Official Monster Truck 2K19 Thread

[NtheDiggerfan]

2 hours ago, JackMProductions said:

They do contribute to the entertainment value of a show, but not for you. I don't think the spectacle of a truck destroying something is lost on most of the fans in attendance. That being said, "free-standing" cars have been antiquated for at least 15 years now. Even back when there were still some steel-bodied cars around, they were flattened halfway through the show.

Kozak is right in that modern cars are worthless against a monster truck if they are to act as any kind of obstacle. Part of why most promotions give them a dirt base to sit on or place them on top of tires. My idea for Monster Jam is to place them on top of the jumps so they can get destroyed, like you would see in the late 2000's, but don't take anything away from the jump itself once they're crushed. That being said, I also saw a video yesterday of Avenger landing on two "free-standing" cars and popping two tires in the process, so it seems BKT's have a hard time doing any crushing of that sort. Cars are still expensive and tough to bring in and out, but it's not like they're  using two dozen cars per track like the were a decade ago.The pre-crushed cars that they put in the jumps now are nice decoration, but not using them wouldn't make much of a difference. It's kind of a rock-and-a-hard-place scenario.
 

I have been looking at feld in a lot brighter of a light recently, so this will be both a positive and negative rant. I was at the event and talked to Jim after. He wasn't happy. The problem with BKT's are that they have hardly ANY tread at ALL. This leaves the smooth part of the tire sort of exposed to anything. If they still ran, say Goodyears or Ukraines, they have a lot of tread height and profile, protecting the tire a little more than the BKT's. But, if saying "BKT tire" and "Great Clips Mohawk Warrior" pay the bills to keep the sport alive, I guess its ok.  I don't support the idea of no free standing cars, as even when the cars are semi flattened by the time Digger or Max D get to hit them, they're still cool as hell to see get run over. I did agree placing them ON the jumps would be cool, but Feld is just going to bury them halfway in the dirt and crush them partially. I think it's a cost effect thing for them, and I understand, as they are a business. However, let's call it like it is and not make excuses. This was more monetarily driven than by "safety concerns". Cars are getting more and more expensive, and while plastic isnt ideal, I would much rather see a half flattened plastic car at the end of the night than none at all, and I certainly dont like the idea of BKT tire turning posts. They're much bulkier and tougher, and I see problems with trucks flipping or becoming heavily damaged if they hit them. A car is a lot more forgiving than a 600 pound tire filled with dirt when being hit sometimes around 30 MPH coming into that turn. And while I know some say "oh now they're meant to jump dirt now things change yada yada yada", you cant take car crushing out of Monster Trucks. You'd have to be stupid to envision a monster truck show without a single crush car. It's the backbone of the sport. Yeah, I want backflips, air and all that, but give us at least a car or something, ANYTHING. You cant progress without acknowledging your past, whether good or bad. What do you think originally drew crowds to this idea? Bob Chandler was running a big truck over tiny cars and everyone had to see it. Dennis Anderson took an old farm truck through the mud and over cars and took the world by storm. You can't write them out of the sport just by saying "it's evolved from that", because, the first thing that comes to about 95% of the population's mind when they think about Monster Trucks is them running over cars. That's what they were made to do and made famous by. While yes, we have evolved, you simply just cant throw out that integral piece of the puzzle. It's honestly a hard situation that deeply saddens me, and many others. I'm very thankful to have been able to see this before it becomes a thing of the past, another marker in the graveyard of things struck to the ground by Feld "Entertainment", and the industry as a whole.

[LordFrosting]

14 hours ago, NtheDiggerfan said:

*l o n g  b o y e*

1: Cars will not affect ticket sales severely for Monster Jam, so they can do whatever they want.

2: They took cars out of Arenas for safety concerns because a piece of a car went into the rafters of a Mississippi show. The tires can rip loose pieces off of a car and send them flying.

I personally have moved on from the "not crush cars is stupid ew Feld is ruining Monster Jam bring back crush cars" mindset, because it's a easte of energy and brainpower. If you have an issue with no cars, your most energy and brain-efficient option is to watch a different promoter, Monster Jam is a business, and they want to save money, and keep people safe so they come back and buy that ticket for next year, or next. You may not like it, but that's what's happening.

