The New Game Seen In Brookstone.

[mantaraydre]

Coaches,

The new board seen in the brookstone catalog say it is "22 wide by "38 long by "3 d. Is this as big as the miggle 620. I think the miggle superbowl fields were "26 long. I think this board looks very very nice. it is also operated by battery. Im thinking about getting one and take the the office to show guy's how to play. Maybe i can get some recruits that way.

I like the black outline around the entire field. it gives it a nice look. I knew their would be a new player in town with the nfl licensce. I wonder down the line could the coaches assoc and the entire miniature football community come together financially and get a license. would that help make our community much bigger. It would be a step closer to getting on ESPN or some other sports entity.

i like to see the big picture as the nation playing electric football as much as xbox and playstation, with a universal system of play for the world.

Who else can vision such a picture and why ?

I KNOW THERE'S 50 MILLION WHY NOT'S BUT I RATHER HERE THE POSITVE'S RIGHT NOW !!!!!!!!!!

THEE OCEAN IS ALIVE AND WELL. THE HONOLULU MANTARAY'S ARE PREPARING FOR 2008

THAT'S THEE OFFICIAL NAME FOR THE RAY'S AS OF THIS VERY MOMENT. START TAKING SWIMMING LESSON'S. I GOT MY ITZ DIALS FLYING ACCROSS THE PACIFIC !!!!!!!!!!

THE NEW MANTARAY -DRE

[RooMorgans]

It's a worthy vision, but one that requires a lot more than meets the eye.

To this day, the thought of 99% of the people who have heard the term "Electric football," is players running in circles together on a field to make it look like synchronized swimming. And this is just the people that have heard of the game. In that respect, it's a small percentage. So the percentage of folks who have:

A) Heard of the game
B) Don't have that aforementioned bias against it

... is incredibly small. It would take years, perhaps decades, to teach a mass generation of people about tweaking, painting, play-calling, strategies, etc., things that some of us who have been in the hobby for a long time still struggle with from time to time (I can't tweak worth a ****, for example).

The game in Brookstone is a nice thing. It's good that someone is putting this together - though I haven't seen yet what teams come with the game, or if all the NFL teams are going to be available. And moreover, at what cost. That's not a dig on the manufacturer, I just think we need more information, that's all.

If you really want this hobby to grow, you need to take it into the schools, church youth groups, etc. The future doesn't lie with teaching it to other adults. The future lies with teaching it to kids - BEFORE they get their XBox or their PS3. As I remember it, I was into football before I was into video games, and I had my first EF board (HOME/GUEST 500 with red and white teams!!!) before I had my first video game system (Intellivision!!!).

But that's an effort that needs to start now - because we, the players, ain't gettin' any younger. If we die off before paying it forward, the hobby goes with us.

I was going to say that this was my 2 cents, but you got the bonus plan so it's a whole nickel.

Ed

[WEIRDWOLF]

As far as the new HS (Hammer Sc........) game goes I would guess that it will be just what it is. I doubt very much that we will ever see individual teams or different bases. It is what it is. I might be completely wrong but I think it is geared for the nostalgic collectors. The Tweak will have a complete review of the game in the Winter edition.

As to the vision of where this hobby goes, Roo pretty much said it. It will never be at the same level that the PS XBox world is. It is just simply not geared for the generation of kids that is out there. For every 100 kids you show this game to only a few will actually ever play with it beyond the initial fascination. However, I believe that we can bring this hobby up to the level that model railroading (name a bookstore that doesn't have copies of Model Railroader magazine in it) and rc cars and planes has achieved and maybe close to the level of miniature wargaming.

I often think about what it takes to promote this game we love. I look at Warhammer and other games that play with miniatures and kids have no problem setting these up play after play. They seem to have patience for that but not for Miniature Football. Part of the answer could be in the rules and realism. I think the MPFL takes the game to a more strategic oriented level and could be the groundwork (I say groundwork because it is at a level almost too advanced for a startup piece for the average kid) for a packaged version that kids could grasp. I also believe that our hobby needs a set packaged game that includes the afore mentioned more realistic working rules, a production large field that works, Jennings style prepainted NFL or NCAA figures and a McFarlane style attitude towards creating new collectors side pieces that can be played with. A display in every Game Shop and Toys R Us with individual figures sold separately to add to the collection. It is hard to believe that with the popularity of the NFL and football in general that someone with the cash hasn't developed this already. It looks like a healthy dollar that could be plucked by someone with the drive.

Ultimately, re-education is the key. That is part of the goal along with supporting the active hobbyists with how do I paint better, how do I play better, what is new with the hobby, what events are going on, etc. that the MFCA has in place. Things like painting contests that raise the realism quotient, the United Way event planned for Canton that places the game positvely in front of kids, demos at schools, professionally produced reading materials and DVD's, a nationally competitive system that gives the coaches a place to take their skills once they leave the comfort of their home environments and a magazine that goes beyond our membership and into the stores will play into bringing it to a higher level.

The MFCA as yet, has done little in the education arena but we are still laying the groundwork for the associaition itself and that work will lead to the development of the educational side. Eventually I see start up kits for leagues with brochures with fill in the blank info specific to your league, banners, posters, beginners DVD's that give good intros to the game followed by advance DVD's (more refined version of The Coaches Series already available) that keep them coming back for more and so much more that hasn't even been concieved yet.

These are not jmy ideas but things I have gleaned from the you guys (some of it word for word-Thanks Tom) through the years. All of this has been said before in one form or another but it is going to take time, lots of it and ultimately someone with money and vision to create a new era in Miniature Football.

[mantaraydre]

A good group to market this hobby to are they fantasy football fanatics. Fabtasy football is extremely large here in new york. Their are various league throughtout many offices. These people have no idea miniaturefootball exist. I feel with a little demostration of how the players move up and down the field in this modern era they may get hooked.

Another place are the sports bars on NFL SUNDAY AND COLLEGE GAMEDAY. If we all went to the sportsbars in our region and asked the owners could we set up a board or two and scrimmage a few games, i think we can get some more recruits. Im going to contact the espn zone here in newyork to see if we can play some league games there. i think a good time to play some games at these bars are during there quiet periods. Maybe an hour or two before these sports clubs actually open.

These battery operated fields may be of use if playing in a facility where the owners are concernd about there electric bills.

mantaray- dre

...for The Review!!! Or Else You Will Be Disappointed!!! I Gaar-on-tee!!!