Throwing Orbit Balls

[Skifanatic]

Does anyone have any good ways of throwing the orbit balls from behind the player station. One way that we found is to put two fingers above the small triangle in the ball and throw it like a tomahawk. Anyone else have any good throwing strategies?

[gorillamonky]

if u use the gloves that came with the KOP then you can shoot them basketball style and it works rather well

[Vikesrock]

I have found the basketball style shot most effective from short to medium range. It puts backspin on the ball which stabilizes flight and helps it drop in if it hits the center pipe.

For giving the balls a real heave "Tomahawk style" seems to be the way to go.

We will be focusing on short and medium range in our PS practice, but we will be practicing a bot with longer range tosses for potential Super Cell throws and left over rocks at the end fo the match.

Make sure to practice manipulating the rocks while sitting in a chair like the one that will be used at the Outpost station from behind a 4ft. wall as well.

[Chath Maral]

Draft people form the basketball team... and teach them to hit moving targets!:yikes:
But seriously, finding tall people that can AIM is going to be a crucial part of finding a good thrower.

[gorillamonky]

Draft people form the basketball team... and teach them to hit moving targets!:yikes:
But seriously, finding tall people that can AIM is going to be a crucial part of finding a good thrower.

short people that can aim will be almost as good,
almost :)

[Chath Maral]

:D Yep, the crazy-good-midget division is amazing ^W^
No offense meant!;)

[Jeff Rodriguez]

I've found I'm most accurate throwing overhead 'soccer style'. I also tend to throw underhand. Either way, it always with two hands. That's just me though, students on the team tend to develop their own styles that seem to work.

[SammyKay]

Draft people form the basketball team... and teach them to hit moving targets!:yikes:
But seriously, finding tall people that can AIM is going to be a crucial part of finding a good thrower.

Haha I agree that having a "basketball team" is a good idea. But I know for a fact that shorter people can shoot it too haha I know that somebody said that short people can do it too lol Just pointing out that fact lol ;)

[NoahTheBoa]

Shooting like a basketball seems to work best. Especially if you have good technique, but it is really only good for shoot and medium range.

[Rizner]

Short and medium range may be all you want - If you're throwing all the way down the field it gives robots time to move out of the way, turn, etc. I'm not sure how fast it can be done given this years surface, but it is something to consider.

Seeing other peoples comments I would suggest going basketball style due to the accuracy for shorter shots.

[SammyKay]

Short and medium range may be all you want - If you're throwing all the way down the field it gives robots time to move out of the way, turn, etc. I'm not sure how fast it can be done given this years surface, but it is something to consider.

Seeing other peoples comments I would suggest going basketball style due to the accuracy for shorter shots.

I agree with you that most teams aren't going to want to throw the balls all the way down the field. Also, there is also the other payload specialist down at the other end too.

[Clay Pennington]

how about yall try some vollyball moves?

[thefro526]

A friend of mine and I were playing with some different throwing styles last week and I found that I like an overhead style more than anything. I'm not going to be the Human Player (Payload Specialist) this year but my insight might help out.

When I used an over hand style (I think it was referred to as a tomahawk style of throwing in an above post) I could throw it faster and more accurately but they had a high tendency of bouncing out at close range. When throwing at middle and long range distances it was clearly the best way of throwing for me. The balls almost always flew straight and didn't have much of an arc so I could throw them right into the goal. This style is probably only going to be advantageous for taller HP's because they can reach higher than the Driver's Station wall.

My friend on the other hand, used a more traditional Basketball Jump Shot move. He's a little on the shorter side (Perhaps 5' 6" to 5' 7") and it worked very well for him. He found that it allowed him get more of a downward motion on the ball because they traveled in more of an Arc. This style is great for close range and mid range shots but we'll have to see if the balls will travel fast enough to be effective long range.

As for the HP at the Outpost Station, I was sizing it up yesterday. It'll be a hard shot if you're strapped into the chair but they'll have the advantage of never having to shoot long range. My Friend and I both think that a Jump Shot/Overhead Soccer style of throwing may be best here. This where height of the HP may be crucial because of the height of the wall.

This year's HP is going to take a lot more skill than in any game I can remember. A Good HP'll have to have a lot of practice under their belt as well as the ability to make split second decisions on where to deliver their Empty and Super Cells.

[amariealbrecht]

I have noticed that with the orbit balls they need to be thrown a little bit harder to make it to the target because they are not the same material and they have periodic holes in them. I tend to flick my wrist back and shoot high and far and it usually hit in the trailor...although the moving aspect will probs kill my throwing haha
best of luck,
Alicia Albrecht
Electrical subteam
The Robettes 2177

[rulesguy09]

[QUOTE=thefro526;803218]

When I used an over hand style (I think it was referred to as a tomahawk style of throwing in an above post) I could throw it faster and more accurately but they had a high tendency of bouncing out at close range. When throwing at middle and long range distances it was clearly the best way of throwing for me. The balls almost always flew straight and didn't have much of an arc so I could throw them right into the goal. This style is probably only going to be advantageous for taller HP's because they can reach higher than the Driver's Station wall.

