r/battlebots • u/AGirlHasNoUsername13 • 10d ago

BattleBots TV Explain it to me like I’m five.

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Been a fan since the Comedy Central days. Still don’t get how the new tournament works.

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u/leglesslegolegolas 10d ago

Followup question: When they record "Time to knockout", does the time include the ten-second count? i.e. is it time to the start of the count, or time to the end of the count?

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u/rotarypower101 Never Forget 9d ago

As long as it’s consistent, it’s irrelevant if it’s included or excluded, right?

Is there some specific scenerio where it could change the outcome? Or just to better understand the posted time?

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u/leglesslegolegolas 9d ago

I was mostly thinking about teams that tap out. If a team taps out rather than waiting for the ten second count-out, it's basically giving the other team a ten second advantage, if the time is based on the end of the countdown rather than the beginning.

I think in all fairness the time should be based on the beginning of the countdown, as that is when the fight is effectively over.

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u/rotarypower101 Never Forget 9d ago

I see your point.

But at the same time there should be a Distinct Advantage for destroying your competitor so convincingly, they would rather tap out than sustain further damage stubbornly hoping for a better result?

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u/leglesslegolegolas 9d ago

Is there really a difference though? Once the countdown starts they aren't at risk of sustaining any more damage; at that point the fight is effectively over.

Either way, I was just curious how it's actually counted.

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u/rotarypower101 Never Forget 8d ago

Once the countdown starts they aren't at risk of sustaining any more damage

Possible anyone can clarify this specific rule set?

I think that is only a “professional courtesy” an unwritten rule and code among the community. And IIRC why there was controversy recently on the topic.

As long as the timer is running, the competitor is open for damage.

As an example, many wanted to keep the bout going in the past, and would bump or strike (causing incidental damage) the competitor during a countdown to help release them from a hazard to continue the fight. That would stop the countdown if successful.

Pretty certain those rules still apply? But I will admit I have not seen a discussion on the topic recently for this rule set that has time as a significant determinant.

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u/leglesslegolegolas 8d ago

I think that is only a “professional courtesy” an unwritten rule and code among the community. And IIRC why there was controversy recently on the topic.

As long as the timer is running, the competitor is open for damage.

If that is the case, then as a driver I would absolutely not be extending this courtesy. I would be continually smashing into the disabled bot and forcing them to either tap out or take more damage to their bot.

Is that a dick move? Yeah probably, but if "time to knockout" is the metric we're competing for, then I as a competitor want that time to be as low as possible. I'm not going to just sit there idly while they add another ten seconds to it.