| Loose Screw |
28-07-2015 08:11 |
Re: Possibility for 2016 Game
Quote:
Originally Posted by GeeTwo
(Post 1491227)
Why would a game element have to be tested in FTC before being introduced into FRC? FTC just came to Louisiana this past year and I have not been involved with it at all, but this sounds backwards to me.
The reflective tape on the yellow totes would only be useful for a robot that picked up the totes from the long side, and that was interested in maneuvering around the RCs to get to them. The vast majority of teams picked up from the short side this year, and it was more useful to pick one or more of them up, and much easier to just knock the RC aside than to maneuver around them, then go to the long end of the tote (or rotate the tote). Reflective tape is much more likely to be used for goals and objects which are far away and which the robot must drive towards from a distance or launch a projectile into.
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FTC games usually have more scoring options so they can try new things. They can add in a weighted ring bonus or magnetic ball if there already is a solid way to earn points. If teams used those elements for a competitive advantage and won with them, I'm sure we would see that carry over to FRC. They could have easily weighted a few of the landfill totes to offer a bonus like Ring-it-Up did.
To look at the amount of scoring options, compare Cascade Effect to Recycle Rush. Cascade Effect had the most autonomous options I have ever seen in a game. You earned points for moving down a ramp, placing a ball in one or two rolling goals, moving 1-3 rolling goals into your zone, placing a ball in the center goal, and knocking over the kickstand. Recycle Rush you earned points for moving all three robots to the auto zone, moving three RCs to the auto zone, moving all three auto totes into the zone, and stacking all three auto totes in the zone.
For scoring in general, FRC usually focuses on one element where FTC offers multiple objectives. Recycle Rush was entirely dependent on stacking totes. There were teams that specialized in capping, but they couldn't do much if they didn't have a stack to cap. Aeriel Assist was entierly scoring a ball. Ultimate Ascent had two options, Frisbees and pyramid. Cascade Effect had scoring balls into tubes and pushing goals around. Block Party had scoring blocks into a teeter-totter, spinning a crank shaft, and lifting your robot off the ground. Ring-it-Up had a tic-tac-toe peg score board to place rings, weighted rings for a score multiplyer, and lifting your partner up.
FTC has been sort of a "testing grounds" for FRC. Some examples of this include an extra partner for finals and using two fields (MSC 2015).
When it comes to autonomous features, IR beacons have been used in FTC the last few years just as reflective tape has been used in FRC. Both are staples in each game, some years being more useful than others. This year Recycle Rush had the weakest use of reflective tape. The totes started in a set position, so teams used that in their programming. Teams would have used the tape more if the totes were in random places.
I hope I have answered your concerns.
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