Tripulta (also known as Tripulta Raptor) was a tracked robot that was scheduled to appear in Season 2 of Robot Wars: Extreme Warriors, although it did not appear and the team competed with Cyclone instead.
Design[]
At the time, Tripulta was a large tracked box shaped machine armed with a large crushing jaw which resembled a claw which ran using 2000 PSI hydraulic systems, with the whole machine weighing in at 215lb. The robot was fitted with Earth magnet turbo motors for locomotion and the robot's tracks and other parts were utilised also used for Cyclone. However, based on the CAD for the Extreme Warriors Season 2 programme, it would appear upgrades were being made to Tripulta for the series, such as a wedge being applied to the front, the boxy design being completely removed in favour for a more rounded shape. The more streamlined design also removed the bottom jaw with the wedge serving that purpose instead.
Robot History[]
US Season 2[]
Tripulta was one of the US competitors scheduled to appear in the second season of Extreme Warriors, with the CAD of the robot appearing in the official Robot Wars: Extreme Warriors Season 2 programme. However, for reasons unknown Tripulta did not appear in the show. The most likely scenario for Tripulta's withdrawal is due to the conflict with BattleBots at the time, which meant that robots could not appear in both shows due to contracting agreements. Regardless, Team Raptor would enter the competition with the similarly tracked design of Cyclone.
Series Record[]
US Series | Tripulta Series Record |
---|---|
Season 1 | Heat (Round 1) with Cyclone Heat (Round 1) with Rippa Raptor Side events with Tut Tut |
Season 2 | Withdrew Heat, Round 1 with Cyclone 2 |
Nickelodeon | Did not enter |
NOTE: Tut Tut competed in Nickelodeon Robot Wars, but this was under the captaincy of Team Juggerbot
Outside Robot Wars[]
Tripulta Raptor first appeared in BattleBots Season 2.0 in the Superheavyweight category. It won its first fight against Liquid Lunch after Liquid Lunch forfeited only for Tripulta Raptor to lose against Toro in the second round. Tripulta Raptor returned in Season 3.0 where it was in the heavyweight category, once again getting to the second round after defeating Orion and losing against KillerB. In Season 4.0, Tripulta lost in the first round to Agitator. Tripulta Raptor was also popular enough to be given merchandise.
Tripulta Raptor and Team Raptor in general were involved in major controversy in 2002, when the team collaborated with Anheuser-Busch to produce a Bud Light Super Bowl commercial, 'RoboBash'. This involved the creation of a similarly-designed tracked robot, Inflictor, which was depicted to fight an innocuous-looking MiniFridge in a humorous parody of robot combat shows.[1][2] The deal was done mostly to spite BattleBots co-founder and producer Trey Roski, who the team had many arguments and disagreements with prior to the commercial being aired. Team Raptor alleged that Roski would 'try to take control' of robot teams and their actions, a view reinforced by Roski's demand for roboteers to be 'loyal' to BattleBots over other contemporary shows such as Robot Wars and Robotica.[3]
Because of the similarities between Tripulta Raptor and Inflictor, BattleBots sued Anheusher-Busch over exclusivity rights to the former's likeness. Tripulta Raptor itself would not compete in Season 5.0, despite Bob Pitzer being present at filming to air his concerns and frustration concerning the lawsuit.[4] However, a July 2004 court case subsequently dismissed the lawsuit itself, ruling that 'RoboBash' was a general 'fair use' parody of BattleBots and other similar shows.[5]
After the original televised run of BattleBots ended, Tripulta Raptor was converted into Preda Raptor which competed in RoboGames, debuting in 2010 where it won two fights and lost two fights. Preda Raptor would eventually retire after the 2013 RoboGames. Following this, Preda Raptor was also converted into the latest Team Raptor creation, Ghost Raptor.
For more information about Ghost Raptor and the rest of Team Raptor's machines, see here.
References[]
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJvsWvaTr4w
- ↑ http://web.archive.org/web/20021010020948/http://www.raptorrobotics.com/superbowl_ad.html
- ↑ Brad Stone (2003) Gearheads: The Turbulent Rise of Robotic Sports, p.264, pp.275-277
- ↑ ibid, p.276
- ↑ 'Lawsuit Over Bud Light Ad Dismissed' Los Angeles Times, July 13, 2004
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