BBC cancel Robot Wars again

[hagster]

Very sad news. Such a great way to excite kids about Engineering.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/newsbeat-43442628

#bringbackrobotwars

[Supercharged]

Is it just me, or is the BBC just killing off their best shows, first they made TopGear unwatchable (yes i knw why they did it and i dont blame them), and now this.

[TerraHertz]

New competition: build a robot to storm BBC HQ and do a Robots' Rights sit-in.

There are no rules. So something like a Cat D9 automated with an Arduino would be perfectly acceptable. Don't forget to put a pink pussy hat on top for SJW cred.

[CNe7532294]

Is it just me, or is the BBC just killing off their best shows, first they made TopGear unwatchable (yes i knw why they did it and i dont blame them), and now this.

Sounds about right to me as well. Some say thats the price of internet I guess. Stateside here. I haven't heard much of battlebots (are they the same thing?) other than re-runs.

[Towger]

New competition: build a robot to storm BBC HQ

They sold it for housing and moved everything to Manchester.   All the kit was auctioned off.  Ebay UK is flooded with old broadcast kit, most if it worthless, but many a seller living in hope!

[hagster]

The problem with the BBC is that those that watch it most get a free TV licence. Those that pay watch the least.

[Zero999]

I didn't even know they'd brought it back.

I remember the original run. It started off very good, but after awhile the robots all evolved the same design and it became very boring, which was inevitable. Give a set of ridged rules, design specifications and goals for a device and there will be a limited number of ways of achieving it.

It think the rules should be changed, so the robots have to be autonomous, with the only commands from the user start and shut down.

[hagster]

I didn't even know they'd brought it back.

I remember the original run. It started off very good, but after awhile the robots all evolved the same design and it became very boring, which was inevitable. Give a set of ridged rules, design specifications and goals for a device and there will be a limited number of ways of achieving it.

It think the rules should be changed, so the robots have to be autonomous, with the only commands from the user start and shut down.

There have been a few interesting designs in the last couple of series. Nuts was totally nuts!!

[mikeselectricstuff]

IMO it was well past its sell-by date - nothing seemed to have changed in years so it was just the same old thing over and over.  Should have rebooted with something significantly different to get some innovation - walking robots, more variety etc.

[bitwelder]

New competition: build a robot to storm BBC HQ and do a Robots' Rights sit-in.

I propose the robots to be a fleet of Daleks shouting their famous 'EXTERMINATE!'
(nobody will take it seriously until it's too late)

[IanMacdonald]

I always thought there was scope for a team to make a really good walker. With the extra weight allowance permitting a better weapon and more armour, it would probably take the title. Yet, it never happened.

[langwadt]

New competition: build a robot to storm BBC HQ and do a Robots' Rights sit-in.

I propose the robots to be a fleet of Daleks shouting their famous 'EXTERMINATE!'
(nobody will take it seriously until it's too late)

https://youtu.be/7tMuXuIYkco

[hagster]

I agree that the show could use a refresh, but my 3yr old doesnt care. He loves it.

A larger more varied arena would have gone a long way to making it more interesting. And perhaps some new house robots.

[Kjelt]

They should have evolved, from "boxing" to athletics, imo since there was human remote control this had nothing to do with robotics.
Let the robots get intelligence and let them find a way out of a maze, solve other puzzles etc.

[james_s]

I never thought it was very interesting in the first place, they're not robots, just glorified RC cars. I find it much more interesting to try to accomplish creative tasks than simply smash each others toys.

[Towger]

The Great Egg Race is another technical program the BBC dropped:

https://youtu.be/OMv1d0hq7vc

[Average Meatsack]

They cancel a popular show but keep one that is tanking, namely Flop Gear? And what new shows are they replacing it with? Os it more tasteless
garbage reality shows? That is my bet.

[Bassman59]

I didn't even know they'd brought it back.

I remember the original run. It started off very good, but after awhile the robots all evolved the same design and it became very boring, which was inevitable. Give a set of ridged rules, design specifications and goals for a device and there will be a limited number of ways of achieving it.

It think the rules should be changed, so the robots have to be autonomous, with the only commands from the user start and shut down.

The problem with Robot Wars is that it's not Survival Research Labs.