Mythbusters: RA2 Edition

[helloface]

 I thought a right angle was flat in the case of 3d objects.

[Sage]

I thought a right angle was flat in the case of 3d objects.

let me restate:

its always better to use a diagonal side to connect to points instead of a right angle to connect 2 points because RA2 calculates weight by surface area.

[123savethewhales]

What?  You mean people actually believed in that kinna nonsense?  I been sinking in my chassis to save weight for ages.

Rather or not sinking in can save weight will depend on the height of the chassis relative to the distance between the 2 points.  The lower the chassis and the further the 2 points are, the more likely you are to save weight.  I sink my chassis all the time to save KG.

If you want to be really anal about that you can calculate the first derivative of the surface area equation between 2 points, and find the instance where it is == 0.  You can probably write an excel spreadsheet to do just that.

[Psydia]

MYTH: a chassis with more corners is heavier than a chassis with less corners when they have the same surface area.
I cannot test it right now because i'm travelling to another city i'm posting from my phone.

[Sage]

What?  You mean people actually believed in that kinna nonsense?  I been sinking in my chassis to save weight for ages.

Rather or not sinking in can save weight will depend on the height of the chassis relative to the distance between the 2 points.  The lower the chassis and the further the 2 points are, the more likely you are to save weight.  I sink my chassis all the time to save KG.

If you want to be really anal about that you can calculate the first derivative of the surface area equation between 2 points, and find the instance where it is == 0.  You can probably write an excel spreadsheet to do just that.

what do you mean sinking? i'm unfamiliar with the term

[123savethewhales]

This

I never knew anyone would think a triangle (a strait line through all 3 points) could save me weight.

[Squirrel_Monkey]

Didn't even know this was a myth.
Without calculation, if you are reducing the surface area of the top and bottom plates, it's usually more significant than the area increased by the slightly longer side panels.
I tend to just guess, hardly worth being to crazy about it until you need to shave off some extra 0.1kg somewhere.

[123savethewhales]

I think it's a stock thing, since the bots are so tall and they always try to trim those little corners.

Still, the only relevant application I see are for IRL.  I think for both stock and DSL the focus should be on reducing effective hitbox, even if said chassis end up a few kg more.

[Sage]

I think it's a stock thing, since the bots are so tall and they always try to trim those little corners.

Still, the only relevant application I see are for IRL.  I think for both stock and DSL the focus should be on reducing effective hitbox, even if said chassis end up a few kg more.

Really? I think a few kg here and there is much more important in stock than anywhere else.

[Absolarix]

Wow, very useful information there. Thanks guys!