The Thwacking hat: A tall top hat with a airbag contained within the upper,a battery below which is attached to a small audio device,motor and rotating mechanism connected to a large zoetrope- brim positioned half way up the hat.(the zoetrope hanging down from the brim)
The zoetrope contains brightly coloured perforated/decal'ed stars and birds.
The Thwacking stick: a long stick with a small punchbag type stuffed leather ball attached to the end.
Many people can sport the hats and wield the Thwacking sticks.
Run around trying to Thwack someone square on top of the hat, if successful the force of the air bag will come down onto a trigger within the hat dropping the brim down into position, placing the zoetrope around the head at eye level. This in turn engages the battery to the motor sending the brim and the zoetrope spinning round in front of the eyes,presenting the illusion of seeing stars through the brimmed zoetrope whilst hearing the birds singing through the audio device.
After a short time the hat pops back to normal returning brim with zoetrope back to the outer middle of the hat as the airbag gonflables.Game continues until a certain amount of designated Thwacks are given,the most unThwacked is the winner.-- skinflaps, Apr 15 2004 Zoetrope http://www.themakin...images/zoetrope.gifIncorporated as a spinning brim. [skinflaps, Oct 04 2004, last modified Oct 05 2004] Thwacked http://www.backwash...icatures/Seeing.gif [skinflaps, Oct 04 2004, last modified Oct 05 2004] Stars http://www.mechanic...sets/other/4zoe.jpg [skinflaps, Oct 04 2004, last modified Oct 05 2004] Walk softly but carry a big thwacking stick.-- FarmerJohn, Apr 15 2004 Like. Hats + Violence can be fun = +-- DrBob, Apr 15 2004 I like it, well thought out.-- dentworth, Apr 15 2004 OUCH - MY HAIR! ... MOM, GET THE SHEARS!-- Letsbuildafort, Apr 15 2004 [Letsbuildafort] Try fastening the chin strap of your Thwacking hat.-- skinflaps, Apr 15 2004 But what about players with waist-long hair? ... And mohawks? I'd imagine that in the heat of the moment it would be possible of it to get tangled in the Zoetrope ... hair nets, maybe?-- Letsbuildafort, Apr 15 2004 I dunno could be kind'a fun whisking your mohawk into a frenzy whilst your trying to keep your balance.-- skinflaps, Apr 15 2004 Aye. Good call, my friend!-- Letsbuildafort, Apr 16 2004 Depends how hard you've been Thwacked.-- skinflaps, Apr 16 2004 Mmmmm I think it should. Either that or it suddenly jabs the back of your knee, thus knocking you off balance. But in all fairness, there should then be some sort immune time after you've been thwacked so you can't be repeatedly thwacked by the same person. This also gives everyone time to jeer at you stumbling around without worrying about trying to thwack you again.
definitely a bun on this one.-- andromeda, Apr 16 2004 Wonderfully zany. I'm sending you a self-thwacking zoetrope covered with croissants. As it spins you can count them as many times as you like.-- ldischler, Apr 17 2004 + (mainly because I like the word 'thwack'. It's always been one of my favourites...) Also b/c it's a fun way of getting to hit people with sticks, but that's beside the point.-- blueturtle, Apr 17 2004 Consider it done [UB]-- skinflaps, Feb 18 2005 Doesn't the zeotrope work by looking at it from the outside in? And wouldn't the visual affect be lessened by viewing it sans interruption from the inside?
Ok, and having said that, I love it so much I want to start the company. You deserve a good thwack on the back. "Thwacking Hat" is my new favorite phrase.-- k_sra, Feb 19 2005 <tilts hat towards k_sra >-- skinflaps, Feb 20 2005 random, halfbakery