overcome with awe for the Centurion.  The performance was not quite what I expected this but this is only the first blaster in the Mega line and I look forward to what else comes next.  Especially if it means something like the largest Vulcan EVER:

//www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/w_Jx5gFQO2g

Does that mean it’s worth the $50?  To be on the forefront of trying out a new innovation from Nerf, sure.  To shoot your friends with oversized ammo, sure.  To have a cool looking totally over the top blaster that still gets pretty good ranges, then sure!  Just remember, this isn’t a blaster to run, strafe, and spray and pray with on the front lines.  It’s more suited to a methodical, sneaky style outdoors or from higher vantage points to check the opposition.

Questions?  Comments?  Feel free, and see you on the field.