Jeraden

I just recently discovered Robotica and Junkyard Wars on TLC. Junkyard Wars absolutely rocks and after just 2 episodes I'm completely hooked on it now. Robotica though, I just don't get it.

For those that haven't seen it, here's the premise: On the normal shows, you have 2 sets of 2 robots competing in 3 different challenges. The winner of each set goes on to face the winner of the other set in a duel.

Round 1: Racing on a figure 8 - flat track, in opposite directions- can slam into each other a few times, but it mainly comes down to speed and how well your robot can take turns.
Round 2: "The Maze" - a really lame obstacle course, robots never touch each other.
Round 3: Race to other end of a runway where there are different obstacles in the way you have to plow through.
Final: 2 robots duel each other on a platform. First to fall off the platform loses.

The events are the same every show. You obviously need a robot that is fast and powerful. You should see some of these robot designs people come up with... there are these slow as molasses weak little robots on there. They lose the racing like 6 laps to 1, can't even get past the first obstacle on the Maze, and can't even knock the first wall down in the round 3 event. What are the designers thinking, can they really be that stupid?

So the other night they had a 2 hour championship show, where there were 6 robots, matched up in pairs of 2, which ended up as a 3-man push-off in the final event. I'm thinking I'll finally see some well-crafted robots. For the most part they were better, there were 2 that excelled at every event, 2 that were 'ok' at them, and 2 that just plain sucked. The winner was actually one of the 'ok' robots, who only got in the final because one of the other robots got stuck in the previous event, and only won because the other 2 drivers screwed each other on the platform.

I want to like the show, but the robots are so pathetic, the events are lame, and there is way too much filler between the events (thank god for PVR).

Anyone else like the show?

Jabx

i like the original: Battlebots

Scheherazade

I have only seen one Robotica where the final round wasn't over in 5 seconds. Almost EVERY time I've watched the show, one robot corners the other robot against the wall so it can't move and we get to sit there and watch them sit in a corner until the walls drop and then they both fall off.

The only one I saw that wasn't like this was almost actually exciting. But the final round thing is really a horrible end to what could be a decent show. I never understood why these people made robots that can't get over the speed bumps. Those are always tripping people up.

Unfortunately the best robot I saw in terms of speed and power on the show also knocked out its competition in the first round. So when it blew threw the next two rounds in no time flat, it wasn't as exciting as it would have been had it been up against an opponent.

~Scheherazade

big whoppa

I've watched both Robotica and Battlebots. The best element is confrontation between bots and robotica lacks in this area. So I prefer Battlebots.

Unless you have to money to burn, I don't know how they can afford to create these expensive toys. The trophies are worthless and prizes aren't mentioned on the shows.

danw

I think Robotica is a very weak show. Not only for the reasons cited, but also because of the drivers. All of these guys have horrible driving skills--something very important in this show, more important than what your robot can or can't do, even.

Battlebots is much, much better at keeping the excitement consistently high.

Does anybody remember Robot Wars? Robot Wars emerged into Battlebots. Robot Wars was cool because it was in its infancy and clear rules, design ideas and winners weren't well established yet. In the first episode I watched they came to the amazing decision that weight classes were a necessity!

I think what made Robot Wars most exciting (and what makes Battlebots mildy unexciting) is the fact that new design ideas were regularly being tried. Now, in Battlebots, there are proven designs and winning robots who always come back and dominate.

mllefoo

I think Robot Wars robots have far, far more imaginative designs than the bots in Battlebots (with the exception of the guy who designed Mechadon and The Snake). They may not be the best bots, but they are fun to watch, and in a lot of cases, humorous to look at.

Battlebots is cool because the bots tend to be more violent. Plus they have a super heavyweight competition. I'd love to see the house robots on Robot Wars go up against some of the heavyweights in Battlebots, just to see if they would make it through a round.

I believe that there is a monetary prize for the winners of the various weight classes in Battlebots. I seem to remember hearing a $10k prize being announced at the San Francisco competition. And some of those people also get sponsors for their projects, just like racers in the Nascar competitions, so I'm sure they make a little money to support their hobby.

BRDeckard

I am seeing the beginnings of the Flesh Fair.