To the Future

[craig_colliass]

Thanks for the input

To answer some points raised.

Champagne glad everyone got some at the feather champs hope it was chilled, next time come with some flutes.

Advice on building robots or getting spares. Good point but I think the FRA should be the ones providing an accessible platform for this a sort of robot building Wikipedia. Are there any volunteers?

The spinners are too spinney, and the flippers are too flippy and the boxes are too well boxy, has been discussed on other threads! The general consensus is the environment needs to change, but the ones that have the advantage with the status quo tend to oppose this, which proves the saying everything is fair in love and robot wars.

For instance.
John did suggest the idea of uneven floors; this was to stop the relentless march of the tin snail flippers. And was buried under adverse comments about this, so had to retract this idea before it was even tried.

Beetle weights are run by Stu with Kinimatic events. Try discussing this with him if it makes the event better for the punters I’m sure he would listen, and then it may filter down to the other weights. Be the trail blazers on this. (But on another thread, please)

[daveimi]

Yeah I never meant it to be a spinner/non-spinner debate. I meant in terms of public exposure (no pun intended) the beetle stuff does quite well so having an "easy category" may encourage the hoards of 8 yr olds at the events. Would also aid creativity I think. I don't want the world to be without spinners lol, just think as with model car clubs etc. we could do with the FRA coming up with some way of dividing events beginner/experienced or summat.

[suvv]

when it comes to the whole spinner non spinner argument would it be worth making a whole new class based on the rex garrod robot challenge rules that he dreamed up specifically for schools and novices to let them get a feel for things i believe spinners were banned totally and the robots had a max budget of £500 or something might be a good way to promote the sport to schools and youth groups if its shown that there creations aren't going to get decimated by a team with deep pockets and a several thousand pounds worth of high tech equipment.

as for the main shows maybe bring out a tag team tournament but make it that it has to be 2 separate teams and not just a team with 2 robots in it so you have a mixture of teams or maybe a random draw from a hat for teams

i think it would also be good to reward people for doing things on the cheep (the tesco value award or something)

[craig_colliass]

Has anyone got any ideas for a Robot Wars type TV program?

We have the Back street type format, bunker style.

How about Clan Wars, there are groups of robot teams with say 5 or 6 robots, come together to a big battle scene,
They could be grouped by geographic area, robot type or just friend groups.

The format could be anything from last man standing to flag capture or similar goal.
Terrain could be old industrial building with flat floors to anything outside.

[psychostorm]

I did like the idea of a Crystal Maze type game show, with different themed areas, robots having to complete trials to win their way into a final fight.

Oh and a final that is artificial snowstorm.

Some might argue that isn't in line with the sport. I'd like to counter argue we're doing the sport bit anyway and what we really need is the cash not fleeting TV appearances.

[Eventorizon]

The beetles just need an arena that favours all/more weapon types. Like a pit, an oota area and perhaps a drop-off.

Its being done. Dave's arena and the Kinematics arena both have Pits now, ours will get one when we switch to a metal floor. Dave has also fitted a one sided OOTA to his arena, so its changed since you were last here.

[Niels - Team K.a.L.M.]

Its being done. Dave's arena and the Kinematics arena both have Pits now, ours will get one when we switch to a metal floor. Dave has also fitted a one sided OOTA to his arena, so its changed since you were last here.

Great, that would help getting more types of machines.

To return to the topic at hand. I would love to see an industrial area to fight our machines in. A concrete building area with polycarb shields on one side a and some sacrificial crates would make a nice change and an interesting show.

Perhaps one of the eo's could contact a few teams (heavies) and do a YouTube broadcasted show with 8 different machines. Kane's gopro's on the walls and some pyrotechniques to fun it up.

[typhoon_driver]

An interesting thread.

No owner of a workshop will let fights happen if the workshop / warehouse is still in use, period. Not unless there is an arena containing it all which negates the point of having a battle in that setting. Too much chance for damage / liability. That leaves abandoned or about to be demolished settings. Well generally they are in that state from years of neglect which would make it completely unsafe to have any battles in, which could end up causing more damage to the structures. Not to mention the joys of asbestos.

A better solution would be to dress the arena up in an industrial style and put crates or other obstacles in there. A bit more effort to set up and take down but all very doable. I suspect themed arenas with ideas taken from the original game would be the way to go forward. Chain link fencing around the edge of the arena floor. Floors dress up to look like concrete or tarmac. Stacks of breeze blocks or even old machinery or small cars or rusting motor bikes.

[overkill]

Perhaps Niels was thinking about an abandoned, derelict factory, not someone's active workshop?

