Are things quieter than usual this year?

[Madison]

Is it just me, or do things on the forums seem quite a bit quietier and calmer this season than in seasons passed?

In particular, it seems like all of the traditional teams people look toward have been very quiet about their activities, and the few teams and students that have been discussing their designs and strategies are doing so in the most general of terms.

I think this may speak volumes about how well designed this game is, as it really strips veteran teams of many advantages. It is a bit disappointing, at the same time, to have seen so little of other team's efforts so far.

Any thoughts? Maybe I'm just getting a bit too anxious a bit too early, but I am genuinely scared of the things other teams may be cooking up behind closed doors. The eerie silence has me wondering how my team's design and strategy measure up to others across the country.

[sanddrag]

I am genuinely scared of the things other teams may be cooking up behind closed doors. hehehe, If only you knew...

Anyway, yes. I agree. Everyone is speaking in very vauge terms. It will remain that way until the events. The kit has leveled things out so much, that the teams with the "secret brew" cannot risk giving it a way, because this year the "secret brew" is even more "zesty" than before.

[Matt Adams]

I think this may speak volumes about how well designed this game is, as it really strips veteran teams of many advantages. It is a bit disappointing, at the same time, to have seen so little of other team's efforts so far.Things are quiet, because the more people design, the more they figure out that this is a really tough game.

The goals are tall.
The game piece is not radially symmetrical, large, and heavy.
This game piece needs to get above these tall goals.
Teams are struggling to figure out the center of gravity issues which will be inevitable. They don't it one bit.

I've discussed team designs with some in private. I've heard things like:

Lifts in the order of four stages up and down, two stages in and out.
Three Axis Arms
Incredibly complex claws.
Picking up 3 or more tetras as a group once.

Also:

The autonomous is incredibly difficult, and though the camera is new and exciting, the limited feedback requires lots geometry with accurate placement in order to gage distance. Moving to a tetra isn't too bad, picking it up is tough, and designing a pathway to have your machine approach the goal with correct orientation will be incredibly difficult.

The standard drive train is excellent, teams are trying to get an edge by using more motors. This is limiting the amount of motors for their lifts. They are trying to develop ways to use pneumatics for some of the stages and prismatic joints. Also, the reduction in total number of motors from last year is having teams scratch their heads.

Just some thoughts.

Matt

[Denman]

yaeh, i agree, its quiet...
It will probabl pick up the week before the shipping dateor so, as the teams will not be able to do anthing after that (fix it window etc)...

I have heard several mad cap plans here alone.... it really seems to be very hard competition... lifting arms are causing havok every where with the moments and masses toppling robots...

[Cyberguy34000]

Because this year's game has much more limited scoring possibilities, (E.I. The only effective way to score significant points is to cap a goal) most of the robots this year are going to look very similar in design. Any edge that a team can get will have to be hard won, with lots of minute design improvements.

I don't think we'll see most of the designs for another 2 to 3 weeks :(

Can't wait to see if any teams will be able to break the mold...

[SpikeZilla2K6]

I concur with a lot of what you are all saying, but this year I believe people are struggling to design a arm overall and just don’t have the plans of a finished product. This year’s game is so well designed; it is truly testing teams capabilities. You go for something big in the air; you’ll end up with something small on the ground.

[Ryan Foley]

I know what you are saying M. Krass.

I've been somewhat dissapointed with the apparent lack of pictures. Usually by this time the picture gallery is full of "teasers" from teams but we havent had very many this year. I know some teams purposely dont reveal their robot until the end (45, 71, etc) but a lot more teams seem to be following suit. I find it sad, I love looking at the robot/ teaser pictures.

[Stephen Kowski]

bah....i think this is pretty normal.....the teams that are normally first to the scene don't start releasing serious stuff until the end of this week. that has been my experience other than last year team 60 is normally the team that opens the flood gates by showing off their design around the end of the third week, but after last year I'm not sure if they will go back to that tradition....

[Andy Baker]

All...

It is early. I see no difference from previous years.



AB

[Joe Menassa]

Here Here MKrass

I check the board quite frequently and have noticed how quiet things are. Threads stay high on the portal for much longer than usual with not many responses.

I do agree that this is a tough game, everyone is very busy. But at the same time, because it is such a tough game I would have expected to see more posts. People should be coming together to get through this.

Remember, this is a crazy game where your opponents can also be your partners.

It would be interesting to see some statistics. Are there really less posts in the first 3 weeks of this season than there were in the first 3 weeks of other seasons?

[Kyle]

I miss all the new posts and the sometimes heated talks that happen here every build season. It seems to me like there was the normal amount of activity before and after kickoff but it has died down somewhat. I think it is from the game and people trying to get any advantage they can because most teams will be very similar in design, not all but most, and like it was said before in this thread teams will try to get any advantage they can and if one of the ways to do that is to not post pics of there bot this year that has become the strategy for many teams. I also agree with Mr. Baker with it is still Early and once ship date comes close and teams designs don't quite work the ways they want them to there will be much more activity.


