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Unread 15-12-2008, 23:06
nitsua60 nitsua60 is offline
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FRC #2785 (Prometheus)
Team Role: Mentor
 
Join Date: Dec 2008
Rookie Year: 1998
Location: Kent, CT
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Re: HDPE or ICE FLOOR

Quote:
Originally Posted by AdamHeard View Post
I can only think of one recent year, 2003, where HDPE was a surface you HAD to interact with to be competitive, and even then, the most dominant team just used roughtop tread. 111 didn't win because they could push, they won becuase they employed a superior strategy for controlling the top; ramps and a crab drive.

...

In 2004, teams thought they had to climb onto the HDPE platforms to hang from the bar, some made radically complex drivetrains to achieve this. When I saw 60/67/254 hang from the ground (and 60/254 at AMAZING speed as they used their drive motors to power their winch) and completely ignore the platform, I was inspired. Not only did they not have to design any radical crazy drivetrain to climb onto the platform, allowing them to stick with a simple 6 wheel, they were able hang faster than anyone.

I highly doubt that, "Lets push", "No, lets push HARDER!", will ever be a good strategy in FIRST. You can't mention 71 in 2002 as a counterexample, as their extreme pushing ability was just one piece of the puzzle that made their robot dominant that year.
I've been away from the game for 10 years and am returning as a rookie mentor. Is there anywhere that documents the various successful (and spectacularly unsuccessful) teams from year to year? Their strategies, tactics, designs, and capabilities? I'd love to read up and have some of my kids learn more about the different year's challenges and contendors. Thanks,

-mca
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