Activity at an all time low?

[Ben]

Believe it or not, Super Soaker Central is the longest continuously running water gun forum today! There's older ones that can easily be found, but for any number of reasons they shut down.

The first place for water gun discussion that I know of was the MiB Alliance forum in 1998. iSoaker.com was a member, but apparently not much went on there.

[ZOCCOZ]

I would say that model selection would matter when introducing new board members. Effects would only take place a few years after selection decrease. Soaker series are officialy on the market for 2 years. So 2002-2003 it would be CPS 2100s, CPS 4100s, MX2003s and MXL2003s, sometimes still in retail circulation till 2004. 2005 simply shows the effects of the "SoakerTag era". Its a pain in the neck to start a hobby with the 3A or FF, knowing that 5 years earlier one could have a blaster 3 times the size and 5 times the output for the same price in reatail. If a new person looks at ebay and sees those prices, it makes sense to quit the hobby while they are still at the beginning.
Newer inferior versions of older versions simply hurts growth. Its a universal concept in franchises. Anyone wondering why ENTERPRISE got cancelled or why the new Star Wars movies mainly are very popular to old fans? They simply where less quality versions of their older counterparts not drawing in many new people. Online Soakerdom would work in similar terms.

Another issue are more larger franchises that compete with water guns. Paintball and Airsoft games are growing in populaity. If I am not mistaken, in most places in the USA, teens are free to play(adult or no adult supervision) with Paintball and airsoft guns all year around. And I am still amazed how retail models in airsoft get better from year to year. Some 2004 airsoft models alone draw in new people into the franchise. To someone who is new to both soakers and airsoft, it would not be hard to decide which one to join. "Do I buy a CPS 2100 for $15-$25 and then spend a few hours on research and modding to make it shoot 60 feet? Or do I buy a cheap spring pistol for $5-$20 that can shoot already 120 feet?" Every franchise raises the bar in model selection/quality while the water gun franchise doesn't. That will hurt messege boards.
I don't think its a lack of forums or sites that result in a activity decrease. Its more the lack of subject matter when it comes to new retail models.

As for many veterans with soakers retiring, I can answer that one. When the bar no longer gets raised, one gets jaded and looses interest.

[DX]

I don't think its a lack of forums or sites that result in a activity decrease. Its more the lack of subject matter when it comes to new retail models.

As for many veterans with soakers retiring, I can answer that one. When the bar no longer gets raised, one gets jaded and looses interest.

That's why I've been working on making homemades more mainstream. When companies fail to raise the bar, we have to do it ourselves. Online Soakerdom has way too much dependence on the manufacturers. If they no longer make what we like, then it is up to us to innovate. Does it really take that much to sever the dependence on companies and make your own guns? We can either take control of the future of water guns, or let the hobby gradually fade out. Don't just complain, retire and leave, do something about it!

[ZOCCOZ]

Originally posted by Duxburian@Jul 30 2005, 07:55 AM

That's why I've been working on making homemades more mainstream. When companies fail to raise the bar, we have to do it ourselves. Online Soakerdom has way too much dependence on the manufacturers. If they no longer make what we like, then it is up to us to innovate. Does it really take that much to sever the dependence on companies and make your own guns? We can either take control of the future of water guns, or let the hobby gradually fade out. Don't just complain, retire and leave, do something about it!
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Those Veterans would say that leaving and moving on would be doing something about it. Also, other franchises are a huge factor with Veterans. Most veterans who leave move straight to paintball or a different franchise altogether. Most are over 17 making finding people who still play in water battles extremely slim. But I also should mention, that Veterans moving to other franchises is simply a natural thing since it expands once horizon. Looking for something new after boredom is simply what hobbies are all about. Personaly I'm not into paintball and my interest in soakers is mainly in the collection realm.

Homemades would really improve popularity, but then that should be turned into an industry also. While to most at Super Soaker Central, building seems easy and fun, for some its not that easy and not as fun(every person is different , and once skill is determined by the actual interest in the activity as in "building". An already proven sociological fact. Same like not everyone likes to cook or tailor, which does not mean that they don't like to eat or not be naked.) Not to mention building a very good homemade does require at least basic building tools that are not available to everyone as in living in small apartments, dorms or having a lack of good tools. Then some don't always have the time to build since they work or have classes.

Basicaly, Homemades can turn into an industry if there are small buisnesses or private buisnesses that custom make them for people. Sure, some now will say, why don't people just build it themselves? Because in other franchises like Airsoft and Paintball, they don't have to. To draw in new people or keep veterans, one has to think outside the soaker realm and look at it from a general industry perspective. To most people, Soakerdom is not all there is. And these include potential new members and jaded Veterans. If some of you guys like building Homemades, then making it a buisness is the best way to turn it mainstream. In other words, selling people custom made soakers will attract a high amount of new members or keep the Veterans interested. Well, if not, ebay sells a cheap Robocop spring pistol for $10 that can shoot 100 feet. Thats the easy to get by competition, soakers are facing now.