Proposals from the RFL

[teamshock]

Proposals from the RFL

I also think that the weight limit should remain at 12kg. If we allow an increase then it would be much harder for a less experienced teams (including my own) to build machines to cope with the new even more powerful ones.

Will}

[woody]

Proposals from the RFL

I think the discussion has lost the point ......
The RFL (The US counterpart to the FRA) have made a proposal to solve the various anomalies between weight classes in different countries

So .... I dont want to change .. isnt going to help solve the above problem.

Try working towards a solution.

(Message edited by woody on July 20, 2006)

[mjm]

Proposals from the RFL

Figure out what the purpose of each class is, and adjust the rules (not just the weight) accordingly. Maybe we need different limits, or more or fewer classes.
From an organisers point of view I want big heavy machines. As one to carry them about 25 kg (or so) is maximum. As builder/designer I dont care and build to the best of my abilities within set rules in the class I like best.

[dcalkins]

Proposals from the RFL

I revised the raptor weight to be 13.2 pounds, 6 kilos on the US side.

Im happy to modify the feathers to be 13.6kg and 30 pounds.

The goal isnt change for the sake of change, but to bring roboteers around the world onto a single, unified ruleset. Oddly, in both the FRA and RFL, the big arguments are over featehrs and hobbies, not LW-SHW...

Im not sure how the FRA works in terms of changing its rulesets, but I want to work toegtehr on this for everyones sake in teh future. It really WILL help everyone if we unify our systems. My proposal means we all change a little, so its not an attempt to bully - well all have to comprimise a bit.

I really hope that we can work togther to unify things. There will always be people who resist change, but I hope that theyll realize that this is a good tune-up for the betterment of the sports world-wide proliferation.

[leorcc]

Proposals from the RFL

For me there is little evidence to prove that it is a betterment. So far, adding weight only makes robots more destructive, or less destructable.

So can you explain to me why upping the weightlimit is going to improve the sport? Not an attack, just want to know how you see this.

[woody]

Proposals from the RFL

US/Australia/Brazil-

340 lbs becomes unified SuperHeavyWeight 341.0 lbs (155.0 Kg)
220 lbs becomes unified HeavyWeight @ 220.0 lbs (100.0 Kg)
120 lbs becomes unified MiddleWeight @ 121.0 lbs (55.0 Kg)
60 lbs becomes unified LightWeight @ 66.0 lbs (30.0 Kg)
30 lbs becomes unified HobbyWeight @ 33.0 lbs (15.0 Kg)
12 lbs becomes unified FeatherWeight @ 13.2 lbs (6.0 Kg)

Korea-
30 Kg class becomes unified LightWeight 30 Kg class

UK/Germany/Netherlands -
200Kg SuperHeavyWeight class becomes unified SuperHeavyWeight 155Kg class
100Kg Heavyweight class becomes unified HeavyWeight 100Kg class
50Kg MiddleWeight class becomes unified MiddleWeight 55Kg class
12Kg FeatherWeight class becomes unified FeatherWeight 15Kg class
6 Kg Raptor class becomes unified FeatherWeight 6kg class

Ummmmmmm .....I think you need to revise again.

Youve interchanged Hobbies and Feathers.

[woody]

Proposals from the RFL

Leo ......etc .... Perhaps a read of the RFL thread will help?

http://forums.delphiforums.com/n/mb/message.asp?webtag=THERFL&msg=3527.1http://forums.delphiforums.com/n/mb/...RFL&msg=3527.1

Enter as Guest ....Click skip advert

(Message edited by woody on July 20, 2006)

(Message edited by woody on July 20, 2006)

[leorcc]

Proposals from the RFL

Ive read the thread (i also read the RFL forum regularly), and no, it didnt.

I dont mind standardizing, but I really dont see how this is going to improve the robots or the sport. I dont mind it if a american feather enters a dutch competition weighing 1.6 kilo more than us, Ill flip it anyway. But 15 kg, thats too much.

Were it really would count for me, the heavies, there is no difference.

So like I stated in the thread before: 13,6 kg for a feather i could go along with.

Thats a standard isnt it?

