When engaging in one-on-one Nerf warfare, whether in the living room or the office, the ammo supply chain is a critical problem. Just when you are gaining ground on your enemy, you are forced into retrieving the little foam projectiles from behind plants, under furniture, and so on. This sucks the momentum (and therefore fun) out of the battle very quickly.
What you need is an assistant to keep you supplied with retrieved ammo. I envision a small robot, low enough to pass under most furniture. It should have wheels large enough to propel it over carpeting and other obstacles. Because Nerf ammo is made in bright neon colors, an optical algorithm for homing in on them should be straightforward. The robot should be able to scoop up a ‘clip’ full of ammo (usually 4 to 6 pieces with most Nerf guns). Of course this is not limited to your ammo, it can steal your opponent's as well!
When the robot is full of ammo, it returns to you, by homing in on a small wireless remote you carry. This remote also has a button to cause the robot to return early if you need it to.
Between battles, the robot can also be used to entertain your cat.-- krelnik, Jan 28 2003 So it homes in on bright neon objects. Just as your hairy male housemate wanders through the lounge in his day-glo speedos? Think it through my friend. Think it through.-- sambwiches, Jan 29 2003 Unless he is crawling on his belly, there is no problem. Most Nerf ammo ends up on the floor, where this robot stays.-- krelnik, Jan 29 2003 hehe entertains the cat hehe +-- skinflaps, Jan 29 2003 If you can't resupply by looting enemy corpses, you're not playing right.-- Monkfish, Jan 29 2003 Are anti-nerfbot missiles against the spirit of Nerf warfare?
Of course, the nerfbot could take anti-anti-nerfbot-missile countermeasures like firing clouds of shredded nerf in its wake.-- kropotkin, Jan 29 2003 Do what they do in those Robin Hood films, and tie string to your Nerf arrows. Then just reel them in.-- DrCurry, Jan 29 2003 I haven't had a good nerf-fight in ages, but don't opponents just exchange ammunition by firing at eachother? No need to retireve ones own nerf balls.-- ImBack, Jan 29 2003 But part of the fun when you're out of darts is yelling to your compatriots, 'COVER ME!,' and then darting out in hostile fire.-- RayfordSteele, Jan 29 2003 I'd prefer to see a nerf weapons escalation, as alluded to by [kropotkin], culminating in global thermo-nuclear nerf destruction.-- snarfyguy, Jan 29 2003 Rucksacks.-- 8th of 7, Jan 29 2003 The problem is that mutually assured nerf destruction is actually a lot duller than a shooting nerf war. Instead of guns, you just get a small nerf button you can't press because clouds of nerf would block the sun and everyone would get garish nerf tumours. So you just sit around waiting for your enemies to wipe each other out in nerf anti-counter-revolutionary purges, which is frankly no way to spend a rainy day.-- Monkfish, Jan 29 2003 Weapons of Nerf destruction.-- RayfordSteele, Jan 29 2003 [DrCurry] The string method might work for darts, but some guns shoot balls out of a enclosed chamber. Besides, in a big battle you'd just get all tangled up.
[Rayford] Yes, if you have compatriots. This is for one-on-one battles.
[ImBack] and [Monk] Indeed, stealing enemy ammo is part of the game, and now you have a robotic assistant to help you do that!-- krelnik, Jan 30 2003 [[idea text edited to include above points]]-- krelnik, Jan 30 2003 You could have Nerf Ammo in any colour you want if they had radio transmitter thingys-- serpent671, Jan 10 2004 random, halfbakery