27-30 March, 2009 - Idea's Festival - Brisbane, Australi

I posted this event up here last year and was waiting for the organisers to confirm the date for us. The 2008 event was postponed till 2009 because the goverment got envolved (wanted to combine this festival with another). We have since formed an incorporated club in our state and applied for a grant to build our own arena. But that doesnt mean much to you guys.

The date has now been confirmed for March 27 - 30, 2009. The competition will be open to 30lb feather weights and possibly run as a round robin comp, which may be interesting as Im expecting at least 25 robots if the last event was anything to go on. Not sure our arena is big enough for lightweights and there arnt any small weight classes currently competiting here in Australia.
The 2006 Ideas Festival can been seen here - http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=nl0WUcaKrWQhttp://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=nl0WUcaKrWQ

I would like to post this up on the Builders Database, but Im buggered if I know how.
It would be nice to tell the Ideas Festival mob that we have some international people interested in coming.

Regestration will be open on the Builders Database soon. I entered todays date but I forgot that today in Australia isnt the same as today in America. http://www.buildersdb.com/index.asphttp://www.buildersdb.com/index.asp

More information for the event can be found on out forum. http://www.robowars.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1280http://www.robowars.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1280

The second goverment grant fell through as we wernt deemed a benifit to the community. However we have found another sorce of funding and will have a prebuilt arena donated to the club and ready for the event.

On wednesday we will be attending a promotional party for event and putting on a small 15 minute demonstration for the goverment ministers. Ill let you know how it all goes.

best of luck Daniel

The contract is being signed today. I will not post up all the details of the contract.
However part of the contract requires us to give out $1000 in prize money to be paid out as:
1st - $500
2nd - $250
3rd and 4th - $125

The contact also states that we must fund this money from entry fees of $50 per competitior. It states that this is from 20 competitiors and Im hoping to get 30 feathers turning. So hopefully it will just be $50 per team rather then per robot, but at the moment that doesnt look likely to happen as we only have 9 feathers entered, and 2 are mine.
http://www.buildersdb.com/view_bots.asp?eventid=268&classid=4http://www.buildersdb.com/view_bots....=268&classid=4

Anyway, sorry guys. I was hoping to keep it free and have no prize money, but I think this comes off better in advertising or something like that.

shame this event isnt later in the year. please let us know when the next one is as i would be interested in make the trip for a holiday/robot week. good luck!

We havent started thinking of the next one yet. Actually the people who supplied the money for the arena say were not allowed to approach other venues until after this event. But its all good since we actually get a free arena.
Heres our build thread for the arena. You will notice as it is being built that it does not match any of the arena standards laid out by the FRA and anyone wishing to complain is allowed to bring a robot over here at the end of march and disscuss it with me. :wink: Ignore the argument about the carpet floor, some people are just too serious.
http://www.robowars.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1341http://www.robowars.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1341

With only 8 weeks left I dont like my chances of getting my international teams to turn up, which is a shame. We currently only have 14 feathers entered too, but that should pick up over the next weeks, I hope.