Quick Review: Nerf N-Strike Elite Pinpoint Sight - A PROPER accessory. :D

(Link) Hey guys! Hope this post is finding all my Squadron friends alive and well. Now, we all know about the history of the Nerf Pinpoint Sight, right?

The Nerf Pinpoint Sight (PPS) has a pretty illusive history. Resembling an SMG Scope, it has been praised by the NIC as being one the most 'useful' 'first-party' Tact. Rail attachments Nerf has ever produced, and demand has been high for this sight ever since it has been released under the N-Strike brand several years ago. But, it has remained under our radar for many a year, having never being bundled with a main blaster, only being released under a Mission Kit in the yellow N-Strike era, which was pretty rare to find. And of course, if you're a mad collector like me, you'll try anything to get one :P 

It HAS been announced that the PPS will be seeing an Elite 'remake/paintjob' and will be offered as a bonus at Australian stores later this year. Now, this news is rather exciting! A few of my friends from the mainland received 'Elitetified' PPS's as a bonus for being awesome :D

I received an EPPS, by luck or by chance (in this world, it is the people you know :P) a PPS from the one and only Uncle Neil of Canberra DT group fame, and when I picked up the package from the mailbox, I was SO ecstatic. I swear, my face was like this:

Uncle Neil, if I ever make it over to a Canberra event, I am gonna shake you by the hand. :D Now, I think we all know what comes next. REVIEW TIME! :D (Pic spam detected) 

The Elite PPS comes in a rather small box, with minimal box art.
Fun Fact: It is the same box art from the yellow N-Strike era. :P

Instructions... Always useful. :D

Now, has anyone TRIED using the EPPS on the Hail-Fire? No?
Good job, you get one Gold Star :P

Is that a blue Maverick? Well, that's just lazy. :P

What you get in the box is rather small, just the holy grail and instructions
 Even the instructions are simple :P But it gets the job done. 

The EPPS styling is VERY similar to an SMG Scope,
something you would find out of Call of Duty or Mass Effect.

I'll let the pics do the talking. :D

Not bad, eh? It is pretty sweet. :)

The crosshairs. Sources say the pane is on
more of a slight angle than the original, but I couldn't confirm this.

The light is a bit tiny if you ask me, it IS just a small LED. But it does get the job done :D

If you're not sure how the EPPS works, turn the light on, and attach to a blaster. The goal is to line up the light, the center of the crosshairs and your target in one straight line. I'll demonstrate this in an upcoming vid.

It is actually pretty accurate, with only a few darts going off-course due to the individual nature of each dart and blaster I've tested the EPPS with.

Requires 2x AAA batteries to operate, friends.

Mounted on top of a Strongarm. Line up the target and BAM!

Mounted on a Retaliator, it is a bit of a design flaw while priming,
but it DOES add to the feel and 'RIFLE' aspect.

The config of DREAMS. Ever since the yellow N-Strike days,
people have been begging Nerf for PPS's JUST for this config. :D

Elite Alpha Trooper CS-12 (Omega Trooper CS-25) + EPPS + Retali Stock + Rampage 25-dart drum = EPICNESS.

FPS view. The PPS does add to the blasters,
looking down the scope taking aim is VERY cool. :D

So, what do I think? It's a good buy, especially if you like customizing your blaster and collecting Nerf. If you ever find one going for cheap, grab it. :D Plus, there is that sense that you own one, one of the rarest items in Nerf history. :D

Now, the exact details for the upcoming Australian store deal for the EPPS haven't been confirmed yet, but as soon as we have some solid intel, we'll post it up on the blog. Till next time, Squaddies! :D

I swear, Uncle Neil is a Nerf saint :D

Link's Customisation Corner - Omega Trooper CS-25

(Link) Hey Squaddies, time for a bit of awesomeness. We are all familiar with the story of the EAT (Elite Alpha Trooper) right? It received a rather lacklustre reception here in Australia. :(

Thanks to our Head of Intel, Crispy, I managed to get a UK EAT. :D Great deal? Yep, considering it was FREE :P But when I recieved it, there was a few aesthetic details missing, and I was a little disappointed. So, I thought I might take this matter into my own hands. 

