El Reg mulls entering Robot Wars arena The news this week that the BBC is to reboot its celebrated robo-deathmatch series Robot Wars prompted much comment from our beloved readers, and amid the excitement, Sleepypete posed the provocative question: "Anyone else hoping that SPB turn their talents to making an all conquering, all destroying, punyhuman enslaving …
Yeah they have been touring a Robot Wars-esque show. However I think a lot of the robots from the TV series (Chaos 2, Hypnodisc etc) do the tour, so it will probably be them looking to start this new series.
But March you say? You could build something in 6 weeks. It'd be like Rocky facing Apollo Creed, only this time Rocky wins.
I've just received the rules about the robots, I think it's fairly standard. There doesn't seem to be anything listed on it that is different to the robots seen years ago. The application form has place for "photos of the robot" and a YouTube link. So I don't know whether they only want robots that are already pre-built to attend or robots that are on the drawing board are allowed to enter.
Perhaps they are just using the first series of this new run to raise awareness of it to would-be competitors.
If so, one can expect more competitors and variety in Robot Wars Reboot Series 2.
What do we know? From BBC Media Centre:
- More robots and teams than original series
- Use of new technology - Arduinos, Raspberry Pis, 3D printing, cheap sensors, small cameras etc
- Educational
- Still includes "crushing, sawing and scorching"
- http://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/latestnews/2016/robot-wars-returns
One can assume that the use of new technologies (one can order quickly order custom parts by emailing a CAD file, schools and 'maker groups' have 3D printers) lowers the bar of entry, thus allowing more teams to compete.
Thanks - I already spoke to them, and they said it kicks off in early March. That's why it's too late to get something together from scratch.
That's not an insurmountable problem. El Reg should just call on the services of Captain Cyborg, arm him with a variety of plastic spoons and perhaps a tooth-pick or two if we're feeling generous and drop him into the arena. Possibly from a great height?.
It's a win-win situation.
I've applied, found an old design I did in 15 years ago and rehashed it. Stuck some clever stuff on the design. I don't have a robot built, far from it, and so far I have the outline of a machine I drew in GIMP.
I've added it to the application, although it says "Photos of Robot" and "YouTube link of Robot", so I suspect they are looking for pre-built machines. But, I think with the clever items I've added to the machine I could be given the chance to build it.
Highly doubt it, but at least I'll have time to build it properly for Series 2.
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No point in reinventing the wheel?
Also what are the new rules?
A thorough examination of old matches should give you an idea. Bots with stabby, hammery weapons never did so well. If was always the flipping machines that worked best (hypnodisc being an exeception that that rule).
Maybe if the floor is metal you could build in an electomagnet to nail yourself to the floor to stop your bot being flipped.
That's one of the very few XKCD strips that confuses me... viewing it again in the context of a 'Robot Wars' style competition, it makes a little bit more sense - but I still feel that I'm missing something. Was it drawn in reference to some US TV Robot Soccer event?
So, the robot uses the sprinkler system to disable those things that look like cherry-picker platforms, and then it is pushing two footballs? I can't tell!
Ah, that explains it! 'FIRST Design' is a design for the FIRST Robotics Competition... my brain read it as 'First Design' (as in v.0.1 or whatever) and so I was trying to read it as a commentary about actually making the very first you sketch on the back of a beermat.
Thank you richardcox13 :)
I always found flipping robots to be boring, and once robots gained the ability to turn back over or run upside down a flipper becomes somewhat useless.
I preferred the robots which did serious damage, hypnodisc being probably the best example. Makes for great tv, but obviously becomes expensive for competitors if their robots get completely destroyed.
If against a petrol engined opponent, launches a cloud of air-filter clogging particles.
Against an electrically powered opponent, a web of sticky Kevlar fibres shot into the wheel housings.
Or a stinger-like device that could penetrate the outer shell and fill the interior with expanding builder's foam.
There used to be different weight limits for power sources.
Best of the earlier series from my memory:
Casius (the original flipper IIRC)
Razor (ridiculously damaging claw)
Hypnodisc (Deciding that power wasn't everthing if you can build some energy in a weapon)
Before HD came out I had started to settle on a chinook style hypnodisc-esque weapons system because building energy in a flywheel was always the most obvious way to inflict damage.
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