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Thread: Robot Wars Series VIII - Week 3 Discussion

  1. #1
    Getting onto week three now, I feel like we're getting a better overall picture of the show and its production. Certainly quite an exciting episode, once again spoilers from here on for anyone who hasn't seen it yet.

    Well, I don't think anyone expected Overdozer to go far, I certainly didn't. But honestly I think it's a shame they didn't make a bigger deal out of the fact that the robot had been built in a matter of days. Certainly a fine effort, but misplaced on a wooden robot that's so far under the weight limit. One thing I didn't see coming was what happened to Orte. It looked like a decent machine, from the ever-reputable Bigger Brother team, but I don't think we saw a single flip out of it. Once chop from Big Nipper or Supernova and it was gone. A real shame that it barely got a look in. Speaking of Supernova, it really was looking dangerous as it has before, but I think some bad luck combined with a very compact robot lost them the fight. I'm pretty sure it's exactly the same design as in earlier wars, and I honestly feel like they could do with trying something new. Glitterbomb seemed largely ineffectual, and I feel the general design was misguided. I'm not sure how true the whole 'child dictates the entire design process' story is, but it certainly appeared that way. That said, they were unlucky with their pneumatics, which happens constantly as we know.

    As for King B, I really was hoping to see the team's ingenuity shine through, but it seemed very little had changed design-wise since their last entry. I was hoping they'd win something for once, but the more they got into fights, the worse they seemed to do. I will say though, I'm not quite sure why Matilda was allowed to flip King B out after such a short time of getting stuck on the side wall. In previous wars we've seen the robot get counted out by Refbot, or more often the opponent has attempted an OOTA themselves. I almost feel like Matilda came in because the staff knew Dantomkia wouldn't engage again, and didn't want a boring last half of the battle. Obviously we don't have a Refbot these days to count people out, but it certainly seemed more decisive when we did. Speaking of the House Robots though, it was nice to see Killalot getting stuck in this time, really pressurising the likes of Big Nipper and even getting stuck on the arena wall. Still no major damage done by the House Robots, that I've seen though. From seeing Big Nipper's interchangeable weaponry this time around, they were one of my favourite robots, and it's a shame they didn't do better. Had they been put in against fewer flippers, I think they might've fared better, but sadly it wasn't to be. I hope to still keep seeing them on the live circuit though.

    Now, onto Dantomkia. Considering what happened with Team Foxic last week, I'm going to reserve my judgement, but honestly the footage of them that we did see made me want them to lose at all costs as the show went on. Whether this is entirely Mentorn's doing or partly the team's, there is something I seriously don't like about it. Whether or not you like trash talk, the way it's framed on TV at least seemed to make Team Captain Shane Swan look terrible, and this needless lack of humility (which again, might just be Mentorn's doing) is nothing like previous Robot Wars series. I've been re-watching Series 7 recently and, though we saw less of the teams, they all at least appeared a lot more humble. If Mentorn want to somehow drive me away from my favourite show of all time with needless fake drama, that's the right way to go about it. I hope we don't see any more. TR2 was honestly the dark horse of this heat for me. Having seen them on the competitor's list I never gave them a second glance, and though their 'axe' is pathetic, they've built an incredibly solid machine. They beat Dantomkia into submission twice, and I really do wish them the best for the final. Having a family effort headed by a fifteen-year-old is especially impressive.

    A final few thoughts:
    -The sound design is still bugging me. I know I said I'd shut up about it but now I've realised that they're actually adding sounds in. Any argument for the lack of music enabling us to hear the battle better is basically nullified since two robots bashing together somehow makes exactly the same clang as Shunt's axe does when it comes down. I know they used to add sounds in previous series, but aren't we a little past that now?
    -Like I said, I've recently been rewatching series 7, and somehow the new series seems less tense in comparison. I think this is because robots are not eliminated as soon as they lose a fight. Obviously this is both a good and a bad thing, but being in this weird place where any of the four robots could be the winner for most of the show, somehow doesn't quite feel right. All credit to Dara, he's usually very funny in a clever way, but he creates nowhere near the level of hype that Craig used to. I know it's technically a different show now, and I shouldn't compare it too harshly, but I wouldn't be surprised if they pick a new, more excitable presenter for next time.
    -I honestly thought Lucy Rodgers' bit of robotics talk was a little underwhelming - it was almost as if she didn't quite get enough time to go into her field of expertise, compared to the other two. We saw no inner workings of the animatronics, really just flowchart code. It wasn't bad by any stretch, just a little underwhelming compared to the other two, animatronics having been around for a long time now, and certainly not an advance in robotics.