I also miss the pictures, I come to CD for the ideas and communication but i stay for the fun pics.

[MikeDubreuil]

I think the most team's secrecy lies with the design of the Tetra manipulator. We've never had to move an object with a shape like that before. Key to a robot's success this year will be how well their manipultor operates. It's a very complex task to effectively secure a tetra, put it into scoring position and then release it.
For team 125 the manipulator is something we have definitely not defined yet. We plan on aggressively designing and prototyping that late into the build.

[phrontist]

I think no one is on schedule. At all. Everyone is freaking out, afraid that if they boast, they'll have to eat their words later.

[Mohsin]

I think no one is on schedule. At all. Everyone is freaking out, afraid that if they boast, they'll have to eat their words later.


I quite agree with this statement, also the fact that even the veterans are on the same level as the rookies, because the veterans have never had to do this problem before, added to the fact that first gave everyone the gearboxes, which level the feild even more, so its all in the air, and well, we are just too busy in building, rather than posting

[Joe Matt]

More secretive, no, just, more busy. :)

[Mr. Ivey]

More secretive, no, just, more busy. :)

I have to agree with Joe on this one. This is a really good play, so many good ways to score that you really have to weigh the options. I think teams are doing just that, and taking their time to see what they want to do. Then after they have their design hammered out, then some more things will pop up. Or we are all just running around trying to make sure our math is right for something that has no correlation with what we are really doing!!! Anyway, I just think once design is over and builds are underway things will pick up, and once people see flaws in their ideas mid-build and need advice. Let's just wait, the fish will start biting soon enough.
ivey

[Koko Ed]

Hmmm let's see...
*Over exuberant "which robot will win" before any robot is shown thread. Check.
*Premature where is everyone staying at the championship thread. Check.
*Numerous vague teasers. Check.
*Numerous threads that are clones of other threads because newbies don't know how to use the search option. Check.
* Lots of threads about food at regionals which FIRST does not control but teams for some reason think they should. Check.


Nope. Seems about the same as previous years....

[dlavery]

Hmmm let's see...
*Over exuberant "which robot will win" before any robot is shown thread. Check.
*Premature where is everyone staying at the championship thread. Check.
*Numerous vague teasers. Check.
*Numerous threads that are clones of other threads because newbies don't know how to use the search option. Check.
* Lots of threads about food at regionals which FIRST does not control but teams for some reason think they should. Check.


Nope. Seems about the same as previous years....

and add in the -

* "Gee, this is the dumbest/most boring/least challenging game ever" before anyone has seen even one match actually played thread(s). Check.

[Madison]

and add in the -

* "Gee, this is the dumbest/most boring/least challenging game ever" before anyone has seen even one match actually played thread(s). Check.

Anyone who doesn't find this game challenging is probably underestimating their competition.

[Ianworld]

I think there is just less for teams to discuss. There is only one challenge versus the bazillion(its a really big number, trust me) field elements and challenges last year. Drivetrains, i'd say 60% to 80% are going with the kit drivetrain and chassis, its better than what most teams could build in previous years. Most of the discussion just involves turning it into a 4 wheel drive system. To raise a tetra, its going to be an arm, a forklift, or maybe if you're really creative some conver belt system, but i don't see too much varience here. The area with the most varience will be the tetra manipulator and i don't think any team wants to reveal any clever way of grabing them, or as may be the case has not stumbled upon any very clever way.

Now all of this doesn't mean this years game will be bad at all. If you look at the programming board its a flurry of messages dealing with all the new goodies. My team has made nifty little, easy add on for the kit tranny that gives us two speed shift on the fly, that we don't want to release yet. Other teams i'm sure have their own neat ideas. I just don't think there can be as many because of the fewer options initially available.

my two cents.
~Ian

[Matt Krass]

Anyone who doesn't find this game challenging is probably underestimating their competition.

Or overestimating their own skill.

I think it has been quieter. It makes sense to me, FIRST just took the playing field, flipped it over and dumped everyone back at Square One. So teams are working hard to get back on top. Can't wait to see this years surprises.

[Koko Ed]

Or overestimating their own skill.


Gee, that doesn't happen here...
"Which robot will win this year"
"Well I don't want to toot our own horn ( :rolleyes: ) but team ### will have a robot that will have to be reckoned with...
As if anyone else doesn't build a worthy robot. Why not build first then brag.

[Adam Y.]

I think the answer is a resounding no. I just checked today and all the topics on the new post section are new.

[BoyWithCape195]

I think the answer is a resounding no. I just checked today and all the topics on the new post section are new.


Yes new topics, but not about the specifics, such as your teams actual strategy, design, and a lot about what your team is using, as it was in past years.