Backbot interaction
 

Here's an interesting question...
I've looked through all the rules and noticed that there isnt any rule that causes the currently offensive alliance robots to have to remain on their scoring half of the field.
So, this would mean (as I originally had assumed) that scoring robots may be entering the area occupied by the backbot.
What does this mean for the backbot?
What kind of bot-to-bot interactions are allowed? I would assume that the backbot is allowed to interact with an opposing alliance robot once it has entered its area, but there aren't many rules about this.
Ideas anyone?

Re: Backbot interaction
 

My interpretation of the back bot rule is to allow for more offense. To create a 3 on 2 situation where one robot is always free to move and score in the offensive zone. The rest of the manual explains what will happen in the backbots zone. The backbot can do anything it wants, witihin the rules of robot interaction, while in the back bot zone.

Re: Backbot interaction
 

I do not see much of an advantage to entering the backbot area during your team's offensive period. It would be better to protect your partners. I suppose that if there were an abundance of balls just waiting to be corralled, it might be beneficial, but I see no reason for interfering with the backbot.

Re: Backbot interaction
 

Unless, your robot can't harvest balls from the floor and relies on your human player loading a hopper. Then the backbot can become very influential :ahh:

Re: Backbot interaction
 

Mike brings up a good point regarding loading at the player station. This leads me to ask a question:

Which team will be brave enough to be the ultimate partner, the robot who gets the assist, the passer not the shooter? What I mean is, who will design their robot to be the ultimate "ball from the floor sucker" that will simply be designed to "load" the ultimate shooter robots?

To me, that robot will be extremely valuable to the top tier shooters ....

-Paul

P.S. - Don't tell me your robot will be the ultimate floor sucker, the ultimate shooter, the ultimate "loader", and the ultimate ramp robot because I won't believe you (unless your 71 or 111 who are the only teams who have consistently been successful building "do everything bots").

Re: Backbot interaction
 

Our machine is capable by design of both accepting balls into our hopper (it even lowers to make it easier for you!) and making short distance tosses into someone else's hopper. It was a feature I've been cognizant of as I've refined the design. I don't think it'll be used all too often, but it's fun to have.

Re: Backbot interaction
 

well now meet 1481.. :D
i think until we all see how each team works on practice day, its a rock paper scissor unless someone stands up.

Re: Backbot interaction
 

I actually believe the backbot will have a lot to do.

Remember, every shot the "offensive" team scores gives the ball to the "Defensive" team whom could just lob the ball into the back court.

Also the Backbot will effectively get a "fast break" at the period change, giving him a clear shot at the goal. :ahh:

Any robot that can pick balls up from the floor and isa decent shooter wll make an excellent backbot. (pushing would be helpful to in stopping reloading :) )

Re: Backbot interaction
 

Backbot is your ace up the sleeve.

Kicking around ideas, we found out that if the situation calls for it, take 1 of the three off offense and send that one to deal with the backbot.

Re: Backbot interaction
 

I totally agree. I think people are underestimating the backbot at present.
The reason I brought up this thread was more for long-range shooters who may venture onto the other half of the field occasionaly. But there are also many possible strategies for that backbot to play...
PS:
I just noticed this:
WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
500 posts............. :yikes:
YEAH!
WOOOO!
:D :cool:

Re: Backbot interaction
 

The most important bot during the 2nd and 3rd periods will be the backbot, period. The play of backbots will determine how offensive or defensive a match is.
Also note, not only may the offense venture into the backbot zone, so may the defense (multiple backbots!?! :ahh: ).....
:yikes:

Re: Backbot interaction
 

If your alliance has a good pusher, then it starts on defence, pushes an attacker into the "backbot" zone, and keeps pushing it right up onto the ramp and pins it there.

As soon as the pusher crosses the centre line then it becomes the backbot and the previous backbot moves up to go on active defense.

At first I thought the backbot rule was a bit silly... but I should know better than to doubt the GDC. It will certainly make for a more interesting game.

