New Members Guide
From NerferWiki
|
|
Preface
This guide was complied and organized by Keef and Precisionnerfer (of Nerf Haven), but that's pretty much it. We are just tools for gathering and organizing all of this info on the Haven and the web, and putting it in this guide for the new members. This is done in hope that new members won't do the things they always do, but, after reading this, will act like they have been here a while.
How to Stay Off the Ban List
First of all, be sure to follow every rule listed here, or you can and will be knocked off the members list. Here they are explained and simplified for anyone to understand:
The NerfHaven Code of Conduct
Don't post unless you have something to say.
Basically, unless you can really contribute to the discussion, don’t talk. This also applies when you don’t know what you are talking about, which is just annoying to everyone else who has to shut you up.
Avoid AIM-style (lol, u, ne, ppl, etc) spelling.
Avoid 1337-speak - s0 |_@m3.
The above rules could be compiled into one: Speak in English not in code. The occasional "BTW" or "OMG" is okay, but in general, just type as you would speak to people, so it’s easy to understand and not annoying.
Use capitalization and punctuation correctly.
We believe this does not need much explanation.
Don't double-post - use the edit button.
This means that if you have something you forgot to say or need to add something to a post, just click the edit button and add it that way, but don’t clutter a topic with more posts then necessary. You can actually double post however, if a certain topic needs to get more attention, such as a trading topic, [about 2 extra posts here is okay, known as a “bump”] or if you have information that everyone needs to know, and want the topic to appear fresh so it will be easily accessed. For newer members though, it would be best just to bump trading topics until you have understood better how things work around here.
Don't post in months-old topics unless you have something significant to add.
This means that if you don’t have something to say that will be helpful to other members, don’t revive an old topic. The topic date can be found by looking at the date of the last post in the thread.
Don't ask questions that have been answered already - use the built-in search function and try Google first.
The people at Nerfhaven will be only too happy to answer a question that has never been answered, but if it has, you look really stupid. As the title says, use the search function found at the top-right corner of the site to find some answers. If you are looking for a gun, Google it, and if nothing comes up, then you can ask your question.
Generally Acceptable Post Content
No Pr0n links or images.
Self-explanatory. Got porn? Cut it!! We don’t tolerate that here.
No spam.
In other words, if you want to circulate the next get rich quick [scam] scheme, or tell people how to get a free Xbox, this is the wrong place for you. Your trash will be identified quickly and killed quickly, so buzz off and don’t even try it.
Stay on topic.
This isn’t to complicated, which is why it is abused so much. I am guilty of veering off topic and so are most of the members here. It’s easy to do though, so watch yourself. If you are mad at someone, PM them.
No plagiarism.
That’s pretty easy to follow, so don’t cheat and be a loser of a copy cat.
No pointless flames.
This is self-explanatory, as well.
Creation of multiple accounts will result deletion of all accounts.
Here’s a no-brainer: only make one account.
Other NerfHaven Rules
There are a few things you might get banned for that aren’t listed in the Code of Conduct, so here are the most popular ones:
Making a concept thread.
This means that if you have an idea for a new mod or homemade gun, don’t post it until you do it. There are a few concept threads out there, but the good ones are made by great members who simply can’t finish the idea but have a great one.
Putting pictures in your signature.
Is forbidden.
Being an idiot.
Is a bannable offense.
Other Unacceptable Activities
Those are easy to understand. There are some stupid things people will do sometimes that are too numerous to mention and there are, indeed, endless possibilities.
- Don’t make threats.
- Don’t cheat in a trading transaction.
- Don’t scam.
- Don’t attempt to hack anyone’s account or computer.
- ETC.
Alright then, now that we are done on what will get you banned, let’s get on what will make people mad at you, since we don’t want that either.
How to Keep Yourself In Good Favor With Other Memberz
[aka: how to not get flamed]
- One of the most common problems around here is spelling issues. If you are a bad speller, we forgive you, but no one has to know it! Use the Google toolbar that you can download here to check your spelling on any webpage. Also very helpful for other things too!
- Don’t lie about ranges! Simply don’t fib about the ranges or performance of a gun! This will plummet your reputation and get you in trouble!
- Don’t insult or argue with the site Administrators, contributors, or other respected members. In general, don’t insult or argue with anyone until you know what you are talking about. Don’t disrespect anyone who has a green, red, or light blue name, such as One Man Clan, Groove, mrgamersco, or Forsaken_Angel24 or any other contributors, moderators, or administrators. They almost never deserve it or need it so watch it!
- Never post an eBay auction that you did not create! Don’t post or mention an eBay auction that you didn’t make because someone else might be trying to buy or win that auction and talking about it isn’t fair play. Sending a personal message is a little different, if you know someone is looking for something specific, but don’t ever mention one publicly.
- Don’t post a topic in the wrong section!
- Don’t put something in the wrong place, or people won’t find it.
