Team Update: Drive Team Placement in Playoffs
 

Searched and surprised to not find a discussion on this:

Team Update 2015-02-03

The higher seeded ALLIANCE will always be assigned to the Red side of the FIELD. Additionally, ALLIANCE CAPTAINS will always be assigned to the center PLAYER STATION, the first pick will be assigned to the station to their left while they’re facing the FIELD, and the second pick will be assigned to their right while they’re facing the FIELD. If a BACKUP TEAM is in play, they will be assigned to the PLAYER STATION that was assigned to the DRIVE TEAM they’re replacing.

In past games, the 1,3 (left,right) positions weren't as differentiated as they are this year. Also, I think their placement varied between Playoff (Elimination) matches.
The 3rd (right) position has a higher potential for drive team vision issues as totes accumulate on the platforms nearest the driver stations. Which they may for yes, chute door, loaders.
The 1st (left) position has the best view of the "aisle" between the stacks. for negotiating the "traffic" between the stacks.

Am I overthinking this?

Re: Team Update: Drive Team Placement in Playoffs
 

I don't think you're overthinking this at all. For the first time we will see position correlate strongly with your pick. I'm glad they made this change as it will allow for more interesting alliance selections and more consistent team planning. Having set stations for elims is something I've been wanting for years.

I'm really curious if we will see a trend of first seeded landfill bots tanking their last match or two in order to get into that left driver station.

Re: Team Update: Drive Team Placement in Playoffs
 

The potential effects for scouting adds a level that I don't even want to begin to parse. :eek:

Re: Team Update: Drive Team Placement in Playoffs
 

Seems like a better choice would have been to let each alliance captain declare which slot each team is in--but it would apply to all matches (vs. having to deal with logistics of informing FTA each match)

Re: Team Update: Drive Team Placement in Playoffs
 

I really like the set positions. The alliance captain's coach should be managing the entire alliance, and this is most easily done from the center station. Additionally, since the playoff schedule is already known (5.4.4), queuers won't have to be scrambling so much to tell teams that their match is coming up and which alliance station each team owns.

I don't really like that the higher alliance is red, since red is at a disadvantage when placing robots for autonomous. At lower levels, this effect will be negligible, but I could see it giving blue a leg-up at higher level competitions.

Re: Team Update: Drive Team Placement in Playoffs
 

I still don't understand why the order of placement would matter. But going back to the point, I like that the alliance captain gets the center driver station for easy communication, but this would have made more sense in Aerial Assist. For Recycle Rush, the position of your driver station could very well effect your strategy, and having the stations assigned makes it rather tough.

Re: Team Update: Drive Team Placement in Playoffs
 

For well-practiced teams, it shouldn't.

Re: Team Update: Drive Team Placement in Playoffs
 

Order of placement matters for alliances planning on battling for the center recycling containers in autonomous. It has nothing to do with being "well practiced" or otherwise.

Re: Team Update: Drive Team Placement in Playoffs
 

What does alliance station position have to do with robot placement on the field?

Re: Team Update: Drive Team Placement in Playoffs
 

It doesn't. See the quote in Caleb's post above.

Re: Team Update: Drive Team Placement in Playoffs
 

While this is an interesting point I hadn't heard anyone make yet, I don't think alliance station placement will shake up rankings or picking too much. While it would be ideal for certain robots to be at certain stations, the difference with good drivers should be small.

I could, however, see a team that is between two different teams to pick making their decision between the two based on alliance station placement.

Re: Team Update: Drive Team Placement in Playoffs
 

I see. I was confusing "order placement" as 2-1-3 in the driver station rather than the intended order of robots across alliances placed on the field. My mistake.
For alliance captains 6, 7, and 8, I absolutely agree. Especially at larger events.

Re: Team Update: Drive Team Placement in Playoffs
 

Definitely for the 8 seed. They have the ability to pick who goes where if they pick intelligently.

Re: Team Update: Drive Team Placement in Playoffs
 

As Caleb"s post points out, it looks like highest seeded alliance (red) is no longer a desirable status?

"If order placement of ROBOTS matters to either or both ALLIANCES, the ALLIANCE must notify the Head REFEREE during setup for that MATCH. Upon notification, the Head REFEREE will require ALLIANCES to alternate placement of their ROBOTS, starting with the Red ALLIANCE."

Why would the GDC give such a potential advantage for auto set up to the Blue alliance? Or am I misinterpreting something?

Re: Team Update: Drive Team Placement in Playoffs
 

I think you read it right, as it stands the GDC is helping out the underdog alliance in this case.