Robot Wars has been in the us since 95. read this book if you want to know about how the whol deal went down. http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0743229517/ 002-0381231-1365641
Here are my thoughts, free so take it at purchase value. In high school I was in FIRST, I started as a sophomore and by my senior year, I was in charge of pit, and mechanical. But, got booted off the team, because of a poor grade in English. This was the only reason I even showed up at school in the first place was so I could go work with the team. After that, I went and competed at Battlebots. Now I have been to many first comps (17) and many combat robotics competitions(29) and at FIRST they boast "Gracious professionalism" when in reality there is so much lying and rule bending, it becomes, not who has the better robot, but who can doctor the books the best.
That's why I see robot combat as an even playing field everyone has safety, weight, and ability to build as constraints. Last year there were over 40 robot combat events. This year around the same number are planned. One of the best things as far as "Gracious professionalism" at combat events is when you get your but handed to you by a better bot, and you can look at the pile of months of work, and smile, go and shake your competitors hand and feel like you did a the best you can. At FIRST I always left with a feeling like if only my alliance was stronger.
I now run robot combat events www.poundofpain.com Anyone who thinks FIRST is "far superior than any stupid robowars program" should try them both out and see what the virtues of each are and make a decision on their own. If you're in new England, check out one of my competitions, and then tell me it is superior. Any where else in the USA, there are many competitions at www.botleague.com to find one near you. In the end, anything that promotes a passion for the engineering fields, we need more of.
Slashdot Mirror
Robot Wars has been in the us since 95. read this book if you want to know about how the whol deal went down. http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0743229517/ 002-0381231-1365641
Here are my thoughts, free so take it at purchase value. In high school I was in FIRST, I started as a sophomore and by my senior year, I was in charge of pit, and mechanical. But, got booted off the team, because of a poor grade in English. This was the only reason I even showed up at school in the first place was so I could go work with the team. After that, I went and competed at Battlebots. Now I have been to many first comps (17) and many combat robotics competitions(29) and at FIRST they boast "Gracious professionalism" when in reality there is so much lying and rule bending, it becomes, not who has the better robot, but who can doctor the books the best.
That's why I see robot combat as an even playing field everyone has safety, weight, and ability to build as constraints. Last year there were over 40 robot combat events. This year around the same number are planned. One of the best things as far as "Gracious professionalism" at combat events is when you get your but handed to you by a better bot, and you can look at the pile of months of work, and smile, go and shake your competitors hand and feel like you did a the best you can. At FIRST I always left with a feeling like if only my alliance was stronger.
I now run robot combat events www.poundofpain.com Anyone who thinks FIRST is "far superior than any stupid robowars program" should try them both out and see what the virtues of each are and make a decision on their own. If you're in new England, check out one of my competitions, and then tell me it is superior. Any where else in the USA, there are many competitions at www.botleague.com to find one near you. In the end, anything that promotes a passion for the engineering fields, we need more of.