- Don’t be stupid! If you goof off and don’t make any use of your posts or topics, you will be a pain in the neck and no one will ever listen to you.
- Don’t list angled ranges! See more about this in the “When posting a write up” section.
- Don’t violate anything in the Forum's Code of Conduct! Both Nerf Haven and NerfHQ have one, and they are there for a reason. Occasionally you won’t get banned for this, but you will be flamed severely.
How to Post Images Properly
First off, you will need a digital camera. Next, you will need to join an image hosting website, preferably a free one. Here are some sites to chose from:
- www.imageshack.us
- www.photobucket.com
- www.tinypic.com
- www.villagephotos.com
Don't use MySpace, people might need to make an account, and you'll probably get made fun of for it. Most decent cameras have a "Macro mode" or twelve. They are used for getting a better picture in different settings and environments. The "Close-up" macro is usually a picture of an Eyeball, and is a great way to show in depth internals or the like. Remember to use these. Pictures should be able to be seen medium sized on a 19" screen (the average screen) It is ideal that you learn to resize your pictures as well, so they fit well into the screen, and you do not have to side scroll to read or look at the picture.
After you have joined an image hosting site, upload the pictures onto your computer, resize and crop them, and then upload them to your image hosting site. Next, begin to post on the Nerfhaven website and select where you want to put the picture by clicking on that spot in the text box. Finally, select “Insert Image” on the posting toolbar above the text box. It will ask you to inter the link to the image. Go to your image hosting site and copy and past the link they provide into the space the image posting window provides. After you have put up as many images as you want, post and there they are!
Note: there is a picture posting limit, so if you post to many you will have to post again with the rest. This is one of the exceptions when double posting is acceptable.
Resources/further reading:
How to Make a Proper Range Claim
We begin by clearing up that unless you are asked otherwise, it is a general rule that you post only flat ranges.
What are flat ranges?
Flat ranges are when your gun is at shoulder height, with the gun barrel pointing straight forward, perfectly level, pointing neither down nor up; having the gun horizontal to the ground. Testing/ shooting up a hill is sometimes a pain, due to the added elevation, so don’t do that. Don’t test with wind, or even outside if you can help it. Also- don't lunge forward or quickly angle when shooting. You look like a little kid, and it’s really inaccurate. Remember- You’re talking to almost complete strangers; there is no one to impress, no one to lie to or anything.
An ideal dart to use while testing is a Converted Dart Tagger Stefan. [Stefan is the guy who made the first homemade dart, so homemade darts are named after him] A Converted Dart Tagger Stefan, [CDTS] is a stock dart tag dart with the Velcro tip removed, and then with a weight added as well as a nice hot glue dome.
In conclusion...
Don’t lie, and do your best to make a very accurate range claim.
In the event that you are making a very bold claim, you might want to have some proof, or one or more respected witnesses. For instance, I at one point made a claim on a Nite Finder, which generally, when well-modified, gets 70 feet. [always flat, always] My range claim was 100 feet flat. Now, mind you, I thought I was telling the truth, and I believed what I was saying, but as that was a very bold claim, and I am fairly new here, many people didn’t believe me. It turned out that my testing methods were not good enough to accurately determine the consistent range. We found this out because I sent the gun to a respected member, Badger for testing.
I say that to say; if you have a new and revolutionary mod, that’s great, but be sure to test it repeatedly. Here are some tips to accurately post range claims:
- Use a tape measure, preferably a 100” or 200” spool.
- Make sure there is no wind or test the gun indoors.
- Make sure the gun is consistently firing after about 150 shots.
- Make sure you use CDTS, and then compare your ranges to other guns shot with the same darts.
- Make sure you are doing flat ranges, with a 180 degree angle, elevated about 5 feet from the ground.
- Take note of how much the shots vary. Do they vary by more then 10-15 feet? If so, why?
- Double check everything before posting your range claim.
- When you post, be sure to include all of the precautions you did to make sure that the gun fired as you said.
Videos
Something extra you can do to make it a really solid claim is to make a video of the gun firing the said range. Stage 6 is a great place to make a high quality video.
While making the video:
- Make sure you can at least vaguely see the dart as it flies from your gun to the ground.
- Make sure you can see the gun that is being shot on the screen.
- Turn off music during the video, or make sure we can hear the gun being fired.
- Show a 100” or 150-200” spool rolled out straight while you are shooting, and then track the darts to the spot they landed, showing the spool, and then where they landed.
- Film the shooting and tracking all in one take. If we see that you edited it, it will be harder to believe you. Even if the video is sloppy, as long as it works, it works!
- Make sure there is not wind during the video.
- Make sure you are shooting on level ground, with no dart skipping.
Well, that covers it! If you follow the above steps you will have a minimal-stress range-claiming experience, and most everyone will believe you.
