Starting 2013 with a bang....Our News :-)

[psychostorm]

Re: Starting 2013 with a bang....Our News :-)

What do you mean the BBC took them back?

In all the time of Robot Wars, the BBC never actually let them go anywhere without an employee manning them.

The BBC are the original owners of the House robots. Thus it is a good bet that the House robots are in storage gathering dust.

[ady]

Re: Starting 2013 with a bang....Our News :-)

Couldn't even say why we haven't seen eye to eye, probably because I get drawn into other people's arguments on here.

It was my 2013 New Years resolution to not get involved anymore and just do my own thing, and I'm doing ok.

Cheers for the comment, time will tell what happens.

John

Haha, that was my resolution too!

[RogueTwoRobots]

Re: Starting 2013 with a bang....Our News :-)

The BBC are the original owners of the House robots. Thus it is a good bet that the House robots are in storage gathering dust.

The latest 'update' on the state of the house robots was that they're in storage somewhere (presumably the BBC visual effects department) and the chances are that they've been scavenged for parts for other vfx projects. Can never be sure of the validity of statements regarding the house bots but this one was from Mat Irvine, so it's a credible source at least.

Already there are people asking questions about what changes to the Robot Wars arena there will be when it comes back, if it will be Craig Charles presenting the show... Jayne... Phillipa etc etc.

Just to clarify, my main post about Jayne and Philippa on the FB page was made in a tongue-in-cheek manner, in the hope that they'd improve the aesthetics of the pits area :wink:

[calumco]

Re: Starting 2013 with a bang....Our News :-)

What do you mean the BBC took them back?

In all the time of Robot Wars, the BBC never actually let them go anywhere without an employee manning them.

The BBC are the original owners of the House robots. Thus it is a good bet that the House robots are in storage gathering dust.

as far as i no......

the bbc visual effects department closed after series 6, then the house robots were then given to chris reynolds who i think ran the visual effects department, who went on to start up 'alleffects'.the end credits of series 7 robot wars say 'house robots-chris reynolds'--- but they were then kept in his workshop untill around 2006 but were then put into storage somewhere in north london by him as they were taking up space (that i do know as i rang him a few years ago asking about special effects jobs etc etc) as far as i no they would still be in storage with him somewhere.
i've heard other things such as the bbc claiming them back off him and all sorts so i don't really no whats what anymore tbh

[craig_colliass]

Re: Starting 2013 with a bang....Our News :-)

How did we get on to House robots?
John didn't say anything about them it was about the Robot Wars name he can now use to promote his live events.
for what it's worth the old robots would not last 30 seconds up against the flippers of today.

Poor Tilly has to heard little Feathers now and gets duffed up in the process!

Major Damage is much better for today's wars.

[psychostorm]

Re: Starting 2013 with a bang....Our News :-)

Calum, that's perfectly plausible but I would query why the BBC would let hundreds of pounds of machinery.

How did we get on to House robots? John didn't say anything about them

oh yes, He did. On Facebook:

it means we are working with the only people who would ever be able to put it back on TV, it means they are impressed with the effort we are
putting in, it means the old house
robots come back out to play, and
we start working towards getting it
back on TV

Besides, when did we ever need an excuse?

or what it's worth the old robots would not last 30 seconds up against the flippers of today.

They didn't back then either

[teamstorm]

Re: Starting 2013 with a bang....Our News :-)

I think part of the issue here is that in the announcements a number of things were mentioned which were clearly things that capture people's attention -

Over the last two years we have been in negotiations with Robot Wars LLC, yes the TV show about joining

- Robot Wars LLC isn't 'the TV show', they're a Ltd company that licences use of a brand, but straight away people think they're reading something about the TV show, not about just Roaming Robots being a licensee of a brand.

Not only will we become Robot Wars, but with it come the rights to use the House Robots if we can find them. Or even make replicas if needed.

- It will come with the slice of the rights that Robot Wars LLC are able to assign to the House Robots, however to use them John would also need to consult with the other holders (BBC Worldwide and Mentorn) so still some work to do there

Hopefully you will join us in 2013 and help us show TV world what they are missing out on

Which on first glace could lead to you thinking we're going to show what they have been missing out on by bringing it back..... it's made clearer later in the sentence We all want it back on TV, and this is hopefully a positive step towards it.

Let's not die in a ditch here and analyse this all to pieces though. The bottom line is that this is GOOD for roboteering, as anything that reintroduces the Robot Wars brand back into people's minds can only be positive. The only risk I can see is that to many people something called 'Robot Wars' means the format as they are used to it, Craig Charles, Phillipa, House Robots, Arena - and it's clear on Jonno's Facebook page that's been people's initial reaction. They have latched on to the words that they want to see in John's post without reading the detail, or between the lines. This expectation mismatch is the reason that we didn't licence the name some years back, as we couldn't see how we could deliver on that audience expectation which would mean people turn up once, don't get the show they expected, and don't come back.

Any announcement made needed to be big and bold, that's what Jonno did - going forward we need to help him to continue to evolve this and make sure those audiences that do turn up, don't go away disappointed.

[robotwars]

Re: Starting 2013 with a bang....Our News :-)

Well after our first fantastic event of 2013, and sadly our last Roaming Robots event, things have started moving on the new rebrand ready for Portsmouth.

Just a note to everyone that we will now be called Robot Wars not Roaming Robots and I have asked kane to change the names of all of our shows resepctively.

Very soon we will be launching a new rebranded website under a robot wars domain name, new youtube account, and new facebook group. I will keep you all posted with progress.

John

[robotwars]

Well a quick update on progress of the rebrand.

Here's what I can reveal, lots more exciting stuff happening behind the scenes but that's for later in the year.

We have now started to swap our social media over to Robot Wars, and so as sad as it is the RR facebook group will soon be closed.

Come and like the brand new OFFICIAL Robot Wars Page. http://www.facebook.com/officialrobotwars

Come and chat in our group, if you are building a robot and need some personal help from the experts, or want to ask a question they dont bite. http://www.facebook.com/groups/robotwars/

Youtube and Twitter will soon follow.

The new range of Robot Wars merchandise will hopefully arrive before our next event and that will include official Robot Wars T-Shirts, Caps and Pens.

In addition to this we will be launching the first of our range of competitor merchandise, event DVD's and other bits and bobs very soon !

We have commissioned a brand new Robot Wars website which should be completed in the next 2 months, its going to be worth the wait, thats for sure.

New trophies went down well, and again in Colchester roboteers will be competing for one once again in the new format. Make sure you have signed up to the event to be included in the competition draw on Wednesday night.

http://www.123contactform.com/form-5...obot-Wars-Temp

Think thats it for now.

John
www.RobotWars.tv

[Septic343]

In addition to this we will be launching the first of our range of competitor merchandise

Does this mean like the pullback toys that the tv show sold?

[robotwars]

Eventually we will have toys, but we are starting small and working up from there, there's just not enough hours in the day at the moment.

We have chosen robots carefully which regularily attend our shows, entertain and are popular, but do have scope for a lot more robots to be added to the range.

John