Thoughts for a Future Arena Floor Design

[robotwars]

I have been thinking about ideas for a new arena design for a long time and its getting time to start gathering ideas ready for the future.

I have spoken to a few people who have liked the idea but thought id put it out for general discussion.

The idea:

A multi level arena.

The arena floor would consist of seperate sections, each at different levels. Now im not talking anything major. Say for example the floor surface split into thirds, raising up by 10mm / 15mm with each step.

The idea is to add a bit more tactics into the fights rather than the current flipper fest where it is normally who ever has the lowest front scoop.

it will hopefully lead to much more tactical fights, robots maybe having to reverse up steps to get to their opponents, maybe the lower most section is the house robot zone...

maybe ramps to get you up their, or if you have the ground clearance you can hop up the steps.

Now you may poo poo this idea, but i dont know!!

The idea comes from one of my educational projects i ofen run which involves sumo, however i always impose a minimum ground clearance rule of 10mm to stop it being whoever has the lowest front, it certainly makes it more entertaining.

Thoughts very welcome.

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

[grant_ploughbot]

I like the concept for fun events, not nessasarily for championships or major events though.
It could add a great entertaining factor to a show, but it could also add the adverse effect if a robot gets stuck, or can-not manuver very well. Also it has the possibility of a totally torn up floor when flippers are in the arena (unless you make the steps from steel?)
It could work, always interesting to try out new ideas.

[Gaseraki]

I think the main critism to the idea is that it will ground alot of robots. And you might have a fight where it ends with every one stuck.
I agree with the situation with flippers rulling the arena but I am not sure on this idea.

[maddox]

The Hannibalitos wont have any problems, nor would have Gravity had any issues with that.
It just means a different style of driving.

On the flipper issue. Its a lot simpler, take a leaf from the antweight arena.
Just set part of the arena so that there isnt an OOTA possible. FLIP, Boing, back in the arena.

If you ant to make uneven ground, imagine the damage that will do to the floor. We see it now, with the flush floor, even a minute unevenness induces arena floor damage. Imagine a double whammy from a robot and his chaser slamming into a 15mm height difference. I hope that is thick steel, or else the angle grinder/saw will be a good friend.

[babeth]

Oh I dont know. It would make zero ground clearance a thing of the past - the dream of every flipper...

A multi-level arena - when the kids in the audience already have trouble watching the fights. In Colchester there was at one point an entire family that had to stand upright aside the tribune and seats because otherwise the kids couldnt see a thing. Visibility will also become a problem for the roboteers, unless you put them somewhere high. 21-way featherweight mªlee someone ?

But please continue thinking... there must be a way to make the fights more challenging.

[john_frizell]

Interesting idea. But I guess that most existing feathers would have difficulty coping with it and you would wind up with feathers restricted to the lower third.

[tom_kane]

A good idea to make fights more challenging but a spectacle for the audience; I don€™t think it will make much difference to their enjoyment. Are most people not there to watch robotwars and at the moment that€™s what we give them, will a tiered arena make much difference?

If you want to reduce the flipper fest. Bring back the old arena!

[josh]

what about if u made an arena like a multi storey carpark? lool u could have ramps going to certain parts that are reaised say a meter and it would just make it more entertaining having robots fall off n that sort of thing :P

[tom_kane]

Or you could make the arena an anti-gravity chamber.

[typhoon_driver]

We can debate it all we want but I think until it is tried at an event we wont have an idea as to whether or not it will work.

Jonno would it be possible to make the stepped sections removable so that if the idea wasnt working between shows it could be removed? I say go for it and see what happens!

I also like marios idea of having an arena without an OOTA possible, either that or have only one side where it is possible.