Battlebots !!! Does life get any better ?

[Wingnut]

Has anyone seen Comedy Central's wonderful contribution to TV lately? This show just rocks !!!! I was kinda let down at first when I saw these machines were R/C rather than AI like the major tech universities pit up against each other every year but, once I saw the action, I was very impressed...

I mean a 5ft. titanium sword on wheels hacking away at this other spinning contraption was unreal, and these things are pretty big too! I've noticed a trend for the spinning bots to usually win cuz' they usually smack the wheels clean off of their opponents then finish the job while the operators, who I must say are equally entertaining, use catch phrases like "Who's bitch are you now?" while holding a transmitter and a tongue in cheek expression. Anyway, you can't really put it in words, you just gotta watch it...really good stuff!

 

[Chooie]

It's sposta be a secret, but a couple anandtechies are building a bot for next year's competition (myself being a major contributor ). Look for a bot with a cow avatar somewhere on it

 

[Wingnut]

OMG...are you serious Chooie! I was thinking of everyone here while I was watching this and thought if anyone could build a killer bot...it would be some of the people here. All Right! Put me down for a 4-6 channel Futaba transmitter and servo set!

Oh wait...it probably would be illegal since it's designed for aerial use, not ground! Silly F.C.C.! Chooie, keep me posted man! That sounds fantastic!

 

[Chooie]

Woah there! I don't know if you've gone through the rules, but it has to be FM or PCM (PCM strongly recommended). We're still in the design phase right now, but I can say it will probably a combination wedge/spinner, or a spinner with a couple of secrets. We're aiming for Class C or B (Middleweight/Heavyweight), but nothing is solid yet. I'll keep you in mind tho Send me off an email (my addy is in my profile) with BATTLEBOTS in the subject (all caps).

Oh, and don't worry about 72mhz vs 75mhz, it won't be a problem.

Oh, and that goes for anyone who wants to discuss ideas or designs too... just make sure you put BATTLEBOTS in the subject. Oh, and please... US peeps only. If you're in the New England area, LMK.

 

[FatAlbo]

I think the only way they can make the BattleBots show better was if they extended it to an hour.

 

[Antisocial Virge]

wonder if you could just build one with about 20 stiffening caps and just fry the snot out of the competition

 

[Chooie]

Nope, no electrical attacks of any kind... it's in the rules IT actually specifically rules out cattle prods, which made me laugh my ass off when I first read it.

 

[Fathom4]

Pretty wild show. I was thinking if you had a quick little bot with a spear on the front to impale other bots.

6Al-4v Titanium Alloy, 1 to 1-1/2" round turned to point oughta do it.

Let me know what you think. If you think it will work I can probably supply it.

 

[soup or man]

heh did you see that bot with like, a piece of wood on the end of it? talk about owned.

or did you see that 14 year old girl destroy that guy with the dreaded Tentomushi!(Killer Ladybug)

 

[Crysla]

I loooooove this show. I totally thought of the people here and wondered if someone was gonna enter. That's soooo cool Chooie.

That show with the last battle where the bots kept missing each other was funny....that biga$$ sword was impressive....if he coulda just hit the other guy. I would love to go and watch this.

Princess

 

[Redwingsguy]

mmmmmmm baywatch babes!

 

[chipbgt]

Reminder, Its on again tonight. maybe it will be a little cooler this time....not that it was bad the first time or anything.

 

[BiB]

CANADIANS

What is this being broadcasted on? I have to see it!

 

[chipbgt]

well....all I can say is its on comedy central tonight at 10:30.

 

[loogie]

Damnit. When is my cable gonna work. I'm stuck watching sitcom reruns. Yay.

 

[BiB]

I gotta get that channel installed, GRRR

 

[Killbat]

<newsflash>
This competition has been around forever. It's been on the Discovery channels a few times.
</newsflash>

 

[Chooie]

Actually, the one on the discovery channel was Robot Wars; a UK TV show/competition. We got the short end of the stick; they've had the show for over 6 years.

