Chief Delphi - Driver Selection: A Discussion

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Re: Driver Selection: A Discussion

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris is me (Post 1067061)

Seriously, do you guys really tell drivers to "go easy on the robot"? That's just prolonging a failure that WILL happen.

This reminds me of something that was told to me when I first learned how to drive a robot.

'A robot can always be fixed - but a match can never be replayed'.

Ever since then I've designed, built, driven and coached with that in mind.

Re: Driver Selection: A Discussion

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris is me (Post 1067061)

I don't mean that literally any action a driver can do should be unable to break the robot, though that's obviously ideal. But a robot isn't something that should require constant thought to its safety to drive.

It's funny that you mention Breakaway, because that seems like the best example. Barring deploying the hanger and intentionally tipping, how exactly could you break a good robot that year? If your robot could be damaged by anything other than an unusual circumstance like getting chain caught in your wheels, it simply was not robust.

Seriously, do you guys really tell drivers to "go easy on the robot"? That's just prolonging a failure that WILL happen.

I see your point, and i agree you shouldnt go easy on the robot, but there were times where robots were hit, or were going too fast over the hump and flipped over. I'm definitely not saying you should be really cautious; im just saying that all of these robots could have catastrophic breakdowns.
But even a year like this, aggressiveness could be bad. Lets say you're farther away from a tube than the opponent, and you're both driving full speed. The only way you have a chance of getting that tube is by putting your arm to the ground way before you get there. Now theres a good chance you'll smack the arm/wrist, and high speed side loads can harm basically any arm/wrist/lift.

Quote:

Originally Posted by thefro526 (Post 1067067)

Thats not always the best way to look at it. In my example above, i'd rather decrease my chances of winning that match by a little bit as opposed to having to play defense or sit out 2-5 matches because your arm was smashed.

Re: Driver Selection: A Discussion

Quote:

Originally Posted by Duke461 (Post 1067069)

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Thats not always the best way to look at it. In my example above, i'd rather decrease my chances of winning that match by a little bit as opposed to having to play defense or sit out 2-5 matches because your arm was smashed.

If something on your machine can be broken during normal game play and it takes 2-5 matches to fix, then it's a design flaw - or at least that's how I see it.

Re: Driver Selection: A Discussion

Quote:

Originally Posted by Duke461 (Post 1067069)

I see your point, and i agree you shouldnt go easy on the robot, but there were times where robots were hit, or were going too fast over the hump and flipped over.

Quote:

But even a year like this, aggressiveness could be bad. Lets say you're farther away from a tube than the opponent, and you're both driving full speed. The only way you have a chance of getting that tube is by putting your arm to the ground way before you get there. Now theres a good chance you'll smack the arm/wrist, and high speed side loads can harm basically any arm/wrist/lift.

We designed for that exact situation, and it showed. Our robot's arm was snagged on another at Battlecry. They drove forward and yanked us around by our arm, with absolutely no damage. Obviously that's a worst case scenario, and arms should definitely NOT be used that way, but robust design should be something that is always emphasized.

Quote:

You really need to be able to make nearly any repair in one match cycle.

Losing just one match can kill your chances at the Top 8. Do you really want your driver to wasting precious brain cells doubting himself and his robot? No, you have split second decisions to make, there's no time to think.

Re: Driver Selection: A Discussion

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris is me (Post 1067077)

If a robot's hit and something broke, especially bumper to bumper contact, bad design.

If your robot can't go over the hump past a certain speed without flipping, design issues aside, you should probably have some kind of software limit rather than something as subjective as "don't go too fast man"

We designed for that exact situation, and it showed. Our robot's arm was snagged on another at Battlecry. They drove forward and yanked us around by our arm, with absolutely no damage. Obviously that's a worst case scenario, and arms should definitely NOT be used that way, but robust design should be something that is always emphasized.

You really need to be able to make nearly any repair in one match cycle.

Losing just one match can kill your chances at the Top 8. Do you really want your driver to wasting precious brain cells doubting himself and his robot? No, you have split second decisions to make, there's no time to think.

While i understand your points, this is a general discussion for driver choice. and in an ideal situation, the average robot WILL have design flaws that will make the driver need to be smarter about how he/she drives it.