Northern England & Scotland event startup

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I'm not sure about Ikea tables-to be honest most Ikea furniture I have
come across fell to bits after a week or so.

I have two desks lined together in my flat to form a wall of table for varying computers, printers (which rarely work), several monitors (more than one computer, and all have more than one monitor attached) and they've lasted about 10 years so far with no major issues, bit of veneer coming off. I have however tested something, I've drilled a hole in the bottom of one of the tables to verify they're solid, as some new IKEA stuff has been found to have thin layers of wood at the top and bottom, but the insides are actually packed with cardboard rolls. It's possible these tables were made before that practice came into action though, and if i was to get the same now, they'd be the cardboard packing type. I'm certainly thinking using a suitably sized table as the floor, and then building a polycarbonate shield around the legs of the table(s). So there is still a moat / drop before the polycarb for pushing and flipping out - but they'll be caught under the table surface so won't fly off under the table and nibble little Timmy's ankles. Using a table also provides the off the floor level required for convenient watching and placing in and out of the arena.

I'm definitely wanting to try doing some fun stuff, of course have the head to head battles, but do lots of fun 'because we can' little games on the side.

Money is again and unsurprisingly the main issue i am facing.

A bit of a radical solution I am thinking of, is perhaps it is worth setting up a collective of Roboteers, and together work towards buying a shared arena, for use by anyone part of the group as they need, and we all go about with this one (plus probably another few for the mini games). Doing this, the costs are split, and no one person owns anything, it's for anyone to use anywhere they want, and start little events across the nation. Bringing fun to roboteers where ever they are, with this little shared bit of kit - instead of waiting and hoping one of the main events goes near them.
Thoughts on that?

[JohnandZander10]

Have just returned from my local event in Manchester 14hr round trip, so anything closer would be great for us, ants, beetle and feather's ready to go 😁

[Ocracoke]

A bit of a radical solution I am thinking of, is perhaps it is worth setting up a collective of Roboteers, and together work towards buying a shared arena, for use by anyone part of the group as they need, and we all go about with this one (plus probably another few for the mini games). Doing this, the costs are split, and no one person owns anything, it's for anyone to use anywhere they want, and start little events across the nation. Bringing fun to roboteers where ever they are, with this little shared bit of kit - instead of waiting and hoping one of the main events goes near them.
Thoughts on that?

I wouldn't go for that, the question of who owns the arena(s) would still be present and what if I wanted to use it for a few tests for example? I might have to traipse across the country to get it, which rather defeats the point of this.

Your best bet, in the short term really, is for someone to own the arena and for them to be happy for Robot Rally to use that arena until Robot Rally's arena is ready where Robot Rally (or Bad Sciences) owns that as an asset.

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I wouldn't go for that, the question of who owns the arena(s) would still be present and what if I wanted to use it for a few tests for example? I might have to traipse across the country to get it, which rather defeats the point of this.

Well, the idea was to cover events, not just tests. You are of course right, there would need to be some body (in this idea, probably Bad Science Limited) or something that ultimately owns the assets, but essentially loans them out.

That idea was more thinking out loud than anything serious.

[Ocracoke]

My apologies, I've just re-read my reply and it might have come across a bit harsh, sorry. I can kind of see where you were going with this but I'd think it'd create more problems than it would solve, best to keep it simple so everyone knows where they stand with this

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My apologies, I've just re-read my reply and it might have come across a bit harsh, sorry.

It's absolutely fine, it was a bit of a radical idea to begin with. Just basically spitballing with myself there, trying to figure out the best way of doing it, and also the quickest financially. There's certainly Roboteers in the north and Scotland, so i'm just trying to get them some action, without driving half way across the island of Great Britain

[team death]

For Anyone not familiar with the size of ant weight Robots, which includes
me! here's a Robot Wars example
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TiRQDNfGpIg&t=131s

I like the idea of car park fights too bare knuckle fights as retroman said
or cage Robot fights (easy to fit some bars to a arena)
You could even take your ant arena on the back of a pick up and
go to countless venues like
Boot fairs
Agriculture shows
Markets
Beach events -next to punch and judy
any place theres going to be crowds
Maybe you could fit it in a suitcase Del Boy style which pops up
and then down again when your rents due and just run off

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The typical rules for an antweight are, it must fit within a 4 inch cube, and weigh 150 grams or less. They can come across as a lot bigger on camera with some trickery, but they are actually tiiiny. I'm not sure if Robot Wars stuck to the 4 inch cube max size, or just the weight limits.

