Robot Arena 3

[R01]

I've seen RA3 some time ago(think it might actually have been the reason why I went more into RA2 and actually started playing it, that and finding out it's "free"). Quite nice to see that a development team is finally doing this(return of Battlebots and RW was definitely a reason on why this returned) and listening to it's fans, devs that are actually humans not not profit orientated selling machines! NICE.

With that said, it doesn't look like there's too much new, sure there's probably new components, more customization options(finally a 3rd layer) and much more, however for people that can't get RA3(like me, no online payment )they probably won't be missing all too much since quite a lot is still possible in RA2. With that said, their price of 20$(which seems to be the price that RA2 originally had as well) is more than fair, personally would've hoped for 15$ or so, but I'm really happy that they didn't make it 60$.

So yeah, since the devs are most likely reading this thread, good luck with it and you are doing a damn good job. If possible, can you still make the old RA2 website accessable(outside of wayback machine that is)?

About the grid, I do think it's best to have it with an on/off option, another nice option would be to lock x/y/z axis so you only move the part in one direction. Now I only hope that we will be able to move placed down parts(maybe even by a certain amount, like if the game showed the relative x/y/z positions and allowed you to type +10 into each)

[The Red Blur]

Dude, you know you can buy steam vouchers at, like, every game store?

[J]

Alright, here's a random question that I hope the Devs answer-

Do you plan to include references and/or nods to GTM in some way or another? Like, if one of the stock AI bots was Spinner from the West, or something.
I mean, it would be a thank you to the community, if anything.

[Tygron]

Alright, here's a random question that I hope the Devs answer-

Do you plan to include references and/or nods to GTM in some way or another? Like, if one of the stock AI bots was Spinner from the West, or something.
I mean, it would be a thank you to the community, if anything.

I'd like to find out references as a sort of easter egg personally. I mean they of course know about us, and i'm sure they'll put some sort of mention somewhere in the game. It might just simply be in the credits, it might be a little more I dunno. But there'll probably be something.

[Sage]

Alright, here's a random question that I hope the Devs answer-

Do you plan to include references and/or nods to GTM in some way or another? Like, if one of the stock AI bots was Spinner from the West, or something.
I mean, it would be a thank you to the community, if anything.

they've nodded at us enough. First with that hidden code when the website was first released, and now directly referencing the forum when doing Q&As.

[J]

Alright, here's a random question that I hope the Devs answer-

Do you plan to include references and/or nods to GTM in some way or another? Like, if one of the stock AI bots was Spinner from the West, or something.
I mean, it would be a thank you to the community, if anything.

they've nodded at us enough. First with that hidden code when the website was first released, and now directly referencing the forum when doing Q&As.

Dude, if they make a Stock AI bot and name it 'Rainbow Sage', it would literally be one of the funniest things ever.

[Smirkeh]

Raise your lifting arms! the botlab is a much better system, I really like that you can mold the chassis around the parts that you place!, But it can still be improved further, we all want proper full-bodied spinners, flippers and lifting arms right?

[The Red Blur]

Raise your lifting arms! the botlab is a much better system, I really like that you can mold the chassis around the parts that you place!, But it can still be improved further, we all want proper full-bodied spinners, flippers and lifting arms right?

I'm not sure people want lifting arms. Never heard them mentioned here.

[TDS]

I mean technically yeah, there is a finite amount of places you can place a component and those places are align in  a grid-like pattern, but there are so many places that it's not really worth calling a grid system.

Even CAD programs typically use a grid or snapping for rough handing/aligning if you aren't typing in dims, its just too finicky otherwise, which we've experienced, if I were using a gridish system i'd expect the grid size to be like 1/10-1/20th of a motor or so, small enough that you don't really notice it and would be able to manually nudge one grid location at a time and line stuff up, but not so small that you'd spend so much time screwing around like RA2 which went to silly levels, except rotation where you had pretty limited control.

[TDS]

I'm not sure people want lifting arms. Never heard them mentioned here.

Everyone wants /more/ lifters quickly become flippers or launchers, or something like that.  It all boils down to how they do motor shafts and pistons, if those are finicky like RA2 you're in trouble, if they apply forces correctly we can do whatever.

What will be interesting for me is where the balance ends up, Like ive said if we come up with scales for everything (motor power to battery usage, armor HP to weapon hp, traction VS wheel weight or diameter ect. ect. ect.) and slightly move those around every few tourneys, (probably via simple scripts) we could have a very interesting metagame that will keep folks engaged and playing/experimenting instead of coming up with one apex design and sticking with it.

[Vincent]

I feel sorry for the devs reading this thread when people are starting to doubt them reading it right now.

[The Red Blur]

Okay. Here's a question for the devs:

Would it be possible to build more complex weapon systems/ robot designs than RA2? For example, would a lifting arm be possible?

