What is a walker?

[ewan]

Surely it's obvious why the rule was changed - 100% bonus was too much for a machine like Anarchy (given they weren't even close to their 200kg potential). A middle-ground bonus for 1DOF cam mechanisms would make sense though.

A 2DOF beetleweight walker would be very easy at the moment, just base it on any number of (usually six legged) kits: http://www.active-robots.com/robots/bipeds
For a combat machine I imagine at least six legs would be needed for sufficient stability.

[ewan]

Here's what one of the most basic 2DOF six-legged kits can do: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=beIyKFXB4Os

Details here: http://www.lynxmotion.com/c-145-ah2.aspx

If you were clever you could have one motor operate all leg forward/back movements on one side and another motor for the other side. You'd still need motors/actuators for each leg to achieve up/down movement as well though

[craig_colliass]

Surely it's obvious why the rule was changed - 100% bonus was too much for a machine like Anarchy ..

Obvious! Not to me Anarchy was so good ...........................IT LOST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[ewan]

It really wouldn't have taken many changes for it or a similar machine to be dominant at 200kg, I believe this is the reason why Robot Wars rules changed between series 6 and 7 (do I remember that correctly? so many years ago!). It's become a cliché now but the relatively easy to build 1DOF drive plus full-body-spinner combination emphasises how a 100% bonus would really be too much.

[ewan]

Oh how could I forget the US example of the Heavyweight 'Son of Whyachi' http://www.teamwhyachi.com/sow.htm which won Battlebots in 2001 with a 1DOF shuffler mechanism and a massive fbs style cage. Battlebots changed their rules after that

[typhoon_driver]

I am in complete agreement that 100% is too much for a 1DOF walker. As stated earlier, 25 or 30% increase for that mechanism would be fair. You are essentially getting your motion for free in the weight allowance. The above hexapod would be tricky initially to build but you could put a big disc over the top of it and have a serious contender

[Bacon Wizard]

Obvious! Not to me Anarchy was so good ...........................IT LOST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Anarchy is one of my other fave bots in the UK ever actually. But even if current regs allowed that style of build, I definitely feel that it should have been disqualified for running on its gear-train once the legs were gone. A walker should ONLY walk.

[ewan]

Anarchy didn't do that, I think you're thinking of the much smaller Scuttle?

[craig_colliass]

'Son of Whyachi' is, and has always been, a shufflebot in my opinion. This thread is dealing with walkers. so I can't see it has anything to do with this subject, however it is a great robot.

History has shown the best walker with 1DOM was below average on the score card.
the robots with 2DOM didn't make it across the arena.
I believe the 2DOM is a bad rule, born out of prejudice, and fear of what could happen but never has.

[Bacon Wizard]

Anarchy didn't do that, I think you're thinking of the much smaller Scuttle?

Sorry, yes you're quite right.

[Eventorizon]

Sorry, yes you're quite right.

Scuttle self destructed in its first Technogames, mike swapped the legs for something stronger then was unbeatable...

[ewan]

Unless you define it another way Son of Whyachi is a 1DOF walker - if you were to allow Pilgrim type mechanisms you would also be allowing Whyachi type mechanisms unless you added more restrictions to the trajectory that the legs have to trace.

[Bacon Wizard]

Scuttle self destructed in its first Technogames, mike swapped the legs for something stronger then was unbeatable...

It blew my mind to see scuttle taking-off down the track though. I mean no disrespect to other teams; they've achieved something which I haven't as yet. But scuttle was orders of magnitude more impressive in its day than anything since.

[craig_colliass]

Taken straight from Battle Bots Wiki

Son of Whyachi was a competitor on BattleBots built by Team Whyachi as a lighter version of their superheavyweight robot Whyachi. It originally competed in Season 3.0 as a heavyweight, where it claimed the championship. However, after new rules decided that its unique drive system (a set of "feet" that "shuffled" along the ground) did not constitute the weight bonus given to walkers, it moved to the superheavyweight division. Unfortunately, it never relived its Season 3.0 success, losing early in both Seasons 4.0 and 5.0. It also had a lightweight version called YU812 which competed in the final two seasons. Son of Whyachi returned for the NPC Charity Open as Nitro SOW.

"a set of "feet" that "shuffled" along the ground" Slam Dunk!!

[ewan]

I'm not sure I see your point, it was classed as a walker in the same way that Anarchy was classed as a walker, both were mechanisms that use cams in 1DOF