As the 2014 event calender has currently resulted in 0 events and both myself and Aaron are now going to be located more closer to the region might be time to think about next year.
I think our best option would be sportsmans. Means we can go just barriers (unless glen finishes his flipper) and is good to start things going again without too much expesnive damage which not all of us have the time to repair more than once or twice a year.
What are your thoughts?
Also who would be able to come?
I think I would like to see if we can get together something in early January. I would have one or two.
A few things ....
1. We aren't going to Jeff's.
2. Do it regardless of people pulling out.
Why? Well you guys may have noticed that we had a pretty similar situation back in QLD back in 2009/10 ish. The only way we got back to regular events was doing some shitty ones with just a few robots and screwing around. Then antweights because they were small and easy. We are now back to feathers and should be semi regular events but not exactly a short road.
1. Everytime someone needs to get in contact, then its weird being there, and its a shit environment.
2. Because its the only way to have more events. You need to start somewhere.
So Sportsmans
I realise we are probably going to only get lifters and wedges without barriers. (yeh if you can only bring a wedge its ok) But is anyone keen?
Steve
(Its gunna be like going back to driving all the way to Gympie for events) _________________ Steven Martin
Twisted Constructions
http://www.botbitz.com
Sat Oct 25, 2014 6:41 pm
Nick Experienced Roboteer
Joined: 16 Jun 2004
Posts: 11802
Location: Sydney, NSW
We definitely need to have an event soon but I just don't have enough time and interest to build a sportsman to be honest. We are also suffering from a lack of eligible bots - Warning and Das Boot are to only two working and sportsmanlike bots that I can think of.
Where can we hold events? We need somewhere with a large and level floor and hopefully under cover. At one point we thought about the area outside Chris's workshop, maybe that's still an option?
If we can find a venue for a regular event, I would seriously think of funding a new arena based on the QLD design and I probably have a place to store it now. _________________ Australian 2015 Featherweight champion
UK 2016 Gladiator champion
Main issue is between you and Glen the amount of damage which would happen on a regular basis would just really prevent more than a few times a year. Unless you can manufacture lots more builders with spare time.
Not sure what the options are other than sportsmans or smaller bots.
Joined: 16 Jun 2004
Posts: 11802
Location: Sydney, NSW
Guilty as charged . What I proposed to get around that was a self-imposed RPM limit for spinners so that everyone could use their existing bots without all the extreme damage. Nobody got back to me on that, so I guess its not a popular option... _________________ Australian 2015 Featherweight champion
UK 2016 Gladiator champion
Sat Oct 25, 2014 10:16 pm
seanet1310
Joined: 08 Nov 2006
Posts: 1265
Location: Adelaide
The bot I am currently thinking of is a spinner or sorts I was planning to make eligible for sportsman (based on the rules used for Redfern). Would make my life easier if the spinning rules for sportsmen were expanded a bit here but that brings up needing higher quality arenas to contain and I would probably only make one backyard event a year at best.
A pure RPM limit may not be the best thing for a sportsmen, A slow moving, heavy weapon has a decent bit of KE to contain in the arena (or barriers as per Steves original post) and a sportsmen class could encourage someone to go with minimal armor and drives to get a very heavy spinning bar/disk beyond what we have currently. Still it is worth a talk and anything to get more events is a good thing. _________________ Remember to trust me, I am an Engineer.
Joined: 16 Jun 2004
Posts: 11802
Location: Sydney, NSW
I can't remember the rules used for Redfern but we already bent the rules quite a bit to allow wedges (which were explicitly banned in the original rules), so we can bend them a bit further to limit both the speed & weight of spinners. _________________ Australian 2015 Featherweight champion
UK 2016 Gladiator champion
We didn't allow wedges at redfern. We did allow saws though.
The real issue is the arena, it needs to be simple and easy to setup for just a few hours really. Which is why I was thinking barrier or just park style event would be good.
Really I don't want to get too bogged down in the what sort of event/robots/rules ect ect. Really just need to do something. Even if its just a meet up and show and drive around with BBQ and a few lifter vs wedge battles.
I concur with your general sentiment Steve, need to break the inertia somehow even if it's not the worlds most awesome event.
Be aware that with ditching Jeff's we run into the issue where we may have to go over there and help him demolish the old arena. As he was only keeping it there for us.
Having said, there may be large amounts of viable salvagable polycarb in that to be reused.
Other points that occurred to me as I read through this:
- Dumhed was talking about doing beetle events at his workshop in Hornsby.
- Wedges definitely weren't part of the rules we used at Redfern
- Technically we have FarmBoy in NSW now to go with Das Boot and Warning
- Aaron was suggesting he could fit a feather arena in his yard i think?
