Mech Warfare 2010 Draft Rules

[ScuD]

Darn.. and I just finished finetuning the anti-matter cannon..

[mannyr7]

If you got a functioning unit and a mech capable of hauling it around, I say enter it in the hardcore class! My post was directed more toward the gimmicky loophole what-ifs.

[TrevorBrummel]

Here's another question: will robots be allowed to climb or enter the structures/buildings in the arena?

[mannyr7]

Last discussion about building design was cardboard boxes with photocopied prints of real buildings pasted/velcroed on, so no. No entering buildings. Some discussion has been thrown around about destructible buildings, but still too early to tell if this would be feasible for transportation, construction costs, cleanup, and safety/reliability. I know I shouldn't even go here , buuutttt... i suppose if you had jumpjets you could attempt to land on buildings.

[jes1510]

Personally I would say that if you can get on top of a building then go for it. If you can do it cheaply then patent it and sell the design for a bazillion dollars

[Tyberius]

Here's another question: will robots be allowed to climb or enter the structures/buildings in the arena?

A better question is if any robot capable of competing in this competition would even be able to climb a 2 foot structure.

Indulgence in the 'what ifs' is an unfortunate downfall of progression in one's project.

[TrevorBrummel]

Ok. I just wondered because I saw this:

http://mech-warfare.com/images/arena1.jpg

I thought that there could be the potential for robots getting on top of structures, so I thought I'd ask if it was allowed under the rules.

[darkback2]

I think early on we had a lot of ideas that reality has dispelled...at current the arena has to be something that we can put together and take apart. It has to be relatively inexpensive, and it has to meet the requirements for mech warfare. The buildings did actually become an issue of sorts. We originally talked about foam buildings that would be destroyed by pellets...cool in theory...but expensive because the buildings would need to be built for every event.

There was talk about stackable buildings, but these would be relatively expensive up front, and would have to be shipped from place to place...Also, all of the buildings would be the same.

For now at least, cardboard boxes are cheap, and available anywhere. I'm going to try to get some store fronts printed up that are big enough to actually cover the sides of the boxes. I took a bunch of pics of store fronts in LA and will take some in New York in the next couple of weeks. 8 boxes was the last count, so 32 pictures at 12 inches wide...good news is if we do it right the pictures could last a really long time.

Now there is nothing to say that we couldn't make some cardboard pill boxes...

Maybe a mod could move this discussion to the arena discussions thread?

DB

[Connor]

I think early on we had a lot of ideas that reality has dispelled...at current the arena has to be something that we can put together and take apart. It has to be relatively inexpensive, and it has to meet the requirements for mech warfare. The buildings did actually become an issue of sorts. We originally talked about foam buildings that would be destroyed by pellets...cool in theory...but expensive because the buildings would need to be built for every event.

There was talk about stackable buildings, but these would be relatively expensive up front, and would have to be shipped from place to place...Also, all of the buildings would be the same.

For now at least, cardboard boxes are cheap, and available anywhere. I'm going to try to get some store fronts printed up that are big enough to actually cover the sides of the boxes. I took a bunch of pics of store fronts in LA and will take some in New York in the next couple of weeks. 8 boxes was the last count, so 32 pictures at 12 inches wide...good news is if we do it right the pictures could last a really long time.

Now there is nothing to say that we couldn't make some cardboard pill boxes...

Maybe a mod could move this discussion to the arena discussions thread?

DB

Just a note, we didn't do it this past time, but, those boxes could be placed on thier side to be a 2' wide by 1' tall.. That would be cool too.

Thanks, Connor

[Adrenalynn]

There's no rule against bots climbing onto the structures. Or climbing up the netting. Or dematerializing, traveling through subspace, and reappearing behind the opponent. From my perspective those are all fair game.

I would respectfully submit for consideration that one build a 'bot that can successfully accomplish the basic task of walking around via wireless control with wifi camera and accurately fire a basic airsoft tank weapon, and do so for 15-20mins reliably, prior to considering the above though. I think it has been pretty well established that the latter is more involved than it would initially appear.