How to Post a Write Up
First, you have to do a new modification to a NERF gun, or one that hasn’t yet been posted. During the modifications, take clear, easy to see and understand pictures of each step in the modification[s]. Once all the steps are done, write a clear and easy-to-follow description of how to do each step in the process of modding the gun. [On Microsoft word or other computer writing program] Then, resize and upload your pictures to a hoster, and finally, copy and paste your description onto the Haven when you are posting and then insert your pictures into the write places. At the end, put a range claim and give credit to the people who helped you if any.
How to Get to a War And How to Act
First, you will find a war to go to, and contact some other people going. Here are some links to help you with that:
- Also, you need to know the rules - how to act.
- As well as some scary stories of what happens when you don't wear eye protection.
After clicking those links, you will shortly find everything you need to know about Nerf warring. Oh, and do you want to know what one is like? Then check out some videos of wars.
- Click here for some awesome videos of both guns and wars!
How Do I Properly Modify a Gun?
Well, first you need to purchase a gun. Don’t ask anyone, “What gun should I buy” It’s up to you. Do a little research; see what guns you think appeal to your style. Are you a "sniper," are you a duel-wielder, are you a trigger happy fiend?
Several ideas for those categories are a Longshot, 2 Airtech 3000’s, or a Magstrike. Do some searching, do some research, and even ask questions that haven’t been answered, but don’t make a “What should I buy thread”
Anyways, once you have the gun, You will want some tools to perform your modification[s]. We suggest the following to get started:
- A dremel
- A variety of screwdrivers
- A hot glue gun with glue sticks
- Amazing goop, epoxy, or other types of hardcore glue
- A sharp and medium-sized knife
- Safety glasses
- A power drill
- Bolt cutters
- Hacksaw
With the above tools, you will be able to successfully perform almost all of the modifications on Nerfhaven. Next, you will need to figure out what kind of modification you are going to do. We can safely say that any gun you want to modify can be found here, as well as most of the modifications for that gun.
Of course, before you start, you need to know the modding basics, so be sure to check those out.
When you start your mod, be sure to unscrew all the screws that are visible from the outside of the gun. Next, cover the gun with a towel and then open it, so any springs or junk will be contained, and not go flying across the room, as the watch parts do in movies. It is hard to modify guns at first, so start out with a Nite Finder to play it safe. Don’t worry though, you’ll get the hang of it.
You will also need modding masterials.
The above link will help you a good bit, but the more the merrier, right?
- PETG barrel material
- Sweet "Shotgun" fore grip kits for your Longshot!
- Guide to barrel material
[We will add to those links as the need arises]
Now then, once your gun is modded, you want to have some good darts, right? Right, click here for how to make darts! Now, your first one might stink, but you’ll get better with practice.
Already completed a project? Well, if you have a gun, and it has been modified and/or painted well, show it off here!
How to Search the Haven Efficiently
Whenever you search, follow this guide.
How to Make a Homemade Gun
Wow, making a homemade gun? For most people, it is a lot harder then modifying, so I recommend modding first, and then possibly trying a homemade from the NerfHaven Homemade Directory page.
Also, go here for some trigger designs.
If you do make a blaster from scratch...Show it off in the homemades thread
How to Properly Make Trades
When You are the Buyer
- Always double check things, make sure you know what you are getting.
- Make sure the seller is respected, has good feedback, [whether on ebay or otherwise] and gives a clear description.
- If the seller is making debatable claims, do some detective work and make sure their straight.
- Don’t try to scam the seller... at all.
- Make sure the price = what you get.
- Try your best to make the transaction as smooth as possible for the other person.
When You are the Seller
- Never Scam a poor, innocent buyer!!!
- Always price your items well, according to the work you did, and the materials used in the mod/otherwise.
- Pack and ship your items well.
- Double check everything in your description, and make sure you are not lying or mistaken on anything!
Extra, Helpful Links
- Ebay filter; to find cool Nerf stuff!
- Beginner's Guide to Machining Plastics, by Captain Slug
- How to make your gun look weathered/battle scarred!
Tips by the Administrators and Contributors of Nerf Haven
The Infinite Shindig
- Read a lot before you post. This goes from your 1st your 1000th and beyond. You are expected to search; you are expected to read.
- Quality posts, not quantity of posts. Similarly, respect comes from content, not from wasting our time.
- If you don't back up what you say (mod, wars, etc) don't expect us to give you respect.
Groove
- Learn how to use the search function: Necro'ing dozens of old topics and repeat topics are extremely annoying.
- Clear and concise communication of ideas and thoughts: Use proper grammar, no AIM speak, proper capitalization, etc.
- Outright disrespecting a veteran or founder: Nothing screams "ban me" quite like this one. Treat everyone with respect if you're new.
CXWQ
Do:
Post new thoughts or information in old topics.
Post in pinned topics, regardless of how old they are.
Don't:
Post in an old topic when you have nothing useful to say.
Create a new topic that's exactly the same as an old one.
And above all, Don't:
Constantly flame people unless you're an administrator.
