Author Topic: Maka's Makinations (Read 7440 times)

Maka · « **on:** January 23, 2015, 12:05:41 AM »

So this is my showcase where I'll post robutts.

I've been lurking for a while so I know some stuff already. Here's something I've thrown together recently:

This one was just sort of a proof of concept model. I just wanted to mount everything to see how it would look with all the stuff on it.

In the time I spend waiting for the account to be approved, I made it more efficient:

Figures that it would come up heavy. Thank you based Gabriel Interactive for your arbitrary weight limits.
I can probably get it below the MW threshold if I trim the chassis a bit, but I'm saving that for later because chassis work is a pain.

Yeah so constructive criticism is good mkay.

R1885 · « **Reply #1 on:** January 23, 2015, 01:28:04 AM »

Good start dood.

My only advice is to lose the wedge and go with sheer weapon mass. Wedges only really work with face spinners and VS.

Naryar · « **Reply #2 on:** January 23, 2015, 02:57:24 AM »

pretty neat, maybe lighten your extender work.

The Ounce · « **Reply #3 on:** January 23, 2015, 03:31:25 AM »

Not bad for a first bot.

If you're going for a gut-ripping HS like T-400 Infiltrator, then it might be a good idea to give it something to aid it getting underneath bots, like a chassis wedge. I don't think the plows would be able to do this, at least with the setup you have right now.

Maka · « **Reply #4 on:** January 23, 2015, 04:20:49 AM »

Quote from: The Ounce on January 23, 2015, 03:31:25 AM

Not bad for a first bot.

If you're going for a gut-ripping HS like T-400 Infiltrator, then it might be a good idea to give it something to aid it getting underneath bots, like a chassis wedge. I don't think the plows would be able to do this, at least with the setup you have right now.

This isn't my first bot at all, just the first one I've shared publicly.

I was originally going for a gut-ripper type thing but I ran out of weight and good places to put wedge extensions. I could put a blade on the side of the extender for the wedge, but if I recall correctly adding weight to the wedge makes it less effective. I've always got the option of doing away with one of the snowplows but I'd really prefer the extra protection.

I'll play with it a bit tomorrow and see what comes up.

Naryar · « **Reply #5 on:** January 23, 2015, 05:38:11 AM »

if you are going for a gutripper I would remove the plow, really, make the design as flat as possible. and lighten weight as much as possible

you need wedges, decently fast drive and weapons. that's pretty much everything, you can forget about good armor since you are supposed to be under the other bot.

also +1 for lurking and starting very well for a newbie.

Maka · « **Reply #6 on:** January 23, 2015, 06:11:49 PM »

So I've decided to go more in the direction of a gut ripper with this latest iteration. It's more of a horizontal spinner/gut-ripper hybrid, but I think that's probably the best I can do without radically re-designing the internal layout and chassis.

So as you can see in the splash, I've done away with the scoops entirely. The tribars are angled downward and are serving a triple-purpose role as spinner extensions, a wedge, and overall frontal protection. Also I have the weapons angled differently to serve different purposes, as is also explained in the splash. I'm still not sure if I ought to commit to one way or the other. Angling them upward means they'll be more efficient as gut-ripping weapons but won't be able to get under opponents as well, whereas the opposite can be said about angling them downward. I'm going to have to get a decent AI pack so I can do some testing to figure out which way is truly better, or if the idea is sound at all.

Maka · « **Reply #7 on:** January 23, 2015, 08:44:06 PM »

I got bored and made a lightweight.

The robot itself isn't anything too special. I was really only trying to see how much firepower and protection I could pack into as little space as possible. This robot was more about designing a compact, lightweight, cookie-cutter chassis which I can use as a base for future lightweight designs.

Maka · « **Reply #8 on:** January 27, 2015, 04:10:56 AM »

Well good to see I'm boring people to death. While I'm at it, here's a somewhat failed experiment made with the same chassis as that last robot:

In order to celebrate my Clapistan heritage, I decided to make a clapper. Sadly, it wasn't fed enough burgers so I couldn't fit any meaningful weapons into the configuration. I ended up trying something where I double-layered blades so that they'd hit simultaneously. I honestly don't think it will work all that well but I really hate to completely throw out something I put a lot of time into trying to get working.

Jonzu95 · « **Reply #9 on:** January 27, 2015, 05:34:00 AM »

You're doing good job so far. Probably one of the best new builders for a while.

The Ounce · « **Reply #10 on:** January 27, 2015, 06:05:14 AM »

MW's an interesting take on a gut-ripper. If you haven't already, download the Starcore v3 AI pack and pit the MWs in the pack against yours and see if it works.

The LW HS looks okay except for the drive setup. Mount the drive motors to the sides of everything else, and swap the mini wheels for shinies. Unfortunately the chassis won't be as space-efficient as it is now, but the invertibility you'll gain might be worth it.

For the side hammer, use different weapons like razors, since blades aren't very good for causing damage. If you attached your snappers using a T-connector, that will make them in-line with each other, getting rid of the need for asymmetrical arms.

Naryar · « **Reply #11 on:** January 27, 2015, 06:08:21 AM »

Yeah, blades = do not want.

can we see your extender setup ?

Maka · « **Reply #12 on:** January 28, 2015, 01:17:54 AM »

Extenders:

I'm probably just going to drop this design, I'm not too fond of it.

Sage · « **Reply #13 on:** January 28, 2015, 04:10:26 PM »

crazy extender setup. nice. looks like you have a really solid grasp on the glitches

don't worry if you sometimes don't get comments! just keep posting

next step would be to look at what is optimal in a design. few things:

1. almost always want the drive to be setup so it's invertible. This means horizontal RAD motors and shinies for most LW and MW bots.
2. pinks are rarely good. try to at least fit a nifty battery in.

R1885 · « **Reply #14 on:** January 28, 2015, 04:46:08 PM »

If all your robot is doing is ramming and pushing, pinks are just fine, otherwise, use a nifty; but if moving snappers are involved, a black is nearly mandatory.

Tibsy · « **Reply #15 on:** February 01, 2015, 04:21:41 PM »

These bots look boss!!
I wish I could build like you in stock, good work & keep it up Maka!

Maka · « **Reply #16 on:** February 04, 2015, 01:54:11 AM »

Since the BOTM thread seems to have all but died, here's some more info on my entry:

Yeah that bit about the turning wasn't advertised obviously. Whenever I tried to turn it the conventional way (two wheels spinning one way, the other two spinning the opposite) it just sat still. If I just made one pair of wheels drive forward, it behaved normally and could turn. I have no idea why it did that, and I was already cramming the robot in past the due date, so I never properly sorted it out.

Sage · « **Reply #17 on:** February 05, 2015, 09:45:21 AM »

I love the look that two stacked wheels give it. You're getting better fast.

Tip: Never use red extenders, or I hate you.

Maka · « **Reply #18 on:** February 12, 2015, 08:40:20 PM »

I decided to move out of my comfort zone and build something I hate building... a popup.

I have no idea what constitutes a good popup, so it's a bit rough. I didn't want to spend the time trimming the chassis over and over to add a fifth razor just to find out the design was utter crap. Either way I'm not too satisfied with it, but perhaps that's just because I hate working with wedge chassis (way too spacialy inefficient for my liking).

Naryar · « **Reply #19 on:** February 12, 2015, 08:48:16 PM »

The burst's rotation point needs to be lower. right now your extenders are too exposed.