Gladiator Construction Specifications

Cost

1. Bots may not initially cost more than 40000 credits. Their cost of tournament winners may NEVER exceed 43000 credits.
2. Bots that win 3 tournaments ascend to the Hall of Old, Fat, Lazy Gladiators, and will no longer be eligible for tournaments.

Overall Design

1. Bots must have two arms, and two legs. The arms must be separated from the torso by at least one shoulder joint.
2. Weapons may ONLY be on the arms.
3. If there is a waist joint, the torso may not rotate more that 180 degrees total range on the chassis.
4. No bot may be over 5 meters tall, measured when standing still.

Size Limits

1. The REACH of the bot may not exceed it's height. There is a .5 meter margin of "slop" to this limit, to help when specifications get close.
2. NO reach may ever exceed 5 meters. The .5 meter slop rule is NOT going to allow Reach to exceed 5 meters.

Legs

1. Bots must have at least two legs.
2. If a hover chassis is used, then "Stem" parts may not be used in leg construction. All bots must have parts to represent the feet. Please refer to the lower "List 1" for a listing of parts that are considered "Stems".

Head

1. Bots must have a head; either the controller, or another part. IF the head isn't a controller, it must be a part that contains or supports all controllers OR sensors.
2. The head must remain above the highest joint in the highest shoulder joint group. Of course it may be armored. Here is a thorough breakdown of the head rules:
1. All gladiator bots will be required to have a head.
2. The placement of all controllers OR all sensors will have to be in, or attached to the head part.
3. The head may not be lower than the highest joint in the highest shoulder joint group. This height rule also applies to all controllers OR all sensors mounted inside, or attached to the head.
4. The head may be a controller.
5. The head my also be a standard component, joint, or energy. If so, either all controllers OR all sensors must be inside, or mounted to the head part.
6. The head may not be a shield, but may have shielding attached to, through, or covering it.
7. The head may not be solely a sensor.
8. The head must be mounted ON, OVER, or ABOVE the torso. It may not be mounted in a way that has it sticking beyond the cross-section of the torso. (example: Looking straight down onto the bot from above, the head should be over the torso, not beyond the torso's edges)

Part placement

1. The following parts may not be mounted on the arms: Controllers, Energy modules, Sensors.
2. The following parts may not be "buried" inside the actual chassis: Controllers, Energy modules, Sensors.

Joints

1. Joints MAY be stacked. They may spin as much as desired, but they may not be balanced or counter-balanced.
2. The torso joint is an exception to the counter-balance rule, since bi-radial construction is the nature of a humanoid form. Therefore the torso may not rotate more than 180 degrees.

Pass-Through

1. Bots may not deliberately use Pass-Through (also known as "PT"). This means that moving parts may not pass through non-moving ones. The simplest way to check is this: Go to the "Moves" screen. Test all joints by moving them to their limits. If at any time, something glows RED, then pass-through exists. Make sure that the moves do not make use of this.

Running and Survival

1. Bots may not run away while they are ahead on points, and still have weapons with which to fight in the manner that they are designed. Any bot that does so forfeits the match. The remaining bot will be considered to have received a "Points Win".
2. Bot may run when if they have lost their offensive capability (their weapons) and/or if they are losing on points, and don't wish to be completely destroyed.

Multi-connected construction

1. Bots MAY use the construction technique known as multiconnect (also known as "MC") without limitations.

List 1. Parts considered "Stems"

1. Cytol: Stretch, Reach.
2. Oratha: End, Stem.
3. Raiken: Half.
4. Srikar: Sectlimb.
5. Standard: Extension, Long Connector.
6. Ultair: Calamus.
7. Volker: Saw Arm.