[Smirkeh]

I'm not sure people want lifting arms. Never heard them mentioned here.

Everyone wants /more/ lifters quickly become flippers or launchers, or something like that.  It all boils down to how they do motor shafts and pistons, if those are finicky like RA2 you're in trouble, if they apply forces correctly we can do whatever.

What will be interesting for me is where the balance ends up, Like ive said if we come up with scales for everything (motor power to battery usage, armor HP to weapon hp, traction VS wheel weight or diameter ect. ect. ect.) and slightly move those around every few tourneys, (probably via simple scripts) we could have a very interesting metagame that will keep folks engaged and playing/experimenting instead of coming up with one apex design and sticking with it.

B- *mumbles a famous robot with lifting arm under his breath*

But on a serious note, I was thinking of a system where flat areas on a robot's chassis could be separated at the connecting lines (I don't know what they are called) and re-attached via "hinges" allowing connector joints to be attached allowing that otherwise simple slab of armour to be used outside of just being a slab of amour.

[DeadGenocide]

B- *mumbles a famous robot with lifting arm under his breath*

Biohazard
Don't forget Storm II and Defiant
and Voltronic and Tazbot.
And Hexy D.

[Smirkeh]

The whole damned reason why "TRIBUTE" is a WIP concept

But that's not for this kinda thread.

[Badnik96]

I'm not sure people want lifting arms. Never heard them mentioned here.

Everyone wants /more/ lifters quickly become flippers or launchers, or something like that.  It all boils down to how they do motor shafts and pistons, if those are finicky like RA2 you're in trouble, if they apply forces correctly we can do whatever.

What will be interesting for me is where the balance ends up, Like ive said if we come up with scales for everything (motor power to battery usage, armor HP to weapon hp, traction VS wheel weight or diameter ect. ect. ect.) and slightly move those around every few tourneys, (probably via simple scripts) we could have a very interesting metagame that will keep folks engaged and playing/experimenting instead of coming up with one apex design and sticking with it.

B- *mumbles a famous robot with lifting arm under his breath*

you mean HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION

[DeadGenocide]

I'm not sure people want lifting arms. Never heard them mentioned here.

Everyone wants /more/ lifters quickly become flippers or launchers, or something like that.  It all boils down to how they do motor shafts and pistons, if those are finicky like RA2 you're in trouble, if they apply forces correctly we can do whatever.

What will be interesting for me is where the balance ends up, Like ive said if we come up with scales for everything (motor power to battery usage, armor HP to weapon hp, traction VS wheel weight or diameter ect. ect. ect.) and slightly move those around every few tourneys, (probably via simple scripts) we could have a very interesting metagame that will keep folks engaged and playing/experimenting instead of coming up with one apex design and sticking with it.

B- *mumbles a famous robot with lifting arm under his breath*

you mean HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION

So Vlad

[The Red Blur]

I'm not sure people want lifting arms. Never heard them mentioned here.

Everyone wants /more/ lifters quickly become flippers or launchers, or something like that.  It all boils down to how they do motor shafts and pistons, if those are finicky like RA2 you're in trouble, if they apply forces correctly we can do whatever.

What will be interesting for me is where the balance ends up, Like ive said if we come up with scales for everything (motor power to battery usage, armor HP to weapon hp, traction VS wheel weight or diameter ect. ect. ect.) and slightly move those around every few tourneys, (probably via simple scripts) we could have a very interesting metagame that will keep folks engaged and playing/experimenting instead of coming up with one apex design and sticking with it.

B- *mumbles a famous robot with lifting arm under his breath*

you mean HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION

So Vlad

Getting a bit off topic, there, lads.

[TDS]

B- *mumbles a famous robot with lifting arm under his breath*

But on a serious note, I was thinking of a system where flat areas on a robot's chassis could be separated at the connecting lines (I don't know what they are called) and re-attached via "hinges" allowing connector joints to be attached allowing that otherwise simple slab of armour to be used outside of just being a slab of amour.

It's really unlikely you'll be able to have two attachment points in one chain of components on the chasis for something like a 4 bar lifter, it is just too finicky and it would be too difficult for your average player to make something that doesn't bind up, if you /can/ have two anchors on the chassis though, it opens up a universe of possibilities in making really cool, complicated mechs. where you could make pseudo gearing out of axles and extenders for awesome flippers, hammers, ect.

I /think/ I remember hearing hinges were in, you could do what you describe with clever use of axles in ra2 and components.  But they have been pretty adamant about the body system being very close to ra2, no crushing in sides or detaching parts, holes, slots, ect ect.

[Tygron]

I'm not sure i'm gonna be able to make it to the event, I woke up way too late today and tomorrow I got stuff going on. Kinda a bummer, I wanted to go check it out.