Poll - Full Combat Competition

[kane]

It's always good to get roboteers opinions and views. Your robots have been built with one thought in mind, destruction! Or have they? Many shows these days are scaled back from more of the destructive spinners and some of you want more. Whether it's taking the machine home in a bin bag or the pride of surviving a round against a high powered spinning disc some roboteers are clearly happy to put their creation against any machine. But opinions are divided and a lot of time and effort goes into the design, engineering and construction of some very unique robots. Its understanding that a few might not want to have that destroyed in a couple of minutes.

So what would you do? Should an event organiser put forward an arena to contain full combat with all weapon classes would you fight, perhaps even build a new spinner so you are not on the receiving end of the disc. Or maybe you already have a machine that give as good as it takes. Are you in it to win at whatever cost or would you stand down at the thought of total destruction?

Vote in our poll

[Ellis]

I know this is aimed at heavyweight competitors but if I were building in that class I'd vote in the same way. I voted definitely. I nearly went for possibly, but that would suggest tapping out as an escape route before damage is caused, and for me that isn't how this fighting thing should go down.

If a machine gets or is at risk of getting irreversibly damaged then I'd have thought the builder would want to redesign in someway anyway.

And even if it were a to the death thing I think sportsmanship would prevent major major destruction.

[maddox10]

I agree that we're building combat robots. Mechanical Gladiators. Not bumpercars or cuddly bunnies.

On the other hand, risking heavy damage , and assorted costs, I can't see most teams supporting more than 2 full combat events per robot a year.

[typhoon_driver]

Well I for one would be up for it. That 30kg hardox disc I had made years ago is still in my shed. Need to build a decent machine around it but I'd be up for it. Also got the disc on smidsy should I not have time to throw something together.

[harry hills]

fight to the death

[craig_colliass]

Answering a question with a question.

Why do you ask? :shock:

As no one has the funds to build that class arena for heavies anyway. unless you know something we don't.

I think the environment dictates the way robot development goes, you have no spinners and flippers rule the day.

Some people will not want to get their robots damaged badly by spinners. But it was only about 6 years ago they were banned.

I am happy to make a spinner if there were some arena to fight in.
I have always taken the damage from other robots and house robots as part of the game.

This would make for interesting fights. but the down side as previously stated because of extra damage, there may be less robots available for the next show!
And the fight duration may be only a few seconds.
How would this go with the paying public?

[PJ-27]

If the fight's only a few seconds but there's an awesome show in that time then the public will love it!

Personally I think the heavy shows are a bit dull, boxes knocking into each other with a good flip now and then. It's a bit like watching a boxing match where the fighters don't want to get heir faces hurt. But I also understand why it's that way.
There's a show to put on, later /future show, the machines are very expensive, and with no formal competition why risk damaging them?

Also with spinners being out of the mix it has seen a different pool of evolution, there's no need for protection, most are flippers etc...

Bringing them back into the mix will take time for people/robots to adjust and will most likely only work once a year at say a championship. Much like how the Americans do it.

Full combat FWs are great but I think we could do with 2 events a year one in April and one in October.

[Silent Night]

I wouldn't mind seeing more destruction in the events. Once a year, there could be a big tournament where spinners could unleash their fury uponthe arena.

I dont think funding for a spinner-proof arena would be too bothersome. Afterall, we now live in a generation of kickstarter projects and indiegogo.

[teamshock]

I wouldn't mind bringing back the HW spinners if it was only for 1 or 2 events each year. I would probably consider going down the route of building one if this was the case (need an excuse for a much bigger Inertia )

I feel that if this was introduced for every event we would end up with fewer robots being able to compete after getting wrecked in the first fight which would not benefit the audience or the roboteers having to repair them each time.

With the featherweights for example I have both a full combat machine as well as one for normal events. If HW spinners were reintroduced I would more likely follow suit.

[Ellis]

I wouldn't mind seeing more destruction in the events. Once a year, there could be a big tournament where spinners could unleash their fury uponthe arena.

I dont think funding for a spinner-proof arena would be too bothersome. Afterall, we now live in a generation of kickstarter projects and indiegogo.

Oh wow, those sites hadn't occurred to me! With a single UK-based well known YouTuber (or several smaller ones) it's definitely a potential. I highly doubt it would cover all costs but it would be a boost worth having.

People adored Robot Wars. If people get the idea their donations can bring a similar thing back I can see how it might turn into something big.