Re: Team 254 Presents: Skyfire
 

This robot is so much smaller in person...

Good luck today 254! We'll be cheering for you!

Re: Team 254 Presents: Skyfire
 

Not all that dificult... we got some from Alan Steel. Although we had some issues with crushing, it has helped us drop 3 pounds!

Re: Team 254 Presents: Skyfire
 

This isn't my experience with them at all, when we order a single tube we still get free shipping and the same price as when we order $5k.

Re: Team 254 Presents: Skyfire
 

Interesting. One of my orders with them came to over $11/lb for what I ordered (6061 box tubing, just a couple 20ft pieces). I had three orders and never received a receipt for any of them until after numerous requests for them. Perhaps it's a difference between credit card purchases and account purchases.

Re: Team 254 Presents: Skyfire
 

Same here, the fresno branch has been quite friendly and more than helpful to us.

-RC

Re: Team 254 Presents: Skyfire
 

Sooo is there any video of this machine out there yet? I'm dying to see it :D

I have one or two questions about it but those could potentially be answered by video so I'm waiting to see one.

Re: Team 254 Presents: Skyfire
 

There are a few, though unfortunately too few, videos of eliminations at SVR on youtube. QFs show them shooting exclusively from the key, Semis are entirely from the fender, and I believe Finals were a little bit of both.

Re: Team 254 Presents: Skyfire
 

604 should have vids of SVR up soon.

-RC

Re: Team 254 Presents: Skyfire
 

Video of 254

Heres some video of them at SVR last week.

Re: Team 254 Presents: Skyfire
 

Found this video today: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DjDQWCc-HSE

Re: Team 254 Presents: Skyfire
 

Based off the video of this single match, I have to say 254 and 971 look very good, but by no means untouchable (and not up to their ordinary standards, in my mind). This post may come across as somewhat negative, but chalk that up to the expectations I've come to have of these teams.

After watching this match, I was rather flabbergasted that the red alliance only scored 67 (a score higher than any at our first regional, GSR, I might point out)... Between the double balance, the strong auto, and all that teleop scoring I was expecting something around 80! Then I watched the video again (with some rewinding and fast-forwarding), and counted up the points as shown below... thankfully my total matched the official score, barring any penalties.

Hybrid: 23pts
- 254: 2 of 2(h) from key, 1 of 2(h) from bridge
- 971: 1 of 4(m), 2 balls gathered from partner

Teleop: 24pts (all scoring high)
- 254: 1 of 3, 1 of 3, 1 of 3, 2 of 2 (total: 5 of 11)
- 971 1 of 2, 2 of 3, 0 of 1 (total: 3 of 6)

Bridge: 20pts
- 971 and 766 balance

Even though I was seeing an overwhelming number of shots taken (due to both teams' astonishing driving and harvesting skills), both teams had unusually low scoring percentages, as compared to teams like 1114, 2054, 67, and 341 that 254 usually competes alongside. Given the earlier talk in this thread about 254 preferring to go without camera aim, I found this interesting. This year certainly places a higher value on shot accuracy compared to years like 2006 and 2009 where a large hopper could overcome a flaw in shooter accuracy...

These comparisons really ought to at least be taken with a grain of salt because 1) this was 254's first event, while the other teams I've mentioned have all had 3 full events so far, 2) I only witnessed one match, and 3) a few shots (particularly some of 254's) would've gone in had they not been bumped at an inopportune moment.

I hold both 254's and 971's robots (in the past and present) in the utmost regard, and am simply noting one prevalent flaw where none usually exist. In order for only one weakness to be noticeable, the team must be very strong...

Edit:
After watching the SF matches, it seems that 254 (and 971) are both substantially more accurate from the fender with only one or two missed shots. Both were shooting primarily from the fender in these matches due to less defense being played on them. It seems that in this case defense on these two teams when at the fender had a direct impact of about -15pts.

Re: Team 254 Presents: Skyfire
 

I would tend to agree, but when left to play with their fender, I don't think anyone could score points faster. It's downright scary watching them systematically score points when unabated. However, we held them to 14 teleop points in one of the QF matches (not sure about the other) because of our defense forcing them to make key shots. If and when they start knocking in points from the key consistently and accurately, the only way to beat them is going to be hiding the ammo somehow.

Re: Team 254 Presents: Skyfire
 

Team 254 did have the highest scoring match of the SVR qualifying rounds (Q-83). Their alliance that included Team 3256 (WarriorBorgs) and Team 4086 (Team Tesla - an impressive rookie team from Twin Falls, Idaho) scored 80 points. It was definitely more challenging for teams to score in the elimination rounds during both Hybrid and Teleoperated modes. Especially during hybrid mode there were so many balls heading toward the same target at the same time, the balls often bounced off each other missing their targets.

Re: Team 254 Presents: Skyfire
 

No offense taken. We are ecstatic to have come away with a win, but we don't think we played all that well either.

We had a lot of work to do on the robot on Thursday and got very little time on the field to tune autonomous/shooter values.

We also had a hard time with the brand new balls during elims.

We expect to perform much better in all aspects of our game at CVR this week.

Re: Team 254 Presents: Skyfire
 

Nathan has some astute observations. Unfortunately, that Finals match is actually one of alliance's our worst as far as shot accuracy (in both teleop and hybrid) and alliance coordination goes.

I can also vouch that 254's accuracy late in qualifying rounds was very VERY good, from fender and key, but they were unable to get it sufficiently re-tuned in eliminations for the new balls, IIRC. This affects 971 as well, however we have had a previous regional's worth of practice against fender defense, so it slowed us down us less.

Both teams are working on improving shot accuracy. I cannot speak for 254, but I know how hard they work to make their robots perform at the highest level, and I'm sure they will have an answer to the consistency problems for CVR and Championships.

If anyone has video of 254's last qualifying match, I highly recommend people watch it. It is spectacular.