Author Topic: RFS has a new IRL job, let's brainstorm some robot writing ideas big time. (Read 2094 times)

RFS · « **on:** February 21, 2012, 12:11:06 AM »

So here's the word on the street, for the next few months I will be working with ComBots (RoboGames, ComBots Cup) doing both editorial coverage and real-time live event coverage with them. The real-time stuff is pretty cut and dry, I'm a hosting personality and I just do what comes naturally. The other side of the job, however, is to write about the events specifically. That's where you guys come in.

Dave Calkins, the event coordinator, knows you guys exist. He is aware of this community, and the builders are aware of Robot Arena 2 believe it or not. I asked. You guys know bots, you guys live and breathe bots. So do I. Let's pow-wow for a second and talk about what YOU would be interested in reading, hypothetically, about robotics. The aim of the articles is to be funny and snarky, but to also have an informative spin to them to get people to come to the event.

I've got to be putting out two of these articles per week until the RoboGames event in April, where I then won't get to relax and will instead of live blogging and commentating and all of that good stuff. I've got a lot to do.

The articles must be RoboGames-centric. There's a big emphasis on interviewing, so I'm thinking on perhaps doing one interview and one feature each week, that way it'll be balanced out between informative and more informal and entertaining. Here's what I had in mind:
- The most one-sided fights (taking a page straight from my recent BattleBots article)
- Most memorable robots?
- Best one-hit knock outs? -or- Most brutal knock outs?
- Most inventive/best engineered robots?
- Evolution of (name of robot that has competed numerous times and perhaps even at non RoboGames events)
- Oldest/legendary robots still active today?

I'm going to have access to the RoboGames library of content from zero hour to present day, and I realize there's not a whole lot out there that the public (you guys) might be aware of, so pardon me if I'm asking you to take a swing in the dark with ideas. RoboGames covers combat and a number of other popular robot events, you can check out exactly what they have at robogames.net and draw some conclusions from there. One thing Dave said he was unhappy about with the Science Channel special was the lack of coverage of non-combat events, so I am definitely going to be in on that, but I'm really going to focus primarily on the combat since, as he put it, "that's still what sells tickets".

These articles have to be something specific, but not too specific or else I'll risk alienating the audience, and that's bad. :P The whole purpose of my job is to get people to come to this show, and if I fail at that, then my ass is fired. XD Dave has turned to ME to get people to come to his event after a professional PR campaign as failed. So I have to outwork and outdo an actual PR firm with this. So, you guys live bots. What would YOU read, and what kinds of articles would really interest you and your friends to be passed along to others to get them to come to an event such as this. Basically, knowing what you all collectively know, what would you be interested in seeing?

The payoff for helping me out is a truck load of robot articles and editorials about the sport and additional stuff from RoboGames (not everything they do is combat so I'll have sumo and other coverage).

Share some ideas, let's brainstorm. XD

Enigm@ · « **Reply #1 on:** February 21, 2012, 12:13:57 AM »

I'd like to read about what the

happened to the old guard of roboteers..
But for moar modern sh** i'd like to read about coverage of robogames events in the most satirical way possible.

SKBT · « **Reply #2 on:** February 21, 2012, 06:23:04 AM »

Why Dave hates wedge bots...

What causes VladII to suicide every time it boxrushes another bot.

A plug article for NERC

Builder profile articles

Bot profile articles

HurricaneAndrew · « **Reply #3 on:** February 21, 2012, 07:21:29 AM »

Most surprising failures in battle.

Biggest design flaws.

RFS · « **Reply #4 on:** February 21, 2012, 06:18:24 PM »

Hahaha, speaking of wedge bots Dave and I had a quite fun conversation over the phone about wedges. XD Vapor bots too. :P

Resetti's Replicas · « **Reply #5 on:** February 21, 2012, 06:24:29 PM »

Actually, the "Top # most F*cked-up Vaporbots" sounds like it would be funny.