[Niels - Team K.a.L.M.]

Using an active workshop could have been the case... if that active workshop was in an abondoned, derelict factory or otherwise.
What I meant to say is that any area would do, whether it is a decomissioned airbase, a factory gone broke or relocated or a side building on a campus that is unused and marked for demolition.

[typhoon_driver]

As I said

"That leaves abandoned or about to be demolished settings. Well generally they are in that state from years of neglect which would make it completely unsafe to have any battles in, which could end up causing more damage to the structures. Not to mention the joys of asbestos."

I completely understand what you guys are getting at but I think feasibility may be a real issue

[john_frizell]

Given the success of the new Battlebots in the US, it might be a good idea to continue to think about what might work on TV, should there be interest in reviving televised robot combat here. So here are some quick thoughts on new approaches:

-By all means go with the suggestions made earlier in this thread to use abandoned buildings with the audience watching via video. This would allow much higher energy machines to be used without threat to the audience.

-Have an arena with sloping sides and a flat top. You win by reaching the top and holding it for a specified amount of time. [One way to do this is to destroy your opponent.]This would get us away from wedges.

-Limit the cost of robots to [say] £500. This would be accomplished by the production company buying each contestant’s robot from them for £500 as a condition of appearance. At the end of each match the loser would be completely destroyed [after an off camera moment for removal of batteries and electronics]. This would promote greater creativity.

-Have the robots fight on water instead of on land.

-Let the production company specify what they want [perhaps 2 like big threshing machines, one steamroller, 4 with pickaxes etc] and then we build to their specifications with guaranteed entry to the show for completed machines.

[suvv]

i think specifying the types of machine being made might lead to some people thinking that it is rigged ie the production company feels this type has to win so they constantly stack the deck in its favour type feelings and to be honest i would rather have the freedom to make what i want as it keeps the field open to everyone

i like the idea of it being on water as i used to build model boats so id be up for that challenge but it comes with its own inherent problems all you would need to do is build a very robust battering ram and jsut keep putting holes below the water line and very quick wins but not very good tv

i like the idea of the price limit as it would bring out some creative thinking but the problem then lies is that for materials only or does outsourcing for labour count into it as some of us need to pay for others to do things like milling and fabrication as we cant do it ourselves yet though making it that losers get fed into a shredder at teh end would put people off shelling out for titanium cast ultra machines but it would also mean things like razer and warhead would never make appearances

the one thing i did like from battlebots old format as opposed to the new one is that it wasn't focused purely on heavyweights without it showing the other weight classes i would never have known and subsequently never thought about doing it as my fabrications skills arent up to that level and i get the feeling that maybe feathers and beetles would be good to showcase and not just the big boys

[craig_colliass]

Glad people are still thinking about things.
I like the idea of there being a limit on costs this has been discussed too many times before and each time you get stuck on the "how to police it" questions if you did have a we buy your robot for £500 people would still spend thousands because for some winning is everything! you could limit the type of components you could use, but this it's argued would crush creativity. I have come to the conclusion it probably just won't happen in the real world, like the rich saying I have more than I can ever spend I will give most of my money to those without!

I love the idea of water-borne robot fights, Jungle encounters, urban environments and Alien planets. all chosen by random selection!
I don't know how practical that would be but it would be fun

I think if the re is a return to Robot Wars on TV the production company will make demands on what they think will make good viewing figures, I can think of a few things.

Variety even if they stick to the flat floor arena, the company will almost certainly filter out large numbers of robots with similar looks and weapon systems.

Destruction they will want to see bits of some ones robot fall off.

Theme the shows would have to have a look, and an identifying idea that separates it form the past and the present USA opposition.

Cost this is a big one if the cost is small and the viewing figures are high they like it. if this is not the case they dump it. remember a production company is not a fan it is a business.

If you can think of an idea for a program format that is cheap to produce, that is different, with interesting machines, a bit of destruction, and variety.
Well we may have a winner.

Lets keep on with the discussion guys.

[craig_colliass]

An idea for a show,

Some robot teams say four, are introduced to the viewers, they are given a location and a time and date for the fight. some cryptic clues are given as to what the environment and opposition will be, they have a day to improve or modify their machines to counter what they think they will be up against.

The fight venue will be arranged in such a way the teams won't know who they are fighting until the robots enter the fight zone.
Then its last man standing or fight for 5 minuets and points for the usual. or inhalation competition.
each show there are different robots from different teams in different venues.

Those who do well will be in the second round, then quarter finals then semi finals then the Grand Final.

Plenty of holes in the idea but it is a start.