The future of roboting

[xtreme]

Re: The future of roboting

I havent been part of the fighting robot community long so iv not seen much of a change.

Im unsure about this part but I was thinking wouldnt it be better if the FRA site was more public friendly? Have a Teams/Robots database, a media page and an events page that doesnt just take you to the forum. Then all the public could be directed to one place to know whats happening in there area and know what robots there likely to see. So we can promote the sport rather than an EO. If we got together and made a promotional video and we all post it online on youtube etc people are going to see it, then if they have a nice up to date, informative and friendly website to go to they will see the sport is still alive.

Id be happy to pay an enterance fee. And if we didnt get prize money or a fancy trophy we could live with that. Let us bring our own sandwiches to events, what would only cost us a few quid each will save you EO's quite a bit of money and time. Get a dozen or so of us roboteers to help set up arena and take arena down and help tidy up etc. If we dont want the sport to die we all have to help.

Im loving all the talk of middleweights, a few of us have been trying to push for middleweight competition. Theres a chance middleweight competition could take off again but theres always the chance it could just be an epic fail, but to give it a chance to take off people are going to have to build middleweight robots. We are basicly starting a middleweight division from scratch so people are going to be thinking, Is it worth the risk?, Is it worth my time effort and money for somthing that may never take off properly?. I think its 100% worth the risk. I would say that with 2 middleweights in my room tho wouldnt I .



Im tired, Ill probs look at this post tommorow and think what the hell was i on about?, this makes no sence.

[craig_colliass]

Re: The future of roboting

Many thanks to all who have contributed to this discussion ALL your input is important.

I think the main point to be repeated is no one wants the robotic movement in the UK to finish.
Both the EO€™s and the Roboteers have confirmed their support to the future success of the fighting robot scene in this country.

The main problem we have could be brought down to one thing, paying audience numbers.
The FRA website could be used to help promote all robot events.
I know Jonno is a past master of show promotion so I wont try to instruct the instructor.

But we as roboteers if the show is in our town could perhaps help like Clive said hand out flyers or sell tickets to people in our social circle work, pub, church, club or family. If they know some of the competitors then their interest in coming would be higher.

Also if it were possible to have a display the Saturday before the show weekend in a prominent location (shopping centre), were Ant weight robots were fighting in a small arena then this would Draw a crowd get the robots noticed some static displays and someone selling tickets to the main event. This would raise interest and perhaps ticket sales.

One thing that has been brought up that dose make some sense is in the past we have kept close ties with the old TV series Robot Wars this served the movement well in the past and I am a greater believer in remembering history and our roots. But it may not be serving us so well commercially now, as most young children that go have not seen much if anything about Robot wars. Perhaps we should make sure the robots in the advertising and show promotion are the robots at the shows.

If none of this works we could always roll out the BIG GUN
Shane Swan in a Darth Vader outfit (There on EBay) handing out fliers and asking the kids €œIs your name Luke€ That€™s got to work

[swanaldo]

Re: The future of roboting

I think roboteers posting leaflets is a good idea craig. i would like to think that roboteers would do a favour for the good of us all. I would love a Darth Vader outfit but i recon i would scare more kids than make them go wow.

Jonno has done the uk champs again this year off his own back to rescue it as the aim for all of us to be number 1.

I think next year the EO,s should be working together with the same structure of the current uk champs and use all events as a league system with 1 big event run by all partys as the grand finale. Oh how i wish that would happen but as always egos get in the way. just remember its not the impossible now is it.

I called a meeting with the fra weeks ago and asked kane to mail all members to find out a good date. alas only few replied so its been a while getting a date. I have asked kane to name a date and just get on with it. If the fra committee members cant be assed to mail back then they cant be as committed as i thought. there WILL be a date made and if committee members can turn up then so be it. Also if anyone wants to attend then the more the merrier.

We need to move on something and move now. I am fed up with pussy footing around and doing everything all political. Balls to that and lets get on with it and have a meeting. It wont do anyone any harm and it wont be official.

I tells Ya

there is a good future with robots i know it.

I think i should be president

Oh if anyone cant make the meeting then please post views and ideas. Simple see.

[swanaldo]

Re: The future of roboting

did i mention that Envy ootad Iron awe at guildford.

[craig_anto]

Re: The future of roboting

''I think next year the EO,s should be working together with the same structure of the current uk champs and use all events as a league system with 1 big event run by all partys as the grand finale''

I agree

FRA meeting? We need to talk things over even if the committee isn't going to call a meeting soon that doesnt mean we cant talk, Next Sunday (28th June) the Swann Inn Chasetown high street Burntwood (WS7 3XR) anyone who wants to come along is welcome

[anukhet]

Re: The future of roboting

OK I have stood back on this discussion because I just wanted to see how it pans out - I'm sure everyone has been expecting for me to say something ..........

I have said it many times before - Robot Wars is dead! In any case all direct revenue received from it and the countless repeats amounted to sweet FA for this sport so let's move on. The future - After RW was cancelled it was thought that it would all be dead and buried along with it but here we are over 5 years later still having the same old discussion. This says something for the sport, it's popularity and the people who participate in it - new and old.

So what to do........

Putting bums on seats - Well, that cannot happen by itself and EO's should realise that they must try harder. Promotion is now the key to success and they should try every trick in the book. Try new ideas, get out there personally etc etc. EO's have a lot of money invested in their arenas and putting on an event is ludicrously expensive but EVERYONE is feeling the pinch - not just EO's.

