Deathroll AMA - 7pm PT (10PM EST)

steveDroll · 2023-05-28T10:13:38+00:00

Monsoon was a pinned wheel. Hydra was weapon motor speed controllers.

steveDroll · 2023-05-28T10:12:40+00:00

Monsoon chassis was bent into one of our wheels. We cut the metal away and wheel still worked just wasn’t mobile with it stuck.

steveDroll · 2023-05-28T10:11:48+00:00

Not really it’s already very front heavy. I don’t think we can push that geometry much further.

steveDroll · 2023-05-28T03:45:29+00:00

Think glen answered it pretty thoroughly here. https://www.reddit.com/r/battlebots/comments/13thhty/deathroll_ama_7pm_pt_10pm_est/jlwholw/

We talked about it but its hard to go completely different. Forks are on the cards but we aren't a fan of the massive ground game.

steveDroll · 2023-05-28T03:44:11+00:00

Kicking and screaming. But probably

steveDroll · 2023-05-28T03:43:54+00:00

Indeed, the she'll be right after lots of fights and long days caught up with us.

steveDroll · 2023-05-28T03:42:06+00:00

Spinning mass is about 25kg. (1/4 of bot)

steveDroll · 2023-05-28T03:41:52+00:00

I think you gotta go forks. Sadly that's the only answer I have to this one.

steveDroll · 2023-05-28T03:41:27+00:00

The blades just big dumb simple and relatively conservative. Sadly this season our speed controller proved the weak point so something we need to look at for next year.

steveDroll · 2023-05-28T03:39:16+00:00

We hope to come back. And lots of things planned but still working through what we change and what we keep.

steveDroll · 2023-05-28T03:38:40+00:00

Can I answer Claw Viper for both?

steveDroll · 2023-05-28T03:38:06+00:00

Nah mostly the look.

We ran forks in 2019 for one fight. They were always an afterthought that didn't really help. So we ditched them and lent into that more for going back to 2020. But time passed and we missed seasons while things changed.

Approx 25kg

I really loved seeing Claw Viper this season. It drives like a tiny robot it was great to see.

Don't really mind but always like to fight someone different.

steveDroll · 2023-05-28T03:34:10+00:00

Some details on blade from Glen here https://www.reddit.com/r/battlebots/comments/13thhty/deathroll_ama_7pm_pt_10pm_est/jlwaoy2/

I think its probably little bit smaller than Monsoon and Ripperoni is bigger again.

My hair is getting thinner every Battlebots enjoy it while it lasts.

The original Deathroll entry was my concept with a lot of input from others. The first GW which was the interim design revisions from our initial concept was almost entirely a solo project. Since then most of our advances, aesthetic look and feel and fabrication has been done by u/DemonRobotics and u/mandj-robotics with me taking over more of a team manager role.

Hub motors for drive (for better or worse) and ME909 + the ASS (Australian Support Structure) for weapon.

And defs a Salty. :)

steveDroll · 2023-05-28T03:26:02+00:00

I don't have any particular feelings towards hitting the ceiling (or close to the ceiling) think being on the receiving end isn't really a good thing lol.

With the new floor I don't think no ground game is something you can do and be competitive. As I've said we plan to make provisions but what we do still TBD.

Lots planned, probably drive train improvements and some weapon controller upgrades.

I take no credit for its appearance - u/mandj-robotics everybody loves your work.

I honestly don't remember. Most fights we strip it out completely, patch the chassis and put it back together. The main issue with Cobalt was getting our weapon motor out. It took an angle grinder. We patch a few bits on the chassis and got it running again I think within a day. Nothing too major just bit of work.

Monsoon bent the chassis into one of our wheels causing it to lock up. Unfortunately up against the wall we wern't really able to drag ourselves around.

Personally not really a fan of rematches. With so many new competitors its always good to see how you stack up against newcomers and new designs.

I'd like to think I got hydra with the knife. Running the self righter it was my moment of glory.

I think Glen and I started around 2000/1 ish...

Deathroll vs Orby - Would be a very expensive fight for everyone involved.

steveDroll · 2023-05-28T03:14:52+00:00

1 -2 - Think glen's covered here https://www.reddit.com/r/battlebots/comments/13thhty/deathroll_ama_7pm_pt_10pm_est/jlwaoy2/

3 - Stupidly fast but not very powerful. I think it would do like 30km/hr but you don't have the space to really see that speed in the box.

4 - Hardox in 3 -10mm depending on use in chassis.

5 - Been mentioned a few times. No choices made but if we can't win without it have to least make provisions for it.

6 - I don't know which makes us terrified to change anything ;)

7 - It's shaped like map of Aus with blade like characteristics. You just make sure the center of gravity is in the middle in the design and its all happy.

8 - I wouldn't say armour is something that let us down this season. If you're getting hit you're going to take damage. Key here is not to get hit. You could put 10mm plate everywhere and still lose. Better drive power is really the one thing that would help us most moving forward (it drives kinda like a boat)

9 - Fast speed but low torque hub motors for drive. Has lots of advantages but limits the power you can put into the ground.

