Quote:
Originally Posted by mrnoble
I also disagree with this statement. There are a huge number of ways to make a robot that can extend up to 20" outside it's perimeter pick up, pass, catch, hold, and shoot a relatively small and light ball like the one we have. Video of past games (especially 2008, as was previously mentioned) will be extremely enlightening, and hopefully motivating.
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I'm just a dumb teacher-coach but working with my team today, It seems as if the "truss" is like a destractor I would use in a multiple-guess question. Please bear with me if I completely illustrate the obvious, it is late and I'm an old guy. After re-reading the manual and watching the game animation over and over, the truss is not the focus of play regardless of the conspiracy comments above. The game is not focused (currently) upon just shooting the ball. What the game is focused on are several different ideas (in my opinion):
1. FIRST needs to keep growing. Rookie teams are the lifeblood of FRC. The autonomous +5 points for just getting from the starting zone to the end zone gives rookie teams a success. Your team and my team will find a way to move, shoot and score in the "hot zone" during auto. We kicked around camera, lazy susan turret and are working on several ideas for a shooter. Again, this part of the game buoys up the rookie teams giving them points for moving. Judging from our own team's experience, just getting the robot to move and do SOMETHING in auto. was a major accomplishment given the relative STEM inexperience and lack of longer term STEM systems in our school. One man's opinion only.
2. The multiple passing point system is an extension of the cooperative game from 2012. It is also something that FIRST has been gradually working on since we've been "in the game". The biggest obstacles for us are deciding how we will pass the ball and if we will get multiple points for 2-3 passing and concentrate on the lower versus upper shooting targets. Adding an elevator system is another system that has the potential of breaking down during the game and complicates both construction, and driver training. Our jury's still out but as of this afternoon, we want to be consistent enough to score and consistent enough to add to the team aspects of this game. Flame me if you want. I've got big shoulders and certainly can learn from all responses.
As posted above, the truss IS a destractor only unless FIRST changes the rules and offers points for doing more with it. 10 points for popping the ball over the bar is not something we want to be trying to do during the shortened game time. It would be cool, and we'll probably build a prototype to gather and shoot. Again, it is consistency of scoring points and team work that we want to sharpen up. For us it's about doing the picking in the finals rather than getting picked.
Fancy engineering is great if you've got the facilities and financial backing. Keeping it simple and to the goals of the game is how smaller, less funded teams operate. I'm thinking FIRST may have had this in mind too. This game is not as complicated as our first game in 2010. That's a good thing. As a teacher, I want my students to work the problem rather than having the problem work them. Great thread though....I'm quite interested to see how y'all work the problem, if you deal with the truss, or just stay the course, keep it real and score lots of points in partnership with others on the course.
Again...I am NOT an engineer but a mere AP Human Geo, AP Government, AP Economics instructor. I truly want to get your thoughts on this. Your thoughts can only make all of our teams better. See some of y'all at the Dallas Regional?
Steve Miller
Team 3355-Purple Vipers