Robot Wars returning to BBC2!

Mr Jack · 8 Jan 2018 at 11:14

Shamikebab said:
The battlebots ones are heavier aren't they? You won't see a robot of a different weight class featured.

Actually, I just checked this, and it's not much different 250lbs (~113kg) vs 110kg. (Battlebots vs RobotWars rules)

Actually looking at those rules, it's the details that matter more. E.g. Battlebots robots can use air or O2 but NOT CO2, Robot Wars robots can use air or CO2, and the pressure limits are several times higher for Battlebots.

Shamikebab · 8 Jan 2018 at 11:20

I thought it was bigger than that, perhaps it's some sort of exclusivity contract or not willing to travel then.

Svack · 8 Jan 2018 at 12:54

Shamikebab said:
I thought it was bigger than that, perhaps it's some sort of exclusivity contract or not willing to travel then.

There are indeed exclusivity contracts specifically for filmed events, live events are fine though I think

Also keep an eye out for episode 1 of King of Bots (basically Chinese battlebots), it airs today in China at 21:40.

this_is_gav · 8 Jan 2018 at 12:57

I think the rest of the world teams are seeing the sort of issues the UK roboteers discovered when Robot Wars was relaunched - that even a small hit can activate the failsafe device and render the robot immobile.

It did very much have a feel of 'oh look, we've got an arena. How else can we maximise our airtime'.

EvilDreams · 13 Jan 2018 at 13:19

NewGamer11 said:
Gabriel 2 is absolutely useless. Please stop letting them in the competition. They could literally fight all day and not defeat another robot.

It's like that robot was specifically designed to waste everyone's time.

Also I noticed that the weapon shaft of their "club" is made of the same floppy plastic as the wheels which nicely absorbs any force it could ever put out in the first place.

The guy has built a very durable robot though. It's just that it's incapable of winning a fight by itself and boring as hell to watch.

EvilDreams · 13 Jan 2018 at 13:46

nicktay2605 said:
Yeah fog of war definitely needs to be scrapped

Anything that happens when you press the pit button other than the pit going down is fine by me.

Combat Fighter · 13 Jan 2018 at 14:46

EvilDreams said:
Anything that happens when you press the pit button other than the pit going down is fine by me.

THE FOG OF WAR!!!

It amuses me every time I hear that (it's pretty useless feature though)

Alibaba99 · 14 Jan 2018 at 13:43

Mr Jack said:
Actually, I just checked this, and it's not much different 250lbs (~113kg) vs 110kg. (Battlebots vs RobotWars rules)

Actually looking at those rules, it's the details that matter more. E.g. Battlebots robots can use air or O2 but NOT CO2, Robot Wars robots can use air or CO2, and the pressure limits are several times higher for Battlebots.

The trouble with the Battlebots limits is that some teams (if they have shown that they really know what they are doing) are actually allowed to exceed the limits. Bronco's flipper runs far in excess of the limits as does the kinetic energy allowed for Tombstones bar.

413x · 25 Jan 2018 at 19:42

World series was dire.
Dunno if it was always just two or was it canned?

Can' bbelieve the ROW has only that to offer.

FlakGunna · 25 Jan 2018 at 23:55

This any good? I remember loving it when I was younger. Same sort of style as it was back then?

Freddie1980 · 29 Jan 2018 at 13:32

FlakGunna said:
This any good? I remember loving it when I was younger. Same sort of style as it was back then?

Yeah it's pretty good, compared to the original show the bots now are far more destructive and deadly (most of them make Hypnodisc look like paper cutter), some of the more powerful ones can smash through 10mm of hardened steel which is insane. You don't get as many out and out crap/joke robots now which takes away from the fun and I do miss Craig Charles, overall the show is more serious but is a bit samey with most robot design being built around various types of spiners which can get a bit boring.

Vimes · 29 Jan 2018 at 14:04

Spinners or flippers do seem to be favoured and have the better success, although I do like Thor and others of that type. IIRC the guy who runs Thor made some comment about it being too old now for the current gen of robots fighting.

I'm not sure what class you would call Minotaur, the American robot.? Perhaps a vertical spinner.?

MikeTheNative · 29 Jan 2018 at 14:09

413x said:
World series was dire.
Dunno if it was always just two or was it canned?

Can' bbelieve the ROW has only that to offer.

Unfortunately contracts means that any robots that appear on battlebots can't appear on other shows despite it looking like it has been cancelled. BBC wasn't offering anyone travel costs for this so many teams didn't bother as they would be out of pocket to for it. Two of the ROW robots where actually reskinned ones from the celebrity special last season which is a bit silly.

Vimes said:
I'm not sure what class you would call Minotaur, the American robot.? Perhaps a vertical spinner.?

It's a drum spinner.

Vimes · 29 Jan 2018 at 14:41

Ah drum spinner, kinda obvious really. Thanks.

I remember it ripping through several rounds in Battlebots, expecting it to do the same with Tombstone.

Gerard · 29 Jan 2018 at 15:13

MikeTheNative said:
Unfortunately contracts means that any robots that appear on battlebots can't appear on other shows despite it looking like it has been cancelled. BBC wasn't offering anyone travel costs for this so many teams didn't bother as they would be out of pocket to for it. Two of the ROW robots where actually reskinned ones from the celebrity special last season which is a bit silly.

BBC being tight arses is not a surprise. It is surprising that battlebots got canned and there's still still some sort of policy in effect stopping the robots appearing on other shows.

Drukk · 29 Jan 2018 at 15:49

I used to really enjoy Robot Wars but the filming of the actual fights now is just so broken up with camera changes it just takes all the continiuity away. You miss half the action because the camera is switched to the audiance or presenters constantly, its downright awful direction. Gave up in the last episode, got fed up of watching facial expressions of presenters or cuts to the contestants or crowd instead of the action in the arena. Completely spoilt it. They show enough of the people involved before the battles, why can't they just show the arena fight without cutting away every 10-15 seconds?

varkanoid · 16 Mar 2018 at 22:40

Its been axed by BBC2

https://twitter.com/UKRobotWars?lang=en

Shamikebab · 16 Mar 2018 at 22:45

Shame

Combat Fighter · 16 Mar 2018 at 22:56

varkanoid said:
Its been axed by BBC2

https://twitter.com/UKRobotWars?lang=en

Well that sux.

What’s the alternative?

deadite66 · 17 Mar 2018 at 06:19

Combat Fighter said:
Well that sux.

What’s the alternative?

New series of Battlebots.
King of bots finished a week ago, haven't heard about a new series yet.