Challenges!
 

Well, I'll see if I can manage to convince my teamates to let me use the mighty Gael Force robot for our little challenge. Though I don't know. I think you can keep DJ...eventhough I taught him everything I know...he may still weigh me down =) Plus, I know he is dying for a crack at me also. So many unsettled scores!

Later All,
Andy Grady

Andy your forgetting we made 2 robots this year i'm sure they'd let you get your hands on that one.

I think that this year, driver skill will be exceptionally important, even for KOTH teams. Some teams will have autonomous programs that virtually end the match in the first 15 seconds, but when things go wrong, the ability to recover will be a matter of driver skill and strategic ability. The ability to think fast on your feet will be the most crucial element of this game, especially when one bin or one robot can dramatically affect the final score. It's going to be a big challenge for all the drivers out there.

To Colleen, Andy and Dj
 

...If you guys are looking for a venue I wouldn't be surprised that we could accomedate you at at River Rage 8, just a thought. Hrm if only there were enough robots we could create some kind of division structure pitting the Alum drivers vs. the HS drivers. See you there and see everyone in Manchvegas for what promises to be a game worthy of being part of the same organization as Hexagon Havoc ;-PPP

-Justin

I think that this year will also have a big part to do w/ driver awareness. I think it will be broken down like this though.

20% working good drive train and robot.
20% autonomous (to get bot to top of ramp fast for most teams)
50% driver skill (awareness and on-the-fly strategy)
10% luck (team-mates, and human placement)

It should be a fun competition to watch though.
But on-the-fly strategy will be fairly important. For instance, your

You have one stack 11 high and you have 7 other boxes in your zone. Your score would be 77.
So...it would be better to knock 2 off your stack so you would have a 9 high stack, and 9 other boxes. This would give you 81.

Good luck to all teams, and enjoy the show fans!

I would like to see someone knock two boxes off of a 9 high stack without knocking the whole thing over :)

Agree
 

I Think i agree with you andy your team is not going to be able to put any boxes on your side if the guy driven cant get straight up the ramp. its all about that stuff.

http://www.firstubergeeks.com/

There ya go...
 

I think the percentages that Tyler threw up there were right on the mark. Automous mode can be key if the post autonomous mode strategy permits. A working robot is extremely important, because all the strategy and driving skill in the world can't save a robot that doesn't move, and of course luck is always involved. Once you get past all that, it is down to the drivers. I always say, drivers are the all knowing gods of their own robot. In the end that robot does what they want it to do, and no one else has control of that. The best drivers I have known over the years (and yes, this even includes you DJ, eventhough I taught you everything I know :D ) could make key moves on the fly with little thought at all. Thats what this year will come down to.

Good Luck,
Andy Grady

All in all, this year it will be up to the drivers. If you have an autonomous program that can accomplish anything at all.... it's up to the operators after that.

As for past years.... just a couple of examples... you may call it driver skill or just luck.... you decide....

2001 - our robot w/ its floor team placed 32 out of 34 at Regionals, and was somewhere in the middle of the pack at Nationals. Our driver teams switch over during the post season, and at PARC with the new floor team they were seeded #2 behind that years National Champs - MOE.

2002 - the driver team that seeded #2 at PARC became the new team. Seeded #1 at Regionals, Finalist, Leadership In Control. #2 in Newton, Semi-Finalists, and #10 Overall at Nationals. Because we were not seniors, we continued in the post season... seeded #6 and Finalists at PARC, #2 seed and Reserve Grand Champion at NASA/MD State Fair, and #3 Seed and Champions at Ramp Riot...... however, due to SAT testing we could not travel to the Duel..... other teammates took over to drive...... they seeded #12.....

.... bad luck.... or is it all about skill?????

I miss driving
 

I too, as a former driver, wish I could drive this year's game. I would have loved to drive in '99, but alas, I was young and did not have the experience needed yet. In 2000, I was the "box-man" and while this was a very busy job, I think I may have preferred to drive (I never mastered falling over and the previous year's driver was still around anyway:D ). In '01 I moved into the main driver spot - and that machine really allowed me to show precision. The game lacked though...it was just a repetitive motion with very limited change involved. In '02 I kept my position, but as Allen already pointed out, the brute force of the machine is what did the trick. All I had to do was give the joysticks a little jog at the start of the match and then keep on pushing forward until we reached our destination or something went wrong. Then it was either just stand there or try to correct by only holding one joystick forward. The one time I did try to drive (Championship Finals match 2), I ended up bending the axle and pretty much wrecking a set of wheels. So much for that one :rolleyes: . Given a different robot last year, I'd be more satisfied (don't take that the wrong way...I mean as a driver). This year I would love to have the opportunity to weave in and around boxes and robots and fight for control of the ramp...and have that precise touch to stack, if our robot so desired to. But I'm old now, and the closest I can get is coach - which will suit me just fine (until those alumni games at the invitationals...HINT HINT...or should I say...BEG BEG!). Good luck to all the drivers this year and beyond, may the autonomous modes not completely replace you:ahh:

Kev