View Single Post
  #34   Spotlight this post!  
Unread 06-01-2009, 11:33
Petey's Avatar
Petey Petey is offline
Strategy & Gaming
AKA: Chris Peterson
None #1073 (Team F.O.R.C.E.)
Team Role: Alumni
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Rookie Year: 2002
Location: Hollis-Brookline, NH
Posts: 644
Petey has a reputation beyond reputePetey has a reputation beyond reputePetey has a reputation beyond reputePetey has a reputation beyond reputePetey has a reputation beyond reputePetey has a reputation beyond reputePetey has a reputation beyond reputePetey has a reputation beyond reputePetey has a reputation beyond reputePetey has a reputation beyond reputePetey has a reputation beyond repute
Re: Defensive Strategies

Quote:
Originally Posted by pfreivald View Post
Maybe I'm just not that creative, but I don't see how it is possible to extend any kind of cap over the trailer, even half way.

A. You can't extend outside your footprint.
True!
Quote:
B. The Trailer can't be tipped.
True!
Quote:
C. The Trailer has to be attached on the outside (convex or flat) of your robot, with a 10" tongue, in a way that the tongue will not touch your bumber while driving...
True!
Quote:
I suppose that a very short robot
Not necessarily!
Quote:
might be able to extend backwards to some degree, but a 10" tongue + half the length of the trailer actually seems to be *impossible* to me.

Am I missing something really key here?
Yep! Here's an idea: try drawing the footprint within which you have to work (since that is your limitation), then include the portion of the trailer that you'd like to defend, then see if you can design a robot around what remains.

It's certainly possible. The only questions I have is;

1) Will FIRST allow a bot to goaltend in this way, and
2) Is incidental contact with the PVC bars of your own trailer (as in, not grappling or attaching to or climbing on, just occasionally touching or bouncing off with part of your robot) allowed?

I have to imagine #2 is going to be allowed, because there are going to be plenty of dumpers that engage in incidental contact when they pass balls into the opposing trailers. The real question is #1, because that's a conceptual question of how GDC wants this game to be played.

Also, where is everyone getting a 10" tongue from? Our mech team built one with a 14" trailer swearing it is correct from the drawings. Did they misread something?
__________________

Bio:
Team 1073 alumnus, now Admissions Officer at MIT.

Thanks to all those who have helped me through FIRST over the years.

Last edited by Petey : 06-01-2009 at 11:40.