Heres some facts....

RL employ a 10 second pit rule, so they have been doing what they want too. Alan DOESNT aggree with the rule that was made about you're in the pit and your out, and also AGGREES for his show the crowd go mental when a robot gets out, and that its GOOD for our shows ! I spoke to him this morning about it.

Swanny its not that RR will do whatever, RL have been doing the same, we both need to protect our shows and make sure people come back and watch it or no one gets to play with their robots, i have followed the rules set out, and they have been posted above, there is no mention of if your in the pit your out, that has never been the rule to my knowledge.

What i have a problem with is rules being made without discussion, or at least a discussion between a begrudged roboteer and the chairman of the FRA is so powerful it got a rule changed. I havent heard anyone stand up and say they were consulted !

i spoke to 1 of the 3 people of the governing body and he explained there was NO discussion before the event, and the first he knew about the rule change was actually at the UK champs event.
He also told me he didnt know I'd been told i wasnt doing the FRA UK champs either which is interesting.

James, If a robot got out, and Venom lost, it wasnt a wrong decision, its what the rules state. I dont see how this stops diversity in robots, take the Saint... built to get out of the pit, thats diverse. You could build an anti pit device for venom, thats diverse, or how can this new rule promote diversity?
Everyone knows ive tried to stop the flippers dominating and ive spent time evolving the arena. Wires, moving it close the the backwall, and it has made a massive difference. Alan has now jumped on board too with his wires. If you dont like flippers dominating in your arena... do what ive done, do what alans done and invest some time changing your arena, make the pit deeper, increase the walls of your arena, dont keep it the same! its worng to change the rules because you dont like it.
Andy kane tried to do the same, Kan Openers tactic is put people in the pit, so yeah he didnt like it if they got out and he tried to force the pit rule, but thats evolution of robots.

There's an underlying issue here which has always been here and that is the FRA and communication.

Im a major EO, was never involved in any discussion about changing a rule, and even then there should be a period of time before rules are changed.
Spoken to alan the other major EO, and he wasnt asked about it, and doesnt aggree with it.

Is it any wonder i have a reluctancy about the FRA and follwoing what they say, and i know im not alone.

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