FAQ

Them Proceedingz

1. The tournament will be a double-elimination pyramid ladder - or "Tree". Bots will be randomly seeded into the first elimination tree. A second bot by a designer will be seeded randomly into the second half of the tree, so that a designer won't have to fight his own winning bots until the end.
2. Bots that survive a loss in a first elimination match are seeded randomly into a second elimination tree. Once again, a second bot by a designer will be seeded into the second half of the tree if possible.
3. A house bot (Gladiator Ned) will be used to fill in the remaining slots to make an even tree. Points will be scored for beating ned in standard fashion. *Ned is will not attack, but is extremely tough. It's been found to be very rare for someone to get more than a 1 point win against him. A bot would really have to work hard to get more.*
4. Since changing the starting can effect the outcome of the match, there will be special attention paid to which bot will be in the #1 position (Pole position).
1. After the first elimination tree is randomly seeded for round 1, the bot that is first in the list (out of a two-bot match) has pole position.
2. During all subsequent matches in the first elimination tree, The "pole position" bot will be randomly drawn before each fight.
3. The pole position for round 1 of the second elimination tree works the same as in the first elimination tree, as does the position selection for each subsequent second elimination tree fight.
4. The pole position for the final match will also be randomly drawn.
5. The winner of the first elimination ladder will fight the winner of the second elimination ladder in a "wildcard match". This is the final gladiator vs gladiator match.
6. Bots that lose by "Controller Kill" or "Chassis Kill" are completely out of the tournament at that point.
7. Points will be awarded during the matches on the following basis. Also note that special overall points will be awarded for designers who make an effort to enter bots that increase the spirit and entertainment value of the games:
1. One point for a win based on points.
2. Two points for victory by controller kill.
3. Three points for victory by Chassis kill.
4. (Style win) Four points for successful use of "missus" (points victory, yet sparing the enemy if their energy is destroyed.) This would entail ceasing hostilities and moving to the center of the arena. Also a great time to have your bot cheer to the crowd.
5. Four points for winning the final "Wildcard" match, regardless of means.
6. One overall tournament point awarded for the effort to paint a discernable "face" on the front of a discernable "head".
7. One overall tournament point awarded for taking the time to include "start" and "victory" moves.
8. No points are awarded for matches fought in the second elimination round, unless the bot wins the wildcard final match.
9. The finals winner will have one last bonus match vs a horrible, overpriced beast bot. Standard scoring will be used. A bot that loses to the beast simply gets no points, but is still the tournament winner. Though if it loses, other bots will tend to point at it and laugh as it leaves the arena.
10. At the end of the tournament, the winning bot will be granted 1000 credits to spend on additional parts for upcoming tournaments - under the following conditions:
1. The bot's physical design may not be subtracted from and/or re-designed to incorporate the new cost limit. You may only stick new parts on the already existing bot design.
2. You may still change and modify the AI, moves, and paint.
3. You may only stick on additional components, controllers, energy, sensors, shielding, and weapons. You may not add additional joints or rotators.
4. You must still adhere to the rules concerning sensor or controller placement.
5. You may NOT use multiconnect to add the bonus parts.
6. If you win again, your limit increases to 42k. You may remove and reassign the bonus cost items, but still never redesign the original bot design. And so on...
7. Any bot over 44k in cost that wins a tournament ascends to Valhalla, is put out to stud, joins the hall of champions, is retired to the Great Hall of Old Fat Lazy Bots, and may not be entered again.

Old Tourney Results:

13/03/2003The First Tourney	16/03/2003 The Second Tourney
23/03/2003 The Third Tourney	30/03/2003 The Fourth Tourney
06/04/2003 The Fifth Tourney	13/04/2003 The Sixth Tourney
20/04/2003 The Seventh Tourney	27/04/2003 The Eighth Tourney
The Unlimited Tourney	18/05/2003 The Tenth Tourney
01/06/2003 The Eleventh Tourney	08/06/2003 The Twelfth Tourney
22/06/2003 The Thirteenth Tourney	06/07/2003 The Fourteenth Tourney
20/07/2003 The Fifteenth Tourney	03/08/2003 The Sixteenth Tourney
10/08/2003 The Seventeenth Tourney	17/08/2003 The Eighteenth Tourney
14/09/2003 The Nineteenth Tourney
05/07/2006 The 21st Tourney	07/10/2006 The 22nd Tourney
28/10/2006 The 23rd Tourney	10/12/2006 The 24th Tourney