[maxdman]

I'd rather not have cars at shows versus two cars in an arena and have debris come off into the crowd and severely injure or kill any number of people.  That would be the end to a lot of promoters as we know them if something like that happened.  Cars or not, now a days the entertainment value doesn't rely on crushed cars at all, so who cares if they aren't there anymore.  The industry has evolved past crushing cars as a spectacle, grow and move along with it or get out.  All major sports and entertainment make changes away from their roots, just the nature of running a business. 

[steiale]

Cory Rummell busted his truck up really bad last night in Miami, so he put his Shark body on the Dog’s chassis and Kevin King gets the day off.

 

[JackMProductions]

I'm all for getting rid of cars in arena shows if it means making those safer, considering how badly Monster Jam had to take it in 2009, as far as safety concerns go. I can tell you that the 4 first-timers I brought to Monster Jam today were disappointed at the lack of crush vehicles, but they still really enjoyed the show, to no surprise. It's obviously not the key factor in making this sport entertaining, but destroying smaller, insignificant vehicles is always a nice touch.

Both Oakland shows were good, with the second standing out the most. Dirt was very soft all weekend. Lots of broken trucks all weekend, and no Dalmation for show 2. Digger won both racing events and Max D won both 2 Wheel's. Mohawk won freestyle on Saturday and Grave Digger on Sunday. El Toro and Saigon had one of the closest races I can remember seeing, with Scott winning by three hundredths of a second. Saigon really stood out this weekend. Was the racing runner-up on Saturday and finished second in freestyle on Sunday with an amazing run.

Some highlights from Instagram

 

[DiggerFan13]

On 2/9/2019 at 3:29 PM, Jon Cannon said:

New addition to the Monster Patrol team

May not be the big red Bear I knew and loved as a kid but it's still Bearfoot and it works for me. Hoping Phelps can step it up and MAYBE even secure a deal for some die-cast versions with the Spin Master MJ line. I'm an avid collector and frankly I've always wanted Monster Patrol and Bearfoot in die-cast and while I did find them(Muscle Machines 2003-2004 line has them, very limited/hard to locate), I'd love to see an updated release with the Phelps trucks. I hate the fact Shafer kept them so far away from everything and has seemingly wanted to take them to the grave, I hope Phelps keeps improving and gets them into bigger shows/back with MJ. Bearfoot and Monster Patrol are legends in my eyes, they deserve to be running with the biggest/best. 

 

 

On 2/15/2019 at 8:49 PM, Goldberg6734 said:

First look at Monster Jam: Steel Titans. 

Source: https://www.facebook.com/MonsterJamGames/

edit: Looks like we'll see some stuff tomorrow!

It can't be said enough, if the game isn't realistic, it's doomed. Nobody wants the stupid fantasy-land, gyroscopic, cartoonish, unicorn rainbow pixie dust crap literally every MJ game has ever had. I've always wanted a down to Earth, realistic, simulation-based game with real physics and real trucks/venues. If they wanna lace in a game mode or two with arcade-game features as a nod to the older games, go for it but not at the expense of the actual game itself. MJ games have all been terrible/forgettable and wind up in the bargain bin less than a year after release, there's a reason for that and it's because they suck. A realistic game with realistic physics, a career mode, seasons, online tournaments, etc. The ability to create your own trucks/tracks, tailoring your truck to be a racer or a freestyler or a little of both, all things I would easily sink hours upon hours of my life into if only given the opportunity to do so. Hell, add in new trucks/tracks as add-on DLC as you go for all I care, I just want the MJ game we've all been craving for years and honestly deserve at this point. It's a joke that RoR has been the industry standard for as long as it has. 

And I hate the notion the games are kiddy because MJ is supposedly marketed at kids, that couldn't be more false. It's marketed towards families, which yes, includes children, but kids don't need ridiculous crazy crap to keep them entertained, kids are supposed to be into different things and have short attention spans. You'd be hard-pressed to see an MJ game, even the most kid-centric MJ game they could possibly produce, that would even come close to sniffing the kind of success a game like Fortnite or Minecraft has with younger demographics. Instead of focusing on a demographic that is clearly saturated more than enough, why not try and tap into other markets? The kids of yesterday are the young adults/adults of today, they grew up gaming too, they still play, why not try and catch their attention? What about hardcore fans of the sport or just motorsport enthusiasts in general? And there's no saying kids can't play something/be into something that's realistic/grounded, either. I have high hopes for this MJ game because it SEEMS like they're finally listening and trying to do it right but we'll see. Screenshots and trailers will do nothing to fan the flames, we need some gameplay to really highlight what it is we're getting. I don't know why FELD hasn't brought in RoR/Beam.ng guys into the mix to get them to help design/create these games, maybe they have? I don't know, I just hope this is the MJ game I've waited my whole life for but I'm not holding my breath until I see it for myself. /endrant.

