The Sport Of Luddites
(An airy glossing over: Bit like airbrushing out Non-Party Members really)
See the Rules for how these terms may be applied in 'action'.
A robot that, when it reaches the side of the pitch, is specifically requested to be redirected by a member of the audience. This must be clearly stated before the beginning of the match and leaves the robot open to any fouling the audience may feel is amusing. First recorded use of this handy term was during 'By Royal Appointment' by Mr Farquar-Harris.
Public Service Broadcasting Company, set up under Lord Reith with the remit to 'Educate and Entertain' bearing the slogan 'Nation shall speak peace unto Nation'. Produces dramas of murder and adultery in fictitious locations, Makeover programmes and 'Robot Wars'.
Randomly bouncing plastic sea-mine-looking things. Available from any good toyshop for less than £5.
Dubious bunch of
Nuns assembled for 'Ye Olde Beyonde Cyberdrome' for the
purpose of chanting. There's some suspicion that they
weren't all really women.
There has been a totemic cuddly toy strapped to the Umpire's 'Wavey Stick'. Clangers seem to have some special significance to the organisers of BC. No-one has yet worked out why... ·
Nothing to do with us, but a very good idea we may have borrowed from. A roomful of material where people are encouraged to knock up any old clothing or costume with. It's Infant school 'Sand and Play' with the help of skilled seamstresses/sters.
A robot made in the 'S.C.R.A.P. Workshop'. Simple (And, they often are).
You really don't need to know. Trust us.
Unlike the BBC spinoff, we don't have silly names for robot operators like "Robot-ears" (What?!?).
Exactly as it sounds. A time when people take a dead dog, bathe in its congealed blood, and march around with it's head on a pole, before roasting the corpse and eating it. The only alternative is to drink beer and watch B.C. videos.
See 'Goon Show'. Look in the 'Art' section.
Go to to your local library as soon as you can and ask to take out any 'Goon Show's they have in their tape library. Take them home. Listen to them at least once. Failing that, ask if they have a book of the scripts. Take that home. Read it at least once and bear in mind that you're in the position of a deaf person being told about the sound of a sock filled with custard.
Brilliantly conceived and constructed works of cybernetic genius that haven't been built yet but MUST be described for over five minutes and are going to be finished next year. Honest. ·
Something to do with Youth Culture. According to their Press handouts anyway. First seen at BCVI.
The 'Unorthodox business entrepeneur' behind Iron Feetus. Now showing an interest in Sprokkettes with a view to his popular magazine range and nightclub businesses. Shuns personal publicity. First made contact with B.C. with a view to using BCVI as an opportunity for 'The Boys' to perform their new concept album, 'Eye of the Robot'.
The official definition is 'Cute fantasy artwork with significance'. Anything with unicorns or dragons is very likely to be Phlosque. As a general rule of thumb, if it advertises itself as 'Magical' without any sense of genuine wonder beyond commerce, or 'sensitive' without in any way attempting to improve the lot of any living being then, it's almost certainly Phlosque. The Phlosque Award is presented each Eastercon by Eira and Sms. It's not an insult to the -frequently excellent - artwork that wins it. It is, rather, a comment that such a (Lucerative and welcome to hardworked artists) genre exists. 'Voting' forms to nominate artwork for the Phlosque are available in the Artshow or littered 'round the tables in the bars.
The area in which the robots engage each
other in 'combat'. It's boundaries are continually
adapting to circumstances. About twenty five square feet seems
optimal.
RULE OF THUMB (The): A complex feedback system
finally perfected, after years of research and development, during
the 1999 match. Allowing the spectators to indicate to the Umpires
their pleasure or displeasure of any designated robot. It's
complexities and subtleties are best explained in person during the
match.
Circular robot that ambles about before a BC Match, advertising the event by waving a 'BC' flag. It's taken off the pitch before the match itself for fear of it being damaged. A pre-programmed robot, supplied and programmed by Eira. First seen in BC3, aimlessly wandering the bars. Next time, buy it a drink (Just give the beer to Eira, she'll know what to do with it).
You're looking in the wrong place mate. Try the BBC.
The 'B.C.' Mascot. (c) Sms.
Our resident Digital
Cheerleaders (To date: Jaine, Cal, Barbara, Julie, Sue and
Eira). To become one takes years of dedicated training. Any
fecund lady wishing to be a Sprokkette should volunteer at
the Robot Workshop. In 1999, the Sprokkettes were deemed to
be too 'racey' for the Blue Peter-style
presentation and so were replaced by the Bletchley Park
Typing Pool Formation Dancers, who crossed and uncrossed
their legs whilst chanting Enigmatic Code. Since no-one
seemed to understand the code, the Sprokkettes returned in
2000 when Cal instigated their complex 'Binary Dance
Routine'. The 'BDR' was repeated in 2001 after
extensive 'Sprokkette Workshop's given by Sms to
each Sprokkette. See how much work and sacrifice goes into
entertaining you all?!
See: 'Bletchley Park Formation
Dancers' (BCV: 'One We Prepared
Earlier') and 'Sprokkett Idol'
(BC:VII: CBC' )
See 'Robot Workshop'.
See 'BC Workshop'.
See 'Chaos Workshop'.
See 'S.C.R.A.P.'.
Oh, all right: See 'Workshop' for further details.
'Secret Masters Of Fandom'. The
people who organise SF Cons... but not, to date, B.C.
The excellent folk who volunteer to operate the massively expensive and complex technical apperatus for SF Cons with no thought for personal glory but the knowledge they alone control the universe in which SMOFs opperate. Oh, and then there's the beer...
As they sound. They look after peoples jumpers (But never give them back), wave their arms about and make up rules as they see fit (See 'Rules: Ammendments').·
