Team AstroBot

[TeamAstroBot]

Thanks Zac,

We would love to join BotBlast this year, but without the required preparation time it would just be throwing in last years beat up bots. Not to mention because we didn't get in soon enough, we now have other commitments. Due to the cost and time it takes, we really need to start designing/building/testing as soon as possible (you know how it goes) after registering. When it turns into a competition just to register for the competition, it takes a lot of the desire out of it.

I know it's easy to sit here and throw ideas out, when I'm not the one running the events, but with my experience I feel we need to be more strict about the time. We all want everyone to get in the arena, but everyone has equal time to be ready BEFORE the event. Often events start late, and that pushes everything back. I think we are simply being TOO nice. If you're not through safety.... Sorry, come again next time.

It's been 13 years since my first event, and for the most part the format has not changed. 2 bots in, 1 bot out, repeat. I am thrilled with the amount of attention the sport is getting, but if the events don't evolve, newcomers are not going to be able to participate, and it will go back to being a "underground" event after a couple years.


We'll continue keeping our eyes on everything (including this site), seeing how everything progresses. But for now, we are out. Not going to stress and fight for a spot, and/or pickup a late dropout spot with little preparation.

[Headbanger142]

You can always go to the PCT SWORD events they usually have. They run a whacky point system format where you get to fight 3 3-way matches.

[TeamAstroBot]

I'm a fan of the 1 on 1 format, just think its interesting nothing else has really taken off.

[AmbientChaos]

I may have only found this hobby about a year ago, but I definitely understand how you feel.  For both the Motorama and Franklin Institute events this year, despite my frequent checking of BuildersDB I only got online in time to find that the events had filled up almost instantaneously before I even knew registration was open.  I only managed to get my beetle into Motorama by showing up at the event with my bot and taking the place of someone who dropped out at the last minute, and I think that might be the only way that I could get entered into the Franklin Institute as well.  I'm not really sure what the solution to the problem is, but it seems that in our neck of the woods there are currently more builders with insect weight bots than the established events can handle.