Re: Poll: Picking up tubes
 

1. Human Players - I've seen human players do amazing things. Heck, our human player spent 5 minutes on the field, and he was launching tubes across the field. Picking up from the floor saves time, even for a fast bot.

2. Traffic - The field is big, but with 6 moving bots, it can be smaller than one thinks. If you find yourself crossing the field to get a tube each time, I have a feeling you're going to find yourself in an efficiency dropping traffic jam.

3. Why limit yourself - Why limit yourself to the tubes that only your human player gives you? If the human players on the other alliance aren't as good, and the tubes only go halfway, then why traverse the field to get the same tubes that are sitting right there?

4. Oops - What if you are misaligned and drop the tube? Oops. This can be minimized with practice, but a ground loading robot can go back to the ground, and attempt to rescore the tube in a matter of seconds.


Perhaps crippling isn't the right word. But I think only slot loading robots will be fighting a much harder battle.

- Sunny

Re: Poll: Picking up tubes
 

I also wouldn't say crippling, but think back to 2005. The teams that were able to utilize the Auto-feeders to get their tetras had a big time advantage over teams that had to be human loaded.

Re: Poll: Picking up tubes
 

No, crippling. Scoring 2 or 3 tubes versus eight or more.

Prediction: No robot that cannot pick from the floor will win a week 1 regional.

Re: Poll: Picking up tubes
 

I have to disagree I think there's room on a winning alliance for a defensive bot (maybe a dragonfly?). However I do think that the main scoring robots on the winning alliance will be able to floor load.

Re: Poll: Picking up tubes
 

We don't have a function arm yet, but I don't see why not.

Re: Poll: Picking up tubes
 

If 8 tubes are scored by a single robot during a qualifying/elimination match at any event this season I will eat my shoe. Was there a robot that ever scored 8 tubes in a single match during Rack'n'Roll?

Watching the Suffield Scrimmage, 1519 and 126 had a hard time putting up 5 tubes between them. The traditional CD recognized 'top tier' might be more competitive, but they are certainly not 4 times better.

Certainly it is a handicap, but I do not think it is an insurmountable one (especially at the regional level).

Re: Poll: Picking up tubes
 

Well I hope to prove you wrong

In many cases I agree with you, however the defense is the x factor. A good defender can make floor loaders waste the whole match chasing around tubes, where a human loader is protected every load. We shall see :)

Re: Poll: Picking up tubes
 

You should have included an option for feeder robots.

Re: Poll: Picking up tubes
 

Judging by what our robot can do in just under 2 minutes (assuming there is a good tube ferry) and that we're not the best bot in the world, I'd look in to shoe seasonings. Ignoring minibot we can hang up to 9 maybe 10 tubes in a perfect world. While our shop circumstances are probably better then field circumstances it's worth mentioning that upwards of 2 of those 9/10 tubes were a fair amount (more then %50) deflated.

I'm not saying that we're going to hang 8+ tubes in a match (if we do I'll eat my shoe in pure awe of our drivers) but I think someone will.

Re: Poll: Picking up tubes
 

Look at all those tubes I'll be looking to have our drivers bring to the robots who can reach up high!

http://www.youtube.com/user/FRCteam1.../2/C4Mn-eVB1oE

Re: Poll: Picking up tubes
 

Zero defense this year once in your zone.

Hope your shoes are tasty, cuz it's gonna happen.

Re: Poll: Picking up tubes
 

I am with Cory, I can see it happening! If you have good feeding robot *cough 3467* feeding a good robot such as 126 or 40 I can see it happening! ;)

Re: Poll: Picking up tubes
 

i see it at nationals maybe, but i see a very low scoring game due to defense in the mid field, and dont ever say its going to happen, say it might happen you never know :)

also commenting on 179's bot its going to be monsterous its going to be fast and effective in this game you dont need to pick up from the floor cause once you throw them in you risk the chance of the opponent picking it up

Re: Poll: Picking up tubes
 

The only thing to stop a good hanger from putting up 9 in a match is a steady supply of tubes - or lack of floor pickup. It would take some good luck and good alliance cooperation to make this happen in a qual match, but it will happen. It will be quite common in eliminations by the end of the season. The hanger will need good floor pickup and the feeders could use it too.

Also, as the season progresses defense will subside, not increase. The more time you spend on defense, the fewer tubes your alliance is hanging. Its going to turn into a footrace to fill the grid and deploy your mini.

Re: Poll: Picking up tubes
 

I think this depends on what you're chasing with. Rollers will do a considerable amount of less chasing that a claw might, with or without defense.

I mean, this is another one of those endless arguments, although this one seems to have a slightly heavily favored side. I think the best solution is duke it out at regionals.

- Sunny