[TC11] Technic Contest Battle Bots - Discussion Topic

[Milan]

1 hour ago, aminnich said:

1) Are we allow to modify the battery packs to give us more power? Sure we could add another battery pack to the model, but we have a space restriction

2) As "letsbuild" brought up, is the actual damage of the weapons going to be accounted for.  He provided a great example.  

3) I did not catch it in the rules, are videos required? Yes they would be great to add to the discussion topic for the voters to physically see what each function does.  

4) Big thanks to the creators of the Sbrick, but is there a reason my the Sbrick category prize to worth so much more?  I understand why they would want their product to be praised more, but I personally think the contestants using the Sbrick are at an advantage, 4 controls in a unit instead of only 2.  Don't get me wrong, I am not complaining, just commenting. 

1. No modifying parts.

2. Will get back to this.

3. Yes, video is mandatory, it is stated in the rules :)

 

4 minutes ago, Burko-uk said:

Oh, and being new to such things, is the size limit 45 studs? Or 45 inches, centimetres, metres, fathoms?

Still just Studs.

[tgrbailey]

What an amazing idea for a competition - way out of my skill set to design and build something to enter but I'll be following closely - well done Jim & Milan

[Thirdwigg]

Thanks for the new contest.

I am getting a little confused as I think about how the winner will be selected. Are we building the coolest robot, or the one that would win in a competition against other entries? Does one win the theoretical competition when the other bot is destroyed or immobilized? Will voting be based on the model or on the theoretical competition? Does the winner need to be able to destroy all bots (if there are 50 entries, won't it get tired? )?

Maybe some info about how the voting will be structured will help me.

[BusterHaus]

13 minutes ago, Thirdwigg said:

Thanks for the new contest.

I am getting a little confused as I think about how the winner will be selected. 

Maybe some info about how the voting will be structured will help me.

A while back I suggested structuring the voting the same way the "Porsche Of Your Dreams" contest was structured. Details here:

 

[Erik Leppen]

Cool contest! I think I'm in. Particularly, because I have watched Battlebots in the past and built a lot of those things in the past (non-functional though, just as a play theme. But I may use these as inspiration). Anyhow. I have a question for the first idea that comes to my mind: can we do a bot that fits the box like this (top view) (image below)? (I say it should be allowed, because whatever fits the box, fits the box.)

Also, what about studded (non-Technic) pieces?

[allanp]

20 minutes ago, Thirdwigg said:

Thanks for the new contest.

I am getting a little confused as I think about how the winner will be selected. Are we building the coolest robot, or the one that would win in a competition against other entries? Does one win the theoretical competition when the other bot is destroyed or immobilized? Will voting be based on the model or on the theoretical competition? Does the winner need to be able to destroy all bots (if there are 50 entries, won't it get tired? )?

Maybe some info about how the voting will be structured will help me.

I guess it will be up to voter descression. A video of this....

.....bouncing off something is gonna be quite underwhelming compared to a video of this.....

.....obliterating an 8081 extreme cruiser (oh you poor thing!  )

[aminnich]

Well, it looks like allan was excited for the contest and is done already 

[allanp]

LOL, that was built over a year ago, so is not allowed 

[Tommy Styrvoky]

Sadly I have very limited time due to college, and I only have a short one week break away from school during this contest, so I will be working on other projects, as I don't think that is enough time to build a successful MOC. Though speaking of destructive capabilities, I think several of these mounted on the end of a rotating studded beam would be quite destructive if anything made contact with them. 

 

I think there is also some potential for creating an interesting drive system for the robot, as I think that would be a good place to score a lot of engineering points, like something with omni-wheels, or a kiwi drive setup.

Or another idea somehow manage to create a working flamethrower using pneumatics...

Edited February 21, 2017 by Tommy Styrvoky

[MajklSpajkl]

I like the idea of elimination tournament as @Jeroen Ottens suggested. It would prolongue tje voting period though.

[Victor Imaginator]

Seems unfair to design a battle bot and do not try to win by battle. But i got the point... I just need to make most scary mechanical disaster?

[Mantarri]

@Milan Are Mindstorms allowed (used RC via an app with bluetooth)?

[aminnich]

Just now, Tommy Styrvoky said:

Sadly I have very limited time due to college, and I only have a short one week break away from school during this contest, so I will be working on other projects, as I don't think that is enough time to build a successful MOC.

I am in the same boat, but I just sorted out all my technic parts so that whenever I have time to build, I can without a problem.  This contest is going to be to awesome to miss.  

[Saberwing40k]

Hmm, I find the rules to be a bit confusing. For me, BattleBot = Robot Tank, or is the contest specifically for a robot designed for essentially gladatorial combat?

[Mantarri]

1 hour ago, Saberwing40k said:

Hmm, I find the rules to be a bit confusing. For me, BattleBot = Robot Tank, or is the contest specifically for a robot designed for essentially gladatorial combat?

I thin It's the "smash your oppenetnts to pieces" kind of battle bot.

[Jim]

On 2/22/2017 at 0:30 AM, XtremeBuilder said:

@Milan Are Mindstorms allowed (used RC via an app with bluetooth)?

The rules clearly state the two options.

