Superants
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Superants
I thought I'd open this topic up as a debate: Superants, good or bad idea?
I dont really know, tho there are a few points I'd like to make.
1) If Superants are going to take off, I think the weight limit should be changed and/or a rule against entering the same robot in both an ant and superant competition. Or else people wont build new ones, they'll just enter their ants with slight modifications (a la me).
2) A Superant competition at an AWS could lengthen the time of the day cosiderably. Some ant competitions take up a lot of the time we have as they stand, adding a superant one onto the end may mean we end up running out of time.
3) I use the cheaper, heavier stuff suitable for Superants in some ants without much problem, is it really an issue, or just a challenge?
I dont really know, tho there are a few points I'd like to make.
1) If Superants are going to take off, I think the weight limit should be changed and/or a rule against entering the same robot in both an ant and superant competition. Or else people wont build new ones, they'll just enter their ants with slight modifications (a la me).
2) A Superant competition at an AWS could lengthen the time of the day cosiderably. Some ant competitions take up a lot of the time we have as they stand, adding a superant one onto the end may mean we end up running out of time.
3) I use the cheaper, heavier stuff suitable for Superants in some ants without much problem, is it really an issue, or just a challenge?
Die Gracefully Robotics
Winner - AWS 39
Winner - AWS 39
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My 2p's worth:
1) It might be useful to allow ants with ballast to compete just to make up the numbers until superants take off in their own right. Which is better, a superants-only "competition" consisting of one fight between the only two entrants, or the chance of a number of fights albeit against overweight ants?
2) Again I think this is something that will resolve itself over time. When there are only a few superants, taking a small competition onto an AWS is probably OK. If we have 2 arenas and efficient frequency control we could even run antweight melees/tag team/etc alongside the superant comp for those who are not involved. Assuming superants grow in popularity, eventually they would merit their own event and the time problem goes away. There may be an awkward transition period I guess...
3) I'm not sure what your point is. I have proposed promoting superants as a cheaper beginners option, since standard rxs and servos (and even battery packs) can be used, making a first superant much cheaper than a std ant.
Continue the debate guys...
1) It might be useful to allow ants with ballast to compete just to make up the numbers until superants take off in their own right. Which is better, a superants-only "competition" consisting of one fight between the only two entrants, or the chance of a number of fights albeit against overweight ants?
2) Again I think this is something that will resolve itself over time. When there are only a few superants, taking a small competition onto an AWS is probably OK. If we have 2 arenas and efficient frequency control we could even run antweight melees/tag team/etc alongside the superant comp for those who are not involved. Assuming superants grow in popularity, eventually they would merit their own event and the time problem goes away. There may be an awkward transition period I guess...
3) I'm not sure what your point is. I have proposed promoting superants as a cheaper beginners option, since standard rxs and servos (and even battery packs) can be used, making a first superant much cheaper than a std ant.
Continue the debate guys...
Gary, Team BeligerAnt
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I think that Superants are good.
They are cheaper than antweights and so allow more and younger people to enter.
The other problems mentioned in Dave's post would be caused by having too many superants, which I think would be a nice problem to have.
As to the question of banning antweights from superantweight competitions, I'd like to see some antweight vs superantweight competitions before deciding. There is no minimum weight for an antweight, and I think having a minimum weight for superantweights would be overly restrictive, and as Gary indicated could be bypassed by the addition of ballast to antweights, so basically a minimum weight would be a "bad" rule.
But I agree that we need to separate antweights from superantweights. Imagine a 10 year old brings a cardboard-coated super along to be efficiently swept out of the arena by Sub, or Vacuum, or Antrax? or smashed to smithereens by Kwijebo or Zenith? That doesn't tie in with my interpetation of our intention to encourage beginners with super antweights.
Most antweights can push or flip a 225g walker, so how much harder would a 300g super be? We need to know, I think, before deciding.
I remember trying to attack a super super antweight of Ian's back in 2003, and the early Electra of that time couldn't move it.
Simon
They are cheaper than antweights and so allow more and younger people to enter.
The other problems mentioned in Dave's post would be caused by having too many superants, which I think would be a nice problem to have.
As to the question of banning antweights from superantweight competitions, I'd like to see some antweight vs superantweight competitions before deciding. There is no minimum weight for an antweight, and I think having a minimum weight for superantweights would be overly restrictive, and as Gary indicated could be bypassed by the addition of ballast to antweights, so basically a minimum weight would be a "bad" rule.
But I agree that we need to separate antweights from superantweights. Imagine a 10 year old brings a cardboard-coated super along to be efficiently swept out of the arena by Sub, or Vacuum, or Antrax? or smashed to smithereens by Kwijebo or Zenith? That doesn't tie in with my interpetation of our intention to encourage beginners with super antweights.
Most antweights can push or flip a 225g walker, so how much harder would a 300g super be? We need to know, I think, before deciding.
I remember trying to attack a super super antweight of Ian's back in 2003, and the early Electra of that time couldn't move it.
Simon
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The first point I made was for those reasons, Simon. I reakon, if ants with ballast can enter Superants, theres not much point in a new weight catagory at all, as you will still be fighting the experienced ants. If a kid with a cardboard Superant turns up, and has to fight Anticipation and the like, like happened at the exhibiton event on Saturday, theres not a lot of point is there? We need to find a rule that allows the expansion of the new weight class in its own right.
Die Gracefully Robotics
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Winner - AWS 39
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I am not sure, i agree that it could be very cheap to build a super ant, but it could be more expensive. Although i would never do it due to cost i have got almost all the parts for a super walker with a 260g disc. It sounds silly i know, but a line would have to be drawn.
For people just starting ants it would be a good idea to have a super comp, for all the standard part that are lying arround.
For people just starting ants it would be a good idea to have a super comp, for all the standard part that are lying arround.
TEAM GEEK!
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