New Builder Guide
Becoming a part of the Community
NHRL has an amazing community of builders and fans who are more than happy to offer advice and talk all things robots (as well as other things). We have a very active Discord, which we recommend to all prospective and new builders. Click here to join our Discord.
NHRL posts announcements and information in our Discord as well but we also suggest you join our mailing list to get information on events registration and other key announcements.
For general information on NHRL, check out our website and our wiki. Our wiki has bot stats, event information, our rulebook and other safety information.
Registration
How do I compete at NHRL?
Because our events are very popular, builders apply to compete at our events. We release a registration form for each event that you will need to complete. NHRL announces which bots will be competing 6 weeks before the event so that selected builders have enough time to finish working on their bot and to make travel arrangements. Find more information about our event registration process here.
Where and when do I apply?
NHRL releases the event registration form on the relevant event channel in our Discord, to builders that have signed up to our emails (sign up here), on the relevant event page on our wiki, and on our website. The form is published 7 weeks before the event and you will have one week to complete the form. It does not matter when you complete the form within this window - there is no priority given to people who register earlier than others.
How much does it cost?
NHRL requires a $25 deposit with your registration. You will get the deposit back if you attend the event, if you are waitlisted but do not get selected, or if you inform NHRL you are dropping out of the event up to 3 weeks before the event.
If you drop out within 3 weeks of the event, you will not get your $25 deposit back.
What information do I need to register?
When you register, you will need to provide information about your bot and your team. Specifically, we need to know if your bot will be a hazard bot so please answer the questions honestly. You do not need to share any images or CADs of your bot.
For your team, we will need contact information and, if anyone is under 18, we will also need information for a responsible adult.
Am I guaranteed a spot?
Because of demand, we cannot guarantee you a spot however our selection process provides people making their season debut with a greater chance of competing. Don’t lose all hope if you aren’t selected - all unselected bots are automatically added to our waitlist and will be added to the event if bots drop out.
I can only attend one specific event - what do I do?
NHRL offers event reservation to competitors for whom travel and logistics limit the possible dates they can attend (long-distance flights, visa letters, etc.). If you can potentially attend most events on the schedule and travel doesn’t require extensive planning on your end, we ask that you use the open registration system instead.
If there is one specific event that is best for you to fight at, you may contact us to apply for a spot for it in advance of registration. There may be situations where we cannot honor your request but in most cases, we should be able to reserve a spot for you.
Apply for event reservation here.
What to expect in general?
NHRL events are friendly events where the community comes together and builders really do support each other. That said, these events are much bigger than most other events and the level of competition is very high. Some of the very best builders in the world compete here so don’t be disheartened if you lose fights - every builder started out that way!
To give you a sense of the scale of our events, there are 136 bots competing and each bot can have 4 people on their team. This could mean 544 people in the pits but the number is usually around 400. In addition we usually get between 800 and 1,000 fans watching fights throughout the day. This can be overwhelming to some people so, if you are concerned about this, please reach out to us before your first event at hello@nhrl.io. We will work with you before the event and pair you up with people on the day so that you can focus on enjoying yourself and fighting your robot.
Travel & what to bring
Getting to the House of Havoc
The House of Havoc is in Norwalk, CT. The nearest major airports are the New York airports (La Guardia, JFK, and Newark). The Metro North train service from Grand Central Station in New York stops in South Norwalk and it’s a short walk from the station to the House of Havoc. If you are driving, Norwalk is just off the I-95.
If you are competing, please go to 88 Day Street (the back entrance for the House of Havoc) as this is where builders enter and exit the building.
There is limited parking on site, so please bear this in mind. Parking at the house of Havoc is free but you may need to pay for it elsewhere in Norwalk. If you cannot park close by, you can unload your equipment at the House of Havoc and then park your car further away.
Unless you live nearby, we recommend getting a hotel room for both the Friday and Saturday nights. NHRL provides a room block at the Hilton Garden Inn. We post the link to the room block in the relevant event channel on Discord and on our Wiki If you need any help or further information, please reach out to us at hello@nhrl.io.
For more info on travel for our events, check out this link.
When should I get to the House of Havoc?
The event starts early on Saturday morning so we encourage builders to come on Friday. We open the Pits at 12pm and Bot Inspection opens at 5pm. This means that you can get settled in and even get your bot passed for the event the day before you have fights. This will make Saturday morning a lot less stressful! We close the building at 9pm on Friday night.
On Saturday, the Pits open at 6am and Bot Inspection opens at 7.30am. You must be in the building by 8am because all builders must attend the builders’ meeting run by NHRL staff. In this meeting you will receive more safety instructions, information on important timings, and the pace of the day. The first fights will be at 9am for 3lb bots but later in the morning for 12lb and 30lb bots.
What should I bring with me?
You should bring everything you need to stay safe and repair your bot between fights. The level of competition is high at NHRL so don’t be surprised if you need to replace components between fights.
We do have a limited selection of tools and parts to buy from our store in the Pits. We also have an exchange bin where builders may leave items that they don’t need that you can take. We also have a fully stocked workshop, a grinding station and test boxes so you shouldn't need to worry about bulkier items. If you want to know if we have a specific tool, please email hello@nhrl.io.
Unless you have specific dietary requirements, don’t worry about bringing food and drink with you. We provide beverages and snacks throughout Friday and Saturday and we also provide some pizza on Friday evening and breakfast on Saturday morning. In addition you can order lunch and dinner on Saturday through us and it will be brought up to the Pits for you to collect. If you are interested in getting lunch or dinner, look out for an email from Gil the week before event week. If you have any questions, please reach out to us at hello@nhrl.io. We also have food trucks on site for Saturday if you want to buy other hot food.
Getting settled
What do I do when I get to the House of Havoc?
When you get to the builders’ entrance at 88 Day Street, walk up the ramp into the building with your equipment. You don’t need to have your entire team with you before you enter. When you get into the building, the check-in desk will be to your right. At this desk, we will check you in for the day, make sure you have signed the event waiver, and give you a competitor wristband. If you are under 18, you must check in with your responsible adult and you will have a different colored wristband. Once you have put the wristband on, head up the wooden stairs in front of you to the pits. If you want to use the elevator for your equipment, please tell a member of staff and we will assist you. You can’t ride in the elevator so when your equipment is loaded, head up the wooden stairs.
'What do I do when I get into the Pits?
Your first time into the Pits might be intimidating - it’s a big space and there might already be a lot of people there but don’t worry, there are lots of people that are there to help. As soon as you come up the stairs, you will see the bot inspection area right in front of you. To the left of the stairs is the most important part of the Pits - the Pit Desk. The Pit Desk is always manned by NHRL staff who can answer your questions. If in doubt, go to the Pit Desk!
Beyond the Pit Desk are rows of pit tables. Each bot gets a pit table so simply find an empty table and start to settle in. We are often asked where’s the best place to be and the answer is that it depends on what’s most important to you. The areas furthest from the Pit Desk tend to be the quietest while the closer you are to the Pit Desk, the easier it is to ask questions of NHRL staff. Some teams have favorite spots that they always like to sit in but wherever you are there will be friendly builders all around you who would love to help you and make you feel right at home.
Each pit table has access to power and at the end of the row there will be a table full of safety and first aid equipment. We also have sand carts around the room with easy to spot flags as well as fume extractors in case you have a battery fire.
When you have found a table, take some time to settle in. At some point a member of staff will come by so that we can add you to the pit map. We use this map to know where everyone is sitting if we need to talk to a team but you can use this too - just go to the Pit Desk and ask us where a bot is and we will direct you.
