So I wanted to put together a general advice/informational thread for new comers to Mech Warfare. I'd like the veterans to also chime in and I'll do my best to highlight and reformat the best/most concise advice in this initial post. I'll start off with a few on my mind and we can build from there, feel free to add onto anything already here too. Think of it as an FAQ. If you don't understand a term here, google it.
Q - Where can I find the ruleset for Mech Warfare?
A -The latest version is generally stickied in this forum. Find the current version here. If not much has changed, we re-use the previous year's thread. Ask questions regarding rules in said thread. Please become familiar with the rules.
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Q - Where are Mech Warfare events held?
A - The primary venue that hosts Mech Warfare each year is Robogames. Robogames is generally held in April in San Mateo, California. We also have events hosted at ShepRobo Fest at Shepherdstown University in March, as well as the Kansas City Maker Faire in June.
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Q - Where can I find information on the Scoring System?
A - Here is the forum post, and also the main page with all the information consolidated, here.
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Q - What cameras are suggested for use? Should I use a Wifi IP camera?
A - Yes. You should use a Wifi IP Camera. DO NOT, use an analog wireless camera. They're crap, and they cause interference. A commonly used IP camera is the Trendnet IP-110W, and another newer camera being used is the D-Link DCS-930L (credit card sized once you remove casing). Both are chosen because they're easy to hack/interface and they're both compact. They also are pretty top notch performers and have been tested at the prior years events.
Also, ad-hoc networking is a failure. We paid very good money to have a top-tier router at our events, please take advantage of this. Know your IP address, Mac address, and SSID. Do not use encryption. Have access to your IP camera's ethernet port if needed.
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Q - ERMAHGERD! THIS IS AWESOME! I'M GOING TO BUILD A BIPED THAT HAS JUMP-JETS AND ROCKET LASERS.
A - Settle down there cowboy. A lot of newcomers get excited over the premise of this competition. I will say this very clearly and I want you to listen to someone who's been doing this for 4 years.
Building a functional, competitive mech, is VERY HARD.
Especially if it is your first year, do not waste time day dreaming of all the awesome over-the-top gizmos you're going to add. See what other people are doing, learn from this. Build a Mech. Get it walking. Get it remotely piloted via Wifi IP cam. Get it firing. PRACTICE. A LOT. Expect it to break and things to go wrong. Go to an event and compete for a year. Then, by all means come and share your ideas. We just ask that they be grounded in reality. The most common misconception about this competition is that building a fully functional mech is a trivial task.
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Q - What's the best route to get started on building a mech? How much do they cost?
A - Hands down, probably the easiest way to get building is to look into an AX-12 Dynamixel based quadruped that uses an Arbotix running a NUKE generated IK sketch. This is a microcontroller that can communicate with AX-12s, and has an open source IK generator program (Pypose/NUKE) that will create a base sketch for you to get your quad running around. It creates a great head-start for newcomers who don't have a lot of programming experience.There are plenty of various projects in the forums that use this method, and it's been one of the most widely successful platforms. There are no mech kits available, so this is the closest thing we have for now. Look at what other people are doing, how they're building their mechs, and give it a shot yourself.
For example: Check the IssyDunnYet Build Article. Issy won the first Mech Warfare competition, and is probably one of the cheapest successful bots. Note that some of the details, such as guns are dated.
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Q - What do you guys use for weapons? Where can I get them?
A - The easiest route is pretty simple- we recommend picking up a 'defender' style airsoft gun from your local WalMart or other sports store and modding it to suit your needs. These usually run about $15-25 and are fairly simple inside. Add a relay or motor controller to it and you've got it working. More advanced builders are using what are known as "AEG Airsoft Gearboxes" and building their own custom guns around them. This requires the builder to come up with their own Barrel solution, hopper, hop up/ammo feed and mounting solution, but these are very powerful guns. Do not use 'tank guns', while they were okay for the first/second year (due to us not having many options), compared to what we use now they suck something fierce.
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