The DSL Super Efficient Designs of The Ounce

[Naryar]

The vlad spike however, looks like just a bother.

You mean you think it gets in the way of the flippers?  Well, it did have that problem before, but I adjusted it so it doesn't hinder the flippers but still hits the opponent.

Yep. But it still will hinder your srimech, if you can even srimech with a flail popup.

[The Ounce]

    Oh Christ  Skyrim took more of my time than I thought.
Anyway, after B4ttlebots I made a vow to myself that I wouldn't build IRL bots again.





...yeah it didn't take very long to break that :P

I've decided to give IRL building another try, mainly because I wanted to resurrect my showcase before the year ended and because "normal" DSL building is dead for me.  Also I think I need to relearn what real bots look like.

So I would appreciate some help in building true IRL bots, though I may or may not need some for this next bot, which is also a bit of a tribute bot, Nouvelle Cruauté:

8 NPC fasts/Technos, 8 ants, 5mm titanium, 4 40x200cm DSL bars.

One of a pusher, if you couldn't figure that out one your own.  Surprisingly it can stand up to a couple wedges as well.  I think its pretty realistic, apart from there being nothing at the back that can provide support for the bars.  I think I should drop the top and bottom armor altogether to make room for a plow or something at the back.

[NFX]

That sounds like a pretty decent idea. I might widen the chassis a little bit to conceal the axles of the NPC's as well. You don't see motor axles sticking out like that very often. =)

[Naryar]

Looks wicked !

I hope you do have enough batteries for that...

[The Ounce]

Done:

It now has 14 ant batteries and a 40x160 DSL bar at the back.  Chassis armor is the same as the first.  Its performance in battle hasn't changed much.

Now for two bots that I built in October but for some reason didn't showcase:

3 ants, 5mm plastic, normal NPCs.

This is Iron Tumbleweed VII.  It has an improved weapon and more chassis protection, at the cost of a decreased width.  This means it's now more specialized towards being an anti-wedge bot and stands less of a chance against HSs.

5mm plastic, 3 ants, 12 irons on an E-Tek.

This was more of a for-fun design, but once I put it into the arena I was surprised at how deadly it was: It destroyed Razorback 3 and Major Uproar.

If I ever get around to fully optimizing it I will get rid of that useless extender on the right (I don't know what I was thinking at the time), and give it better drive.  I will NOT give it different weapons.  Other weapons I tried did not work as well with this design.

[MassimoV]

Rammer looks slick. The new Iron Tumbleweed looks awesome. Last bot looks really cool, but it could use some different wheels.

[Philippa]

Love that rammer. But I would change the wheels on the bottom one.

[ty4er]

awesome


iirc the side panels don't have the best HP though. Could be mistaken

[NFX]

Rammer looks particularly good. A decent skin job will complete that, I reckon.

Iron Tumbleweed has a very nice setup, though I'm wondering if you used BFE on the Chassis Height. Because I tried a similar setup with Man Trap, and the chassis was too tall for the skirts to fit, even with the lowest chassis height in the game. Also, why a ME holding the motor on? presumably less of a target to aim for, but would an Alu extender or Flipper Segment work?

I don't like the last one for some reason. If you're adamant about using irons, then I would suggest swapping the Micros for Mini Wheels, removing the pointless extender as you said, and I reckon that would allow you to either upgrade the skirts to Steel (it looks like you have Titanium at the moment), or swap the TWM's for NPC's.

[The Ounce]

Iron Tumbleweed has a very nice setup, though I'm wondering if you used BFE on the Chassis Height. Because I tried a similar setup with Man Trap, and the chassis was too tall for the skirts to fit, even with the lowest chassis height in the game. Also, why a ME holding the motor on? presumably less of a target to aim for, but would an Alu extender or Flipper Segment work?

No BFE used here, I've never even BFE'd chassis height before.  Not sure how you couldn't do it, the skirts on mine attached to the disk with no problem at all.

