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The n00b's guide to blaster buying - 2012

Posted: Mon Mar 19, 2012 8:26 pm
by HBWW
http://hbww.wordpress.com/2012/03/19/be ... e-of-2012/

Obviously, this post is intended to help those who are interested in blaster buying and want something straight to the point. I'm posting it here to collect feedback before showing it to others. If you disagree with a recommendation I've made, make note of it and we can discuss it out. If I've missed something that should obviously have been in the guide, let me know that too.

You can repost the guide as you see fit (i.e. show to friends who may need something like it), just as long as the reposted guide works properly with links and gives a howdy to the original post at HBWW.

Re: The n00b's guide to blaster buying - 2012

Posted: Mon Mar 19, 2012 9:25 pm
by atvan
Just an FYI, the MD6k is still around. Also, this sounds more like an intro than an article, haha.

Re: The n00b's guide to blaster buying - 2012

Posted: Mon Mar 19, 2012 10:00 pm
by HBWW
Yeah, it is indeed more of an intro. I'm pretty sure I've always referred to it as a guide instead of an article, but it's only meant to be a quick guide for non-enthusiasts that gets to the point. Thanks for pointing out the oversight on the Max-D 6000; I edited the guide accordingly.

Re: The n00b's guide to blaster buying - 2012

Posted: Mon Mar 19, 2012 11:47 pm
by martianshark
I have three comments:

You can't click on the WWn link.

You make the Max-D 6000 sound like it's lighter than all the rest.

Piston guns aren't that bad.

Re: The n00b's guide to blaster buying - 2012

Posted: Tue Mar 20, 2012 1:15 am
by HBWW
Fixed the WWn link and edited the MD6k entry. Thanks.

Of course, I cannot, in good conscience, recommend any piston powered blaster for new players in wars dominated by pressurized water weaponry. That said, I may try one myself this summer in a hit based game as a speed/skill challenge. (Unless a particular friend attends and plays on the opposing team; he's above my skill level actually.) However, I've tried the Blastmaster 660, Vaporizer, and Helix, and all have been about as useful as an Arctic Shock. My goal of the guide is to give the new guy the best they can get for their money and for a given blaster size. If you can take on CPS users with a Stream Machine in 1HK, more power to you and I applaud your skill. But this is not for new players.

Re: The n00b's guide to blaster buying - 2012

Posted: Tue Mar 20, 2012 6:07 am
by marauder
I think this is a great intro guide, and I agree with your assessment of piston guns. My one question is, do you really think the Renegade is better than the Explorer?

I love seeing that the 3 active sites: isoaker, HBWW, and Hydrowar are so complimentary. In the first few generations of the watergun community, sites used to offer the same set thing. You have your own kind of focus appeal, and the same can be said for isoaker and myself. Although there is a little crossover, we mostly offer different things to the community, and ultimately we point people back here which is mosed important.

Re: The n00b's guide to blaster buying - 2012

Posted: Tue Mar 20, 2012 10:14 am
by HBWW
Edited to include the Explorer. I'm not sure which one is better because I haven't used either. The reason I don't recommend the Vanquisher is because it seems oversized; good design for CPS but probably not as much so for air pressure (though same applies to Explorer.) Then there's the Equalizer. There's so many of them lol. I need to edit/update accordingly.

Re: The n00b's guide to blaster buying - 2012

Posted: Tue Mar 20, 2012 11:15 am
by DX
I like it, although I think that XP 220 and 240 packs are better than MD 2Ks and 3Ks, when available. Every Max-D I have ever owned broke in the same way and none survived an entire season. For the same reason, I'd also take a 270 or 310 way before taking a 6000.

For those who do want to buy on Ebay, since this guide doesn't cover it, there's the Advice for Buying Water Guns guide although it's not the most impartial thing ever and needs some more formatting done for next month's update. However, I think that brand new people should get to know the models and their stats before buying on Ebay, there's a lot to know.

Re: The n00b's guide to blaster buying - 2012

Posted: Tue Mar 20, 2012 11:26 am
by marauder
I don't like the 220, there isn't enough hand space, and it performs no better than the XP 20. I bought 2 XP 20 two packs for $8 each a few years ago. Great investment. Of course, I think I like Goblins even more. I haven't used a Max D pistol just because our team had so many 5000s and 6000s break.

Also the 240 is one of my favorite just for fun blasters, I just would never use it in a major war.

Re: The n00b's guide to blaster buying - 2012

Posted: Tue Mar 20, 2012 12:48 pm
by HBWW
I haven't seen 220's and 240's for a long time, and Max-D has always been available over the years. The eBay guide is quite different; my guide targets those who just want to get a blaster without putting too much thought/effort into it.

I'm actually very surprised I haven't had any problems with brand-new Max-D's I've gotten. I do have a broken FF though. In any case, I will have to be extra careful this season with my Max-D's; my 6k's valve already doesn't close properly sometimes but it may just need lube.

Anyway, if those XP's are there, then I will update the guide and add them in. I just haven't seen them, and Max-D has been the most consistently available and best performing for size for me. I know I'll eventually have to figure something out when they break though.

Re: The n00b's guide to blaster buying - 2012

Posted: Tue Mar 20, 2012 1:32 pm
by marauder
If you are writing it for ppl new to the game, then it makes sense that you primarily talk about the easiest guns to come by. I think they rereleased Max D 3000s recently judging by the color scheme http://www.ebay.com/itm/LARAMI-SUPER-SO ... 1e6c636e87

Re: The n00b's guide to blaster buying - 2012

Posted: Tue Mar 20, 2012 4:29 pm
by atvan
That officially looks sweet. Now if we could get the internal designers from Buzz Bee and the casing designers from Hasbro...