    I know it might seem like I was more critical on this episode than the others, but I did still enjoy it immensely. For me the first episode was still my favourite though, and I criticise because I genuinely want the show to go on and do well, as I'm sure most of us do.

  2. #2

  3. #3
    Quote Originally Posted by R9000 View Post
    I'm not quite sure why Matilda was allowed to flip King B out after such a short time of getting stuck on the side wall.
    I didn't see the fight live but chances are it was actually on there for a lot longer, which they edited down, and then it was clear that they weren't able to free themselves.

  4. #4
    Quote Originally Posted by RogueTwoRobots View Post
    I didn't see the fight live but chances are it was actually on there for a lot longer, which they edited down, and then it was clear that they weren't able to free themselves.
    Yeah I had a sneaking suspicion that might've happened. Still, it's evident that Dantomkia didn't get stuck in, a shame really.

  5. #5
    When I saw the first episode I wasnt really sure if I liked it or not, obviously its quite different from the old series but being 12 years later it had to be different. The 2nd episode it grew on me more and last night I really enjoyed it like just the old series however there are a few little things that annoy me too.

    It feels very much like battlebots to me, its almost like when battlebots came back last year the producers of robot wars thought 'we can do this with robot wars' and very much followed the battlebots format such as filming the teams at home (which isnt a bad thing really I quite enjoy that) but the way they seem to edit it like you said about shane swan and the foxic team last week with the trash talk all feels very american and generally like battlebots.

    I went back and started re watching series 6 and the show misses the battle music so bad. I really feel like they have tried to make the show less gimmicky and more serious about the competition with the toned down arena hazards and house robots (remember the old series, the house robots played a massive part in every battle by coming in and destroying robots after they were counted out or robots using the cpz as arena hazards themselves), we have barely seen the house robots play any sort of part in this new series other than last night when matilda launched out King B.

    Dara is okay as a presenter I like how he gets stuck in in the pits but Craig Charles will always be robot wars for me and whatever new presenter comes in would always be compared to him but at least we still have JP on commentary. Speaking of JP is it just me or is the audio for his commentary off? It just sounds really low quality im not sure whats going on there.

    I still love the show though and it was always going to be different than it was back in 2004, I just hope for next year they tweak it a bit and add in some little things like the music during battles ect.

  6. #6
    I think the lack of house robot involvement and arena hazards partially reflects the fact we have proper 'robot people' in charge - I think a good proportion of roboteers prefer not having their robots destroyed after losing the fight!

    Personally the vast majority of the changes are fine with me, Ange and especially Dara are doing a great job and I just wish someone would spend even just five minutes with Jonathan Pearce telling him that 'armament' refers to weaponry and not to protection (I'd've preferred someone, anyone else, but...sadly it wasn't to be). It's not even felt all that trash talky, if anything it's felt like we've got to see more of each team's personality which has been good, but you can only control the audience reaction so much! Everyone I've seen that I've met had a fair representation imo...

  7. #7

  8. #8
    Quote Originally Posted by Mageean12 View Post
    Does anyone have any links on where to put an application in for the next season as surely there has to be one coming up?
    We've been told to watch the official site (www.robotwars.tv) and their Twitter and Facebook pages for info on that, they've confirmed information will be available soon.

    I do agree JP needs no learn what 'armament' is, he's been using the word wrongly since basically the start of Robot Wars. But honestly to me, he's more integral to the show than Craig or Phillipa Forester ever was, and if he keeps saying it wrong but stays with the show, honestly I don't mind that much.

  9. #9

  10. #10
    Quote Originally Posted by bigsi View Post
    I really couldn't stand watching the original RW's (I made an exception for when we were on!) The cheezyness made my skin crawl!

    The new series however is great! It's what it should have been like all along IMHO. I have to admit to being tempted to build Barber-ous 3!

    Si
    Yeah I saw your post on the memoirs thread - I honestly can't say I agree though. I never found the 'cheesiness' that bad, especially compared to other game-type shows (which still exist today mind you). The production quality was high, the format was well-defined and functional, and it got people excited! Of course you're entitled to think what you want of the show, but what parts did you find cheesy exactly? Not to mention the show isn't taking itself entirely seriously even now with robots like Glitterbomb and Nuts (though no offence to the teams themselves of course).

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