The future of roboting

[craig_anto]

Thats exactly where our events are heading, we have to approach festivals and expos but its then paying for floor space, from our point of view we would be going to these events but the cost of the floor space would restrict the number of entries we could take
thats our perspective, its something i'd like us to go to as a sport but people would have to understand the entries would be tight

[robotwars]

Your not taling about things which havent been tried before.

RR, XFM and RL all have done these shows before.... as Craig says the only way to get to shows these days is to pay for floor space.

RIAT is a lucky example, as we are the only attraction which is paid to attend,,,, the rest of the show entries are there because they pay for the space, and the space is at a premium.

So as i see .....

RR pledged to continue but with changes and new plans in place.
Rebel has some shows planned and is pushing to continue in the Fw devision.
RL very quiet, maybe you could send them an email to ask them to join the conversation, or maybe they dont plan on carrying on.
Roboteers are very quiet...... maybe they dont go on the forum anymore, maybe they dont want to discuss it, maybe they dont care, maybe they just expect events to happen at whatever cost.

I think the FRA should be reading this thread, and actually get of their A*SE and do something, contact event organisors and find out whats happening, contact roboteers instead of sitting silently, It shouldnt be craig who is hosting this discussion it should be the FRA. If i was president of FRA things would certainly be different.

There is coming a point in time where I see event organisors giving up, 2009 has been the hardest year ever, you dont know how close i was just a few days ago from walking away from the whole thing, and then what !!! It will come, be warned.

Its time to do something together, and not rely on EO's to save our hobby as im getting fed up of saving it and getting nothing in return.

I'm sorry but Andy Kane, you are missed, and the new committee have so far done nothing, unless you come here and tell us what you have achieved.

This is a bit of a rant, but hopefully someone will read it and get more people involved..

John
Roaming Robots

[dgr]

I think ANYONE who has a point to make on this topic should post it, however small. At the moment it seems a bit formal and official and people might think they have no place posting here, but we need to hear more from both the officials and, of course, the ground troops, us roboteers.
As for the officials, there have been a number of occasions I have asked on the forum for a comment or confirmation from one and got nothing in reply. Seems they are a bit AWOL at the moment...
John, I do think most of us roboteers just expect the events to keep on going, but I think thats just because we aren't involved in the running of any of them and so just think they will go on as they always have done. Maybe more volunteers to help with event organising would help? I'm guessing there are a fair few forum members who would be happy and eagar to give something back to the organisations that have done so much for us, particularly RR.

[craig_anto]

I'm not sure what Jonno's plans are and nor do i need to know, I know Jonno will push forward with what he thinks is best and as he has proved in the past Jonno knows best, Jonno what ever you do and where ever you go I wish u the best as an EO, a roboteer and more importantly as a friend.
We're (Rebel) are more focused at present on the lighterweights antweights to middleweights this is not to rule out a heavyweight event in the future but for now for my own piece of mind its best to push on with the featherweight and middleweight titles.
Technical brackets such as a walker division, and the return of some technogames competitions such as rope climbers long jump etc with the possiblity of including some power tool drag racers.
I know there hasn't been alot from Rebel since the event but we've worked hard since Feb running smaller events antweight world series and a science festival, the arena has changed and there are more changes to come.

As for Jonno's comments about the lack luster FRA committee at present, I couldn't agree more as an EO i've not heard from the FRA at all since Feb, seems to be a lack of commitment from them or at least being more passive than before, I would recommend the FRA read the front page of the website taking note of the FRA's aims

Its the responsability of the FRA to save the sport not Jonno or the rest of the EO's if the FRA are not prepared to work for our much beloved sport I'm prepared to go it alone

[leorcc]

I don't have the finances to attend many events in the UK this year. Our team will be at RIAT, but that is about it for us this year I'm afraid. Unless the economic situation improves.

[joey_picus]

I haven't quite got a robot yet (trying to get one or two built over the summer) but here's my two penn'orth...entry fees seem to be the way to go, I'd have no objection at all to helping the event organisers put on an event in whatever way I could, be that a 10 or 20 pound entry fee or helping out for free the day before or anything else. (to be honest I'm surprised there isn't one already, it makes economic and other kinds of sense to have one)

Dave is very correct when he says it's an obsessive hobby, I can't imagine it ever dying out (look at the antweights, they've had far less TV exposure than the other classes and yet they soldier on and on and on...) but a few other people have raised the point of people just expecting events to happen, which in my view is the wrong way to look at it as you should be prepared to contribute a bit to making the event happen yourself.

