What we learned from week 1
 

We certainly learned a lot up here in NH, but what did others learn across the country? Here's what I learned...
1) A robot with an intake for frisbees on the ground is going to do well as there are frisbees all over the field to pick up.
2) Most teams can either shoot well and hang for 10 points or just play defense and hang for 30.
3) A triple hang for 30 points each would be the coolest thing in FIRST history.
4) There is a major lack of variety in shooters this year, but a wide variety of hangers
So what did you learn?

Re: What we learned from week 1
 

Watching on the web, I noticed that the majority of frisbees on the ground were right-side up.

Re: What we learned from week 1
 

A robot that climbs and dumps for 50 points can be outscored a lot more easily than I anticipated.

Having more than two robots shooting in the same autonomous goal is a bad idea.

Re: What we learned from week 1
 

This year really leveled the playing field for teams

Re: What we learned from week 1
 

Agreed. It's really easy to put up big points as a new team.

Re: What we learned from week 1
 

There are multiple things a team can do to score a large amount of points-and things that require more than just a drivetrain(ie. balancing last year).


Automated live scoring isn't the blessing it was last year.

Re: What we learned from week 1
 

Never to do week 1 again.

Re: What we learned from week 1
 

1.) Scheduling gods exist when there are 65 teams at a regional.
2) Being a consistent shooter is something that's not being seen much, but a lot of teams can do it if they use their resources wisely.
3) Defense is not being played, but when it is, there is a severe impact on an alliance's offense when.
4) A 50 point dumper is not enough to offset an alliance with 2 good scorers that have 10 point hangs.

Some of the more controversial stuff:

4) Referees are NOT calling the 10 point hang properly. I have videos of this, but in our Quarterfinals match 1-2 Team 1772 was not hung up properly, but they got the points, which ended up being the deciding factor and sending our quarterfinals to a 3rd match.

5) G30 exists, referees. Referees are not calling G30, and it's been affecting outcomes of matches! Our Quarterfinals match 1-3, 1772 infracted G30 5 different times, yet it was not called once. We tied that match 70-70, but because the referees instead called us for our human player putting a foot outside of the white line, we ended up losing 70-71, despite numerous infractions of G30 by 1772.

I understand the referees can't see everything, but 5 blatant infractions of G30 shouldn't go unnoticed, and everytime a climb is suspicious, DO THE PAPER TEST!

The toughest thing I had to do this afternoon was to help keep the students calm and explain to them the situation and about us getting unlucky. Toughest thing I have had to say.

I'll post another thread about this issue with some videos to make sure that any referees on CD can be prepared.

Re: What we learned from week 1
 

Simple, feeder-station only fixed angle shooters with passive hangers like 862 can be very effective.

Re: What we learned from week 1
 

Did you ever send anybody to the question box?

Re: What we learned from week 1
 

We did. but before we could debate the climb and the foul points, the fms was finalized in both matches. Perhaps another lesson we learned was to speed walk to the question box as soon as the match is over.

Re: What we learned from week 1
 

Did anyone else notice that the text on the event display is clear? Like, the team number, scores, and the timers are clear so that your see the feed through them?

IMO, it makes the numbers harder to read. Completely unnecessary change.

- Sunny G.

Re: What we learned from week 1
 

We drove down to Palmetto to watch, and it seemed to me as though fouls were not being called nearly as often as they should have been. While I can't remember numbers, I recall one incident where a red robot repeatedly (at least 3 times) rammed into a blue robot touching it's pyramid. One minute later... 0 foul points.

The situation did seem to improve in the finals.

@Text change

I could swear I saw the regular, black numbering on the streams from other regionals. The only one I noticed that *did* have the clear numbering was Palmetto. I could be wrong however.

Re: What we learned from week 1
 

I didn't really see this being a problem for any alliance in the webcasts, do you have an example of it being an issue?

What exactly happened? Seems like a bot is either off the ground or it's not.

Re: What we learned from week 1
 

Pool noodles, pvc, and duck tape are among the materials that can be easily obtained and used to block full-court shooters.

Rookies with Zoology teachers as mentors can add a 10-point hanger during lunch on Saturday. Way to go, 4552!

Multiple robots can shoot autonomous into the same goal.

The carpet seams around the pyramid get torn up pretty easily.

Headgear from 1986, 3931, and 1801 can be simultaneously worn on the same head.