The key to this years problem .....

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Posted by Mike Aubry at 1/8/2001 10:44 PM EST


Engineer on team #47, Chiefs, from Pontiac Central and Delphi .



Okay, after taking a deep breath and thinking about the elements needed to solve this years problem, I believe the single most important item is "Honesty"! Each team that gets teamed up, MUST be absolutely honest with the 3 partners about what they are able to do - and how long it will take to do it. This one thing will be the essential piece of information needed to make a strategic decision regarding WHEN to push the RED button. I would think that this also falls under the catagory of Gracious Professionalism, in a way - it's only fair to your partners. So..... Please check your EGO's at the door and DO NOT commit to being able to do something that you may not be able to do. Is this logical and reasonable to ask teams to do? What do you think?

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Posted by Andy Baker at 1/8/2001 11:14 PM EST


Engineer on team #45, TechnoKats, from Kokomo High School and Delphi Automotive Systems.


In Reply to: The key to this years problem .....
Posted by Mike Aubry on 1/8/2001 10:44 PM EST:



Mike,

You are a wise man. This is the key, definitely.

We have tried hard to be honest over the past two years. The difficulty of honest communication is more about how much wishful thinking your team uses.

I'm an optimist to a fault, even as far as being gullible. Therefore, I sometimes project only the best possible outcome. In this case, I know that we must practice more in order to get more of a realistic handle on what our robot and team can do in the time allowed (or less).

So, not only honesty is key, but also realistic thinking.

Andy B.

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Posted by Mike Aubry at 1/9/2001 9:50 PM EST


Engineer on team #47, Chiefs, from Pontiac Central and Delphi .


In Reply to: I'm with ya... but also realism
Posted by Andy Baker on 1/8/2001 11:14 PM EST:



Andy

: We have tried hard to be honest over the past two years. The difficulty of honest communication is more about how much wishful thinking your team uses.

This is so very true and I'm glad that you pointed it out. This is a trap that many veteran teams and alot of rookie teams fall into. Everyone at some time or other does this. Alot of it is due to our strong competitive nature - ie: "I just know we can do it, we did it once in practice and I'm not giving up until I prove it to ya" - oops - this year that could really hurt not only your team, but the other 3 on the alliance. What is even more disturbing is that in this next "less that 6 weeks" many teams will design and build something that they really and truely don't know will work. Time will run out, and the practice rounds will be where they get to see if they can do what they say they can. Unfortunately, this is a killer game this year. Do the math, physics, or engineering - bad headaches will result as the outcomes of free body diagrams, force vector analysis, and mathmatical calculations related to frictional forces, masses and cg's, etc. are arrived at. This is one of those problems that looks easy to do, but gets proportionately more difficult with the actual attempt to accomplish it. Teeter's and ramp angles and counterbalances and goals that are unstable and worst of all the added pressure of the clock. Bad headaches - I tell ya. "TICK, TOCK, TICK, TOCK - NOW IT'S TIME TO STOP THE CLOCK!" That's my offering for this years universal cheer. Good Luck, let's keep sharing thoughts and ideas. Tomorrow, I'll post where our heads are at as far as what we think is important to accomplish to be successful this year. In other words - our take on playing the game. Better, if we run our thoughts past ya, then to think about it in a vacuum and then find out we were way off.

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Posted by Marjory Stager at 1/8/2001 11:22 PM EST


Student on team #47, ChiefDelphi, from Pontiac Central and Delphi Automotive Systems.


In Reply to: The key to this years problem .....
Posted by Mike Aubry on 1/8/2001 10:44 PM EST:



Hey Mike,

I think you are absolutely right. I know how hard it was last year when teams were not exactly telling the truth about there robot. This year it is going to be a lot header to talk to your partners because there is two times more on the team then last year.
So PLEASE if you want to do well it would be in everyone's best intrust to be truthful about there robot good or bad, everyone's need to know in order to work together.

Marjory
"Frosty"

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Posted by Ken Leung at 1/9/2001 5:33 AM EST


Student on team #192, Gunn Robotics Team, from Henry M. Gunn Senior High School.


In Reply to: The key to this years problem .....
Posted by Mike Aubry on 1/8/2001 10:44 PM EST:



With the amount of time you get before the game start, you should really get to know the teams out there before hand. Expect lots of communication between people during pratice matches, as well as any time outside of competition. You should really build up a good relationship with teams out there for qualifying rounds to have a good score generally.

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Posted by soap108 at 1/9/2001 2:05 PM EST


Engineer on team #108, SigmaC@T, from Dillard & Taravella HS and Motorola.


In Reply to: Communication
Posted by Ken Leung on 1/9/2001 5:33 AM EST:




Currently at www.soap108.com/2001/gamefield/ you can find a Playbook (ppt slides) to aid in developing/sharing your plays with others.


At the competition- anytime, anywhere- visit the 'S.O.A.P. Dispenser' Station to review video of the high scoring matches and watch the strategies used in them.

For at least WMI & IL Regionals, wireless instant replay from S.O.A.P. can aid in enhancing those last minute strategies.


The S.O.A.P. Team
Team 108 - SigmaC@T

Scout Out Alliance Possibilities





: With the amount of time you get before the game start, you should really get to know the teams out there before hand. Expect lots of communication between people during pratice matches, as well as any time outside of competition. You should really build up a good relationship with teams out there for qualifying rounds to have a good score generally.