Battle-Bots vs. FIRST: good or bad?
 

Hi, Garrett from team 16, the Baxter Bomb Squad

Many people I've talked to seem to think that Battle Bots is either inferior to FIRST, or a complete waste of time, simply an organization that gives robotics a bad name. I would just like to voice my opinion on the subject and get some input from others. I believe that although it is very true that Battle Bots and FIRST are similar in very few ways, they are both accomplishing one main thing: putting the importance of Math, Science, and Engineering into society's "Spotlight" and for this reason we should first and foremost not critisize Battle Bots, but support it.
(The same goes for all other Battle Bot-esque shows, as well as junkyard wars etc.)

http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/sh...threadid=14035
http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/fo...000&x=6&y=1 2

Re: Battle-Bots vs. FIRST: good or bad?
 

Our team does BattleBots and we've been doing it since the begging back in the day when it was a pay-per-view event. Ever since BB has been in an off-season for a long time now we've been doing first. While BattleBots may not seem like much of a challenge, it definatly is. Since BB does not give a kit of parts like first it becomes a challenge of finding worthy parts and researching them.

Re: Battle-Bots vs. FIRST: good or bad?
 

I believe that battle bots puts in just as much time and effort into their robots so they can compete. I also believe that people should respect their acomplishments such as building an actual running robot. I watch battle bots and I'm amazed by the clever designs, but i sort of think its ridiculous to send your robot into a competition that could patentially destroy it. But for alot of people thats what they like and thats their goal in building a working robot (making sure its the best). Either way I think its great that robotics is alot of peoples hobbies even outside of FIRST. :D

Re: Battle-Bots vs. FIRST: good or bad?
 

The real difference is based on how each person interprets it. Basically look at it like this. How many types of mechanisms have you seen on a Battle Bot? Personally I don't watch it much, but I always see either some robot that pokes, or flips others, or bashes or just rams another robot and that is basically it. Let's take a look at FIRST robots. Drive trains (transmissions), arms, goal grabbers, hanging, claws and various other mechanisms. Because of this alone I think that FIRST is better. There is so much more diversity and learning because each aspect is a little similar but so much different. Now, obviously I am biased but this is just my view on it all. GO FIRST!!

Re: Battle-Bots vs. FIRST: good or bad?
 

To be short and sweet, and not ruffle any feathers, I'll just say this. It's not totally the content, but the presentation of Battle Bots that ticks me off. While Battle Bots does have a spirit of helping that FIRST has, it's lost in what 99% of what people see as Battle Bots, which is Carmen Electra walking around, talking about sex to the 'nerds'. And when I mean 'nerds', I mean talking down to them as idiots and social outcasts.

Re: Battle-Bots vs. FIRST: good or bad?
 

Battlebots all the way!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



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Re: Battle-Bots vs. FIRST: good or bad?
 

My feelings exactly, there's no reason for her there.

Re: Battle-Bots vs. FIRST: good or bad?
 

all I can say is I have been involved with first for 7 years now, and Im still here

I have watched battle bots a few times, and it was cool the first couple times you watch it, but I cant remember the last time I did - and if its on I dont even bother to watch it as my 'commercial time switch to channel B' channel.

FIRST has staying power.

Re: Battle-Bots vs. FIRST: good or bad?
 

I think there's really 2 debates going on here, one with the battlebots show, and one with the competition.
As for the show, and how it's presented, I totally agree that it has some major issues. Did you know that they are shifting networks? They claim that the show will have a new feel. Perhaps we as FIRST youth should send in a petition of sorts of our opinions of how things should be presented. Takers?
As for the competition, I can tell you, it is more than you would think. GP is present in the works, and there is more to each bot than meets the eye. Creativity is just as apparent as it is in FIRST.
And yes, there really is a game, it's not just "Search and Destroy"
So, I still think the competition itself is pretty good, it could get touched up a bit, and the way it's presented needs a facelift. But overall, it is a uniqe competition that inspires the mind just as FIRST does.

Re: Battle-Bots vs. FIRST: good or bad?
 

[quote=JosephM]...While Battle Bots does have a spirit of helping that FIRST has, it's lost in what 99% of what people see as Battle Bots, which is Carmen Electra walking around, talking about sex to the 'nerds'. QUOTE]


Believe me, the builders at BattleBots did not appreciate that either. There's a huge Carmen-bashing thread on our forum,
( http://forums.delphiforums.com/battl...es?msg=13853.4 ) and a lot of discussion about how Comedy Central's presentation trivialized and disrespected our sport. All we can say is it was CC's responsibility, and BattleBots Inc. would have preferred a family image - many of the show's fans were kids.

Both FIRST and BattleBots teams have a great spirit of generosity and cooperation. A FIRST team will lend a needed part to a competitor - but a BattleBots team will do the same, knowing that they may never see that part in one piece again ; )

-Piece, Pteryxx (proud member of Team #1301 and Western Allied Robotics - at the same time!)

Re: Battle-Bots vs. FIRST: good or bad?
 

Yeah, Same here. Those bots are kinda cool and they can do stuff which normal FIRST Robots dont. But what I like about FIRST is: We work on strategies and stuff. Then, We have robots all over the country built for ONE purpose. It's amazing the different ideas which develop. And if you think of it, every year we have a different game, a different objective, and even better, there are a lot of ways to accomplish this. Most importantly, Correct me if I'm wrong, but I see enemity growing between those other comptitions. In our case, we just love the game and play in good spirits. We help more than we destroy. Well thats my opnion, I dont intend to upset you BB fans there.