OK, so as I discussed in the other thread, I thought it might be fun and get people coming by again to have some design challenges. The format is simple, I will set a brief, which can be anything I like, but may include things like design something around a specific design element (eg. design something with car style steering, design something with no armour), design something inspired by a particular theme (eg. sealife, pirates ) or design something under some crazy modified rules (eg. explosives allowed, flying and can't touch the floor)

These are meant to just get your creative juices flowing to work around the design problems that these briefs throw up and have a bit fun while you are at it.

The entry system NO RESERVATIONS, I set a date, in this case the 16th JULY and whoever has entered by that point is in, and whoever hasn't isn't. I'll then structure the tournament to account for the number of valid robots entered. In each case I'm only asking for one entry per person.

There are a few minor rules - no previously used vapours, everything entered must be original and obviously must meet the brief to gain entry. This isn't to say that if you are in a hurry and you see that a vapour you have could be retrofitted into something, I'm not going to be that mean, but if you do that give it a differentiating name (like the whole firestorm/snowstorm thing) However, not allowing will include things that go against the spirit of the challenge even if not breaking any rules I've specifically stated because you found a loophole.

So, to start off with an easy-ish challenge, as I'm going to be away on holiday in Japan during some of the period the signups are going on, what better than a Samurai theme to the first challenge?

The brief here is a pretty simple one:

1) You can't use any materials in the weapons or armour which wasn't available in 18th century Japan or previously. In the mechanism is fine, but the actual active part of the weapon must be (approximatly) authentic materials.
2) Any active weapons must be based upon pre-firearms weapons from Japan, this is not limited to the famous swords, but literally any pre-firearms weapon - polearms, daggers, clubs, and even projectile weapons. Whatever you like.

A useful starting point might be here : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Templat..._and_equipment

I look forward to seeing any entries I get! Leave a message on here if you have any questions or talk to me online in whatever other way you feel like.