Future Issues Of Nerf, Part 1.

Park Legality:

At what point are the blasters going to meet opposition and why playing in public parks.  What I have seen so far is in general not opposition to Nerf blasters, but the commotion such an event with almost 100 people battling with them can make. One such scenario has been the ban of Humans Vs. Zombies from Mission Oaks park in Camarillo, CA.  This park is a nature area between housing tracts, perfect for an HvZ game.  Residence around the park got alarmed at people running around with technicolor blasters and getting too close to their fences trying to avoid Zombie tags.  It is a park, it is a public place, we don't get mad at softball games that can draw 100's of fans, do we?

I have seen people get upset at other problems they include but not limited to:

*Bullhorns, to rally the event.
*Dart's left over from battle left out in the park.
*Shooting of bystanders.

Without the ability of public play, why play Nerf?

Portability of Modded Blasters.

 As single shot pistols reach in the future much easier to attain 100 foot ranges, we could see more controversy.

It used to be, before the Air Zone Panther came out, the smaller the blaster, the less potential it has for power.  Well the Panther, made all blasters, at one point, that came originally as stock, equal, Small or large. This of course included ones kids can pack in their lunch boxes.  It was the cheap, small, easy to mod 100+ blaster of it's day.  Efforts were made to make the tanks smaller, but so many of them were made already.

This didn't seem to ban small blasters, or put ridiculous limits on them but one has to wonder, if they ever will.  Remember the origins of Nerf blasters were originally single shot pistols, there is nothing more challenging and fun than fighting a war with a single shot that can do above 130 flat.  Even if we don't want to terrorize the teachers, students, Disney employees, movie theater patrons, ect. With the advancement of Nerf modding techniques, we could see more trouble on the horizon.

Mod Limits:

Blasters get more and more powerful the more meets I go to, mine do, but so does everyone elses.  Trustfire batteries are all over benches, Few Retaliators and Rampages have stock springs anymore and the color of white PVC and gold Brass appear more common every meet I go to.  Seldom to I see an injury, or someone bitching at me that the blasters I have are too painful, but is it on it's way?

Why do I mod?  to have better tactical advantage in a stock or modded stock war.  Obviously, if mod limits get tighter, less modding is done.  This could lead to a lack of development in Nerf mod technology.  What this could do, is make Airsoft and Paintball more feasable and Nerf to become unpopular.  This is why I dislike Mod limits, even in a HvZ game.

Underselling Modded Nerf Blasters:

I hear it every day "hey, the Firestrike is only a $10 blaster, why do you charge $89.99 for a 16 Kg Ultra Match".  I see many cave in, with great ideas and products sell for too cheap or barely enough to pay the shipping.  This is a move to keep things reasonable, cheap. The problem is if you do that, the modder making the great blaster, isn't supported to keep doing his work and make a career out of it.  What usually happens is that they guy who could have made blaster parts with a CnC for much cheaper, keeps having to do it by hand, it isn't as good as it should be and eventually it doesn't go anywhere.

The idea needs to not just be development, but also reward.  For another type of market does exist that is not accessible to the everyday consumer unless they are members of Nerf Haven or various Facebook forums.  My goal is to make these available on Big 5 and Wal-Mart shelves, the only way to do that, mass production.  A mod company must make a fair margin to stay in business, or else.

Blaster Legality of Modded Nerf Products:

When does a blaster stop being a toy? Start being an action sport weapon purely?  An extremely grey area.  One that comes up with my firends, family and fellow Nerfers every day.  But no body has the answer.  For now, the Ulltra Match according to Manhattan Beach PD is a Toy, misuse and bored housewives may change that one day.  And how much of that would be the Modders fault, or the people taking shots at lifeguards with em :)  (All full of ideas today ain't I :) )

See You in Disneyland.


--Cartaya