A strange defense

[65_Xero_Huskie]

since you are scoring at the opponents zone, how will they decide on judging the drivers from getting scared off from robots that shoot at the glass. I was thinking that that would make me jump to see a nerf ball come flying at me.

[Andy A.]

Are you talking about shooting balls at the shield in front of the opposing drivers?

I'm guessing that that would at least be against the spirit of the game. In any case, I think drivers will get used to it pretty quick.

-Andy A.

[KenWittlief]

Ive seen out of control robots slam the drivers barrier (alum and plexiglass) at full speed over the years.

Ive never seen one break through yet.

Gotta have faith in the playfield engineers :^)

[65_Xero_Huskie]

Are you talking about shooting balls at the shield in front of the opposing drivers?

I'm guessing that that would at least be against the spirit of the game. In any case, I think drivers will get used to it pretty quick.

-Andy A.
thats what i was thinking to, it would be un professional, but it might happen, i was just thinking about how it would freak me out if it caught me off guard

[Lil' Lavery]

oh boy its gonna suck to be the middle alliance :P

[Ashley Christine]

Haha, I already pictured me doing something like that, coaching and telling them what to do and then a ball hits the glass... and I would jump probably. Haha.. I just hope the player stations are stable and wont fall on us! LOL.

[Ryan Albright]

This question has come up every year since i have been involved in FIRST. I have never seen a actual rule on it. It def does not go with the spirit of the game and its kind of pointless. Why would you shoot balls at the player station? Last i read they weren't worth any points...

[Tristan Lall]

Ive seen out of control robots slam the drivers barrier (alum and plexiglass) at full speed over the years.We've done that. A full-speed charge in high gear, which was about 16 fps in 2004....

It was our own alliance station, and certainly not by choice. (Autonomous mode failure, and conveniently, we were connected to the wrong E-stop in that practice match.)

[Jeremiah Johnson]

We've done that. A full-speed charge in high gear, which was about 16 fps in 2004....

It was our own alliance station, and certainly not by choice. (Autonomous mode failure, and conveniently, we were connected to the wrong E-stop in that practice match.)

Oh yes... I remember that. I believe it was at the Championship and we were your practice match partners maybe... and you slammed right in front of me driving? I know you guys did it more than once... in different matches. I could be wrong if it was you guys that match though... it happened to us multiple times there and in Chicago. Scary situation seeing a 130lb robot coming at you at full speed. I know I hit the floor last year... I have a problem with flinching... lol. I used to do it when our own robot that I was controlling would come really close to the player station...

[Ianworld]

I can say as a driver I often got tunnel vision. Even if a robot was stacking a tetra right in front of me I wouldn't necessairly notice. A ball flying at the plexiglass definitely won't phase many drivers. A full speed robot maybe, but balls... not a chance. :)

[Ian Curtis]

Our driver's nearly capped themselves last year when they tried to cap a home row goal while being defended! I can see plenty of balls hitting the wall, but I can't seen penalties getting called becuase I hope no team is stupid enough to wham balls at their opponents.

[Tim Delles]

Come on. Just think it will tell if your drivers are really focused if a few balls get shot at their face. Well yeah it is kinda scary but after a while of it happening i'm sure that tehy will get use to it. But doing it intentionally definately goes agianst the spirit of the game.

[Ashley Christine]

This could get very bad, there is potential that I will get used to having things flying at my face and being reflected by the station wall... what happens when it comes to real life and I forget the wall isnt there?!!? :ahh:

No more ashley! lol

[KenWittlief]

I think anyone who wants to be a driver this year should undergo 'projectile desensitivity training' throughout the 6 week build period

Having the larger foam balls flung at their head for several minutes at a time, until they learn not to flinch.

And to be most effective: no plexiglass panel to stand behind.

( I dont know if this will result in any measureable performace improvement of the driver during competition, but it sure would be fun to watch :^)

[Lil' Lavery]

I think anyone who wants to be a driver this year should undergo 'projectile desensitivity training' throughout the 6 week build period

Having the larger foam balls flung at their head for several minutes at a time, until they learn not to flinch.

And to be most effective: no plexiglass panel to stand behind.

( I dont know if this will result in any measureable performace improvement of the driver during competition, but it sure would be fun to watch :^)

Oh, itll be measurable all right when they have a black eye swollen shut after a 12 m/s ball nailed them in the face :yikes: ;) :cool:

[Henry_Mareck]

Wham.

[Bill Moore]

I think anyone who wants to be a driver this year should undergo 'projectile desensitivity training' throughout the 6 week build period

Having the larger foam balls flung at their head for several minutes at a time, until they learn not to flinch.

And to be most effective: no plexiglass panel to stand behind.

( I dont know if this will result in any measureable performace improvement of the driver during competition, but it sure would be fun to watch :^)
Robots have been known to take part in this "desensitizing" procedure.
http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/showthread.php?p=353857&highlight=parc#post353857

[Taylor]

Keep in mind that there are a limited amount of balls available, and once your robot loses control of that ball, whether by scoring, defending, or just playing around, then it is free to be picked up by anybody. Assuming you shoot it far away, you've got a 3-2 disadvantage at retrieving your alliance's own ball. Better to use it judiciously in gaining points than to momentarily distract one member of the opposing team.
Another interesting thought: if your robot is the backbot and it's wide enough, you could use it to block the view of an opposing driver; just be sure you get off the platform before the end of the match. Better door than window, right?
Gracious professionalism could be argued, but I see this defense as analogous to guarding the in-bounds pass on the basketball court. And you can't get much more graciously professional than the NBA, right? ;)