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10/10/14
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2/23/17
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The New Rock-Afire Explosion
Topic Started: Feb 8 2015, 08:22 PM (2,102 Views)
PaulKTF
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I thought they deserved at leas tone topic of their own.

Here's a promotional video from CEI circa 1992 showing the show as it was meant to be seen:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FNnJgBWHFWc

Here's a pamphlet:

http://www.showbizpizza.com/info/promo/cei/cei_nraepamph.pdf

There are two New Rock-Afire Explosions left up and running that I know of- one each in the two Odyssey Fun World locations in Illinois:

http://www.odysseyfunworld.com/Odyssey_Fun_World.html

There are plenty of videos of them on YouTube. Here's one from each location:

Naperville:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dxILfsVn_Eg

Tinley Park:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BEDnaiYj_F8

I admit those videos are both pretty old so maybe one or both of the shows are in better condition now? Do the turntables work on either of them right now? Anyone know how they look these days?

Even when the shows were at 100% I don't think they were very interesting and couldn't compare to the Classic RAE.

The problem is that most of the movement comes from the turntables so the characters themselves have pretty limited movements, and they're all the same shape/size with the same movements.

Does anyone else th ink the character outfits are terribly dated? Especially Mitzi (That hair! That dress! EEK!) and Beach Bear? The "Classic" RAE seems much more timeless to me.

I call the NRAE a great and innovative idea in theory, but not such a great idea in practice.

If I was opening a FEC and had the option of installing a Classic RAE or New RAE, I'd pick the Classic show without a doubt.
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Bluestarultor
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The NRAE has serious reliability issues, unlike what Aaron says in the video. From what I understand, that's a major reason so few exist anymore, aside from limited adoption in the first place. The bots were originally made of a resin that is actually pretty brittle, for one (or at least their predecessor, the Mijjins, were). On the old forum, one guy was selling one that had gotten pretty much totaled in transit and no longer had a head. He'd worked with Aaron to customize it into something interesting again. They later switched to a green plastic to make them more resilient.

But aside from that, the places that still have running shows are known to have broken turntables, turntables that turned too far despite safety stops and ripped out all their wiring (smaller movements like eyes and ears use servos on these), and/or ended up cannibalizing one or more of the bots to get the others in working order.

There are certainly points of interest in the show. Some movements Aaron didn't mention include a coconut that falls on Beach Bear's head and an extra Looney Bird head on Beach Bear's stage behind a window that pops open in the background. The TV also has literal rabbit ears that move. It's overall just as flexible a show as the classic RAE, but focused on dancing rather than instruments. Don't get me wrong, the costumes are horrible, but the idea of having a smaller stage that would be better worth seeing than the Mini Stage and have more of the characters wasn't bad. They were just out of their element on the physical design for the most part (they actually brought in a guy who did things more the size of toys and then tried to deal with the increased stresses of sizing them up rather than working the opposite direction and sizing what they knew down, which probably would have ended better).
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PaulKTF
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Here's some nice footage of a fully functioning NRAE stage:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9tpj1Q6uA8I

When the turntables stop working, the whole show becomes really hard to watch because there's so little other movement.
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80sgirl
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Electroidal Animal Doctor
Wow, Billy Bob and Fatz lost weight.

I think conceptually it would have worked better if new characters had been created for this show.
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CECArizona
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Proud owner of a Studio C Alpha
One of my friends on YouTube lives in Illinois and does New Rock-Afire videos. Here's his account.
Showbiz CEC's Channel
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CECArizona
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Proud owner of a Studio C Alpha
PaulKTF
Feb 11 2015, 06:02 PM
Here's some nice footage of a fully functioning NRAE stage:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9tpj1Q6uA8I

When the turntables stop working, the whole show becomes really hard to watch because there's so little other movement.
That was in 1992. I don't believe that still works at Odyssey Fun World
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PaulKTF
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Here's a good video of the show.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_hf38_kvyQU
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RetroGirl
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I have mixed feelings about the NRAE character designs. Beach Bear looks all floofy, in a good way. Fatz is still pretty much Fatz. I'd like Billy Bob's look if he ditched the weird overall/shirt combo. I hate what they did to Dook. But, boy oh boy…. Mitzi's 80's big haired, metallic bubble dress diva look hasn't aged well!

As for the show, the problem I have always had is that, while the dancing action is cool, it's all they've got. I think the NRAE is missing interest.

Classic RAE was the house band in an restaurant playing for the patrons. Show patter and interpersonal interactions seemed more realistic with that staging.

NRAE are some kind of floor show. To "talk to" each other, they either have to dance in the direction of the character they're addressing, or talk to the wall. It doesn't always work. So, to me, they're missing a lot of what keeps you engaged with the RAE.

