Douchenator Article Offline

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DX
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Douchenator Article Offline

Post by DX » Sat Mar 25, 2006 9:18 pm

The Article on how to build the Douchenator [both old and new] have been taken offline until further notice. You can still request I send you the information if you want it.

The reason for this is to stop priceless tech from getting into the wrong hands. Now, any idiot could figure out how to build one, but evidently that isn't true here. The Douchenator has become as important to the Ridgewood Militia as the atomic bomb was to the United States in 1945. We will be challenged by our own "Soviet Union" in the coming season, but we don't know when or exactly how.

Remember that we treat water warfare seriously, and that the loss of such vital plans to the public is better than letting our Tech supremecy slip away and endangering the future of our team's influence.
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Post by SSCBen » Sun Mar 26, 2006 3:16 am

I don't understand how one could not construct an exact duplicate from looking at the Douchenator given it's very straightforward design. If someone really needs an article, I don't think you have much to worry about with regard to them even getting close to you technologically.

I personally think that it would be best to keep the article online because most won't ask for it, but I can see your concerns.

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Post by joannaardway » Sun Mar 26, 2006 1:08 pm

This seems a little excessive - 99.9+% of people that read it will never use it against you.

Personally, (as Ben said) I believe that if the article is necessary, then they won't be that much of a threat.

Besides, you have more experience using it, so even if they had one as well, yours would likely be more effective.

I'd personally worry about them using a different, more advanced/powerful design against you, which if they can't use your article, they will research instead.

However, if you want to remove the article, it is your choice.

I had some problems with the article beforehand - most of the pictures weren't working...
"Over the hills and far away, she prays he will return one day. As sure as the rivers reach the seas, back in his arms again she'll be." - Over the Hills and far away, Gary Moore

"So many people have come and gone, their faces fade as the years go by. Yet I still recall as I wander on, as clear as the sun in the summer sky" - More than a feeling, Boston

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Post by DX » Mon Mar 27, 2006 2:31 am

I'm not worried about the general public. I encourage them to try it. I'm worried about Waterbridge making a replica and challenging our supremecy in the world of artillery.

The article will be back if they manage to make their own launcher or when the season ends, whichever comes first.

I think you checked the article during the period of time when I took all images offline and put only the v2 ones back. Notice that the video still works, and you can watch it by simply using water_balloon_launcher2.php as the url extension when you are on the 404 page where the article once was.
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Post by joannaardway » Mon Mar 27, 2006 3:28 pm

Well, with any sense, Waterbridge will have seen the images and can make a fair guess at it - so your actions are only likely to mildly delay them.

Perhaps instead of being worried about them having a Douchenator, you should extend your research further? - I'm sure that you could experiment to improve your advantages.
"Over the hills and far away, she prays he will return one day. As sure as the rivers reach the seas, back in his arms again she'll be." - Over the Hills and far away, Gary Moore

"So many people have come and gone, their faces fade as the years go by. Yet I still recall as I wander on, as clear as the sun in the summer sky" - More than a feeling, Boston

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Post by DX » Mon Mar 27, 2006 10:39 pm

Oh, we are moving ahead so by the time they have Douchenators, we will have better Douchenators. Or whatever response they come up with. We are looking into smaller, more portable ones, as well as practical multi-shots.
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Post by ZOCCOZ » Sat Apr 01, 2006 10:28 am

Duxburian wrote: I'm worried about Waterbridge making a replica and challenging our supremecy in the world of artillery.
.

Thats a fairly lofty title, don't you think? ;) Its a big world with artilleries out there. Especialy with the famous balloon Bazooka Magnum model reaching 500 feet.

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Post by joannaardway » Sat Apr 01, 2006 10:43 am

I assume Duxburian means: supremacy over the opponents they will actually meet.

For total supremacy, I can see much better options, but being too far ahead of your opponent doesn't actually aid you.

Smaller versions sound like a good idea - more portablity and quicker refill times can't be a bad thing.
"Over the hills and far away, she prays he will return one day. As sure as the rivers reach the seas, back in his arms again she'll be." - Over the Hills and far away, Gary Moore

"So many people have come and gone, their faces fade as the years go by. Yet I still recall as I wander on, as clear as the sun in the summer sky" - More than a feeling, Boston

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Post by ZOCCOZ » Sat Apr 01, 2006 11:02 am

Oh I see, so its a local title. That seems alright then. Personaly I would advise to leave the article online for SMs service. Also a more difficult challenge if someone would copy the douchinator, would make a better water fight experience.

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Post by DX » Sat Apr 01, 2006 7:29 pm

Thats a fairly lofty title, don't you think? ;) Its a big world with artilleries out there. Especialy with the famous balloon Bazooka Magnum model reaching 500 feet.
No. The most powerful artillery design is the Havoc launcher, although a Douchenator with like a 20ft barrel and 10ft air tank would have insane power, making 500ft laughable. The only limits on the power of a Douchenator are practicality issues.

Originally posted on the Zoccoz forums:

Sorry, but the Balloon Bazooka is an inferior design to the Douchenator. They are getting 500ft with max pressure at 150 PSI? We can get 500ft with 90 PSI! We've never tested at higher than 100! Plus, the Balloon Bazooka requires an air compressor to achieve their high ranges. Screw that, buy a cheap floor pump to get the Douchenator going. You can also get their ranges with a much shorter barrel, like half as long meaning a lighter and more mobile weapon. They sell their best version for $200, what a load of bull! The best Douchenator we've built cost under $50 to make and would not sell for more than $100.

