The future of roboting

[calumco]

ill happily bring every sauce there is! i believe theres every chance that it could one day come back. in its prime it was a massivly popular show, you could buy robotwars games, curtains, bins, pullback toys, remote control house robots, mini arena for the toys and bed sheets to name a few- i've still got mine somewhere:P so surley because it was so sucessful back then if it was to come back it would be again, mabye even more so with how much improved todays robots are it would make for even better tv. and like in the 7th war there was a special event in each episode, the first one could be ady eating his robot:P - would make for interesting t.v .

[team_orr]

my 2 cents...

not many people will recognize me as a event organizer, in fact, many of you will not recognize me at all (iv only been to about 5 events (not including ant events) ) but i have in fact hosted a antweight event (r.f.r.c, which stands for richmond fighting robot club) and have many more lined up for the future. the one event i have organized has been quite expensive and hard to organize (thanks to many people for helping me btw!) so i can only imagine what hosting a bigger event will be like. iv only really been active for 2 years but even in that time i have seen the sport we love change dramatically. more of the good ol' boys seem to be turning up less and less and, from my point of view only a limited amount of new blood has come in. over on the ant forum however (robotwars101) we seem to be picking up a lot of new blood and just to show what new blood can mean for the sport: in the 2 years iv been here i have had 10 ants, 2 feathers and a heavy (not to mention various other creations). if every newbie had that amount of robots we would be laughing

i have a lot more to say but i suggest you look at the bottom-ish bit of this thread
http://www.robotwars101.org/phpBB/viewt ... 3&start=15

what i suggest is teamwork, we need to get the word out there that we are still alive and kicking, perhaps if the e.o's had a joined event the cost could be shared among them?

im really not to sure about some of this stuff tbh, the money and ressesion part is more of a adult topic (i try to help out but im only 12) what i do know though is that i love robots and im not going down without a fight!

[dgr]

I'd be happy to pay an entry fee to any event I attend, I think that's fair.

I also think that lighter weight classes are a good way to go. They allow full on combat in a smaller space, and therefore reduce costs. Of all the events I've attended recently, I really, really enjoyed the FW Championship in Newcastle. With spinners in play, I think both the roboteers and the audience had a very exciting time, even without the awesome spectacle of the heavys.

Are people going to start building more middleweights? There are only a few around currently, but I think it only takes a few people stepping forward to build one in order for the weight catagory to start to grow...think I'll change my plans and make my planned heavy into a good middleweight instead and get the ball rolling. I know this wont help much in terms of finances ect, but the size differences and ease of transport might be a key point.

I'm wondering if comparisons to TV robot wars is doing us any favours. People come to the events expecting Hypno-Disc to tear people apart, which doesn't happen anymore. On all the flyers for RR events there's pictures of Razer or Pussycat ect, then people turn up and they are not there...I'm wondering if it would be better marketing to distance ourselves a bit more. Go for a fresh, new approach that can bring in audiences maybe?

[psychostorm]

An advertising campaign might work, but somehow I have the funny feeling that might cost more than it stands to gain. Though while we€™re on the topic of marketing, has anyone done a Vox Populi, yet?

Featherweights are more likely to take off in live events for their low weight, small size and general opportunity to experiment. You can actually create a disposable basic combatant or complex prototype without spending thousands of £s. In many respects, we€™ll never see a category quite like the feathers again. Though one downside for them is, as Jonno has said is size. featherweights in a heavyweight arena are a let down from the audiences perspective - you can€™t see them from a lot of angles. Jonno also stated power as a factor but I€™d argue the increase in weight is more the draw. A heavier machine makes a bigger bang - end of.

On the topic of television, I€™d like to disagree with the thought of having special events between championship fights. In fact, I€™d recommend ditching the €˜full championship event across entire season€™ format in its entirety. I reckon an Extreme style format, where multiple, smaller competitions can be run €˜simultaneously€™, would ultimately better as networks could ultimately decide what competitions would work for television - making changes to the plan rather than an outright rejection of it. Then, once that's aired, make the €˜full championship event across entire season€™ the spin-off series.

[craig_anto]

Extreme 1 and 2 had much lower ratings in comparison to the main competition series its not a sucsessfull option

I beleive that a series that gives a champion at the end of each episode is more likely to sucseed with a grand champion at the end of the series

[xtreme]

I havent been part of the fighting robot community long so iv not seen much of a change.

