LogFAQs > #970640087

PiOverlord posted...

Did BB make any rule changes due to last year?

https://www.reddit.com/r/battlebots/comments/xdi169/updated_rules_for_2022_are_available/

Notable changes, many of which were influenced by the controversial Minotaur vs. Witch Doctor and Hydra vs. Tantrum fights from last season:

* Match Stewert acts as an intermediary between teams and the judges to better explain rules to the teams, and advise judges on the rule interpretations. Essentially, more communication and clarity between teams and judges mid-fight.
* Teams can make an appeal on a judge's decision through the Match Stewert within 1 minute of a decision being announced, but if their requests get declined, they can't appeal again for the rest of the season.
* A bot that has gotten stuck to the arena will no longer be released. Essentially, no more controversial "stop the fight, unstick the stuck robot, and continue the fight" decisions with the arena itself, only when two bots are stuck together with each other and can't separate.
* A bot no longer has to show controlled movement to keep the match going. Essentially, crab-walking with one wheel, moving in a circle, hopping around with recoil from firing an axe/hammer, etc., will still be considered mobile for the purpose of avoiding a count-out. A robot has to be 100% not moving (or the team can just put their controller down and keep the robot still) for the count-out to start.
* A minibot will be removed from the arena if it gets stuck with the opponent more than once. Minibots can still be used to off-center opposing bots, but they're subject to the same "must release after 10 seconds" limit as normal bots, and they get removed from the fight if they fail to release enough times.
* If both teams don't engage each other for a period of 20 seconds or longer, the fight will be ended and sent to the judges. I would guess this is partly to prevent battles with two severely wounded bots with barely any mobility limping around the arena to prolong a fight and partly to prevent non-aggression situations like Hydra sitting still waiting for the opponent to approach and the opponent circling them for like a minute waiting for an opening.

Also worth mentioning: the Upper Deck is still mentioned in the rules, but its exact measurements aren't shown like they were last year. They're not removing it, but perhaps they're making it smaller and less obstructive than it was last season. We'll have to wait and see.

Gobstoppers12 posted...

Man, right out the gate with some amazing match ups. Love to see quantum back, he was one of my favorites when he debuted.

Quantum was like the second coming of Razer and I really liked it. I'm glad they're finally back after the pandemic situation kept them away.

KFHEWUI posted...

Wishing Ray a speedy recovery

Same, a season of BattleBots without Ray and Tombstone just doesn't feel right. Hopefully we see them back next time.