Electric trophy truck contest

[Kilinich]

Let's start another cool contest!
It's a whole new science!



Task is simple - you have DC motor and batteries - build good rally car, race against other players on test track and win prize!

Electric trophy truck contest

Kilinich

Rating:
Filesize: 199.5 kB
Comments: 14
Ratings: 10

Please read rules carefuly!
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/106M68Nx4pNUEUOk6ntCz5JtGP76oMSrSG-aPhEdKyD8/edit?usp=sharing

Contest starting now and will move to next phase as soon as we have at least 10 participants.

Update 12/10/2016: Battery capacity reduced from 5Ah to 2Ah (makes concurrent connection reasonable)

[pnvv]

Oh man, I'm excited

Also, there's no upper/lower bound on weight?

[Kilinich]

Oh man, I'm excited
Also, there's no upper/lower bound on weight?

You have to use heavy batteries so that's the lower limit, also you can't overlap it and that works as upper limit)

[pnvv]

You have to use heavy batteries so that's the lower limit, also you can't overlap it and that works as upper limit)

Just checked batteries weight, ouch

I've just one more question - if most of the weight is concentrated in the drivetrain (ie batteries), can they be shifted around inside the chassis, effectively providing a way to move the CG of the truck? Or does that constitute a "stabilization device" and is therefore banned?

[Kilinich]

You have to use heavy batteries so that's the lower limit, also you can't overlap it and that works as upper limit)

I've just one more question - if most of the weight is concentrated in the drivetrain (ie batteries), can they be shifted around inside the chassis, effectively providing a way to move the CG of the truck? Or does that constitute a "stabilization device" and is therefore banned?

NP with that. You could move, rotate or even drop off batteries. Anything you want.

[pnvv]

NP with that. You could move, rotate or even drop off batteries. Anything you want.

Drop off batteries? You mean once a battery is drained it could be ejected to reduce weight?

I assumed we're allowed to move the motors too, because I had an idea where the motors would drop down out of the chassis to enable recharging and then be retracted back into the chassis

[Kilinich]

NP with that. You could move, rotate or even drop off batteries. Anything you want.

Drop off batteries? You mean once a battery is drained it could be ejected to reduce weight?

I assumed we're allowed to move the motors too, because I had an idea where the motors would drop down out of the chassis to enable recharging and then be retracted back into the chassis

Yea, why not
The problem with moving motor - all batteries must be connected to charge.

[pnvv]

The problem with moving motor - all batteries must be connected to charge.

I had an idea to solve that too, all the motors/batteries could be attached to a sub-frame within the chassis which could be moved around. Only limitation here is it restricts the amount of batteries that can be carried which could become a problem in a heavy vehicle.

Speaking of batteries/motors, is there a limit to how many we can use? Are we allowed to copy paste more in or are we only allowed to use the ones already contained in the scene?

[Kilinich]

The problem with moving motor - all batteries must be connected to charge.

I had an idea to solve that too, all the motors/batteries could be attached to a sub-frame within the chassis which could be moved around. Only limitation here is it restricts the amount of batteries that can be carried which could become a problem in a heavy vehicle.

Speaking of batteries/motors, is there a limit to how many we can use? Are we allowed to copy paste more in or are we only allowed to use the ones already contained in the scene?

The only limit is space inside your car. You could copy or clone as much ass you need.

[Anbang11]

The reasons why I don't make cars is that I don't make engines that outputs more than 0.01 HP/kg (made with only 3 out of 9 types of materials in Algodoo, I like it when the object's density/friction/restitution is reasonable), designing cars take quite a time, and when they're posted, almost no one sees it.
But in this contest, there's no engine. Just wiring and designing.
Now that's (slightly) easier. I'm interested in joining this one.

[vaidas369]

It it allowed to use non collision style details on wheels? If colliding wheel would not exceed based rules size but detail might pop out a bit?

[Kilinich]

It it allowed to use non collision style details on wheels? If colliding wheel would not exceed based rules size but detail might pop out a bit?

Sure, np with that, any art is good!

[pnvv]

Is it OK if I very slightly modify the motor so I can basically make it tell me whether it's on or off, or do I need to use an external device to do that? Either way, the performance would remain unchanged.

[Kilinich]

Is it OK if I very slightly modify the motor so I can basically make it tell me whether it's on or off, or do I need to use an external device to do that? Either way, the performance would remain unchanged.

No, you can't do that, no modification
I did that for you I've add _motor variable to engine box and update scene so you could read it via external laser.
Thanks for pointing this out.

[Anbang11]

Can I use 4 springs connecting motors to wheels with large spring constant (around 1e7) and large damping values (7) as a replacement of a hinge connecting motors to wheels with +inf brake?

[Kilinich]

Can I use 4 springs connecting motors to wheels with large spring constant (around 1e7) and large damping values (7) as a replacement of a hinge connecting motors to wheels with +inf brake?

Yes np, but why would you do that?

[faytree]

This is going to be great!
I'd also love to participate!

Spoiler: show

Did someone said designs?

[Kilinich]

Fixed issue with charging different voltage groups (why people do that?).
Now it charge lowest voltage group until 100% capacity and then switch to next.

[DrAgon]

Super!
I will also participate, but am very humble in my skills, am glad there will be no price for the
worst result, which i probably will get lol, yet i think it will be fun, and am curious how it all works.

So it would be nice if i could just put a first try in the algobox to see if this is matching all conditions
in the first phase according to the truck_contest_rules.pdf
I add a "tag" so you find it: "electrictruck"
which i will send tomorrow, is this ok?

[Kilinich]

Super!
So it would be nice if i could just put a first try in the algobox to see if this is matching all conditions
in the first phase according to the truck_contest_rules.pdf
I add a "tag" so you find it: "electrictruck"
which i will send tomorrow, is this ok?

Sure glad to hear, you welcome!

[pnvv]

Contest Entry

pnvv

Rating:
Filesize: 103.07 kB
Comments: 2
Ratings: 4

There are some things I don't like about it right now, but it might get updated.

[The Linkage]

Motors should have a reverse function, they are DC motors after all...
I'm just saying this because it will be much easier to use a differential as a gearbox if this was implemented. Prius-style but with varying inputs
Good contest though!
Also, will you recharge the batteries somewhere on the track? And maybe motors could act as generators if driven backwards? that would be nice for brake energy recovery

[Kilinich]

Motors should have a reverse function, they are DC motors after all...
I'm just saying this because it will be much easier to use a differential as a gearbox if this was implemented. Prius-style but with varying inputs
Good contest though!
Also, will you recharge the batteries somewhere on the track? And maybe motors could act as generators if driven backwards? that would be nice for brake energy recovery

Well, yes, it has reverce - just switch CCW = true/false with laser or onCollide
I was thinking about recuperarion, but whole idea of 2d racing is acceleration. You don't have to brake hard and re-use that energy so I decide not to implement charging from wheels...

[faytree]

Soon
(the car is literally filled with batteries)

[pnvv]

Soon
(the car is literally filled with batteries)

You have one strong motor and one weak motor? has that got something with the top-secret launch control system you told me about earlier? ok i blew ur cover sry