The FRA's role - Lets not forget that we are ALL part of the FRA therefore it is up to ALL OF YOU to take responsibility and promote ourselves and not just leave it to a few people that just happen to be on the Governing Body. Find out about local events and go there (static shows, demonstrations in schools and clubs etc.). Even raising it in conversation at every opportunity goes towards promoting what we do - it does work believe me! There is a lot more interest out there but people are just not aware of the live scene going on since the demise of RW so lets make them aware!

Any other ideas?

[john]

Re: The future of roboting

i like that team torque thing on your signature karoline!

[anukhet]

Re: The future of roboting

ty

[dgr]

Re: The future of roboting

I think the idea of a clearer, more public-friendly website listing events, bot profiles, ect ect is a good idea. It would give us somewhere we can direct people who are interested to, not just this forum that can be a little heavy going at times.
On the antweight forum we always did a spot at Brighton Model World, handing out leaflets with links to the forum ect on them and we have gained a few new competitors in this way, so there is no reason it can't work for the bigger classes too, to gain an audience. Its a very cheap and easy way to get more publicity, we just need someone who is willing to work on it.

I think everything that Karoline and Swanny have just posted has been sound, sensible and bang on target.

[john]

Re: The future of roboting

I think the idea of a clearer, more public-friendly website listing events, bot profiles, ect ect is a good idea. It would give us somewhere we can direct people who are interested to, not just this forum that can be a little heavy going at times.

Stu would be able to do this, something like the RR website but with a different purpose. not sure how much spare time he has though and it would cost us, even if we all paid a little bit towards this wouldnt be much, does the FRA have any spare cash from memberships?

[robotwars]

Re: The future of roboting

Ahhh some good points being made.

Volunteers needed to hand out leaflets in Portsmouth, Maidstone, and Wigan
And Reading for Robots Live

Excellent rates of no pay.
Long Hours.
Good Voice required.

Unfortunately your right it is not only us Eo's which are suffering, it is the whole world. Ive spoken to a few shows which are on tour and all are experiencing the same struggle.

The RR arena needs two layers of new floor, ( surely youve noticed LOL ) but things like this just cant be done unless the funds are there. Im literally 000's behind financial targets i set myself for 2009, and its certainly not becuase of lack of hard work !!

I'll tell you the hardest thing in this game is opening the shutter door to load the two trucks knowing I am loosing money. That tests your determination to succeed !!! ALL of the EO's have been there and roboteers just dont get it unless youve been there.

I think its a shame politics and comercial decisions get in the way of EO's working together, it will never happen, but it would be fantastic if we could.

I think Stu told me when we were doing the new website, that it wouldnt be difficult for the FRA to link into our website database and keep its own identity, all the info is there why do it again.
Something maybe Kane and Stu could talk about.
I'm sure i could rent it out to the FRA for a small fee :-) LOL


John
Roaming Robots

[widow_twanky]

Re: The future of roboting

Just a point on my experience of this, leaflets take a bit of time to to work. Different scenario as I was selling stuff but people need two or three to respond and for it to register.

Fun fairs when they come just pepper the area with posters which are there and give things a bit of time to sink in.

My opinion - get some posters and drive round Portsmouth, Maidstone and Wigan and get them in every news agents window four weeks before hand. All the better if said news agent is near a school.

Andy

[robotwars]

Re: The future of roboting

not the answer. Been there done that.
The average show 20 to 30 thousand fliers go out. Posters in shops. Plus newspapers. maybe radio if i can blag it for free.

And we get if we're lucky 1000 people.
Fact is we're flogging a dead horse.
Even tried the fair ground posters on the road only to be threatened to be sued by the council. Can't win. :-)

[widow_twanky]

Re: The future of roboting

not the answer. Been there done that.
The average show 20 to 30 thousand fliers go out. Posters in shops. Plus newspapers. maybe radio if i can blag it for free.

And we get if we're lucky 1000 people.
Fact is we're flogging a dead horse.
Even tried the fair ground posters on the road only to be threatened to be sued by the council. Can't win. :-)

Right, in that case can I suggest Portsmouth is an appropriate place to send out a press gang? Send Swanny and Clive out to get people drunk the night before and let them wake up in the queue

Just a thought, people are lazy. Rather than handing out a leaflet could you not just sell them a ticket? Not sure if you've got a credit card machine but cash as people may not have the cash on them.

Andy

[craig_colliass]

Re: The future of roboting

Like I said I am not about to teach Jonno or any other EO how to promote their shows.
But the things we can do, is if the show is in our area is to try to sell tickets direct to the people who know were roboteers and would probably like to come.
In practice I would imagine the EO would send tickets to us and then you sell them to friends, on the day of the show, you give the EO tickets not sold, and the money for the ones sold.

I think some sort of promotional event in a shopping centre if the owners don€™t mind (give them some free tickets) or were people will be, the weekend before the main event.
The people will have money on them for shopping (and kids to entertain) some static displays of the heavies, and some pay to drive machines (they buy a ticket for the show they get to drive for free.) some ant weights running in the ant weight arena.
And a big screen showing some of the fights of previous shows, with adverts for the next show and saying tickets are available here.
A machine to take peoples cards would be a good idea.
Has this been tried?