- I'm still working on trying to convince Bort to play again. He seems more interested at the moment but certainly not promising anything. However I suspect he is more likely to get involved with feather scale robots. I think he still has a complete robot, unsure of what its final configuration was but it was either the Flexo thwack-bot or he modified it into a flamethrower. Also, Lindsay (prong). He has a LOT of drills! Just trying to convince him the other stuff he needs is suitably cheap. Ie. Botbitz controllers, radio. _________________ <Patrician|Away> what does your robot do, sam
<bovril> it collects data about the surrounding environment, then discards it and drives into walls
Mon Oct 27, 2014 5:28 pm
Nick Experienced Roboteer
Joined: 16 Jun 2004
Posts: 11802
Location: Sydney, NSW
When I mentioned bending the sportsman rules to allow wedges, I was thinking about a recent QLD event. its not really a bad thing if it means more bots can compete, but it means that a wedge will almost always win.
I'm still not sure why we don't want to have events at Jeff's place . Sure, he is not interested in building any more but he seemed keen to watch and chat with us. If we are just feeling uncomfortable imposing on him, perhaps we should offer to pay for the privilege?
Good point about taking down the arena - I remember how hard it was to just transport the steel tiles from Chris's workshop and dumping them would cost quite a bit. _________________ Australian 2015 Featherweight champion
UK 2016 Gladiator champion
Mon Oct 27, 2014 6:53 pm
Eventorizon-GB
Joined: 15 Nov 2013
Posts: 111
Location: Ripon, United Kingdom
Given I am in the UK I don't have the full view of the issue but I had an idea for new UK event which may be more viable in Aus.
Basically is taking the combat off road or in an arena with lots of slopes and different height levels. This could be someone's backyard or a gravel carpark or even an actual quarry/work site if you are lucky.
4WD High ground clearance machines with axes, lifters, claws and overhead bars/saws would be able to get around and make high speed attacks from the top of slopes or push over a bucket of gravel to immobilise an opponent or block off a path. No event needs to be identical and that's kind of the point as you cant design and optimise for one arena and things can keep changing. And even better you can host it almost anywhere, you just need a set of screens between the pits area and the arena.
I know people will have had this idea before but given you guys seem to be looking for a new event and don't have much of a base it might be a good idea to take the opportunity to try something new.
So well what about a build meet and an event in the build up to the canberra event if that comes through? Should be a few of us looking to do sportsmans. _________________ Steven Martin
Twisted Constructions
http://www.botbitz.com
Mon Oct 27, 2014 7:21 pm
seanet1310
Joined: 08 Nov 2006
Posts: 1265
Location: Adelaide
Sounds a little like the Ultibot (Same as Ausbot?) thing Vic had 8 years ago (or so the forum tells me) but before my time. Gary even built some bots for it if memory serves. Think they may even have been one event if not more
Not sure going in a complete new direction is great right now unless we can get plenty of people to sign up to build for a new class and environment. Would be hard to make something be able to compete at normal feathers. Sportsman it is doable.
quote:Originally posted by Eventorizon-GB:
Given I am in the UK I don't have the full view of the issue but I had an idea for new UK event which may be more viable in Aus.
Basically is taking the combat off road or in an arena with lots of slopes and different height levels. This could be someone's backyard or a gravel carpark or even an actual quarry/work site if you are lucky.
4WD High ground clearance machines with axes, lifters, claws and overhead bars/saws would be able to get around and make high speed attacks from the top of slopes or push over a bucket of gravel to immobilise an opponent or block off a path. No event needs to be identical and that's kind of the point as you cant design and optimise for one arena and things can keep changing. And even better you can host it almost anywhere, you just need a set of screens between the pits area and the arena.
I know people will have had this idea before but given you guys seem to be looking for a new event and don't have much of a base it might be a good idea to take the opportunity to try something new.
_________________ Remember to trust me, I am an Engineer.
Joined: 16 Jun 2004
Posts: 11802
Location: Sydney, NSW
I agree, we will be better off with bots that can all run in the same arena, at least as far as the floor goes. _________________ Australian 2015 Featherweight champion
UK 2016 Gladiator champion
Mon Oct 27, 2014 8:59 pm
Glen Experienced Roboteer
Joined: 16 Jun 2004
Posts: 9481
Location: Where you least expect
Heya, can only reply on my phone at the moment so posting on forums is tricky.
I'm good for an event of the sporting man variety. Will build something new and arena friendly but it will be cheap and nasty. Blew all my money on this. Isn't it purdy though <3 hahaa
A friend also has his work shop setup and would be keen to make something! A low key event would be good for him I reckon
Joined: 19 May 2010
Posts: 3973
Location: ipswich QLD
Sportsman will encourage more pneumatic flippers i reckon….they are some of the most amazing robots. ….also bots like like Mr mangle could be sportman-ized with geared down 400rpm weapon maybe ..…and you NSW guys build a god damn arena already..before we have to build one for you. he he _________________ Miles Blow - Julie Pitts
www.mulesfilm.com.au www.wombokforest.com.au
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. What I proposed to get around that was a self-imposed RPM limit for spinners so that everyone could use their existing bots without all the extreme damage. Nobody got back to me on that, so I guess its not a popular option...
. Sure, he is not interested in building any more but he seemed keen to watch and chat with us. If we are just feeling uncomfortable imposing on him, perhaps we should offer to pay for the privilege?
….also bots like like Mr mangle could be sportman-ized with geared down 400rpm weapon maybe