TriTon · « **Reply #6 on:** February 21, 2012, 06:26:50 PM »

Biggest upset in battle.
Most destroyed but still breathing bot.

Probably some more to come.

Mr. AS · « **Reply #7 on:** February 21, 2012, 06:31:00 PM »

Quote from: TriTon on February 21, 2012, 06:26:50 PM

Most destroyed but still breathing bot.

Bigger Brother (vs. Hypnodisc) comes to mind

SKBT · « **Reply #8 on:** February 21, 2012, 06:55:50 PM »

Quote from: RadioFSoftware on February 21, 2012, 06:18:24 PM

Hahaha, speaking of wedge bots Dave and I had a quite fun conversation over the phone about wedges. XD Vapor bots too. :P

Tell him to run 30's at Robogames.

Also I'd gladly do an interview with you for this. I've got an impressive record at NERC events. (two 2nd places, three 3rd places, and never finished a tournament with a losing record)

I might go to Robogames if Dave runs 30's and I find money to get out there.

Alex H
Team Cookin With Gas

RFS · « **Reply #9 on:** February 21, 2012, 07:02:04 PM »

Quote from: SKBT on February 21, 2012, 06:55:50 PM

Quote from: RadioFSoftware on February 21, 2012, 06:18:24 PM
Hahaha, speaking of wedge bots Dave and I had a quite fun conversation over the phone about wedges. XD Vapor bots too. :P

Tell him to run 30's at Robogames.

Also I'd gladly do an interview with you for this. I've got an impressive record at NERC events. (two 2nd places, three 3rd places, and never finished a tournament with a losing record)

I might go to Robogames if Dave runs 30's and I find money to get out there.

Alex H
Team Cookin With Gas

As far as I know, Lightweights/60's are the smallest class he's running in the main arena this year (and beetles/ants/etc in the small one).

SKBT · « **Reply #10 on:** February 21, 2012, 07:13:02 PM »

I am so going to build a 60 lb wedge just to piss off Dave for not running 30's.

Badnik96 · « **Reply #11 on:** February 21, 2012, 07:28:51 PM »

DO IT

SKBT · « **Reply #12 on:** February 21, 2012, 07:43:08 PM »

Taking inventory of what I've got...

plenty of tube steel, a vantec, radio gear, and some big drill batteries.

I could totally do it.

All I'd need is some ti for armor and motors. I could probably use 4 CIMs and gear for something like 20mph. That would be a fun bot.

RFS · « **Reply #13 on:** February 21, 2012, 08:55:41 PM »

You should do it. I fully endorse the endeavor! XD

I only wish I had the means to finish my middleweight from 2002. :P

R1885 · « **Reply #14 on:** February 21, 2012, 11:17:08 PM »

Make a bigger version of Shish!

Resetti's Replicas · « **Reply #15 on:** February 22, 2012, 11:03:49 PM »

"People who take robotics WAY too seriously"

Enigm@ · « **Reply #16 on:** February 22, 2012, 11:05:22 PM »

Quote from: Sonny_Resetti on February 22, 2012, 11:03:49 PM

"People who take robotics WAY too seriously"

*cough* diehard razer fans *cough*

RFS · « **Reply #17 on:** February 22, 2012, 11:46:45 PM »

Big thanks for the ideas and such so far. This'll really help put some variety in the combat articles. RoboGames does a TON of other events that I can write about but Dave didn't lie to me, he said people largely come for the combat so that's what I'm playing up big time. :) I think between this thread and the random ideas I had for non-combat events I SHOULD be good to go, but if you have more ideas feel free to post 'em up.

I submitted my first article, an introduction to RoboGames, to Dave. It hasn't gone live yet, nor have I heard back. But it's in the queue. :)

HurricaneAndrew · « **Reply #18 on:** February 22, 2012, 11:49:34 PM »

Will GTM get a mention every once in a while? You know, as a source or maybe contributor?

MassimoV · « **Reply #19 on:** February 27, 2012, 08:33:54 PM »

Just bumping to see if the article has been posted. When it does, can you give us a link?