because it takes so long to stack and keep it protected. and it doesn't take as long to knock it down.:ahh:

GeroniMOE on stacking
 

I hope GeroniMOE's performance in Annapolis has given anyone watching the competition (live or NASA TV) a new look on stacking. The main problem with stacking is the orientation of boxes. Many bots can't right the boxes at all or can only right boxes on thier side. Righting the boxes takes up the majority of any stacker's time since actually lifting the boxes usually takes only a few seconds for most stackers. GeroniMOE can right a box in any orientation with a quick effiecient poke/pull mechanism.

During the a seeding match 66 against Teams 810 and 486, GeroniMOE internally stacked 5-6 boxes. However, while we were evading the mech bulls we forgot to drop the stack as time ran out. A match that shows stacking can be effective in elims is our second semifinal match http://www.soap108.com/2003/movies/md/md_sf2m2.asf
as our stack of 4 allowed us to come back from a major first round deficit and advance to Finals.

Most of the time our stacker was ineffective due to minor difficulties which we worked out. Our stacker got much better with time as I hope all stackers will. I belive all stackers will get much better by nats (maybe not the 30 teams I said before), but only if teams keep trying to stack. I believe that many teams can impliment (or have implimented) an effective box righter, but that is not enough. Teams have to try to stack in competition so thier drivers can gain the awareness needed to make quick stacking decisions. Dan-o and Vince (our drivers) learned quickly and became an incredibly skilled at stacking despite thier relative in experience in competions (both are new drivers). So good luck to all you stackers out there. Keep stacking and u can succeed.

MOE was awesome. I watched the matches on the webcast, and you guys perfomed well. I saw some great plays.

The internal stackers like MOE have the best chance of successful stacking. My only concern with this kind of bot is the high CG.

The problem with stacking is there are easier ways to win. It's just the way the game was designed. Stackers will get better as time goes, but so will the stack bashers.

Moe wouldnt have won that game if our team (686 - Bovine Intervention- The cow team) didnt have a wire come loose. the whole match was then 2v1.

no big deal tho, we will do even better in NJ

MOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Why stacking is difficult
 

The main reason that stacking is difficult is because the game usually doesn't encourage it. It is just too easy to win by disrupting the opponents scoring possibilities. Personally, I find the human player penalty (no autonomous) ridiculous. Give the human player 15 seconds to set their bins, and at that point any bins not already placed on the field are removed for that game. Give all teams the opportunity to play autonomously without risking the human player falling down because they are hustling to get back to a pad. Then allow a certain period of time to create havoc on the opponents side of the field (about 60 - 75 seconds), after which the robots have to either mount the ramp or return to their own side of the field. Having distinct periods for defensive maneuvers and offensive maneuvers would allow more bots to show their own distinctive elegance. There were many bots at the Chesapeake who had stacking capabilities, which I would have loved to see in operation; but, with the structure of the game as it is, they had no opportunity to display them and still have a chance of winning. Our bot, GeroniMOE, won not only by stacking, but by adapting to the changing play of each match. <<Big KUDOS to our competition team!!!>> If you watch the semi-final match http://www.soap108.com/2003/movies/md/md_sf2m2.asf you will see it takes time to build a stack, but you don't see the opponents bot (team 1027) that leaves the bridge almost knocks down the stack that allowed the victory. They hit it just as time expired, and the entire arena held their breath as we all watched the stack wiggle and finally stay upright. Too easy to destroy, much more challenging to build. Luckily, GeroniMOE is a multifunctional bot, one of which is stacking.

2 Vs 1...
 

I believe it was 1 vs 1. But don't quote me on that, I wasnt there for the live match I was in the pits making a part, just watched the webcast and could've sworn 314 was out of it too, just becasue the announcer kept saying "Can the Miracle Workerz do it on their own?"...

Anyone who see the match know?

Re: 2 Vs 1...
 

I am pretty sure Big Mo (314) was shut down for going out of the playing field after they went under the bar so it was one on one. I havent seen anything on the feed to confirm this.

Big MO was shut down cause its wheels tocuhed the outside mat.

Great job though guys...

Gabe G.

most stacking bots could stack easily in practice before shipping...thats because they didnt have a clusterfuz of bins and bots freakign out

at the competition it is very hard to stack and keep it secure without getting befukxed


w

it was a one -v-one, i was on the field (volunteering: it was a lot of fun i might add) and i big mo was shut down, making it 1v1. besides, that's a rather speculative statement, something else could have gone amiss and moe could have still won. if you'll recall the qualifying rounds, moe won 3 matches 1v2 if i recall... i'm just calling it as i see it, i think moe had a fair chance, as did the cows.