10th to 12th of January 2013 -Mechatrons RoD Dublin, Ireland

Mechatrons is happy to announce that we will be presenting Robots of Destruction again in Dublin.

We are still ironing out the details regarding our budget but we will have budget to fund a small number of teams to travel over from the UK. Only heavyweights and mechs/boxers required i.e. no featherweights. As always, priority will be given to teams with multiple bots. We may be able to subsidise some more teams who don't make the first list. As always, if you can fund yourself or get sponsorship, then you are more than welcome to come and play.

We are always looking for something new to add to the show so if you have anything interesting let me know.

You must fill out at least two forms. The first is for the Team information and the second for is to be filled out for each robot you are bringing.

Teams fill out Part 1 of the application here:
http://goo.gl/HuQHa

And part2 for each bot you are bringing here:
http://goo.gl/TXdYB

Hope to see you there!
Pete

Applied again but I won't hold my breath. :)

One of the biggest costs for us is the ferry tickets. A suggestion has been that if someone has a big truck that can take all the robots and someone has a bus that can take all the roboteers then we could bring over more teams.

Any offers? or other suggestions?

Hire a coach and get the robots in the hold of the bus..............

Trev

And since nearly all HWs are triangle shaped they'll stack nicely!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by mightymouse

Hire a coach and get the robots in the hold of the bus..............

Trev

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It's been done before.

http://www.bugs.nl/media/source/rw/z...1/M2/DRG33.jpg

I pointed this out to BT last year it would make far more sense to ship the robots in a small van that pay everyone a ferry ticket to drive over.

Far more efficient and people can just take a cheap Ryanair flight over instead

I would be more than happy to coordinate such a thing if it could enable an event that allowed more (and different) teams to attend.

Ed

A small van wouldn't cut it. Nor will just the hull of a coach. We regularly have a few teams that fill vans full of robots. For example, you wont get the likes of the boxers, daleks or skelly in the hull of a coach.

But I am happy to be proven wrong. If someone can prove they can do it, send me a quote and I'll be happy to hammer it out with you.

Small is a relative term ;)

Have some experience of this; having arranged for all the UK teams to attend Dutch Robot Games in a coach (10 heavyweights stowed down below plus tools).

I'll have a look into it tomorrow !

Done some basic maths on this.

Current model (pay everyone to get there themselves individually)

• Return Ferry, 3 people in a car with £100 allowance for fuel = £328 per team
  
  Thus cost for say 8 teams = £2624

Proposed Model (People get robots/tools etc to a central location and they are shipped in van)

• Return Ferry, 2 people in a large van with trailer and £200 allowance for fuel = £540
  
  3 x Return Ryanair flights UK - DUB = £107 for 3 people return
  
  Thus cost for 8 teams = £1396

That's a saving of £1228 - ie almost half the cost per team.

That saving could be used to fund more teams, and go towards additional hotel costs. Even it involved 2 vans, it looks like it would still cost in, having seen how the Dalek/Skelly/Boxers turn up to Robots Live events, there is plenty of scope for some more efficient packing to be done !

Clearly we don't know the exact detail of the business model/cost model being used, but being able to achieve such a significant saving through efficiency just using these rough order of magnitude numbers, one would expect it to easily allow the event to be opened up to a wider number of teams. This results in happy sponsors, and happy roboteers.

The organisers BT have often commented that every year the show seems to be the same, and aren't there any different robots running - this model would allow some additional different teams to take part.

Thoughts and ideas - people interested ?

Hiya,

Cant sleep.....

Had a bit of thought about this, and a few things to consider. Not being negative, been here before with logistics of moving teams around thats all and its not that simple.

We get a ferry paid, and on average the £100 expenses, so those figures are correct.
Its easy, we get in the car and drive to the ferry play robots come home again.

The other option has bits missing.

Does anyone own a large van and trailer we can use? Someone must have one?? And dont underestimate how much space it takes, when you consider 8 teams would generally each have a car fully loaded, on average most teams take 2 heavies, ( we take 3 ) thats a lot of space and weight to consider. So you are talking potentially 20 heavies, plus boxers, plus mechanoids and everyones tools and spares.

If not we have to hire one, Say £80 a day inc trailer for 7 days = £560 And thats cheap for the size of van we'd need.