Squaddies. I'd like to introduce you to the...

OMEGA Trooper CS-25. :D (Epic Reveal Music activate!) :P

Expect to see a review on the Omega Trooper (and the Elite Pinpoint Sight) soon. :D

What do you think? Pretty cool, eh? Bearing in mind I only had book labels at my disposal at the time. :P

S.O.F.T. EXCLUSIVE: InterNerf - Saulsbury St. Studios

(Link) Hey Squaddies! This post has been a long time in the making. Wondering what it is? Well, I'll explain.

I thought about giving interviews with some of the big name bloggers/personalities a go after seeing some examples from our friends on the NIC. And who better to start off with than the fine fellas from Saulsbury St. Studios, the creators behind the popular 'The Great Nerf War' web-series. So, I shot them a few question via FB, and they got back to me today! :D 

Link: First off, I'll say: what a massive honour this is for us, and it's a pleasure to have you guys here with us today. Could you introduce yourselves, and what you do?

Austin: Well actually, this is Austin Hill, I play Edgar in the series and am the co-founder/caretaker of the YouTube channel, Saulsbury St. Studios!

Austin (Cpt. Sullivan Edgar)

Link: For those new to The Great Nerf War, could you give the Squaddies a quick synopsis?

Austin: The Great Nerf War is a web-series that takes place in a world where Nerf weapons are the only weapons and a civil war has broken out between the rising threat, The Belligerwitch, and The Peace-Bull.

Link: In case you guys don't know, we here at the Squadron are massive fans of your work. What was your inspiration to kick start this great series? (A huge love of Nerf, we ALL know that :P)

Austin: Well thank you very much! Well I actually created the series from a pretty humble and almost silly moment. I was playing Call of Duty: World at War (Btw, I'm a pretty big WWII history buff) and I would glance occasionally at the Nerf gun in the corner of the room which was a gift from a friend who has yet to appear onscreen! The idea just started brewing That rifle is the same one Edgar almost always uses; we call it Baby Blue. The night I shared the idea with my best friend - who plays Baineswolf - we filmed the Unofficial Training Video!

Link: When you first started, did you ever think that your series would reach this level of popularity in the NIC (Nerf Internet Community)/YouTube? I know for a fact, those first days of starting something new are a bit all over the place. 

Austin: No, definitely not. I am still shocked at its success! The training video got a much bigger response among our friends then any of our previous videos and that was really the start of it.

Link: The series has come a long way since 'Rescue Cue', hasn't it? 11 episodes, 2 seasons, and going strong. Do you have any favourite behind-the-scenes memories while filming? And any particular episodes that stand out?

Austin: Well each episode is very special. Everyone puts a LOT of heart and work into each one. I don't know if I can really slim down to really one favorite moment or episode but I can give a few OF my favs, lol. I love the journey/story that "Deceased Feast" reaches, it's our longest episode and was the hardest to make but it also packs the most in. During "Lost in Frost," one of the Bulls comes in on a sled and that wasn't easy to choreograph and at one point he flew right past the camera! Luckily we were recording! "Fight by Candlelight" will always be a very special episode to me personally, even though it is our lowest view count lol. We were just trying different things and the series changed a lot in that episode. There are literally hundreds of phenomenal memories/moments of filming!

TGNW: Rusted Trust

Link: What makes the series so great is the characters, in my opinion. Their personalities, the in-jokes, their struggles against each other, and of course, their signature blaster of choice The people that star in your videos, are they all friends, locals, or volunteers? (All united by a love of Nerf, I reckon. :P) And do they choose how they want to portray their characters?

Austin: Yup, they are all friends! I am a theater major in college so I have been blessed to be surrounded by tons of talented folks. They all kindly come out to help me. Earlier on, I had specific ideas for characters and approached people with who I wanted them to play, like New Mexico, Nhine, McSaint, or Soloman for example. Others were the creation of certain people but they had to run it by me at least lol.

Link: Do you ever get questions asking whether how good Commander Nhine or Firefly would be in a fire fight? 

Austin: Do I get asked that? Lol, well sure. I never wanted Nhine to even really touch a gun because I thought it would break the illusion we built for him and Firefly... I don't know lol.