Edited February 20, 2019 by Jon Cannon
Please don't double post. Use the edit button to combine thoughts into one post.

[steiale]

1 hour ago, DiggerFan13 said:

Hoping Phelps can step it up and MAYBE even secure a deal for some die-cast versions with the Spin Master MJ line.

First off, don’t double post. There’s a plus sign that allows you to quote multiple posts.

Second, you’ll have a better shot of Hot Wheels making Bearfoot since Phelps doesn’t run in Monster Jam. I see that being a fairly realistic possiblity in the next several years.

[DiggerFan13]

11 minutes ago, steiale said:

First off, don’t double post. There’s a plus sign that allows you to quote multiple posts.

Second, you’ll have a better shot of Hot Wheels making Bearfoot since Phelps doesn’t run in Monster Jam. I see that being a fairly realistic possiblity in the next several years.

Sorry? It was my first ever post on here and clearly I made a rookie mistake. Every forum is different in that regard, don't gotta come in so hot, this is supposed to be a community, no? Not exactly the friendliest greeting ever but whatever, it's the internet...Moving on. 

And I could've sworn I've seen posts of Phelps' trucks running with an MJ label on the side, though that could just be old. I'm not even sure what the deal is with Phelps, he's leasing the names from Shafer, yes? If so, I wonder if that includes the ability to produce merchandise, which would likely make or break any of those chances. You raise a good point about Hot Wheels though, but then again have they booked any trucks outside their own in-house bodies and Bigfoot? It'd be nice to see more indies run with them but it's still so early. Has Phelps ever stated he has no desire to run with MJ? I'm completely in the dark on that aspect, all I know is I'd love to see MP and Bearfoot make a comeback. 

EDIT: On a side note, I assume the possibility of Tom ever getting behind the wheel of MP again, even if just for a few events, is all but non-existent. I say this in reference to FELD having Gary back in Crusher at the end, it'd be a cool nod to Tom's early days if they could somehow find a way to have him drive MP and 'Dozer again at some point. I doubt it'd ever happen but one can dream..

[steiale]

5 hours ago, DiggerFan13 said:

Sorry? It was my first ever post on here and clearly I made a rookie mistake. Every forum is different in that regard, don't gotta come in so hot, this is supposed to be a community, no? Not exactly the friendliest greeting ever but whatever, it's the internet...Moving on. 

My bad, didn’t see your post count, plus your username seemed familiar (So many DiggerFan’s on here that I can’t keep all the numbers and whatever differentiations straight) so I thought you’ve been around a while. That’s my bad, but hey now you know. 

5 hours ago, DiggerFan13 said:

And I could've sworn I've seen posts of Phelps' trucks running with an MJ label on the side, though that could just be old.

I know Monster Patrol has displayed in Vegas at least once, so if there’s pictures around with a MJ logo on the side, WF display trucks are probably required to have it on (I’m sure Bill Payne’s trucks had them when they were in Vegas) so that’s what you’re probably thinking of. But he hasn’t run his trucks in a Monster Jam Show, and I don’t necessarily think he would unless he wanted to pay for all the BKTs he’d need to tire up his operation with the sponser’s product (Still curious how Roger Gauger and USA-1 got around that. I know he only did a few shows here in there over the course of what I think was two years under that sponsorship, but does spray painting BKT on his Goodyear’s really count?)

[DiggerFan13]

2 minutes ago, steiale said:

My bad, didn’t see your post count, plus your username seemed familiar (So many DiggerFan’s on here that I can’t keep all the numbers and whatever differentiations straight) so I thought you’ve been around a while. That’s my bad, but hey now you know. 