Jason

Re: Backbot interaction
 

The 'backbot' per se need not be the same robot throughout the period. This gives the alliance who won the auto mode a distinct advantage. The three teams can take turns filling their robots with poofs during their defense, making them fully loaded to begin their first offensive period. Furthermore, I see the backbot as a 'cherry picker' to expand on the fast break analogy - they'll be in direct scoring position immediately at the beginning of the 2nd period. If the backbot is paired with a 'loaderbot' then they can work as a unit, scoring with twice the capacity. I think as the games go on and people become more familiar with the gameplay and different strategies are exposed, you will see one or two offensive bots break away at the end of the 1st period to defend against the cherry picker(s). Offensively, a floor-loading, distance-shooting bot would be the best counter to the backbot.

Re: Backbot interaction
 

Possibly if you were to have a really good shooter with good aiming, it could prove beneficial, becuase you wouldn't have as much interferance (sp) back there.

Otherwise, I'd say to stay out of the backbot area on offense.

Re: Backbot interaction
 

The best counter to the backbot is a shooter that can hit from just in front of half-field, and can pick up balls from the floor. If you were to sit ~1-2 feet in front of the center line and shoot balls, it would force an opponent who might be blocking a corner goal to venture all the way to the center of the field to stop you.

Re: Backbot interaction
 

The backbot(s) will determine the "tempo" of the match depending on how the alliance uses them, what their capabilities are, and how the opponent reacts to them. Some teams will prefer a fast tempo, high offense match, while others will like a slower, defensive match. Likewise, some teams will prefer "burst scoring" while others steady, constant scoring. The backbot will define how the defense is going to play during the defensive period, and how much of that period the offense will have to score (if they wish to remain in control of the tempo of the match).

Re: Backbot interaction
 

Heres a strategy that a bunch of the New Jersey BMS teams (25, 381, 1089, 1403, 1807) agreed would work really well and addresses the back bot pretty well, and consistantly get you a lot of points. Do remember that no strategy is perfect, some are just better than others

Autonomous- Get all the points you can, your best bet will to get 30 points shooting to the center whatever gets you the most points, do it. Above all, WIN autonomous, at least 7 times out of 10 the winner of Auto. will be winner of the match.

Round 2- So you won autonomous, great job, your on your way to victory (hopefully) now what do you do, your on defence! Don't worry about defence too much, get balls! We are pretty sure that teams won't have too much of a problem shooting balls, getting them will be a little tougher. If your playing defence, make it so the human players can't get the balls that you just scored into their robots easily. If they don't have any balls they can't score. It's a big game of keep away. Your best ball collector (the one with the best balance of ground and human player collecting) is your back bot. This way they can use their skills at collecting to the max.

Round 3- Your turn to play offence! Collect balls for at least 10-25 seconds, after that start scoring like CRAAAAAZY. Start overloading the other alliance with points, keep making those shots and getting those balls into the goals. The idea is that you overload their human players so that they can't get the balls on the field fast enough to be affective, score in large loads and well beat the human player.

Round 4- It's open! if you have any balls keep overloading hte human players, if you have a large enough lead, play keep away and shoot if your open. Make sure you leave at least 8-10 seconds to get everyone on the ramp, in low scoring matches the ramp is gonna be the key factor. 25 points is worth more than 8 balls through the center, get on your alliance platform!

Your backbot, should be able to collect the balls the best. Make sure it has the best balance between human player loading and ground loading, and emptying the human player is key so they don't get overloaded with balls during the other rounds. Human player capacity is a limiting factor and make sure your strategies address that.

Re: Backbot interaction
 

With a nice feature on our bot, we will be able to wait until the last 1-2 seconds to get up onto the ramp, possibly from across the field, but mostly mid-field. Talk about piling in those last few balls! :yikes:

Re: Backbot interaction
 

Your team already gets 10 points for your partners, so if you can score at least 15 (at least 5 balls), it may be worth it to not go back.

Re: Backbot interaction
 

I was thinking about a diffrent strategy for the back bot
since there are really 3vs2 on the defense and the backbot all he can do is collect balls, if your opponents allready shot all his balls and your backbot is fully stacked up
why not switch the backbot?

so that 2 of your bots will be fully stacked, that way you can do it so at the end of your 40seconds 3 of your bots are fully stacked and ready to lunch

no point in leaving the backbot there doing nothing...

Re: Backbot interaction
 

I agree with the above post. Flexability in the backbot is going to be essential. The one time I would tend to disagree is late in the period. Being in key positions during "transition" phases is going to be very important. The first and last 3-5 seconds of each period will be the most important in most matches.