Robotwarez Rules

[kallahar]

Balls Update:

The 38mm defcon branded balls (white ball, purple defcon logo as a slightly raised texture) will be available at the contest.

You can still choose to use your own balls (either 38mm or 40mm) but make sure to bring enough ;)

[kallahar]

Only fully AI Bots get the time bonus.

Time stops when either the last can falls, or the last ball is picked up (giving full points).

[Tacitus]

Perhaps the tie-breaker should include accuracy of fire too?

Also, can we get a definition of when exactly the time will stop? When the last can falls, or when the robot/operator signals it is done?

[KeLviN]

what about partial AI time?

[kallahar]

This should have been common sense, but I added the following clarification:

"In the event of a tie, the fastest time will be the winner, with fully AI bot's times being divided by 2."

It has been added to the robotwarez.org rules page.

[LosT]

How about the ping pong balls get numbers put on them for additional points. That way you can be rewarded for being accurate enough to select a higher point ball.

Or just draw different Pokemon on them...gotta collect em all!

LosT

[astcell]

How about the ping pong balls get numbers put on them for additional points. That way you can be rewarded for being accurate enough to select a higher point ball.

[Tacitus]

Kallahar,

Cut a few small holes in the outside walls, about 3" across. They can be great places to take pictures of the robotos from, or video, or your own X10 type cam. It can be a nice low level view without getting in the way of the robots.

Sounds to me like like ast wants to take some robot upskirt shots...

[astcell]

Kallahar,

Cut a few small holes in the outside walls, about 3" across. They can be great places to take pictures of the robotos from, or video, or your own X10 type cam. It can be a nice low level view without getting in the way of the robots.

[kallahar]

I just updated the rules at robotwarez.org (that's now the official place where rules will be)

Changes:
1) The arena is now 10 feet long instead of 12
2) The walls are at 2.5', 5', and 7.5' instead of 2, 4, and 6
3) Added "Robots must be self powered, no power can come from outside the arena." (this does not prevent external control via wire though)

[kallahar]

Sign up is pretty open, just show up at con ;)

I built the arena this weekend, so I'll have pictures and exact layout posted in the next few days. It came out really good :)

I'm still looking for the best flooring material though. It has to be light colored (IR reflective), and it has to break down small enough to fit in a trunk. (the walls break down to 4'x1' segments)

Any ideas? I looked at industrial carpet, but it didn't come in a flat white. I looked at linolium too but it also always had patterns. I could do a bunch of 5'x2' segments, but there would be seams between the joints.

What does everyone think?

[shanker]

sign up ?

i was wondering when you all are having the sign up for the contest? if i can do it now i would like too

[KeLviN]

you all know how i feel about the rules seeming like they cater to specific design types and are allready limiting and rigid.
so i will mearly say: i agree with tacitus.

[Tacitus]

Also on the ping pong balls question:
- We "think" they are tournament size.... We KNOW they can't be shot from the ping pong ball guns... so they're larger, but we're verifying that now.

Are they the same balls used at DC12? Or have new ones been ordered?

I'm not sure what rule you are clarifying as I can't find any mention of anything relating to bots staying in the arena or power source in the rules.

Yeah, I don't remember reading that either or see where these new "clarifications" are coming from. They seem to be very limiting and detailed rules compared to the scope of what has been listed in the rules before, a "design this way" rule vs. the "design to complete this goal" rules I have seen before. It seems feasable that one could create a bot that will compete the task, but have a external battery source just outside the arena. It just seems to me that less rules lead to more creativity and thus cooler bots. It's easy to fall into the trap of deciding on rules that seem logical but are biased by a mental fixedness of what someone thinks a bot should look like. Just something to consider as defcon nears. Having said that I like the rules so far and think the rules are setting up a good competition- im sure things will work out just fine and look forward to seeing all the bots at con :)

[A]

About the rule "clarification(s)" posted above, what should be considered the difinitive location and set of rules? Anything posted to this forum by (enter judge name here), http://www.robotwarez.org/rules.html, or perhaps someplace else?

And also, at what point will there be a rule freeze? I'm not sure what rule you are clarifying as I can't find any mention of anything relating to bots staying in the arena or power source in the rules. Oh no! Its Rule Creep! <g>

The last thing I want to do is criticize how yawl are running this contest, I can appreciate how hard it is; and also I realize that defcon is still X months away, but I ask that you set a reasonable date to finalize and codify all rules pertaining to the contest and stick to it.