Re: The Ultimate Game-Breaker Robot: 2012 Edition
 

Tell this to Beatty in 2002, with their Big Blue Banners.

-Clinton-

Re: The Ultimate Game-Breaker Robot: 2012 Edition
 

Honestly, I doubt that this would be feasible. The balls themselves are what, 8 inches tall max? Any robot capable of slipping into that gap wouldn't be able to control its balls effectively. Then again, what do I know?

Re: The Ultimate Game-Breaker Robot: 2012 Edition
 

Has anyone Q/A'd this yet? I'm particularly interested since I know my team's chassis is currently built for troll mode (we're kinda late, still need to merge launcher to drivetrain, haha). Weight wise we seem to be fine as well,at least I think.

You guys think direct drive BaneBot GB's will be able to support another 120 lbs? We're floating them and their appropriate bearing plates between 80/20 aluminum (which makes turning troll mode on even easier >.>).

EDIT :: just noticed the amount of gearboxes does matter, we're running 3. Yep, kiwi drive. Originally wanted to hold that back until game day, but vet advice is almost always good :)

Re: The Ultimate Game-Breaker Robot: 2012 Edition
 

The question was posed to the Q&A last week. As of this post, it's still in the pending state.

Re: The Ultimate Game-Breaker Robot: 2012 Edition
 

I don't expect the GDC to outlaw "trolling". Any language used would put 179's bot in jeopardy and let's be honest -- 179 has a pretty fantastic and creative bot this year (and it's obvious that 'trolling' wasn't its intent). If the GDC doesn't want trolling, due to how boring it will be (and oh will it ever be...) then all the GDC has to do is mandate to the FTA's that they use fewer zip ties to support the polycarb. [G12] would then whack every troll on the field.

Of course, if a troll bot couldn't do anything else, especially in autonomous, their 20 point contribution is almost completely and utterly moot. Thus, it's not a game breaking design (just a field breaking design...). I don't expect a 'troll only' bot to be on Einstein for the very simple fact that a troll-only bot removes 2 balls from the autonomous of their alliance partners -- either the balls are on the bridge (huge mistake), or they're stuck on the bot and not scoring 8-12 points.

It'll probably cause a ruckus in quals though.

Re: The Ultimate Game-Breaker Robot: 2012 Edition
 

I'm not sure how you extrapolated from what I wrote here that I thought the 71 robot in 2002 was boring.

Building a robot that controls all the field elements and has one shot at succeeding is ambitious -- maybe even crazy -- but it isn't anywhere near boring.

Re: The Ultimate Game-Breaker Robot: 2012 Edition
 

Especially when they aren't the only ones that are able to do it. I distinctly remember hearing that other teams could do it, but Beatty beat them out for the Championship.

Re: The Ultimate Game-Breaker Robot: 2012 Edition
 

I guess what I was trying to get at is that there is nothing boring about building a "Game-Breaking" Robot.

-Clinton-

Re: The Ultimate Game-Breaker Robot: 2012 Edition
 

All they have to do is redefine the bridge to not include the Lexan ball guards underneath it - essentially, define it to be what someone off the street would define it as. Then a robot like 179, which hangs off the end of the bridge without touching the ball guard, would be legal, but a "troll" would not be.

Re: The Ultimate Game-Breaker Robot: 2012 Edition
 

This will now be the most interesting decision/non decision the GDC makes this season. :)

Re: The Ultimate Game-Breaker Robot: 2012 Edition
 

Even if executed perfectly, I hardly see this as a gamebreaker.

Re: The Ultimate Game-Breaker Robot: 2012 Edition
 

Probably so, but I sure would love to have one on our team during the eliminations......:) 40 points is a lot.

Re: The Ultimate Game-Breaker Robot: 2012 Edition
 

I don't see getting three on the ramp at championships being a terribly difficult proposition.

Even if 3 was prohibitively difficult, it's really only a 20 point difference.

To make achieving these 20 points trivial at the expense of all other scoring ability really isn't that threatening at the championship level.

However, it's all conjecture right now... We shall see...

Re: The Ultimate Game-Breaker Robot: 2012 Edition
 

Like Adam said, this won't be much of an advantage at the championships, especially when the bridge points are lowered. Don't believe me? Check "The Game" (manual) and see for yourself. According to the rules, the bridge points will get lower or higher, though most likely at the champion level they will be lower.

Re: The Ultimate Game-Breaker Robot: 2012 Edition
 

Its only +20 (since you'd already have 2 balanced).

... and at a max of 8" tall, it will be difficult to score (other than balancing).

I suspect that the GDC will allow this strategy, but warn the head refs about field damage.