Beginners Guide To: Building Styles

[cephalopod]

Lots of terms get thrown around here when talking about building styles, and realising there was no page outlining the details of this I know of, here's a quick guide. Examples are posted with credit to the builder and a link to their showcase.
This can be updated and added to whenever with more in depth descriptions, but to get us going...


1) Unrealistic (Most popular in: Stock)
Anything goes - stacking, weapons going through each other, etc. BFE is most commonly outlawed here, however.
Examples

	Virus Bomb This bot, a popup, is clearly unrealistic due to it's use of caster armour and popup rack going straight through the entirety of the casters.
	Sage This multiple Horizontal Spinner has many unrealistic intersecting components, put together using the eFFe Glitch.

2) DSL Standard/DSL-S (Most popular in: DSL, Ironforge)
There is a barebones realism rule here - most well defined by the following
-No moving parts can intersect anything where a slot cannot be cut (eg not through batteries or motors, but through armour is fine as long as it could be done)
-No moving parts can intersect other moving parts, even if they are not intersecting when built.
-No stacking
Naryar wrote up a full ruleset here
Examples

	Martymidget (DSL) A good example of a DSL-S Juggler here. As is evident, nothing cuts through anything else as you would expect on an Unrealistic bot. These rotating spinners could never intersect in any position, meaning they comply to DSL-S.
	RedAce (DSL) This Beetleweight (125-175kg) Shell Spinner utilizes the enhancing properties of flails in a way that wouldn't be considered IRL.
	Urjak (DSL) This Vertical Spinner utilizes cool armour as well as it's deadly Perm-powered weapon. As you can see, the axle of the Perm is unsupported and so is 'floating', hence would not be possible IRL.

3) IRL (Most popular in: DSL, Ironforge)
Everything done has to be possible in real life, right down to weapon supports for axles.
Often subjective, and BFE etc is often allowed if it helps the realism of the robot.
Component Freedom generally accepted and often encouraged. Some tournament hosts also allow skin packs, such as DSC's IRL Packs.
Examples

	Geese (DSL) This IRL Hammer shows great colour and extenderwork. This is the sort of machine you could easily envisage on TV!
	Lemonism (DSL) This IRL Dustpan is entirely possible in real life - note the support rig for the dustpan arm, motor and axle. This showcases you can still use RA2 chassis as part of your IRL build.
	Hobo Drew (DSL) This IRL vertical spinner shows how DSL extenders and panels can be used to create intricate realistic shapes.

4) Ironforge Unrealistic (Most popular in: Ironforge)
As Stock unrealism, but no stacking permitted.

[Resetti's Replicas]

Great guide.  Do you think it would be helpful to include some text with each bot picture explaining why it fits the category?  It might not be intuitive to a newcomer.

[cephalopod]

Good point, may well do that when I get a bit of time later tonight.
The examples are also in flux so please don't be sad if you're an example and suddenly you're not :P

[Thyrus]

maybe you can link to other peopels showcases so people can see different examples of said building style. for IRL DSCand ty4er come to mind. 123 and nary for DSL-S

[cephalopod]

I've already linked to a few on the builders name but I'll try adding more, won't add 123s though as it was deleted.

[Naryar]

what is up with that ironforge unrealistic thing, never heard of it

unrealistic is the same in all weight classes and mods and it is stock-like building

[cephalopod]

Ironforge Unrealistic is as I described it.
When I get some time, I've got good plans for the layout of the guide, hopefully should be done this evening.

[cephalopod]

DP:
Layout updated to look nicer, including some explanations.

[Mecha]

Can you give a picture example for IronForge Unrealistic?
also sorry for the bump

[cephalopod]

Honestly it's not really been done very much, not sure there's any great examples around. Basically Stock minus the stacking :P

[Mecha]

Honestly it's not really been done very much, not sure there's any great examples around. Basically Stock minus the stacking :P

Oh okay.
The stock minus stacking was why i was interested. :P

[playzooki]

Honestly it's not really been done very much, not sure there's any great examples around. Basically Stock minus the stacking :P

Oh okay.
The stock minus stacking was why i was interested. :P

the trinity spinners in my showcase are the only ones i could think of :V

[DaSnowingSteak]

Guess I'm using this as a way to start building.  Okay it's IRL for me.

[pokebro14]

I know its an old guide but, question is component freedom allowed if i helps with the design E.g Perm going through the chassis?

[Avalanche]

RA2CF is almost always allowed in IRL, but usually only the RO7 Break is allowed for Standard and Unrealistic. Sometimes you can get away with RA2CF usage in Stock.

[Hoppin]

I know its an old guide but, question is component freedom allowed if i helps with the design E.g Perm going through the chassis?

Yea. Should be good

[Reier]

I know its an old guide but, question is component freedom allowed if i helps with the design E.g Perm going through the chassis?

IRL is made for looks so anything goes. Don't do it in standard

[TheRoboteer]

I know its an old guide but, question is component freedom allowed if i helps with the design E.g Perm going through the chassis?

IRL is made for looks so anything goes. Don't do it in standard

Not anything. Can't clip batteries and motors and stuff

[cephalopod]

If I get some time soon I'll give this a little update.