Featherweights - Active weapon rule

[craig_colliass]

Re: Featherweights - Active weapon rule

I don't think too many robots is the issue (you don't normally hear the commentator on the grand national say there are too many horses!) Use words like mayhem, carnage, slaughter, destruction, brutal oppression, just watch the news you will come up with more

I agree with those who advise the opposite have as many robots in the fight as you can and ask the audience to judge who was first ,second and third, Points are awarded, and the one with the most points over the weekend wins the prize.

[geeza]

Re: Featherweights - Active weapon rule

Also when I was on the FRA committee I was opposed to a ban on non active weaponed robots, but I also think that the final on Sunday was boring and it is getting harder to judge as each event goes by. I agree that a box is the start for almost all roboteers these days, but I think that the time has come for some of those guys to thinking about evolving and upping the game. It is clear to me when I tech check you all that some builders out there can build an impressive robot, so get on with putting an electric axe on the top if you have no experience with pneumatics.

Dan and others the cost of building a heavyweight sized spinner proof arena is out of any current EOs budgets can this idea be forgotten by roboteers unless someone actually has a costing, business plan and someone with the funds to do it. RL arena sturcture is not capable of housing the necessary weight of polycarb required for spinners.

I think at Kidderminster we should put all the into 3 fights out of the 4. This will help limit the numbers in the arena and possibly seed the robots with weapons so they are evenly split so there is always an active weapon in the arena. Then as Alan said judge the top 3 and proceed to the event winner on a points system from the 3 fights. I want to avoid: 1) having every FW in all the fights as it will be too many, thinking about arming and disarming. 2) having too many broken robots by the time the final show comes around.

[PJ-27]

Re: Featherweights - Active weapon rule

Dan and others the cost of building a heavyweight sized spinner proof arena is out of any current EOs budgets can this idea be forgotten by roboteers unless someone actually has a costing, business plan and someone with the funds to do it

What about FW's?

Plus, can't afford to house 'interesting' robots? Don't whinge when boxes turn up. I do stand by my earlier point though of, the lack of spinners making RL and RR a great place to start.

[blazerbotics]

Re: Featherweights - Active weapon rule

The FRA arena guidlines state that then arena has to be baciscally the same for running FW and HW spinners, a quick guess off the top of my head your looking at £30'000+ to upgrade our arena to be spinner proof, plus a couple of grand every event to cover the additional transport and crew required. Also if we were to run spinners in every show, the rate of robots getting destroyed would increase and we would end up with more boxes to defend against the spinners. The fact that spinners dont run at most events should encourage people to build more interesting robots as you cont have to worry about protecting against spinners.

[PJ-27]

Re: Featherweights - Active weapon rule

Agreed.

[Danjr1]

Re: Featherweights - Active weapon rule

Is there no way spinners can be run in a way that it just gives the other robot a nasty knock or flips it over rather than destroying it? If say there's a RPM limit or a max weight limit on the spinning element?

I always thought axes etc aren't that common as they aren't that effective? So people would rather spend their money on a flipper or a good rambot?

[TEAM ENIGMA]

Re: Featherweights - Active weapon rule

If I remember correctly, matilda had a spinning disc at one of the Roaming Robot's events. It was only low speed though, and it's different when a house bot has a spinner, as it is a lot easier to check that one bot is safe, rather than go aroud checking lots of feather weight bots.

[craig_colliass]

Re: Featherweights - Active weapon rule

I think what Ed and Alan are saying is


FORGET SPINNERS!!!!!!!!!!

But I could be wrong

[Ellis]

Re: Featherweights - Active weapon rule

Axes on a cheap scale are nothing next to spinners and they're easy to defend against. Probably why they're not the first option for new roboteers.

I stand by what I said earlier. I think the events can be more interesting if there are just 2-3 robots in the arena at any one time. Having 8 or something stupid in there at once means following the action is impossible and all tactics are lost. Hence, people become disinterested. I don't think the robots are the problem, I don't think the arena is the problem. I think the way fights are setup is the problem.

Also, building a spinner which is designed to be ineffective is a waste of money?! It would be like making an awesome car shell, then putting a 49cc engine in it. People are going to realize it's stupid.

[Anttazz]

Re: Featherweights - Active weapon rule

In the rules there is Dan.

This is probably on a different note entirely but it reminded me of a conversation Gary and I had a few months ago in that technically Scar isn't classed as a spinner. Due to the weight, size and speed of the disc it fulfils none of the criteria to be classed as one in its current setup. Saying that though, if it were a modern motor powering the disc, I have no doubt that if I turned up with Scar running an 8kg disc (less than 20% of the bot) and around 12 inches (less than 24inches) running at 4000rpm that it would still not be allowed in the arena.

I think the way it is currently it could run under the title of rotary lifter as the weapon motor sucks something terrible.

[PJ-27]

Re: Featherweights - Active weapon rule

I like the mayhem of lots of robots! Plus I think an audience will work on a more is better opinion. Have fewer robots for the later round, when you have time (and reason) to explain each robot and build a story.

[TEAM ENIGMA]

Re: Featherweights - Active weapon rule

At the end of the day, spinners cause a lot of shrapnel, if they don't, then they're not going too be too affective. Really, it all comes down to safety, in current arenas, spinners can't be run, they're too dangerous, and as Alan said earlier, it would cost a ridiculous amount to upgrade arenas.

[psychostorm]

Re: Featherweights - Active weapon rule

I agree that a box is the start for almost all roboteers these days, but I think that the time has come for some of those guys to thinking about evolving and upping the game.

From what I've seen,Tron, Satanix & the Juggernaughts aside, They're already the most evolved FWs! Literally I have seen good internal changes since Leicester.
Ok, I may only be thinking of 2 or 3 machines here but the pushing featherweights remaining aside from the above exemption list all have roboteers in their first year & a bit. Precisely the starter roboteer we are all on about.

I think at Kidderminster we should put all the into 3 fights out of the 4. This will help limit the numbers in the arena and possibly seed the robots with weapons so they are evenly split so there is always an active weapon in the arena. Then as Alan said judge the top 3 and proceed to the event winner on a points system from the 3 fights. I want to avoid: 1) having every FW in all the fights as it will be too many, thinking about arming and disarming. 2) having too many broken robots by the time the final show comes around.

Sooo, every FW turns up for a single fight? That's not really encouragement to stick around & learn. Now if that happened with two white boards I'd probably consider it worth it.

1) having every FW in all the fights as it will be too many, thinking about arming and disarming

Logistical nightmare but I will point out loading &arming 10 FWs still, on the whole, quicker than loading 2 heavys. Disarming is more hassle of course.

While we're having the spinner discussion, exactly what's stopping me from turning up with an angle grinder, again? It's not that destructive & looks great when pushed against metal.

[geeza]

Re: Featherweights - Active weapon rule

No Ceri I do not mean each robot will only get one fight, they will have 3 as is usual.

[Danjr1]

Re: Featherweights - Active weapon rule

shame about the spinner rules but i would build one and turn the weapon down so all it could do is flip something or hit another 6 feet the other way (a vertical bar spinner is what i had in mind).

I think a part of the box or flipper arguement is the ability to self-right. design a box (invertable) or flipper and all you have to do is design the bot then the weapon (if its a flipper) as both have the built-in ability to get back on their wheels. Design something with an axe and you've got to design the bot, the weapon and then a way to get back onto your wheels.

If anything, ban self-righters! lol