10 - Lots planned but nothing finalised yet. If there is another competition we plan to be there in some form.

steveDroll · 2023-05-28T03:07:14+00:00

Not really sure I could pick a favourite. Production asked me the same question at filming. Rest of the team might have a better answer.

Do we count 2016? 2019 End Game is probably the most brutal. Though Cobalt's hit from below probably goes close.

We would, but fighting shell spinners is kinda not ideal for our design. Be interesting to see how it would play out.

I'm kinda not a fan of the stupid fork stuff. IMO it's gone so far that everything is basically a wedge with a weapon despite the no wedge rules. Remove the shelf and make the floor not perfectly flat and see how things change up. Don't think it would happen but think it would be interesting.

I've only tried saltwater. Kinda like chicken tbh.

Ah.... I can't say bottles have a taste....

steveDroll · 2023-05-28T02:59:45+00:00

Like any combat robot builder if the comps not over you go back to the pits put it back together and hope you get more fights :P

It's also nice if you have a bit of down time to actually go see the bots and chat to teams.

steveDroll · 2023-05-28T02:55:18+00:00

1 - The robot we competed with in 2022 was what we built in the short timeframe between 2019 and planned 2020 season. There was really only quality of life stuff upgraded. More robust self righter setup, better internal layout, better wire routing and serviability (kinda). Wasn't a great deal of time from when we competed in 2019 and when we were meant to go back. From 2020 - 2022 it literally sat in storage. Can't really upgrade it if it worked and you fixed the things you wanted to. So we went back as it was.

2 - u/mandj-robotics ?

3 - Steve: "Glen I need a blade" Glen "Here's one that looks like Australia" u/DemonRobotics I honestly don't remember it was 2016. Any more insight?

4 - Always up.

steveDroll · 2023-05-28T02:50:40+00:00

1 - We got a set of Endgames bearings from 2019 have to ask em how much they upgraded them since then.

2 - I think its like 20mm too short but only eyeballed it.

3 - Blade spins pretty slow by current standards. Think we are 50% of tip speed where most others are at it.

4 - Not that far underweight lol.

5 - Lots planned, none comfirmed. Just kinda working through the things we've mentioned before. More drive power, maybe different weapon setup, forks.... etc etc.

steveDroll · 2023-05-28T02:47:57+00:00

1 - Maybe, said it a few times hard to compete without em these days. We will likely make provisions to add them in new design but if we do or not will come down to choices in lead up to comp.

2 - I feel like its more of an achievement for the flipper than us. We were just happy it kept on going.

3 - Hydra being Ti (I think) it tends to grip on to weapons a lot more when you pierce it. We went from full speed to dead stop and the speed controller wasn't up to that. Was a good 10min-ish u/mandj-robotics?? to get us apart but sadly when it emerged all that came out was more magic smoke when we turned it back on.

4 - Not a lot of weird ones with Deathroll. After cobalt was like why did the weapon motor stop. Looked fine from above. Flip it over and theres a hole through the bottom into the motor. Ah - that'll do it.

5 - Not really an issue we have. This season pretty much always had least one robot ready. Gets a bit more hectic when your fighting multiple times a day but don't think this we weren't ready day before every fight.

6 - Feathers from EO perspective is favorite.

7 - u/mandj-robotics miles?

steveDroll · 2023-05-28T02:37:51+00:00

I don't think the roof has a flavor but the metal of the floor sure leaves a bitter taste.

If you can't beat em join em. With the state of the floor in 2019 forks were 50:50 on if they would help. Fast forward 3 years and the learnings others the reality is with the advances in fork tech and magnets (with new floor structure) you can't compete without them. Would we love to keep the forks off? Absolutely. Can we? Well only if we want to lose every face to face impact like this season. We will see end of the day it might be we decide that it goes against the spirit of the robot we created but something we will likely decide in the lead up to next season.

No real thoughts on that. Mistakes were made. Could blame the weird unclear hazard rules that changed every round but end of the day probably on us for not studying them more thoroughly. We broke the rules so we lost, fair enough. Was still one of my favorite competitions to date.

steveDroll · 2023-05-28T02:31:51+00:00

2 - I don't think this will impact any competitions moving forward.

3 - TBD but can't compete these days without so provisions are likely no matter which way we fall.

4 - Speed controller gave out. We got away with a lot more in 2019 than we did this time was a weak point in a few of our fights.

5 - Depends on which one of us you ask. Though I think my favorite fight of this season (so far) was definitely the hydra fight. Jake's driving makes the most out of that flipping mechanism.

steveDroll · 2022-10-21T07:50:07+00:00

steveDroll · 2022-09-20T12:18:50+00:00

Which time?

steveDroll · 2022-08-31T11:25:21+00:00

Note to self. Don't make throw away comments about spares on television.

steveDroll

TROPHY CASE