Re: Predictions to win 2008 Frc Championship
 

for some reason... i think that somehow, someway, somebody will knock off 1114... something just gives me that feeling... ive been working out strategy... but i doubt it would work:D but that wont stop me from trying;)

Re: Predictions to win 2008 Frc Championship
 

some eligable teams are still missing
NYC isn't done yet, and some teams are pending

Re: Predictions to win 2008 Frc Championship
 

Hard to predict when the final divisions with teams aren't even posted yet. NYC regional will definitely change the current setup/picture.
Once that comes out on Wednesday, I presume, the top teams will strategically already be looking for one another, weighing pros/cons of pairing with each other.
The only way it wont happen is if, a team(s) rides the wave to the top and breaks the alliances apart.
1114 is a clear frontrunner, however, no one robot, can win it all by itself at CMP where there will be many robots that can hurdle quickly and efficiently.
If they or a good potential teammate ends up at #1 seed, many of the predictions will come true about their awesome team. They will be sure to be either the #1 seed or the #1 pick, whether they accept or not. That we know is a guarantee.
I would instead look at other divisions to see if any 1-2-3 combo could take on 1114 and their alliance at Einstein.
I think defense will be a much larger factor at CMP and the refs will let defense play out a whole lot more.

Re: Predictions to win 2008 Frc Championship
 

I was gonna make the exact same point, after two regionals of using a robot that can do nothing but race and knock the ball off I'm convinced that it is a very effective form of strategy, mainly because if your good enough at it you can score in the same range consistently each match. However, with that being said, a speed demon/ball knocker would have to also be able to score at least 12 points during the autonomous period in order to be Einstein because I doubt that any robot can get more than 12 laps during the regular period (we've done 11).

Re: Predictions to win 2008 Frc Championship
 

I actually think the laps won't matter too much. After autonomous is over, you have two choices (as a third robot, as there are only two balls): run laps or play defense. If you can run eight or ten laps, you earn 16-20 points. On the other hand, if you can slow down an opposite hurdler enough to cost them 2 or 3 hurdles, not only you are worth about the same point differential to your alliance, but also you throw the opposing alliance off their game plan. And that could be worth even more.

Re: Predictions to win 2008 Frc Championship
 

It depends on the circumstances, but yeah I definitely agree that in some situations defense will be more important than laps. In fact, I've seen some of those circumstances first hand already.

Re: Predictions to win 2008 Frc Championship
 

I agree. Your team showed how defense was worth more than just trying to do laps. As great as it is to see fast robots avoid traffic and spin around the track, they simply are not worth that much points once hybrid is over.
Wasting 20 seconds and preventing a team from a hurdle is much more effective.
Our team was able to always get 2 hurdles or more per match in Hawaii, even though defense was played on us and even if we had trouble at times, grabbing the ball. With the laps included, that's a minimum of 20++ points always. That's equivalent to a fast lap bot alway doing 10 laps. Hurdles are just worth so much more and teams that can prevent/delay hurdles is a much bigger play, IMO, than anything else. Ive seen many matches where teams get 5+ hurdles in a match, but if you watch, almost no defense is played on them at all.

Re: Predictions to win 2008 Frc Championship
 

Don't forget 968, 987 and 1717. All of which had amazing performances on the west coast.


Also, 8 and 294 will be some solid Defenders that can get a few hurdles if needed.

Re: Predictions to win 2008 Frc Championship
 

My prediciton:

Due to the randomness of the qualification and elimination process in Atlanta, none of the robots explicitely mentionned in this thread so far will take the gold home.

There will be at least 2 good hurdlers in the winning alliance

The game will not be the same once on the big stage.

Francois

Re: Predictions to win 2008 Frc Championship
 

I don't know if 341 is that strong of a robot this year. But yes, it is highly competitive.

Re: Predictions to win 2008 Frc Championship
 

1114 is looking like the best team this year but any thing could happen and they could break or they could have a bad alliance

Re: Predictions to win 2008 Frc Championship
 

I feel fortunate this year I've got to see a lot of great robots live and in person.

Last Year 5 Einstein Robots competed at the Florida Regional.

233, mind blowingly awesome 'nuff said.

But people seem to forget about the rest, 179 when they weren't suffering from mechanical problems was hard to stop, people seemed to forget they ran 3 lines and hurdled 5 times ( 1 was a cap, that got pushed over ) to knock out 103 in the semi's. 1251, helped run the show with 233, a very fast and effective hurdling machine. 69 as well in those finals, knocking over the first ball in hybrid effectively and running 3-4 lines, it was pretty impressive.

79 showed what they can do in Florida and proved what they can do again in bayou, put up 4-5 hurdles and run 3,4 lines in auton with their awesome collision avoidance. 103 has a great bot and they've proved it at a few regionals. Teams like 342, 108, and 180 will all make differences the champs.

At the bayou regional, there were a few amazing machines like 118, 230, 148, 79 ( again) and 16. 16 has really come on strong this year, they kept up with 1114 at midwest, and surpassed the competition in New Orleans, they will be one of the teams to beat in Atlanta. 118 has had some mechanical troubles but really started to show what they could do in elims, they have a very powerful launcher, and system in general, if they pair up with another super team they'll be a tough one to stop. 148, its hard to believe they won't be picking, but if they aren't they'll be a strong pick, strong defense, good autonomous, if you want a lap runner, they are the cream of the crop. In my opinion three hurdlers crowd the field, a strong defensive bot, or "role player" with a good autonomous is going to be the way to go in the second round picking this year, if 148 isn't picking they are perfect for this role, if they last that long.

So putting it all together, I think there will be a few Florida Regional teams representing again this year, its a somewhat underrated very powerful regional, proving again how far Florida FIRST has come in the past few years.

I can't wait to see how the divisions shape up, I don't think it will take 3 hurdlers this year, but 2 good hurdlers who can handle lots of defense ( which is key ) and 3 strong autons, Alliances with well coordinated autons that knock down balls, and run a few lines as well as put up good hurdling scores are going to be hard to beat.

This too me is what makes 1114 so good, sure they can put up 8 hurdles, there are a few others that can put up 7, but they can knock off 2 balls and run 5 lines, at that point as we say in the south.. Doneskies. But then again, we have said the same thing for a few teams in the past few years, and a diamond in the rough usually proves us all wrong.

Re: Predictions to win 2008 Frc Championship
 

I see a lot of very good points towards bots like 1114, 39 (and others not on the top of my head right now), but I still say that the winning alliance is going to be the dark horse of the competition. I look at last year as my basis for this. I never dreamed that anyone would be able to take down the ridiculously powerful 71/179/233 alliance but I was proven wrong. Through great strategy and teamwork even the most powerful alliance can be beaten. (I had another one of those OH-MY-GOSH-ATLANTA-IS-IN-LESS-THAN-TWO-WEEKS moments typing this :D )

Re: Predictions to win 2008 Frc Championship
 

(I had another one of those OH-MY-GOSH-ATLANTA-IS-IN-LESS-THAN-TWO-WEEKS moments typing this :D )[/quote]
I cant wait either

Re: Predictions to win 2008 Frc Championship
 

...and a belief that 3 good machines and their crews all decked out in maroon could compete with any alliance:D