An arena for antweights is certainly something you can shove in the back of even a decent sized car or MPV and take to anywhere there is interest. if its made portable / modular / flatpack, you might be able to shove it in a backpack and take it on a train. Entertain randomers at Manchester Piccadilly waiting for their delayed trains. (probably not that)

[Retroman]

This sounds like an amazing idea, going to be following all this very closely.

I l8ke the idea of slapping it on a pickup and just rolling up somewhere, but we'd need plenty of co-operation from the legendary northern weather...

I'll let you know how plans for a backpack style arena go, that's my plan so I can transport it on the bike while I've no car still, be an interesting challenge making it decently sized but still portable.

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I l8ke the idea of slapping it on a pickup and just rolling up somewhere, but we'd need plenty of co-operation from the legendary northern weather...

I've thought of the weather issues, I've lookeed up prices of renting a few places, it isn't that bad really. Just organise it with a school, and roll up really - seems to be easiest places to book, with their gyms and halls.

School halls (or gyms) are usually about £20 to £35 an hour. Available from about 5pm onwards on weekdays, and all day on weekends when school isn't open anyway.
Sports centres are more expensive, but you have more room in their halls, and they need to recoup the money they'd be maing from renting those halls out to badminton, tennis etc. Schools don't need to do that, as they'd be empty anyway.

Some schools claim to be 'school of science' or 'school of technology' - i'm not sure if this is meant to be literal, or just something that is meant to appeal to parents. If literal, might be easier to book with them.

In short, everything here is possible, if a little fiddly and time consuming. It's just if there is enough interest to make it worth doing. As Colin (team death) noted, once its done, it's a case of rolling up and taking it anywhere there is interest and fun to be had.

[sean retro]

Think there should be a house robot for each weight class? It'll add bit more fire to it and just to make sure that one of the robots is dead. Also here's an idea a prize draw (£2-5) for one of the audience to drive on of the house robots, they might drive well or be like Shunt back from the 90s, drunk.

[Maxamuslead]

I would be against a audience member driving a house bot, controlling arena hazards are fine but not a house bot

[Retroman]

Maybe see if someone would be happy to let someone drive their own bot would be better than a house bot, less chance of total carnage, could even have a couple of pushers (or something non spinner) for an audience face off? Plus a raffle would be a decent fundraiser. Everyone loves a raffle.

As for renting spaces, I know of somewhere locally (scout hq) that was £15 an hour and had kitchen, toilets etc and 2 rooms but limited availability... so it's definitely something to look at as I imagine there are some pretty sweet venues about and some deals to be made. And the "school of technology" theory might just be on to something. I'll make a few tentative enquiries with places I know and scope out a general feel.

Hazards are a cool idea too, trying to work out the neatest way to make a dropping pit with release button...

[Ocracoke]

I know the Bristol Bot Builders guys used a Beetleweight in a "Beat the Boss" event (I think that is what it is called) in which all the AWs faced off against the BW.

(42:50 on the video)

Perhaps a smaller BW could serve as a house robot but to be honest, AWs are perfectly capable of making enough danger/entertainment all on their own.

Hazards are a cool idea too, trying to work out the neatest way to make a dropping pit with release button...

If it was functional as a button, I can see it breaking really easily, especially against a AW spinner. Personally, I can't see why someone can't just watch the match and then when a robot hits the "button", that person pulls on a string which releases a catch and a pit swings down open like a trapdoor.

[Retroman]

[QUOTE=Ocracoke;472290
If it was functional as a button, I can see it breaking really easily, especially against a AW spinner. Personally, I can't see why someone can't just watch the match and then when a robot hits the "button", that person pulls on a string which releases a catch and a pit swings down open like a trapdoor.[/QUOTE]

Thats why I'm having think so much about it, I like the idea of automatic operation, havebwwn thinking along the lines of a bumper bar, likely a section of wood like the walls, that can move to contact a microswitch or similar... but I like to over complicate things...

Wouldn't beating a beetle be insanely difficult? I know that's the point? But holy smokes...