Link: Two questions in one now, if that's okay. Do you guys film at locations locally, and how do you pick them? I love the episodes set in the snowy forests.

Austin: Yeah locations are a big deal to me. There are literally thousands of videos with Nerf fights in people's backyards and I am all about showing an audience something they have never seen before. I can never tell you where we are though lol, only because I want our fans to place us wherever they like. I have heard so many different ideas of locations that I think it would break the magic of not knowing. Yeah the snow ones are a blast, and twice as hard to film but twice as rewarding once we wrap!

Link: What sort of camera and editing software do you guys use? I would imagine it would take a while to get everything just right for publishing.

Austin: Well sometimes I edit and sometimes some of our cast have edited. We have filmed with several great cameras but the main one we've been using lately is from Florentine himself! He and his family have been essential in helping make TGNW the series the way it is today.

TGNW: Fight By Candlelight

Link: How does the making of an episode process go? (I would imagine it would start off with pen and paper/keyboard) And do you ever find yourselves improvising? (Making it up on the go) How do you guys come up with such awesome names for your episodes? There have been some real creative ones. 

Austin: Well I usually plan the episodes several in advance. I actually wrote all the initial episode scripts except for "Convoy Ploy" (which was written and directed by Florentine), "Fight by Candlelight" was co-written with Captain Harry and "Deceased Feast" was largely comprised of ideas from our cast. I plan a film day about a month in advance, rally up as much as I can and usually we just take a day to film. A couple of our episodes have required re-shoots but the bulk is always done in one day. We improvise some, I'm always open to new ideas so my cast knows they can contribute something if time is permitting lol. Yeah a lot of thought goes into those titles lol. We just try to find titles that correspond with the events of the episodes and go from there, ya know? Like "Fate Ain't Late," stemmed from me speaking out loud to the frustrations with uploading "Lost in Frost;" boom. Title. lol!

Link: The music of each episode is a highlight for many. Now, I do know you guys feature a band on your channel as well, 'The Jones Noir'. Do you have an awesome time writing and featuring your own music?

Austin: I am very glad to hear the music is a highlight! The composition and playing is me as well, actually. We record with the very very kind Florentine and his father (who is also a character in the series). The Jones Noir is actually me and the character who plays The Lion, and "Apparition's Mission" was the first time we combined forces - wait, actually that's not true. We wrote a tune for "Deceased Feast" that never got recorded. However, a lot of the score in that episode are the riffs from that song; kind of like the AM tune is sort of played throughout and then you hear the actual tune at the end.

Link: And just one quick general Nerf question: Is there a favourite blaster between your cast and crew? It can be any blaster. And are there any upcoming blasters you'd love to feature in future episodes?

Austin: Well Captain Harry loves that Optimus Prime blaster, I love Baby Blue. The Strife has been a big hit among us and I think more than a couple of the cast were frustrated that I put the Hail-Fire on the shelf like I did because they all wanted to use it! I'm actually a huge fan/supporter of the Vortex line and the Ravyn is always popular. Flo loves his duel-wielding of course, ingeniously cocking both without putting them down. I have recently seen that Elite RapidStrike - I think it looks pretty boss.

TGNW: Almost Ghost

Link: Any chance of a hint of what is set for the next series?

Austin: Well the war is supremely changing so expect some major changes to the series (in a good way of course), there will be lots of surprises. There is a new Belligerwitch leader, and she is pretty darn intense! We also are currently filming our five-part web series, "I, Batman" which I am very excited about!

Link: Well, thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule to talk to us today mate. And of course, we'll be looking forward to Season 3. 

Austin: Thank you very much, Link! This was really cool and you asked some really great and thoughtful questions. Feel free to ask anything else! I don't know if our series would have continued had it not been for such great fans like yourself. So thank YOU. 

- Austin (Cpt. Sullivan Edgar)

So there you have it, S.O.F.T.'s first interview! What did you guys think? :P If you and your blog/website/YouTube Channel/yadda yadda yadda :P would like to be featured in an interview, send me a message at 1835link@gmail.com and we'll sort something out! :D

Review: Nerf N-Strike Elite Triad EX-3 - Thrice the Bite

(Link) Let's start off the review with a flashback. (Cue awesome music :P) Looking back at the Jolt, it was such a fun, fresh new spin on the worn-out Single Shot concept. Tiny, yet it made a big impact in the SOFT bunker. But the next generation has arrived, and Triad EX-3. Can it knock off the Jolt as the new S.S of choice, or is it in a league all of its own?