On 2/21/2017 at 10:34 PM, Erik Leppen said:

Cool contest! I think I'm in. Particularly, because I have watched Battlebots in the past and built a lot of those things in the past (non-functional though, just as a play theme. But I may use these as inspiration). Anyhow. I have a question for the first idea that comes to my mind: can we do a bot that fits the box like this (top view) (image below)? (I say it should be allowed, because whatever fits the box, fits the box.)

Also, what about studded (non-Technic) pieces?

UPDATE: Diagonal measurements can be greater than 45 studs.

No max 45L wide, deep and high. The original limit was 35 so you've already gained 10L.

Studded pieces are definitely allowed!

On 2/21/2017 at 10:09 PM, Thirdwigg said:

Thanks for the new contest.

I am getting a little confused as I think about how the winner will be selected. Are we building the coolest robot, or the one that would win in a competition against other entries? Does one win the theoretical competition when the other bot is destroyed or immobilized? Will voting be based on the model or on the theoretical competition? Does the winner need to be able to destroy all bots (if there are 50 entries, won't it get tired? )?

Maybe some info about how the voting will be structured will help me.

Okay I will try to come up with actual voting criteria. I originally wanted this in the info, but I also wanted to get the contest up and running asap. I see how this is important though.

Will get back in this today. In short; a cool looking battle bot with an properly working signature move. But I will discuss this with Milan. 

Edited April 12, 2017 by Milan
UPDATE: Diagonal measurements can be greater than 45 studs.

[Jim]

10 hours ago, Burko-uk said:

Robot Wars in the UK has a limit that you can only have one weapon, and it's not a projectile weapon.

We have thought about that. but it would limit the contest. That's why you need at least a signature move/weapon and you can add extra stuff. After all, we are trying to have fun here 

 

11 hours ago, Zero (Zblj) said:

Count me in. Judging by my trend of being fourth, are tehre any przes for that place

There's a raffle prize this time 

10 hours ago, Burko-uk said:

Oh, and being new to such things, is the size limit 45 studs? Or 45 inches, centimetres, metres, fathoms?

It is studs, but Technically the 1L is smaller than a stud.

Basically it's three of these in each direction:

[Jim]

13 hours ago, aminnich said:

4) Big thanks to the creators of the Sbrick, but is there a reason my the Sbrick category prize to worth so much more?  I understand why they would want their product to be praised more, but I personally think the contestants using the Sbrick are at an advantage, 4 controls in a unit instead of only 2.  Don't get me wrong, I am not complaining, just commenting.  

Something is worth as much as you a appreciate it. This has nothing to do with monetary value  
To be honest....I would pick the CLAAS over the BWE any day!

To avoid the "SBrick are at an advantage" discussion, we've created two categories. All contestants will have equal chances of winning a great prize. And yes, since it's Vengit providing the prizes, we have chosen to assign the bigger prize to their category.

 

[Erik Leppen]

Thanks for the answers. I have an idea in mind, now on to thinking about how to power the weapon. I know non-Lego strings etc. are allowed, but I prefer a purist solution.

Also, you can have multiple receivers, and multiple remotes, right? As I see it, you need at least three functions (drive, steer, weapon), so you'll need two receivers/remotes. I mean, that makes the point by aminnich above almost moot, right?

[Jim]

1 hour ago, Erik Leppen said:

Also, you can have multiple receivers, and multiple remotes, right? As I see it, you need at least three functions (drive, steer, weapon), so you'll need two receivers/remotes. I mean, that makes the point by aminnich above almost moot, right?

Exactly!

You can have your entire family operating the Bot  

[aminnich]

4 hours ago, Jim said:

Something is worth as much as you a appreciate it. This has nothing to do with monetary value  
To be honest....I would pick the CLAAS over the BWE any day!

To avoid the "SBrick are at an advantage" discussion, we've created two categories. All contestants will have equal chances of winning a great prize. And yes, since it's Vengit providing the prizes, we have chosen to assign the bigger prize to their category.

 

I totally agree that the contest isn't about the monetary value of wining, it's about those medals you get 

I might just have to get an Sbrick or 2 now. 

[Seasider]

Sounds like a great competition. Not too sure how much PF stuff I have lying around as I've just given my dad the Volvo to play with, can't exactly pop by as he's a few hundred miles away and not due to see him till after deadline.

 

But I'll definitely build something, I'm sure I can come up with some madness within the deadline

 

Loved Robot Wars when it was on (and even the new series) ...

 

3, 2, 1 ... Activate !

[Kmuffin]

Great! On a note. Are mindstorms parts alowed

[Appie]

20 hours ago, Milan said:

That's correct, or lets just quote our TC11 Expert Guest Judge:

“The greatest victory is that which requires no battle.”
 

Yeah... no.

Not when the word "battle" is in the actual title of the contest. With stuff life like this it has to be settled in real life between bots. Jeroen Ottens' suggestion of a virtual showdown between 2 battle bots before moving to the next round is a nice one, but doesn't cut it imo. Or making it mandatory to show in the video that the functions of the bots can handle even the most extreme situations (a flipper bot is nice, but if it can't flip the heaviest opponent, it's useless) is not as good as an actual fight between the bots.

It's a nice idea, but I'd rather see this from Mahjqa at a next LUG meeting than have this theorycrafting of who "wins".

That said, seems plenty of people love the idea for the contest, so good luck.

[Alex Ilea]

I just love the idea of this contest ! We'll sure have lots of fun !