I know Monster Patrol has displayed in Vegas at least once, so if there’s pictures around with a MJ logo on the side, WF display trucks are probably required to have it on (I’m sure Bill Payne’s trucks had them when they were in Vegas) so that’s what you’re probably thinking of. But he hasn’t run his trucks in a Monster Jam Show, and I don’t necessarily think he would unless he wanted to pay for all the BKTs he’d need to tire up his operation with the sponser’s product (Still curious how Roger Gauger and USA-1 got around that. I know he only did a few shows here in there over the course of what I think was two years under that sponsorship, but does spray painting BKT on his Goodyear’s really count?)

All good, I wasn't butthurt or anything, just was like, "Whoa, hey, this literally IS my first rodeo!" type of reaction, lol. And makes sense in regards to the name, this was my name on the old MTC forum so it's a little tribute to my time on there before the site went down(RIP). But hey, yes, now I know!

And I believe this may have been the image I was thinking of, doesn't appear to be any major event as far as I can tell though.

That sucks FELD requires you to run BKT's, which from what I've seen appear to be infinitely inferior to the old Goodyears and whatever else was used in the past. Doesn't help that they're uglier than sin(Sorry, those giant bold white letters are hideous on the eyes). In that case, I hope HW's has been making calls and trying to book more and more indy teams for their shows and maybe entice them with a die-cast agreement, nothing boosts merch sales like a good 'ol fashioned die-cast, right? Meh, I'm probably biased since MP and Bearfoot are two of my all-time favorites and I'm addicted to collecting 1:64 scale trucks but I digress, I'd still love to see these trucks make a comeback into the spotlight where they belong in my opinion. I'm hoping old man Shafer eventually cuts bait and sells off the rights to someone, be it Phelps, FELD, or someone else entirely, who will actually put them back under the bright lights. I'd love to see an old school Grave Digger vs. Monster Patrol race or Bearfoot take on Bigfoot, etc. 

[kmp21093]

3 hours ago, DiggerFan13 said:

All good, I wasn't butthurt or anything, just was like, "Whoa, hey, this literally IS my first rodeo!" type of reaction, lol. And makes sense in regards to the name, this was my name on the old MTC forum so it's a little tribute to my time on there before the site went down(RIP). But hey, yes, now I know!

And I believe this may have been the image I was thinking of, doesn't appear to be any major event as far as I can tell though.

That sucks FELD requires you to run BKT's, which from what I've seen appear to be infinitely inferior to the old Goodyears and whatever else was used in the past. Doesn't help that they're uglier than sin(Sorry, those giant bold white letters are hideous on the eyes). In that case, I hope HW's has been making calls and trying to book more and more indy teams for their shows and maybe entice them with a die-cast agreement, nothing boosts merch sales like a good 'ol fashioned die-cast, right? Meh, I'm probably biased since MP and Bearfoot are two of my all-time favorites and I'm addicted to collecting 1:64 scale trucks but I digress, I'd still love to see these trucks make a comeback into the spotlight where they belong in my opinion. I'm hoping old man Shafer eventually cuts bait and sells off the rights to someone, be it Phelps, FELD, or someone else entirely, who will actually put them back under the bright lights. I'd love to see an old school Grave Digger vs. Monster Patrol race or Bearfoot take on Bigfoot, etc. 

Possibly an old body from a display or if they had run a monster jam event depending on the pictures date. I was always a fan of monster patrol especially of the dodge body version in both the green and black or the orange and purple.

[Jon Cannon]

9 hours ago, steiale said:

First off, don’t double post. There’s a plus sign that allows you to quote multiple posts.

You can always be a bit more polite to new people, we were all there once.

[Stephen Hopkins]

1 hour ago, Jon Cannon said:

You can always be a bit more polite to new people, we were all there once.

This community baptizes people by fire, its an age old tradition, we cant stop now.

Ah the newbie days of asking RKM for his private mtm2 Captains Curse. I bet he'd still chew me out for asking for it to this day then promptly log off (Or as I assume block me) to wallow in my shame. 🤣

Just to keep on topic, this isnt 2005, no cars at a monster jam event is a non issue.  The tracks havent relied on cars for a number of years now. And turning boxes arent anything new, and quite cheaper and easier to move than a car.

[steiale]

Game Trailer was released today

 

[bottenator]

With the Rogers Centre under renovations, Toronto is getting an arena summer show. Only the seats are more expensive than our past stadium shows at almost $40 more. Who in their right mind would pay $126 for a Triple Threat show?