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PaulKTF
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RetroGirl
Jul 14 2015, 10:29 PM
I have mixed feelings about the NRAE character designs. Beach Bear looks all floofy, in a good way. Fatz is still pretty much Fatz. I'd like Billy Bob's look if he ditched the weird overall/shirt combo. I hate what they did to Dook. But, boy oh boy…. Mitzi's 80's big haired, metallic bubble dress diva look hasn't aged well!

As for the show, the problem I have always had is that, while the dancing action is cool, it's all they've got. I think the NRAE is missing interest.

Classic RAE was the house band in an restaurant playing for the patrons. Show patter and interpersonal interactions seemed more realistic with that staging.

NRAE are some kind of floor show. To "talk to" each other, they either have to dance in the direction of the character they're addressing, or talk to the wall. It doesn't always work. So, to me, they're missing a lot of what keeps you engaged with the RAE.

Aye. I think the show is all about proving that the concept of the turntables could work.. and it does.. it just doesn't make for a very interesting or watchable show, in my opinion.

Mitzi's outfi tand hairstyle was outdated even by 1992. Oof...
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TheCymbal
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I think Mijjins are a revolutionary concept, but putting those mechs onto the Rock-afire characters just seem a bit off. Many of the character's unmistakable and instantly recognizable shapes are ruined by the New Rock-afire mechs.
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Patrick Boots CEC

The NRAE Beach and Dook Seem alright, and we finally get to see Lonney out of his can. But like RetroGirl said, most of the time they're talking to a wall.
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BeachBearFanSppIa
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The band begins at ten to six When Mr. K. performs his tricks
I have mixed feelings about the Nrae I love Billy Bobs outfit compared to Retrogirl, Mitzi's Micheal Jackson outfit was outdated though so I agree on that, Fatz stayed fatz except for his mask, I liked Drunk Looney Bird compared to Science Looney and Beach Bear was Meh, Dook was Meh and I already made a video about why Rolfe and Earl was not in the Nrae so all together i am mixed on it I would rather see the Wizard of Oz show which was in Looney birds with the Nrae
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PaulKTF
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The Wizard Of Oz show features a really nice song with Duke on lead.
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teamloquenders
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BeachBearFanSppIa
Jul 15 2015, 10:12 PM
I have mixed feelings about the Nrae I love Billy Bobs outfit compared to Retrogirl, Mitzi's Micheal Jackson outfit was outdated though so I agree on that, Fatz stayed fatz except for his mask, I liked Drunk Looney Bird compared to Science Looney and Beach Bear was Meh, Dook was Meh and I already made a video about why Rolfe and Earl was not in the Nrae so all together i am mixed on it I would rather see the Wizard of Oz show which was in Looney birds with the Nrae
can you send me the video? I've always asked myself why Rolfe and Earl weren't there
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BeachBearFanSppIa
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The band begins at ten to six When Mr. K. performs his tricks
teamloquenders
Jul 16 2015, 12:13 AM
BeachBearFanSppIa
Jul 15 2015, 10:12 PM
I have mixed feelings about the Nrae I love Billy Bobs outfit compared to Retrogirl, Mitzi's Micheal Jackson outfit was outdated though so I agree on that, Fatz stayed fatz except for his mask, I liked Drunk Looney Bird compared to Science Looney and Beach Bear was Meh, Dook was Meh and I already made a video about why Rolfe and Earl was not in the Nrae so all together i am mixed on it I would rather see the Wizard of Oz show which was in Looney birds with the Nrae
can you send me the video? I've always asked myself why Rolfe and Earl weren't there
I had a few Misspelling such as I said Rae once instead of NRAE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ALPOpN2j3UE
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80sgirl
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Electroidal Animal Doctor
I still don't like how everyone is the same size and built on the same frame. It's fine for say Dook or Beach Bear, but Fatz and Billy Bob look like they acquired an aggressive wasting disease.
Edited by 80sgirl, Jul 16 2015, 06:02 AM.
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Evan
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I am going to be in Illinois in October. Are these NRAE shows still operating?
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PaulKTF
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Evan
Aug 18 2015, 02:11 AM
I am going to be in Illinois in October. Are these NRAE shows still operating?
I believe they're both still operating.. well they run the shows but the turntables doesn't work and some of the movements are out. It's probably not worth going out of your way to see.
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CEC Fan

PaulKTF
Aug 18 2015, 05:39 AM
Evan
Aug 18 2015, 02:11 AM
I am going to be in Illinois in October. Are these NRAE shows still operating?
I believe they're both still operating.. well they run the shows but the turntables doesn't work and some of the movements are out. It's probably not worth going out of your way to see.
The Tinley Park show doesn't work anymore :'( but the Naperville show still works but it doesn't work very well :(
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