My friend on the other hand, used a more traditional Basketball Jump Shot move. He's a little on the shorter side (Perhaps 5' 6" to 5' 7") and it worked very well for him.
QUOTE]

Can the HP reach/jump over the plane of the top of the Alliance Station Wall? i.e. can a 6'4" player take a jump shot and potentially get a foot or two of clearance?

<G20> specifies that Moon Rocks can't be thrown around the end of the Alliance Station Wall, and it also says that the HP can launch them over the wall, but we were just wondering if there's a "ceiling" above which no HP can reach/jump. Trivial, maybe, but it could make a difference.

[Mikesername]

I find it easiest basketball style, and was able to get a couple of good shots into our demo trailer... I probably won't end up being payload specialist but who knows :P

[MrWibbles]

Given that jumping is permitted...
Would stilts be out of the question? I could find nothing against, and I doubt it would be disqualified under any tangentially related rule.
I was worrying, however, that I may have overlooked a rule against equipment other than the robot, control system and extra parts.

EDIT:
The only equipment that may be brought on to the field is the OPERATOR CONSOLE, reasonable decorative items, and special clothing and/or equipment required due to a disability. Other items, particularly those intended to provide a competitive advantage for the TEAM, are prohibited.
Ah well.

[EricH]

Given that jumping is permitted...
Would stilts be out of the question? I could find nothing against, and I doubt it would be disqualified under any tangentially related rule.
I was worrying, however, that I may have overlooked a rule against equipment other than the robot, control system and extra parts.Yep, you did overlook a rule. <T22>, found in Section 9.5.6.

[thefro526]

Can the HP reach/jump over the plane of the top of the Alliance Station Wall? i.e. can a 6'4" player take a jump shot and potentially get a foot or two of clearance?

<G20> specifies that Moon Rocks can't be thrown around the end of the Alliance Station Wall, and it also says that the HP can launch them over the wall, but we were just wondering if there's a "ceiling" above which no HP can reach/jump. Trivial, maybe, but it could make a difference.

I would ask Q&A On this for an official answer but, In years past the confines of the Field and Drivers Station are usually referred to as extending infinitely in the vertical directions (within limits of the venue). So, In theory you can jump as high as you want as long as you don't break the plane between the Drivers Station and Field.

[rvo1000]

yeah that's what I was planning on doing because other ways just haven't worked out quite as well for me. Playing basketball for the Recreation league has really no effect either because it's like playing a lighter version of basketball. But yeah it will be interesting to see how other human players (Payload Specialists) tend to shoot or throw them. Best of luck to everyone!

[nahstobor]

Into your robot, then have your robot score them :rolleyes:

[kellyerin91]

So far I think we have been shooting basketball style into the trailer, but we may also shoot into the robot to reload if there are issues with our intake system. All of the ideas sound really cool though... I may have to try "tomahawk style" :)

[GaryVoshol]

Can the HP reach/jump over the plane of the top of the Alliance Station Wall? i.e. can a 6'4" player take a jump shot and potentially get a foot or two of clearance?

<G20> specifies that Moon Rocks can't be thrown around the end of the Alliance Station Wall, and it also says that the HP can launch them over the wall, but we were just wondering if there's a "ceiling" above which no HP can reach/jump. Trivial, maybe, but it could make a difference.

I would ask Q&A On this for an official answer but, In years past the confines of the Field and Drivers Station are usually referred to as extending infinitely in the vertical directions (within limits of the venue). So, In theory you can jump as high as you want as long as you don't break the plane between the Drivers Station and Field.It's almost been asked: http://forums.usfirst.org/showthread.php?t=11440 The GDC refers to this as a basic safety issue not needing a specific rule. The same would apply to reaching over the driver station wall.

[ikhana870]

if u use the gloves that came with the KOP then you can shoot them basketball style and it works rather well
wait...how do the gloves help?

[meastman]

I find it easiest to throw like a baseball or some kind of solid ball. Just balance it on your palm and throw.

[Josh Goodman]

We've also had many people trying it different ways. We have a softball player, a soccer player, and a basketball player (and more!) all looking at the best way to throw. Most people have agreed on the "tomahawk" throw as the most efficient. It goes quite fast, it arcs, and (the best part) it has front spin so if you hit the center post, it will spin in. This throw was most effective at most any range EXCEPT extremely close. If the robot is touching the wall in front of the HP (like the starting positions) then basketball style really works well. The worst that can happen then is you miss the trailer/bot and because it has backspin, it has a good chance of going back into the airlock for reacquiring.

[Curt Henderson]

From the throwing I have done, I find it better to hook your thumb inside the straps of a ball and pinch the strap between your thumb and curled pointing finger. I then use the tomahawk throw and adjust the flick of my arm for what kind of throw I want to make. I think this type of throw puts a good spin on the ball and provides better control and consistant flight for the ball.