Future Minibot Functions

[IKE]

This thread is meant to be a brainstorming session for possible things a "minibot" could do in future games. Assume a similar set of rules with regards to construction as this year and brainstorm some tasks.

For instance, this years task was:
Deploy to a pole, climb the pole, trip a sensor, and then be "easily" removeable. Points awarded by a "race" to trip the sensor.

The ideas don't have to necessarily involve a race element.

Ideally the ideas could be implemented with a similar "logic" requirement as this year (you were allowed to use the brick, but a couple of switches worked just fine too). I believe rules stated a couple of limit switches, a household Light-switch, and the Tetrix switch.

Remeber, servos were allowed though I personally didn't see a minibot that used them (at least one at a competition).

[rsisk]

How about a minibot that is released from the main robot into an area that cannot be reached by the main robot. It could then release bonus game pieces onto the field to be scored by either team. Minibot could be autonomous or remained tethered to the main robot.

The area I am envisioning would be a small (clear?) tunnel the minibot would travel through to reach a switch or lever which would release the other game pieces.

By allowing all teams to score with the bonus game pieces provides strategic options of when to release the bonus pieces.

I'd like to see minibots act as an assistance to an alliance by changing the game field in some way. Similarly to when some robots reset the bridge/teeter totter thing in Diabolical Dynamics. Like, you could have a minibot control game piece release, or releasing "special" game pieces not found on the field.

[Frenchie461]

what about having a pole on either side of the field running parallel to the long side. minibots have to be deployed, and their distance from the driver station is how many points they're worth. Teams could apply this year, but it would be different enough that the minibot couldn't be cloned and still be successful.

[Chris is me]

They could shoot themselves into a trash compactor, destroying themselves every round. Not too different than this year, actually.

[IKE]

Originally Posted by Chris is me

They could shoot themselves into a trash compactor, destroying themselves every round. Not too different than this year, actually.

While funny, not terribly constructive. There are plenty of other threads bemoaning minibots.

[Clinton Bolinger]

What about having the reverse of this years minibots, where the human play sends the minibot out to the field (maybe on a track or pole) and the robot has to obtain the minibot. If you obtain your minibot or an alliance members minibot you get bounce point (that are equal).

I also like the idea of minibots releasing or activating field elements for the other robots to interact with.

-Clinton-

[IKE]

I think a lot of previous "bonus" and/or Automode elements could/would work well for minibots.

Hmmm. Now that I think about it, I should probably look at what OCCRA used their minibots (VEX based) for the last few years...

[kramarczyk]

I like a spin off of Richard's minibot in a tube idea. Have the tube be a lever that opens a gate releasing game pieces, but set it up so that the mass of the minibot creates the torque needed to open the gate. Heavier minibots would open the gate further as would minibots closer to the end of the tube. Minibots would be able to run out the end of the tube, so some smarts would be required to go just... far... enough. Teams would be able to use the minibot to control the rate at which game pieces are released if they really engineer the minibot and include some intelligence. A really enterprising team might have their minibot go back and forth, opening and closing the gate during the match, possibly with a period that matches their scoring cycle.

A tube on a pivot controlling a gate. Do we allow a string or not?

[Billfred]

Originally Posted by Clinton Bolinger

What about having the reverse of this years minibots, where the human play sends the minibot out to the field (maybe on a track or pole) and the robot has to obtain the minibot. If you obtain your minibot or an alliance members minibot you get bounce point (that are equal).

Better still: the robot has to both deploy the minibot and retrieve it to receive the full benefit. Do you burn a lot of prime robot real estate (especially in multi-object games like Lunacy or Aim High) and put a big Tupperware container to catch your minibot on the end of the run, or do you build some elegant capture system?

My team suggested having a "minibot lane" similar to a bike lane on a street. It could be where minibots are deployed and then do something on the lane, such as control a game piece or something of the like. Also, one of our team members suggested that in this lane minibots would circle the perimeter of the playing field and get points for each lap, like Overdrive.

[MCahoon]

Something similar to this thread, where host bot has to insert minibot into entry port of a tube during autonomous mode. http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/sh...threadid=95847

Autonomous minibot performs function while the host bot is teleoperated during regular match play.

Possibly the minibot climbing to different goal levels, following a line or navigating a maze to a release switch for a game element or a means of scoring during the bonus period. The minibot course would be open from the top so cameras built into the field could show progress for spectators, and for retrieving the minibot after the match.

[IKE]

Imagine a Points clock, similar to a chess clock that could rack up points for either alliance. Points begin when your side is activated, and switch when the other alliance activates their side. Use the minibots to activate something. This would bring an interesting dynamic because there are advantages related to being the first to score, but also advantages related to being the last to score. Allow each team to either have 1 or 2 minibots on board which would mean 3-6 minibots per alliance.

This would be in conjunction to some other scoring task.

[Peter Matteson]

Originally Posted by IKE

While funny, not terribly constructive. There are plenty of other threads bemoaning minibots.

So I guess you wouldn't be for my setting the Einstien on fire and causing the head refferee to fo and get a fire extinguisher between matches....

Oh wait, we did that too.

Seriously though I like the idea of a 2004ish game piece release were if you minibot hits a switch you get your game pieces in auton but if you don't you have to wait 45 seconds to get them.

[GlassPrison142]

I really hope there isn't a hockey game next year. I don't really like games that would entail breakaway robots being built again
I mean I feel like people would recycle their old breakaway robots for this game