Eliminations replay card
 

Hi CD community,

This idea occurred to me this past weekend when my team ran into a pretty major problem in eliminations. This weekend, we ended up losing communications in our playoff matches due to a fuse being loose. A problem that wasn't diagnosed until after the match. I know at the end of the day, the team should have noticed the error before the match.

In eliminations, it is clear that every team that is there deserves to belong up there. So what if there was a way to let each alliance perform to the best of their capabilities. What I propose is an eliminations replay card. Similar to calling a timeout or calling in a back up robot this card would allow you to replay a match in certain scenarios. Specifically the one scenario I have got in mind right now would be if communication on the robot is lost for so many seconds of a match a elimination captain can use this card to get a replay. I know this has got its share of problems but it will allow all 8 alliances to play at their peak level. What are your thoughts?

Re: Eliminations replay card
 

We might need more then a few days for a regional then...

Re: Eliminations replay card
 

Its an idea that sounds good but think about it more closely.

what if a team made a 6 stack that would have won them the match but they knocked it over. Should they be allowed to have a replay. or what if a team forgets to change their battery and their rio restarts. should they be allowed to get a replay.

or what about the fact that delays are already bad this year replays would just make them worse.

just my 2cents but I see where your coming from.

Those fuses have been pretty annoying this season to the point that I put push fuses in on the pre match checklist right after change the battery and gather tools for transport configuration change.

The control system isnt changing any time soon (for the good I love the new control system) so teams should definitely start to form practices of pushing them in.

Re: Eliminations replay card
 

Well I mean solely in elimination rounds. I was thinking perhaps just one of these elimination replay cards per elimination alliances. Which could potentially increase the time it takes to finish the regional but at a worst case scenario it would only delay a regional by 8 matches

Re: Eliminations replay card
 

Mulligan cards? No thanks.

If you need to "push fuses in" more than once per competition, you're not pushing them in far enough.

Re: Eliminations replay card
 

Yes those are my concerns as well. One possible way to control them would be to have F.I.R.S.T set the standards on when the card may be used. Thus preventing an alliance from using it for reasons such as a toppled 6 stack.

Re: Eliminations replay card
 

Interesting idea.

A system could be implemented where each alliance can chose 2 of the 3 cards. This would make teams chose between these three options:

1. Backup Robot
2. Timeout
3. Replay

Where you cannot pick the same card twice and you can only use the 2 selected cards once per event. It might shake up elims a bit and add another element of strategy. Just an idea to throw in the mix.

Re: Eliminations replay card
 

well We dont need to push them in but I just have it on the list to make sure. It takes 3 seconds and as you can see can save a whole regional.

Re: Eliminations replay card
 

There would definitely need to be some way to make sure that an alliance is calling a replay for a valid reason.
If they can call them whenever, then this power could be abused.
For example, if red has an unusually high-scoring match during playoffs, then blue could call a replay in hopes of bringing red down.

Re: Eliminations replay card
 

They have set the standards. Replays only occur after a field fault.

Re: Eliminations replay card
 

That can lead to further problems, though, because even if it was only allowed to be used in case of a communication issue, it would be difficult to differentiate between a legitimate problem and a team pressing the "reboot roboRIO" button to allow a replay after they knocked over a stack.

Re: Eliminations replay card
 

That's the purpose of best 2 out of 3.

If you want one and done, then a replay might be ok. But, it is likely the loosing team will be requesting the replay for whatever reason. So, you end up back at best 2 out of 3 with no replay (A looses and requests a replay, B looses the 2nd game, so requests a replay, now you are down to the 3rd match - winner take all).

Re: Eliminations replay card
 

As a robot inspector this year, I was actually told by the LRI at the event to specifically check the fuses when examining a team's PDP to ensure that they're pushed in all the way. This is probably the best way to prevent this issue from occurring.

As for a replay, you also have to remember that there's 3 teams on the other end of the field that might not want one.

Re: Eliminations replay card
 

Yes that prevents such a scenario in a regular FRC game. But in a game based solely on averages one bad round might be enough to knock you out of the eliminations. I'm not saying its not recoverable but it makes it very unlikely.

Re: Eliminations replay card
 

What if a team is having a bad match so they decide to pull the Ethernet cord mid match causing them to "loose communications" should they get a replay for that. No.