That van has to collect all the robots, that€™s 1 persons job a whole day collecting, and a day delivering back, and all the logistics of doing that. Someone has to do that.

Cost of diesel for that 2 x £150 = £300

Or everyone has to deliver their robots to the van in a central place. Again logistics, time, and cost for everyone.

If we fly, those flights are from London Airports im assuming, so we have to travel down there, again cost to do this, and when we get there we have to pay to park the car for 5 days.

Is the flight one of those cheapo flights with no luggage allowance? Something to consider, I don€™t fly very often so not sure.

So I totalled it as:

Fuel and ferry £540
Van hire £560
Deisel pickup / delivery £300
Flights x 8 x £107 = £856
Car parking 8 x 20?? = £160
Expenses allowance £50? = £400

Total for 8 teams = £2816 + a logistical nightmare + probably costs more personally to each team due to not getting as much expenses covered.

More thoughts, and possibly a volunteer with a large van and trailer .

John
http://www.RoamingRobots.co.uk

Guys if people don't want to do it then let's not do it, I am just very aware that the organisers (who pay for you all to attend) get frustrated that the same old robots turn up every year so there was an element of safeguarding the future of the event as well as trying to allow more teams to attend.

If people want it to work then yes it might involve a little more effort, and perhaps it's not a surprise that it's the one of the established teams that go every year that are flagging up it might take a little more effort to do than they are used to - but at the expense of allowing a wider audience. Maybe asking the other teams if they would be willing to put in that effort would be more interesting ?

I can't be bothered - where there is a will there is a way, I was just trying to think up something for the better of the community.

Bottom line - yes those teams that go every year might have to take a slightly less advantageous package of expenses .... it would be a shame if that was enough to conclude allowing more/different people in the community to take part was too much effort. Is it a as much of free trip for a few as possible, or is there benefit in looking at the funding differently and getting as many as possible over as a community ?

Just like to clear up a few things here.

First off we don't have the same teams every year. There are a few who come over every year but that is because of number/type of machine that they bring vs cost. We run a different type of show to what most are used to (its only 20 minutes long) so we have certain criteria for the types of robots that we need.

Second off, the organisers are not frustrated that the same old robots turn up every year. This is simply not true and frankly, defamatory. We have never had an event with no new robots. The actual report from the stakeholders at last January's show was fully positive, and I quote the end line, you've upped your game again this year. Furthermore, we have a full house for every show and have to turn half of the queue away as we don't have the capacity for them. We have been running the event for 13 years and our audience is growing every year so clearly the audience like the selection of robots and the show we put on.

Finally, I do not believe that it is a free trip for anyone. We do our best with very limited funding to get as many robots over as we can. But we don't pay for everything and while our funding helps, I know that every participant is ultimately out of pocket.

With that all said, I do believe that we could bring more over if we could share some space. i.e. if a couple of roboteers had big vans, and a couple had MPVs then all could meet up at Holyhead and vanpool/carpool the rest of the journey. BTW, I don't think flights would be a runner. Without even considering the logistic headache, it would cost more to collect everyone from the airport (on the other side of the city) and then transit to-from accommodation every day.

Also, like I say every year, if you can fund your own trip or get it sponsored, as long as you meet the FRA safety requirements, you are welcome to come over. I know some teams receive good sponsorship and are well able to fund their own way over. We have no problem displaying advertising for your sponsor if it helps you get over as long as it doesn't conflict with our event sponsors.

Either way, we still need the applications to come in so we can start our selection process!

No need to get so defensive - not what I was expecting as the person who was willing to try to coordinate things differently and of considering putting hand in the Team Storm Academy funding if needed

Although you have kinda proved the point being made, it is the way the logistics are looked at each year that is driving the same teams to go every year.

Team Storm have applied and will use our own sponsor funding to attend so we don't draw on any central pool to attend and reduce the number of robots.

I had no idea that sharing the idea of doing things differently (and the reasons behind the suggestion) would create such an outcry - a real shame, especially considering I was one of those stakeholders you refer to !

I'll leave it here, don't want to fall out with anyone - and all my comments were made in good faith

I wasn't being negative.

Just highlighting some things you'd missed off the costings and thought about the practicality of the logistics of organising such a thing. And I only thought about because I was considering to help organise it with you.

In principle the idea of a van sounds like the perfect solution but reality says its not.