[woody]

Proposals from the RFL

I dont mind it if a american feather enters a dutch competition weighing 1.6 kilo more than us
Well .......You might not ....but the rules do not allow it.
Hence one of the reasons for this discussion.

[leorcc]

Proposals from the RFL

btw David, the reason we dont discuss LW-SHW, is because we dont have them, or at least not many.

[jeremy_cuss]

Proposals from the RFL

David Calkins has shown a willingnes to move his proposals for feather and raptor weight robots to 13.6kg and 6kg respectively. Its not very tidy, but there does seem to be an emerging concensus around these figures.

There isnt an argument about lightweight and middleweight and superheavyweight robots on this forum because almost no-one builds them over here. Almost everyone in the UK builds either heavyweight or featherweight robots - with raptors as an additional class in mainland Europe.

I would guess that for the few that build lightweights the argument would be the same as that in the above discussion - in favour of minimising the change and hence adopting 27.3kg as the standard.

This would leave the weight increase at 10% or less for all classes in Europe with no class (I believe) facing a weight decrease. That sounds like a reasonable compromise to achieve a world standard.

The FRA would have to discuss the proposed change at a meeting of the governing body and decide whether to support it. If it did, it would follow past practice by consulting with sister organisations in mainland Europe and, if there was agreement, announce a date for the changeover. There is no particular reason for choosing any date, but I suggest that it might be for the UK Championships in August 2007. There are lots of alternative dates, but there is some history in choosing the anniversary of the Robot Wars competition for a weight change. It is also when there is a probability of US robots coming to the UK.

I hope that there will be a world weight standard for fighting robots.

Jeremy

[dcalkins]

Proposals from the RFL

Heres the latest based on input from you guys, the Aussies, and the Americans. As noted, the changes to the original proposal are in the feather and hobby/raptor classes.

US/Australia/Brazil-

340 lbs becomes unified SuperHeavyWeight 341.0 lbs (155.0 Kg)
220 lbs becomes unified HeavyWeight @ 220.0 lbs (100.0 Kg)
120 lbs becomes unified MiddleWeight @ 121.0 lbs (55.0 Kg)
60 lbs becomes unified LightWeight @ 66.0 lbs (30.0 Kg)
30 lbs becomes unified FeatherWeight @ 30.0 lbs (13.6 Kg)
12 lbs becomes unified HobbyWeight @ 13.2 lbs (6.0 Kg)

UK/Germany/Netherlands/Sweden -
200Kg SuperHeavyWeight class becomes unified SuperHeavyWeight @ 155Kg
100Kg Heavyweight class becomes unified HeavyWeight @ 100Kg
50Kg MiddleWeight class becomes unified MiddleWeight @ 55Kg
12Kg FeatherWeight class becomes unified FeatherWeight @ 13.6Kg
6 Kg Raptor class becomes unified HobbyWeight @ 6kg

Korea-
30 Kg class becomes unified LightWeight @ 30 Kg

[dcalkins]

Proposals from the RFL

Leo - while you might not mind weight differences, everyone else would. The goal is that everyone in robot combat uses the same rules, same weight classes, etc. It improves understanding and increases the likelihood of croos-continent competitions.

As for why the given classes change - its so that they are all even intergers in both Kg and Lbs. Makes it easy to read and understand. If I had my way, the US would go metric and so would all weight classes - but thats just not gonig to happen, so I view this as teh best comprimise on weights, and a good start to standardizing the sport world-wide.

[leorcc]

Proposals from the RFL

In that case standardizing clear rulings on removable links is way more importants than a weight issue. As an event organiser you can always wave the weight limit of 1 or 2 guests arrive from the US, but when it comes to safety measures, we can not be so lenient.

[james...venom]

Proposals from the RFL

15kg, cya guys. its bad enough as it is hence the 6kg class was opened. theres hardly any new roboteers and seeing much more destructive and armoured bots will only put more people off. consider featherweights dead if things dont change for the better, we need something other than a weight increase.

However i like the idea of a unified 10kg featherweights class. brings it back a little step however it would be a problem for the current feathers.