One thing that might be good would be to have a few more roboteer get togethers with some gentle ramming in a pub car park? There seem to be not enough of them nowadays and people should look at getting the regional socials going again - not with regional reps but more with anyone who's willing and able to host it.

Shane - if the events carry on and the organisers can keep going, I can fully agree with your post

[cliveb]

I totally agree with the general consensus of opinion that the EO's need more input from the FRA and the roboteering community in general.Yes lets have an entry fee per team at each event, where else can we go and play if all of the EO's pull out.How else can we help, how about turning up to an event earlier and pitch in and help setting up or staying back and taking down ( if possible). Promoting the events with the EO's, surely we can afford a weekend or 2 to get off our backsides and go to the area of the event to hand out flyers etc.Lets see how we can reduce costs for the EO's and help sell tickets, or all we will have is vapour bot battles on the forum.
I decided to get more involved and stand for the FRA Governing body so that Alex and the other kids would have a place to still fight their robots when they are older, am i doing enough, NO.
Can I do more, I have to or there is no future.
We the governing body have been asked to give dates that we are available for a meeting at the end of the month. This must be number 1 priority on the agenda,what else is more important than this issue, what is the point debating other issues if we have no events.
Whatever the EO's decide, whether it is to pull out, or continue in a reduced format or go in a totally different direction, thanks for what you have done for us.I have really enjoyed the last 2 years and hopefully if we ALL work together,will continue to do so for many years to come.

Clive

[craig_colliass]

Craig, Jonno, Clive and everyone else thank you for your comments on this subject. Jonno your rants are always welcome here.

Firstly I would like to say if the other EO€™s want to add to this discussion I for one would very much welcome this, but if they prefer not to then I would respect this as well.

As for the FRA committee I think they may feel that if they said anything they may be seen as biased to one or other EO.

Perhaps if the EO€™s had some questions directed to the FRA on this matter that they could answer directly on this thread that may get over this hurdle.
I know most of them well, and know they have concerns for the future of the movement too, so I don€™t think they can€™t be bothered to respond to this thread but want to be even handed and considered in their response.

I would ask anyone who can contribute to this discussion please do. I feel that there should be concerted effort by us from the grass roots upwards to concentrate efforts to secure the future of the robot scene in the UK.

Free speech is a gift given to this country at great cost lets use it.

Thank you for reading this


Craig

[Marien]

Doing an event with Roboteers, FW robots and an arena isn€™t very hard.
It€™s the costs and responsibility that come with having HW€™s, spectators and high-impact-weapons that kills us. This means: transporting many materials, using a lot of time to set up, needing a crew to control and inform spectators and some dedicated people to search venues and do the wheeling and dealing. A lot of efforts.
And the result is not guaranteed; enough robots and entertainment, enough tickets sold, getting your money afterwards.

Although HW€™s rule, the workable way would be an easy-fold-and-set-up-arena for FW€™s, maybe with spinners. Maybe middleweights are a good compromise.

What will DRG do coming year? Probably only FW events, few of them with spectators. We are almost bankrupted by the Zandvoort event.

[psycho_fling]

well i have been in this sport for about 4.5 years now and i am really enjoying it

first id like to thank Jonno for helping me get started as he has done for many people, and also thank him and every other EOs event i have attended

now that i have more cash i would be happy to pay an entry fee to an event if it helps to cover peoples costs

and tbh i feel maybe smaller arenas and a higher amount of events in various places eg normal shows, expos, air shows etc would be great -more suited to the fws

i would be very happy to help out when i can it's only fair i think, unfortunatly at the last home event i was ill and unable to help but i wanted to

alot of roboteers may under estimate what goes into a show for the eos and everyone that helps

since i started i feel i have come along way from a zeobot kit and a AA operated TX, and i think the same can be said for the events i have attended more and more of them and they have improved and been refined to an event i would love to watch or be part of

don't know if this helps but i had a view and people have asked to hear everyones
Well done everyone