Anyway Nobody has come forward with a large van, no one has come forward offering to drive a van either !! There can't be this pool of people wanting to come or it wouldn't just be me and you talking about :-) interesting !!


John
Www.roamingrobots.co.uk

John I'll talk to you !

The maths can easily be dealt with :-)

Pete, have spoken to John (and others) on this over the weekend.

If you want the roboteers to try to organise things more efficiently could you PM me with the budget that you have allocated to getting teams over and accomodating them, and the number of robots that this got over last year (which I know included Daleks and Skelly).

We'll then do the maths, and we're confident that we can build a more efficient model.

This is about demonstrating that the event can deliver more robots with the same money through being more efficient, and that's something any sponsor wants to see.

If that's not what you want to do, then that's fine, its your event after all, but we tried to help.

Be great to have more robots attend.

Lets see if we can get more teams over.

John
www.roamingrobots.co.uk

I think more machines/teams would be a benefit to the show and to the regular teams that attend. Last year i was really struggling to keep 3 heavies, a Dalek and a Mechanoid running for each show, having a few extra robots there would take the pressure off, plus would add abit more variety to the show. I think it was last year when we had a couple of heavies break down and we were struggling to have enough machines for the shows.

I can understand why it is ran the way it is, it is a very different style of event with limited space and fights. However a few more teams wouldn't go a miss, but i can see why you wouldn't want lots of teams turning up.

Just my thoughts as an EO looking in, but its your event and your free to do it whatever way you think works best.

John/Alan - the power is in Pete's hands now, I'm willing to ensure that we have something that works financially if we know what budgets we're working with, and importantly works for the teams, we've done it before and we can do it again :)

Pete - over to you.

I would be more than happy to bring Bulldog Breed over for an event like this but travel is the issue so if the collective transport was made an option then it would be possible for us :)

Hello Pete...I have applied with 4 robots already but trevor and mega mouse also want to come over with us so if we are chosen then you will have 5 robots with 3 roboteers.

Of course I have offered services regarding the collective travel and would much prefer if a lot of robots travelled over but if not then the above stands with trevor with us.

Cheers ears

Shane

John/Alan/Shane.... I'm on the case, you'd be amazed what an old hand at sponsorship can get for nowt :)

Pete - ball is still in your court here, I have a package coming together, but need to know what the budgets are - not heard anything from you.

This is a great opportunity to show to BT that we can make their money go further (and any sponsor/client wants that), at worst you can offer a better package to those teams that would have gone anyway, and at best we can achieve your goal of having more teams there.

As someone who was there last year, there certainly was little contingency for a breakdown or someone driving a mech when they should have been elsewhere.

I'll PM you just in case you're not reading this.

Any News....it must be sorted asap as i would assume a lot of sorting out and arranging this side.???

Shane, since Pete posted saying how great it would be to club together and get more teams to come, I've not heard anything from him despite trying to make contact through various means.

In order to try to make that happen, I already have ferry companies interested in offering us free transportation, and vans and drivers standing by (Team Storm always did have a thing for getting sponsorship).

If anyone can get hold of Pete and ask him to get in touch go for it, I've tried emailing him and PM'ing here - but without the detail from Pete on the budgets and what we're working with, there is little we can do

A shame as a real chance give more teams the opportunity to come, and make better use of the budget that Pete gets so that he can go back to his organiser and show what efficient use of limited budget they have been able to make. Win Win for all involved.

Suspect Pete is just busy and will get back to us, rather than not really interested in getting more teams along.

Don't know why my post didn't show up. Maybe I forgot to click something.

Anyway, sorry for the delay, been very busy.

Thanks a lot for all the offers of help. Some good ideas, but not much I can arrange from here.

Our budget for ferry and hotel for the teams is 3k euro including taxes. If you think you can get more teams over then you can collect the 3k when you get here.

You must be able to guarantee that the teams will get here and will be accommodated close to the venue.

Everything must be approved by us before hand. You have 1 week to make the arrangements. If it can't be done by then, I will have to start booking or the prices start going up.

Thanks and good luck,
Pete

Pete, crucial piece of information missing here - how many robots does that 3,000 Euro's bring you ?

Maybe Alan or one of the 'regulars' can provide some detail ?

