Back to the Index.
Now see 'ere m'hearties...
No.
I'm buggered if I'm going to keep typing in that baroque, implausible and entirely Historically inaccurate manner. Aside from anything else, it takes up more time to type, and more space to read ... and it makes my fingers sore. If you want all that Jim Hawkins rubbish, just translate it in yer head.
G'wann. You know you want to.
So: Pirates (Arrr).
This year, we're experimenting with there being two "Crews".
That is: However many entrants we have, they're going to be divided into two
groups and each one of them will have their points awarded to that "Crew". The
winning "Crew" will win Groats (Yes M'Buckoes! That's beer!). Don't worry:
We'll still be handing out VC, MBE and so on, awards to the individual
entrants.
Now, as to the actual events:
Bearing in mind the "Water" the "Outdoors" and the "Twin pools" nature of the
event, we have these initial suggestions:
Racing:
Just as you'd expected. All "Ships" will leave Port on the blast of the cannon.
The winner is the one who reaches the opposite side of the Ocean first. Fouling
is, as ever, encouraged.
Treasure Hunt:
Not an event to be held during BC itself. We're going to leave "Clues" to the
Treasure, to be published in the daily Newsletter and they'll lead to
"Treasure" somewhere in the Hotel. At BC, we'll discover the Winner. Yes, it's
a Children's event and any scurvy knave of an old sea-dog who tries to enter
this over the age of 16 will be fed to the sharks (Or the children. Whichever
haven't eaten recently).
Minefields:
Yes, there will be things in the pool. Things as nasty as we can make 'em.
Broadsides:
We fire things at your robots. Actually: The whole audience fires things at
your robots. Moral: Bring something that fires things at robots.
Magnetic fishing.
We're going to sink (Ooooo!) some metal objects in the water. Your challenge is
to get a robot which can be positioned over it, retrieve the thing with remote
magnetic "fishing line" and return with it to its controller. To quote Alex
Holden: Ship's Surgeon, or Shipwright (Something to do with saws anyhow.
We've not actually seen his papers but he ensures us he is fully qualified)
Not having seen previous years' entries, I really don't know what the
average BC participant is capable of. I think if they can manage to put
together a working remote controlled boat of some sort, then adding a geared
motor, pulley, and a magnet on a bit of string ought not to be outside their
ability. Controlling it is probably the trickiest part if they only have a
basic two channel radio (the easiest solution is probably to control the winch
using a separate switch box on a cable, and remove it for the rounds that don't
need the winch). We could always help less technically able folk to get stuff
like that working at the chaos robotics.
Is Alex to become terribly disappointed?
It's up to you.
Walking the plank:
For those of you thinking "I don't want to build a ruddy floating robot, I want
to build a traditional, BC land-lubbering klanky-thing", we have the answer.
We're going to stretch a plank over the pools and expect you to guide your
little dry darling on it from one end to the other. Those that don't fall in
will be pitted against each other in a "Duel" where they run full-pelt at each
other on the Plank. The dryest wins.
The schedule for the events will, as ever, be decided when we know how many of
each kind of robot are built. As ever: the Three Laws of Cychotics apply:
And:
The First Ammendment:
We will twist the laws to ensure your robot gets accepted. When we can't twist
the rules any more, it's proof that you're pathologically harmful and you
really shouldn't be out with people.
We're very open to feedback, suggestions and questions (How d'you think we've survived this far?)
Oh: And:
The 2006 "Piracy" Rule:
"Pirate any recording of BC that you can. It's what it's for"*
* (This is, in itself, a pirated copy of the "Audio Visual Amnesty of 1997".
See what we did there?)
And don't ee knock it all back at once!
"Cheese-eating surrender monkey"
Sms
(Arrr!)