The reason for the multi-extender is because a normal extender or a flipper segment would make the weapon stick out too much or be too exposed from the top/bottom.  I don't want the weapon to be too far forward.  If it is then the bot might tip over when it gets under its opponent.  Its larger counterpart Volcanic Upbringing had this same problem.

I don't like the last one for some reason. If you're adamant about using irons, then I would suggest swapping the Micros for Mini Wheels, removing the pointless extender as you said, and I reckon that would allow you to either upgrade the skirts to Steel (it looks like you have Titanium at the moment), or swap the TWM's for NPC's.

I do plan to switch to Mini Wheels, but I don't want to switch to steel skirts.  1. because I won't have enough weight for them and 2. because even with their relatively low HP they're not really a concern, at least they aren't on Major Uproar.

If I were to use the extra weight on anything it would be to strengthen the extender work connecting the chassis to the stabilizers: That's really the main flaw I've seen from combat tests.

[Badnik96]

The LW VS looks cool.

[MassimoV]

Umm... no LW up there.

[The Ounce]

Another attempt at an IRL LW VS:

5mm plastic, 3 ants, Slimbody drive, 2 med. beater bars on a Perm 80.

Not really sure what to say about this one.  No real problems with self-righting as far as I see.  Has a large chassis with strong armor but despite this it is a bit of a glass cannon.

And another bot upgrade:

6 ants, Normal NPCs, 28 medium beater bars on 2 Perm 132s, 5mm titanium.

This is Volcanic Upbringing 2.  It now has stronger stabilizers (which are also more effective since they're longer) and weapons.  With these two changes it can now beat spinners more consistently, not just through flukes, while still remaining an effective anti-wedge bot.  However, it has less top armor and it no longer has a tail,  but the latter it really didn't need and the top armor on this version doesn't do much worse.

[Badnik96]

Cool VS. Planning anything for BoF2 Ounce?

[Naryar]

Yay ! Back in building !

[MassimoV]

Both of them look awesome.

[The Ounce]

About time I got around to making a new post here.  I don't know if anyone here really builds DSL Standard bots anymore.  I know I hardly do; though I've created some stuff while I was gone, only one of the robots I've created I was really satisfied with.  That robot is Overclock:

798 kgs, 5mm titanium, 10 ants (to make sure it maintains a high speed throughout the match, and because I couldn't find a better use for the weight :/), 27 razors.

When I built Schwarzschild Radius, my aim was to create a HW that emulated 123's MW Core Collapse Supernova in both looks and function.  Though it didn't quite work like CCS like I hoped and couldn't make use of all its weapons, it was nonetheless quite effective.  Overclock on the other hand forewent looks and succeeded where Schwarzschild Radius failed: acting primarily as a sweeper, but one that can surprisingly hold its own against bots that outweapon it as well.  When fighting robots that can deweapon it, it usually has over 80000 points by the time it loses all of its weapons, and has damaged the opponent to an extent that it can't catch up on points, if it can even fight back.

I've tested it a lot, having built it just a few months after v2.7 of NAR AI was released.  From my testing, the only wedges that can beat it consistently are 123's SHW popup in his AI pack, and maybe King Rat.  Then again, since the only bots I've tested it against were built in early 2012 at the latest, I don't know how it will do against more modern DSL-S bots :P

And for some reason I still think I can build IRL:

248.8 kgs, 3mm plastic, 2 ants, NPC Fasts.

Apparently I still had old versions of some of my NAR AI bots, and some part of me thought I could take some of the outdated standard bots and "IRLify" them.  This is one of the results.  My old LW SnS was converted into an IRL rammer/thwackbot hybrid.  Can sometimes be dangerous.

[Jaydee99]

Loving the last one. Brilliant!

[Lemonism]

Honestly that IRL bot is really cool. Very good use of replica parts.

DSL S bot looks very good too. There are still some good DSL S builders around. Personally I really like Virus Bomb's designs, as well as martymidget's.