It brought us:

2x boxers
3x Daleks
1x Skelly+Car
1x Wheelie Bin + Office Chair
4x Mechanoids
14x Heavyweights

The 3k covered just ferry and hotel B&B. Obviously, there are other costs directly relating to the teams but lets just look at the travel costs for now.

Wow can't belive there was only 14 heavies last year, seemed lots more.

There was a few more there but thats all we covered out of our budget.

Pete, am doing my best to pull this together.

I'll see where I get to at the end of the week, but I seriously doubt with an arbitary 1 week deadline imposed to turn something around we'll be able to get the buy in of the organisations we would need to make this work even though they are interested; which would be a shame.

At least it sounds like things will be sorted out for teams going well in advance this year though, I know in previous years things were all a little last min.

Great. Let me know how you get on.

Ed, I could take 5 heavies and 2 people inc me, in my van would just need rooms and 1 ferry crossing paid for all them.
Would that help ? Don't think the weight would get any more in the van, obviously I will not be going otherwise as Pete would not pay for me in my van with 1 robot :cry: I have not filled put any forms yet either.

All, I've done my best, but with the time constraint imposed of just 5 working days to pull something together it's not going to be possible, the organisations that we would have to work with - despite showing considerable interest, simply don't move that fast - which was to be expected.

I can only assume that it's already been decided who is attending as we have had some emails from excited fans looking forward to seeing us there which I traced back to the Press Release linked below, we're certainly looking forward to attending, and hope that even without the opportunity to use the funding more efficiently there will be plenty of other 'first time' robots there this year.

http://www.btyoungscientist.com/visit-t ... otwars.pdf

Pete, having seen the press release; it might be worth mentioning that giving undue-promenance to the name 'Robot Wars' and suggesting that the event is being run by anyone 'in association with Robot Wars' is a dangerous route to go. Passing off, or using the name in bad faith risks incurring the wrath of Profile Racords. I've sent you a link to a summary of that judgement just FYI for you to pass on to your stakeholders.

Anyway, I'll happily look into it for next year as I've made the connections needed to pull this together now

No decisions have been yet. We can postpone the booking to next Thursday if that will help you but after that the costs go up and we cant take the risk on losing teams.

You are free to write up an entry for this year's press release. Winning entry gets a goodie bag.

Pete, I've already thanked the ferry companies for their assistance and gracefully retracted from talking to them, as well as hotels - given the extreme pressure I put them under, it would not be professional for me to now go back to them and say thanks for moving heaven and earth, I know I said we had 5 days and you had to escalate this within your company in good faith, but now we have more..... - that's not a credible way of operating.

With my extensive experience of managing sponsorhsip relationships I know it will just them off and risk the chance of us being seen as credible for next year. It's a shame that it turns out now there was more time as I'm sure you looked to give us as much time as possible to make arrangements and the last post was fairly clear in terms of timescales.

If no deciscions have been made yet as to whom is attending, why does the advertising carry the details of the teams attending, including TV favourites such as .. Robot Wars World Champions: Storm 2 and the reigning Irish Champion, Iron Awe 5 ? on the website supporting this year's event.

http://www.btyoungscientist.com/visit-the-exhibition/ (click link to Robot Wars towards bottom)

Given we've not attended in previous years (so this can't be last years information), I'm assuming this can only be about this years event which we've applied for ?

Its a pity you retracted because we still have to use ferry and hotels in all cases. It would have been easier to modify the logistics than cancel everything. I hope that it has not jeopardised our discussions.

That press release is from last January. Storm 2 was supposed to attend but didn't make it.

POST DELETED as I realised I can't be bothered any more :(

Sorry Ed. in my last post I was in a hurry and I forgot to say thanks for all the hard work you did trying to make it happen for the good of the community! Like I said, its a pity that time is too short for this year, maybe we can get it sorted for next year though.

Selections are currently being made and notifications are on the way shortly.

I did notice that Terry has offered some space. Perhaps we could set up some kind of pool here. Post if you have space to share, post if you have some robots but need transport or willing to pool to make a bigger team of robots.

I think you should fill out the forms and we can help put people in touch with each other.

Also, we do have budget for hotels and food even if you have to split the cost the ferry.

Let's make the best of what we have and have a great time in Dublin.

My last post was wrong, I can take 2 people + me aswell. And 5 heavies including toxic2. They would have to meet me onroute to ferry or my house in Norfolk, or I could take robots if dropped off before event aswell.