Quote:
Originally Posted by the french guy
For me, tweaking is just another side of the hobby. Like painting, customizing, or playing. You can like it or not, tweak or not it's a part of it.
The thing newcomers have to understand, is that you don't need top notch tools, 1st run-whatever 10-20usd/base to tweak decent bases to have fun and good play.
My own tools setup cost me about maybe 15-20USD. A pair of pliers found in a hardware store, some 400grit sandpaper, a cliper and a big kitchen lighter. The bases I use : anything available on the market (with a preference for buzzball products).
My best bases are around 4seconds/100yards, running straight, on a 42" custom board. My average bases (not as reliable as my best ones) can run the 40yards in less than 2seconds. My strongest bases are a way stronger than my fast bases.
Of course, finally I'd probably be mashed up on a "pro" tournament with the best tweakers, playing the game for years with top rare bases and "secret tools and technics". But it's suficient to play the game for me.
Tweaking is one of the "weapons" of the best MF players for sure. I also believe that tweaking basics are necessary to really embrace the hobby.
But I also beleive that you don't necessary need to be a tweaking master or spend hundreds of dollars to make good games and have fun.
If competition is a problem, simply create major and minor leagues. In slot car racing, it exists for ages. Some of the racers use complex cars, with $$$ and technical experiences, some others ones just buy a car and run it on the track.
 SOLITAIRE
Simply keep that in mind for our hobby devellopement.
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I could not agree with you more, French Guy, and I wish I could get guys that fast and strong
All some of us are trying to say here is that in order to grow the hobby, bring in new people, especially young people who don't have a close relative to mentor them at home, we must make what The French Guy is saying common knoledge.
Most people who stumble across this site or seek it out because they 'used' to play MF, because Santa just left a new board under the Christmas tree, or whatever brings them here, will not understand from a quick look around that
a) basic tweaking is essential to a good a experience whether you tweak bases yourself or buy them at a reasonable price, and yes, both tweaked bases and tweaking tools can be bought for a very reasonable price.
b) just about ANY member here is more than willing to discuss the hobby, give out FREE samples, advice, and coaching to new members WHO SEEK IT OUT.
c) this hobby can be enjoyed at ANY level of competition, and in multiple ways when it comes to skills; tweaking, painting, molding, sculpting, decaling, ..........................
All we need to do as a group is organize ourselves in such a way so that the individual who drops by the MFCA web page doesn't take a quick look around and 'check out' becuase the first things they see are $300 custome teams, and boards, or disucssions about tweaking and other skills that they cannot begin to comprehend. Don't jump me now, there is nothing wrong with any of those things they are just not what the new comer needs to see to get them hooked on this hobby. They will seek those things out on their own once they are involved at the basic/begginer level. We have to make sure that happens or MF will die a slow death as we all get older and pass on ourselves.
Other teachers out there back me up on this please: No one will ever stay focused on, let alone interested in, anything they cannot quickly comprehend and envision themselves doing, doesn't matter what it is MF, algebra, religion, politics, or whatever. To make it worse, if they can envision themselves here, being an MF'er, and then get the first impression that they don't have the resources, knowledge or money to do it they are gone, probably for good.
I am a good example. When I stumbled on to this sight last fall through my eight year old's discovering my old Tudor board in the basement I NEVER would have jumped in if I had just visited the sight and looked around. I was interested enough to actually post a quesiton or two. Several people responded and I got in touch with Tom and Mike and the rest is history.
The porblem is that most people will not do what I did; reach out to 'a bunch of crazy adults playing a kids game.' When visitors come to our sight we have maybe five minutes to hook'em or they're probably gone. And, at any given time there are usually more guests than members on line; look for yourself when you log on.
This would not be a very hard thing to accomplish in my humble opinion. So, without sounding pushy, arrogant, or condisending, I'm very sincere in this: BOD guys, let's do it!
Perhaps I'm nieve but that's my final two (probably more like ten) cents worth.
I hope I've explained myself well and not offended anyone.