Im unsure about this part but I was thinking wouldnt it be better if the FRA site was more public friendly? Have a Teams/Robots database, a media page and an events page that doesnt just take you to the forum. Then all the public could be directed to one place to know whats happening in there area and know what robots there likely to see. So we can promote the sport rather than an EO. If we got together and made a promotional video and we all post it online on youtube etc people are going to see it, then if they have a nice up to date, informative and friendly website to go to they will see the sport is still alive.

Id be happy to pay an enterance fee. And if we didnt get prize money or a fancy trophy we could live with that. Let us bring our own sandwiches to events, what would only cost us a few quid each will save you EO's quite a bit of money and time. Get a dozen or so of us roboteers to help set up arena and take arena down and help tidy up etc. If we dont want the sport to die we all have to help.

Im loving all the talk of middleweights, a few of us have been trying to push for middleweight competition. Theres a chance middleweight competition could take off again but theres always the chance it could just be an epic fail, but to give it a chance to take off people are going to have to build middleweight robots. We are basicly starting a middleweight division from scratch so people are going to be thinking, Is it worth the risk?, Is it worth my time effort and money for somthing that may never take off properly?. I think its 100% worth the risk. I would say that with 2 middleweights in my room tho wouldnt I .



Im tired, Ill probs look at this post tommorow and think what the hell was i on about?, this makes no sence.

[craig_colliass]

Many thanks to all who have contributed to this discussion ALL your input is important.

I think the main point to be repeated is no one wants the robotic movement in the UK to finish.
Both the EO€™s and the Roboteers have confirmed their support to the future success of the fighting robot scene in this country.

The main problem we have could be brought down to one thing, paying audience numbers.
The FRA website could be used to help promote all robot events.
I know Jonno is a past master of show promotion so I wont try to instruct the instructor.

But we as roboteers if the show is in our town could perhaps help like Clive said hand out flyers or sell tickets to people in our social circle work, pub, church, club or family. If they know some of the competitors then their interest in coming would be higher.

Also if it were possible to have a display the Saturday before the show weekend in a prominent location (shopping centre), were Ant weight robots were fighting in a small arena then this would Draw a crowd get the robots noticed some static displays and someone selling tickets to the main event. This would raise interest and perhaps ticket sales.

One thing that has been brought up that dose make some sense is in the past we have kept close ties with the old TV series Robot Wars this served the movement well in the past and I am a greater believer in remembering history and our roots. But it may not be serving us so well commercially now, as most young children that go have not seen much if anything about Robot wars. Perhaps we should make sure the robots in the advertising and show promotion are the robots at the shows.

If none of this works we could always roll out the BIG GUN
Shane Swan in a Darth Vader outfit (There on EBay) handing out fliers and asking the kids €œIs your name Luke€ That€™s got to work

[swanaldo]

I think roboteers posting leaflets is a good idea craig. i would like to think that roboteers would do a favour for the good of us all. I would love a Darth Vader outfit but i recon i would scare more kids than make them go wow.

Jonno has done the uk champs again this year off his own back to rescue it as the aim for all of us to be number 1.

I think next year the EO,s should be working together with the same structure of the current uk champs and use all events as a league system with 1 big event run by all partys as the grand finale. Oh how i wish that would happen but as always egos get in the way. just remember its not the impossible now is it.

I called a meeting with the fra weeks ago and asked kane to mail all members to find out a good date. alas only few replied so its been a while getting a date. I have asked kane to name a date and just get on with it. If the fra committee members cant be assed to mail back then they cant be as committed as i thought. there WILL be a date made and if committee members can turn up then so be it. Also if anyone wants to attend then the more the merrier.

We need to move on something and move now. I am fed up with pussy footing around and doing everything all political. Balls to that and lets get on with it and have a meeting. It wont do anyone any harm and it wont be official.

I tells Ya

there is a good future with robots i know it.

I think i should be president

Oh if anyone cant make the meeting then please post views and ideas. Simple see.

[swanaldo]

did i mention that Envy ootad Iron awe at guildford.

[craig_anto]

''I think next year the EO,s should be working together with the same structure of the current uk champs and use all events as a league system with 1 big event run by all partys as the grand finale''

I agree

FRA meeting? We need to talk things over even if the committee isn't going to call a meeting soon that doesnt mean we cant talk, Next Sunday (28th June) the Swann Inn Chasetown high street Burntwood (WS7 3XR) anyone who wants to come along is welcome