Plus, let's get deeper into motives. Balloon Bazookas are mass-produced and clearly designed for profit over all else. Douchenators are made by individuals and we optimize them for use in combat. AKA, Douches are custom built and designed with only performance in mind.
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Post by joannaardway » Sat Apr 01, 2006 8:38 pm

Of course a homemade could be built to compete with a production model - if you're building a homemade water balloon launcher, it can be adjusted to do whatever you want it to.

However, my Cerberus design is going to be a very serious challenger against the Douchenator - with multi shot capacity, a slightly higher muzzle velocity and breech loading.

I am certain that it will prove a more useful weapon in the field, except perhaps for it's rather excessive weight and size - it will only be a bit more than a metre long, but will be wider and deeper than a Douchenator, but nonetheless, the Douchenator will prove to be the more popular weapon, because of it's massively lower cost.

So, even if I produced full plans for the Cerberus, it would almost never be made - in fact mine might remain unique for months or years.

So as the Douchenator is popular, return the article as soon as you feel it is appropriate.
"Over the hills and far away, she prays he will return one day. As sure as the rivers reach the seas, back in his arms again she'll be." - Over the Hills and far away, Gary Moore

"So many people have come and gone, their faces fade as the years go by. Yet I still recall as I wander on, as clear as the sun in the summer sky" - More than a feeling, Boston

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Post by ZOCCOZ » Sat Apr 01, 2006 8:44 pm

Duxburian wrote:No. The most powerful artillery design is the Havoc launcher, although a Douchenator with like a 20ft barrel and 10ft air tank would have insane power, making 500ft laughable. The only limits on the power of a Douchenator are practicality issues.

Originally posted on the Zoccoz forums:

Sorry, but the Balloon Bazooka is an inferior design to the Douchenator. They are getting 500ft with max pressure at 150 PSI? We can get 500ft with 90 PSI! We've never tested at higher than 100! Plus, the Balloon Bazooka requires an air compressor to achieve their high ranges. Screw that, buy a cheap floor pump to get the Douchenator going. You can also get their ranges with a much shorter barrel, like half as long meaning a lighter and more mobile weapon. They sell their best version for $200, what a load of bull! The best Douchenator we've built cost under $50 to make and would not sell for more than $100.

Plus, let's get deeper into motives. Balloon Bazookas are mass-produced and clearly designed for profit over all else. Douchenators are made by individuals and we optimize them for use in combat. AKA, Douches are custom built and designed with only performance in mind.

Well, there you go. Why not build then a more powerfull douchinator which will shoot 600 feet and leave the original building plans online. A "soaker arms race" would be interesting.

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Post by DX » Sat Apr 01, 2006 8:59 pm

Of course it would be interesting, but bad our team. The biggest problem is really safety. We have the 45 degree rule which prevents leveling the Douche against anything. Even with lower pressure, you can't tell if they actually have lower pressure, especially with pumps lacking gauges, and not everyone is so honest. It also takes some training to operate one safely and effectively. AKA flipping the valve fast enough and holding it in the right position if the barrel is overloaded. When multiple heavy objects are in, there is the risk of the barrel/pc flying off. Wetmonkey I think has an excellent story to tell of what happens when you try to fill the barrel with water and shoot it. ;)

I expect the Cerberus to overtake the Douche in raw power, although nothing will match it in mobility and I have two different ways one could make it multi-shot. I've never seen any point in constructing breeches, including in Nerf homemades, since muzzle loading is fast enough, especially with water balloon launchers.

We now use upside down Pringles cans as the wadding and they work better than even tennis ball cans. A heads up for anyone using 3" pipe for barrels. :cool:
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Post by joannaardway » Sat Apr 01, 2006 9:54 pm

As a question relating to your last point - what makes good 2" wadding?

The Cerberus will be using a 2" barrel, and I wasn't very sure what would be good. I've heard that cut down plastic cups worked well, but wasn't sure.

The design has features to reduce the need for wadding, but at the pressures involved, I believe it will still be necessary.

Although it may sound like it, I am in no way claiming that the Cerberus will be the best wbl out there.

An impractical feature of the Cerberus is the predicted recharge times after firing, given it's impressive tank sizes and high pressures. It will require 74 litres of air on a standard charge, so a compressor or a large pump is needed. So after the initial charge is used up, it will be hard to refill, particularly in a war.

Depending on tank pressures, the valves need to be timed differently. There will be a series of electronic counters and monitors that calculate expected tank pressure, but these will be configured to ideal tank pressures and balloon wieghts. Thus, there will be a switch that allows me to override valve timings in case of different pressures or projectile weights.

The Cerberus isn't designed to act as a mortar or rocket launcher. It is pure sniper rifle, so it uses the lower 2" diameter and will probably have sights, porting and other bits. I'm not sure that a 45 degree rule will be good news here, so new strategies are needed.

Perhaps the terms sniper, mortar and rocket launcher should be applied to describe the intended function of a wbl? It would make it easier for people to comment on.
"Over the hills and far away, she prays he will return one day. As sure as the rivers reach the seas, back in his arms again she'll be." - Over the Hills and far away, Gary Moore

"So many people have come and gone, their faces fade as the years go by. Yet I still recall as I wander on, as clear as the sun in the summer sky" - More than a feeling, Boston

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Post by DX » Sat Apr 01, 2006 10:08 pm

You should use the cut-down plastic cups. It should take over 10 seconds for the cup to slide down the barrel, any less than that and the seal is not optimal.

The Douchenator can be both a mortar and rocket launcher, although our experimental 45 degree rule prevents leveling it at a target, at least for now. Those descriptions could be useful, although launchers used for sniping are quite rare.
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