Re: 2012 IRI Predictions
 

The thought is that there will be too much traffic and alliance members will start bumping into each other while shooting, and everyone will waste time crossing the field (I'm not fully convinced either). It could work, however.

Re: 2012 IRI Predictions
 

I agree. I've ranked the main strategies I've seen by level of how difficult they appear to be.

1. 3 shooters (Offensive Option)
This requires timing and strategy, you can't have 3 robots all trying to fire simultaneously. Optimally there'd be 1 robot shooting, 1 robot lining up/getting into position, and 1 robot collecting balls at any given moment.
Difficult, but not impossible.

2. "Full Court Press" - 1 shooter, 2 feeders (Defensive Option)
This was a strategy that we deployed during the Newton eliminations, coined by 330/639. Essentially you have 2 robots on the opposing side of the field feeding one main shooter on your side of the field. This keeps the balls away from your opponents and on your side of the field.
Medium, Greatly increases your chance of getting penalties due to defense.

3. 1 feeder 2 shooters (Offensive Option)
This strategy was used quite often during eliminations. It allowed you to almost always having a robot trying to score, and keeps some of the balls away from your opponents.
Easy, Less timing then #1 and less chance of penalties then #2.

Thoughts?

Re: 2012 IRI Predictions
 

My (improbable) Predictions:

118 seeds second, snags 341, 2054, 234, in that order. Plays the #1 seed 2056, 67, 548, and 27 alliance in the finals and #2 wins after losing the first match.

Re: 2012 IRI Predictions
 

We are assuming that 548 (1st seed and Winners of Newton) are making it back to 2nd pick?

Re: 2012 IRI Predictions
 

Anything can happen at IRI...

Re: 2012 IRI Predictions
 

Simbotics lost last year anything can happen.....

Re: 2012 IRI Predictions
 

Like they said. Anything can happen. 548 may fall down the list for being a primary fender shooter. That being said, if they can get their key shooting up to the level of a bot designed for key shooting (like 469, 67, 1114, etc...), that may not happen. But great robots have a tendency to not get picked early on at IRI. Only the best robots get picked early on at IRI.

For example, 2016 last year. Number one seed and winner on Archimedes. Fell to the last pick of the regular draft (second pick of 8th alliance). It's not that they were bad. They were amazing. But at IRI, amazing is good and perfect is great.

Re: 2012 IRI Predictions
 

I think it's more "perfection is the expectation"

Anyways, on the prediction side, it's a little rocky to make the prediction, but it's sure as heck fun to watch them unfold in anticipation for the big event.

Re: 2012 IRI Predictions
 

67 and 217 were both second round picks last year. 548's a great team, but even great teams get drafted late or skipped altogether at IRI.

Re: 2012 IRI Predictions
 

We defiantly prefer the fender, but teams stopped defending us after we made some improvements.

Re: 2012 IRI Predictions
 

We tried our best, but once you got the key shooting down we couldn't stop you.

Re: 2012 IRI Predictions
 

This thread has been dead a little too long so...

The winning alliance will have how many long/wide bots?
Will all alliances be able to triple balance and if not, do they stand a chance?
What will the Coop bridge % be durring qualifications?
Will we finnaly see the super starve strategy (6 with hp 9 on robots and 2 on bridge)?
Will any long bots go as a third pick?

My guesses,
1 long 2 wide
All will be able to, if not there is no chance
90%
No, people like scoring more
Only if there's already 3 wide bots on the alliance

Re: 2012 IRI Predictions
 

At least 2 wide. A two long triple balance is sometimes possible, but the 3rd round allows for teams to pick another wide as a backup and determine which teams would best fit on the bridge together.

Yes, the triple balance will be mandatory if the Championship ruling on defense is kept (which, IMO, it should be). With 4 robots, it's too easy to form an alliance that can do it.

Barring rule changes, 90%.

Probably not to that extent, since robots have to drive on that bridge...

Moreso than at the Championship because teams may have a 4th pick in their pocket :P

Re: 2012 IRI Predictions
 

I'll try my hat at some of these:

2 wide, 1 long robot certainly would be most likely. I, however, feel that the winning alliance will actually be 2 long, 1 wide.

I'm still not sure how we define "able to triple balance", but I think we'll see at least one alliance advance past the quarterfinals without triple balancing. I don't see an alliance winning IRI without tripling at least once, however. Though, Einstein was won on double balances. So I wouldn't say it's impossible. Smart alliance may see the advantage of scoring the heck out of a match and doubling versus taking the risk of tripling, much like 1717 often did in matches (score as much as possible while their partners balanced).

I'd expect a 98% coop balance, if not 100%. There will be an attempt every match, and maybe a slip up or two. But considering the overall quality of team's at IRI, the general consensus that cooping is necessary to compete well, and the number of teams who will probably be practicing balancing and possibly even installing stingers/balancing aids of some kind, balancing on the coop bridge will be a very common occurance.

I don't see that starving strategy really being effective. Teams of IRI caliber could make much better use of those balls by putting them to use in hoops. I think you'll see it attempted at least once, and that match will be extremely slow, but I don't think one alliance will be able to control every ball. Especially since getting balls from the alliance bridge in hybrid seems to be a huge advantage for an alliance, and will be attempted more.

Absolutely. But I doubt it will be because of their orientation. Great teams go to the third pick all the time, so I think long robots will absolutely go to the third pick. But wide robots will, too.

Re: 2012 IRI Predictions
 

I doubt that getting the Co-op bridge in hybrid will be as big as in other competitons. Since only 2 balls will most likely be on the bridge at once (most robots will have their balls in the robot).

I do expect more feeding to happen and a few robots get the balls off the alliance bridge and score them. Either way Hybrid will be not as big of a part of the game as in other competitions. I actually think the only really different part will be Teleop. But we'll have to wait and see about that.