Build Rules 2011

[RogueTwoRobots]

Option 3 would be the most straightforward to implement and regulate, although I'm not 100% that it is of benefit to axes and crushers much as top armour could still be quite thick. The only thing would be, how much of the robot would a ground clearance rule cover? For example, the old Drumroll (so Boner) has a ground clearance at the back of roughly 20mm, but the front of the robot rests on the chassis so the GC varies from 20mm to 0mm. This could be true of several other robots. With Boner, there is space under the drum (if you're tough enough) to get a flipper or wedge under and lift it up. But another robot might have that 0mm all the way across at the front. Maybe there needs to be something about the 'leading edge' of a wedge robot being 3mm off the ground?

Dunno, definitely needs to be thought out and implemented well but I agree that something needs to change to get more diversity. Certainly a worthwhile discussion.

[psychostorm]

At Robo Challenge we are also looking at how we can keep the sport evolving. Keep it interesting and fresh. One thing worried me though was the lack of diversity, 3 flippers, no axes & no crushers. With these sort of robots missing I personally feel the sport will evolve in one direction until there are just spinners and bricks).

Unfortunately people won't build new and different machines unless they can be competitive. At the moment if anybody built a crusher or an axe they would get written off by a spinner and have no impact against the bricks. So I feel we need to look at the rules to encourage different robots to be built. There are a couple of suggestions I am thinking.

2 - Limit the weight of robots with out an active weapon to 12kg or lower.

Not too difficult, keep it in mind.

3 - Minimum ground clearance of 3mm for all robots with either a spinning weapon or no active weapon. (the 2 most popular robot types)

This is what I personally would like to see. I think that it won't take much away from the spinners and the brick bots can still do there thing with the spinners. Robots that don't comply at the moment would only require an easy fix to be back in the rules. It just means those 2 different types of machine (the 2 most popular) are a little more venerable to flippers, crushers and axes. I feel this would encourage these types of machine and make them more competitive.

As Jamie said, you may wish to amend that to allow wedges. Try:

Minimum ground clearance of 3mm for all robots with either a spinning weapon or no active weapon with the exception of a scoop/wedge on one side.
Any spinning weapons must be more than 3mm off the floor.

Here's some ideas I'd like to propose:
Any shuffler/walker must have a section of chassis 25mm away from any legs.
Any robot deemed by the judges to have ripped the legs off a shuffler/walker will forfeit the match.*Could you extend that to arms?*

Just my thoughts.

[Leonardomayo]

Any robot deemed by the judges to have ripped the legs off a shuffler/walker will forfeit the match.*Could you extend that to arms?*

If a robot rips a wheels off another robot does it get disqualified?

[typhoon_driver]

I don't think those rules would work with walkers.

[james...venom]

The minimum ground clearance would include the entire robot minus wheels/skids. If you allowed 0mm for wedges there would be no advantage. 3mm isn't a massive amount but would make a difference for flippers etc

[xtreme]

Flippers are still making it to the final every year so we dont want to make it over easy for them. I think if boxes were limited to 10-12kg that would be a good move, People wouldnt just be able to build and indestructable box and charge head on into spinners knowing they wont take damage. With the ground clearance thing its probably a good idea but will it make it too easy for the flippers against spinners? A horizontal spinner would still engage but if you had 3mm ground clearance under a vert spinner a flipper robot would drive straight under without been touched.

[cliveb]

Where do I start?

2007 Champion Mini Mighty Mouse (Flipper)
2008 Champion Beauty 2 (Flipper)
2009 Champion Beauty 2 (Flipper) 2nd Aftershock (Flipper) 3rd Savage Evo (Spinner)
2010 Champion Tiny Toon (Rambot) 2nd Beauty 4 (Flipper) 3rd Boner (Spinner)

2007 Tag Team Champions Beauty 2 / Rip (Flippers)
2009 Tag Team Champions Beauty 4 / Explosion ( Flippers) 2nd Aftershock / Heatwave (Flippers) 3rd Little Hitter / LS2 ( Axe/ Spinner)

European Champion Beauty 2 (Flipper)

Looks pretty diverse to me, if not a bit one sided towards the flippers.

The Champs this year had 1 axe (Asgard),Venom (Crusher)was there but Captain Scarlett was entered.Tiny Hurtz was there but isnt yet finished.Basher(Axe) was entered but didn't turn up.I can think of 3 very good flippers that would probably have been there if the Champs were not in school term time: Explosion,Wedgie and Heatwave ( 2 seeded robots).Dizzy Tilly (FBS) would also probably have been there,hence diversity again.

If a change in weight or build rules were to be brought in,it would scrap any plans that anybody may have for a world championship as 13.6 kilos is now the standard weight limit.

I thought that the 4 judging criteria were Style,Control,Damage and Aggression.Surely the Style and Control are a main part of a Rambot against active weapons.It's not always about driving straight into your opponent.Tiny Toon is one of the oldest Featherweights still fighting,if it had that much of an advantage it would have won before now,so I don't understand James comment about Tiny Toon walking it again next year.

Clive

[razerdave]

I'm in complete agreement with Clive on this one, there would have been much more weaponry out there at the UK champs but circumstances were such that it changed. And I also agree with the statement of style and control required to use rammers to their full extend.

[Mouldy]

I like the idea of rule 2 ...BUT

..The problem with all these rules is if a world champs was ever held.. You'd basically be discouraging competitors from across the world from entering unless they modified there machines...The whole point in the recent rule changes (weight increase) was to get the UK robots to be inline with other country's. I think making new rules now would totally un-do the work thats been done to get a global rule set.

[james...venom]

I understand your points however I feel you are looking into the past regarding past champions. Looking at this years champs and the future it is only going to become a more extreme version of what it already is. Only 3 flippers entered. No crushers or axes because they stand very little chance. This is what i feel we need to change. We need more diversity.

Look at America and at is where the sport is going if the rules don't adapt.

I think it's a case of it's very easy to produce a good ram bot or spinner. We need to do something to encourage a variety of robots to compete and make it easy to produce for example a crusher which is competitive.