 

[Swag1138]

Yeah, They had a marathon of Robot Wars on the local PBS channel here. It was hosted by the Captain from Red Dwarf (the absoloute best british contribution to telivison). Ive cought it a few times over the years, but I enjoy Battlebots more, so far. I guess its the commentators, but the insanity of American Bot Builders adds to it a bit too

The family that built Mauler! They remind me of the crazy people that lived down the street from me when I was little

Im behind Mauler all the way this year. I would love to see an Overkill/Mauler match

 

[Chooie]

Update from tonight's battles:

First of all, I have to comment on the commentators - they're rude, crude, totally on the fringe, and PERFECT for BattleBots

Round 1

The first matchup was Bender vs. Voltarc. I was a little biased toward the wedge shaped Voltarc, and with good reason: Voltarc bullied Bender all over the arena. With its hydraulic arm, Voltarc lifted Bender's drive wheels off the ground, and dragged it over the Kill Saws. The final score was 9-0 in favor of Voltarc.

Round 2

This was a complete mismatch - the 126 lb. Knome II robot was matched up against Killerhurtz, a 205 lb. beast with a compressed gas-powered axe. Killerhurtz came out of the box in a big hurry, and with the initial impact decapitated Knome II. Killerhurtz proceeded to rend Knome II into shards of Lexan, only stopping to get hung up on the wall and beat into submission by the arena sledgehammer. The final score was Killerhurtz, by K.O.

Round 3

This match was the definite highlight for the night. Two Super Heavyweights, each weighing in at 325 lb., faced off for the final match. The heavily armored newcomer, Grey Matter, was armed with a 16&quot; spike, while #1 ranked Minion wielded a Lexan wedge and a 14&quot; cutting wheel. Inside of the first minute, Grey Matter had shattered the cutting wheel of Minion. Weaponless, Minion was forced on the defensive. Grey Matter tried to open a can of Whoop Ass? on Minion, but got hung up on the kill saws built into the arena floor. After a few good shots, Grey Matter managed to pierce the lexan wedge of Minion with its spike. Grey Matter was in total control of the match, forcing Minion wherever it pleased. Grey Matter's driver, however, got a little overanxious, and charged too soon, resulting in a shredded tire (thanks again to the kill saws). Once Grey Matter lost control of a drive wheel, Minion proceeded to abuse Grey Matter with its wedge. The fight went on for the full 3 minutes, and the judges decided in favor of Minion, 7-2.

 

[Chooie]

Sorry to do this, folks.. must... keep.. battlebots discussion.. alive!

 

[Wingnut]

Thanks Chooie!
Missed that one...had to work late. Killerhurtz is pretty brutal huh?

BTW... I might have missed Bill Nye's comments on it but, what kinda power supply are they using to keep those bots going strong for such a lengthy period of time, that's amazing! Those things obviously look like they have some serious power drain.

 

[trmiv]

Knome II was absolutely the worst robot I have ever seen on one of these things. I know the kid was only 15, but come on, what did he think he was going to do with that really light, plastic robot, with a shovel on it? Funny thing is, he knew he was going to lose when they interviewed him before the match.

My two favorite robots so far have been Mauler (that family was hilarious), and Ziggo .

 

[Chooie]

I agree- Ziggo was absolutely hell bent on destruction, and the dad from the family that built Mauler was insane.Heavyweight is such a broad weight class, and so many people build to the limits, that you have to expect that if the cap is 210 lb., then there are going to be 200-210 lb. robots in the weight class. In fact, I was actually startled when I found out that Knome II was only around 125 lb. That 'bot would have been much better off scaled down a bit, without the stupid looking head and torso, and in the lightweight competition. Then, the 'dozer design could have mopped up the lighter bots, and the plastic wouldnt've mattered.

 

[Chooie]

Update: BattleBots on RIGHT NOW for east coasters!