Re: 2011 Mini-bot?
 

Minibots play a huge part in adding a bonus to a team's score. I like to say that the end game period is like icing on the cake.

I mean, just to put this out there:

Say an alliance scores one ubertube in the automode.

Assuming that the alliance completes a logo with that row, you get 30pts already.

Having said that, it's just as an equivalent for a team or alliance all together to complete that logo set.

There's a ton of possibilities as far as point values for the equivalency of ubertubes, additional placements, logos and the minibot go.

In conclusion though, my initial thought is that the Minibot shouldn't be the SOLE focus of a team's robot design, because while YES completing the task gives you big points, something like this could happen:

The opposing alliance could starve out the alliance that relies on minibot action by collecting several game pieces and hording them in their designated zones where no long accessible.

At that point, there and then, you're stuck with just the points from the minibot plus whatever scoring piece you can maintain.

I guess in conclusion before I blabber more about strategy, minibot scores can be overcome when the game is played right (just like with finals last year when 469 got beat out with a good game play and bend of rules via loopholes!)

:P I strongly believe that robots can be built to fulfill both tasks though (and we will probably see it)

Re: 2011 Mini-bot?
 

This year's end game is more important than last year's, but doing both well would be the best solution, IMO. Place tubes in teleop and race minibots at end game for maximum points.

Re: 2011 Mini-bot?
 

on the question of minibots does anyone know if you would be allowed to use compressed air and released it all to get the bot moving, and then let it work on its own. it is simmilar to a booster engine a a space shuttle

Re: 2011 Mini-bot?
 

The real big question is, how many teams will be able to scrounge enough legal parts to build one? What if FTC isn't big or doesn't even exist in your area. Check out Lego Educational - kits are out of stock. :mad:

Re: 2011 Mini-bot?
 

If you have at least one ubertube placed on the top rack, when teleop begins if two robots complete the logo you have 30pts right there with a little more than 10secs give or take depending on whatever arm capability they have.

With two ubertubes and a completed logo, you're already at 42 points.

And with three (totally possibly, but the likelihood? who knows): 54pts.

Although, teams will be impacted with how far the game pieces travel at the start of the teleop period (so collection bot or HP toss).

Re: 2011 Mini-bot?
 

I thought the new FIRST Choice system had free FTC kits?

I don't have a Choice login name so I can't check right now.

Re: 2011 Mini-bot?
 

I wonder how many and how long they'll last with first come first serve.

Re: 2011 Mini-bot?
 

I'd just like to point out that amidst all of the minibots climbing, each alliance will still have at least one robot that is not involved in minibots which can continue to score tubes. Plus once the two minibots start climbing the hostbots can go in for scores.

Re: 2011 Mini-bot?
 

If one continues to score tubes, there is a chance for penalty due to inadvertent contact which must be taken into consideration.

Re: 2011 Mini-bot?
 

To be honest, something to be considered is that in all reality, we can guess how many points can be scored from the tubes/ubertubes, but like in previous competitions, we don't really know a range of how much will be scored. On the other hand, being successful in the endgame has a set number of points, which teams can test during build season. Even though you can't know whether your minibot will be fastest or slowest, i still think being able to finish the endgame will be extremely advantageous

Re: 2011 Mini-bot?
 

When st. louis comes around the best robots will have minibots and mechanisms to score tubes because this game is "unbreakable" unlike last year.

Re: 2011 Mini-bot?
 

this game is unbreakable? what do you mean by that?

Re: 2011 Mini-bot?
 

He means that there is no 469-style game-breaking application wherein one can build a robot that is essentially (but apparently not when it really, really counts on Einstein) unbeatable if the other team isn't also doing it.

Re: 2011 Mini-bot?
 

There is no one strategy that guarantees a win. 2002, move all three goals to one side and you win. 2010, control the balls as they leave the return and send them into goals. Those were breakable games.

2011 has no such strategy, not that I've seen yet.

Re: 2011 Mini-bot?
 

::rtm:: hmmm... what if our mini bottle was a jet pack? okok jks how about a bottle?