Let's start off with the basics. The Triad is the Elite re-imagining of the Jolt, with a few aesthetic and function changes. The Triad's functionality is still the same, but now sports three dart barrels and an interesting little dart tube mech, of which I'll touch more on later. 

Content

It's quite the simple packaging with the Triad, the plastic packaging highlighting all features of the blaster. So tiny, you can fit a multitude of these on a shelf :P Contents are as simple as pie, the Triad unit and three Elite darts. Simplicity at best. 

Aesthetics

Boasting the same design as the Jolt (roughly) the Triad boasts its predecessors key features (priming handle, trigger area and hand grip) except, the Triad boasts two additional dart barrels on top of the original barrel. These additions bring the total dart capacity (when fully loaded) to three. 

Do these barrels exempt the Triad as a 'Single-Shot'? I'll leave it to you to decide.

In my honest opinion, the two new barrels make the Triad a little bit too big and bulky. This is a blaster that was born for compact quick-draws from pockets. The top barrels add bulk, therefore making the Triad a bit tight in pockets. Quite unfortunate, given its purpose.

But in order to evolve, you need to grow. :D

The Triad has this covered in spades. Size issues aside,  the blaster actually looks pretty good in hand, and quite solid. It reminds me a lot of tiny silencer pistols, quiet and small, like its predecessor. 

(Since this my first Elite review, the following applies in general to the Elite line) The Blue/White paintjob of the Elite updates the original orange, while the digital camo returns. 

I'll say this now, I LOVE LOVE LOVE the blue/white scheme, Blue just looks SO much more pleasing and defined, and this scheme hits the sweet spot of new and fresh. Plus, I like blue in general.

One thing I don't get though is why Nerf opted to keep the ye 'ol number code for the Triad. It kinda looks out of place. But, who am I to complain? :P

In terms of function, the Triad feels and works in the same way as the Jolt and other Nerf Single Shots. Load three Elite darts into their corresponding barrels, pull down on the orange priming handle until 'clicks' (very satisfying too :D) then press on the trigger. Single (or Triple :P) shots have always been about simplicity, and with this case it's no different. 

However, with the addition of two barrels, those clever designers at Hasbro created a way of dart recognition. So long as you have one dart loaded in any barrel (and primed) the Triad always fires. It's a great idea, ensuring a shot with every reload. (Our friends at AFON explains their theory of how this system works, link here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mVEqIAKKivc)

The feel of the Triad has changed slightly due to the new barrels & larger casing to house the upgraded internals. If you read my Jolt review (link here) I had a small niggle with the handle's finger grip, it's the same case here. Also, the area up top where the lower barrel begins digs a little too. Or maybe I just have big hands. :P

Coolness

:) Since I loved the Jolt, I had high expectations for the Triad.

:) After firing a few rounds, I mucked around with the dart sensor mech, kept me entertained for ages.

:D I love the 'POC' it makes when firing.

:D Priming handle is easier to prime than the Jolt (this might differ between models)

Price

Triads are available at Kmart nation-wide for eight bucks. Quite the bargain, and perfect for the beginning Nerfer or our younger Nerfers.

THE FINAL VERDICT

+ An excellent beginning sidearm

+ Great, consistent distance

+ Features a sweet little mechanism

+ An AWESOME price

- Slightly uncomfortable

Contents/Accessories: N/A

Aesthetics: 4/5 Darts

Functionality: 4.5/5 Darts

Coolness: 4/5 Darts

Price: An easy 5/5 Darts

S.O.F.T.'s Official Rating: 4.1/5 Darts

Overall, the Triad is a worthy successor to the Jolt, and an excellent choice for casual office/indoor battles.

Now, was that a great review, or what? Told you I got my act together :D

And now, for some size comparisons. :D

Current projects? More Jack, and a new intro! Quite exciting, and I've started a new job, so things are well for me atm. :D Take care, till the next post!