Inbounding or Hoarding Balls

[Paul Copioli]

Man this happens every year and DR. Joe fell into it ... You have been gone too long my friend. What I mean is that every year we grossly underestimate how hard it is to score ... I mean grossly!!

36 in Auton ... not on Einstein. Maybe at IRI, maybe. I don't doubt all three robots will score in auton on Einstein, but not all three in the high goal. It is too risky for just one lousy extra point. I am not going to risk 5 to get 1.

In any case, scoring is way harder this year than in any other shooting game year and the double balance will be a crucial decider in most matches. I see matches that are 20 - 10 with all the points coming from balance.

In any case, this makes Dr. Joe's hoarding scenario even more plausible in this game.

I don't know how I feel about the triple balance. Right now I am leaning towards that act being in the same place as the Lochness Monster: A few will claim they have seen it, but no one will be able to prove it.

[BrendanB]

Originally Posted by Paul Copioli

I don't know how I feel about the triple balance. Right now I am leaning towards that act being in the same place as the Lochness Monster: A few will claim they have seen it, but no one will be able to prove it.

I have very similar feelings now. After thinking through it, that sounds a lot like the hanging off of a hanging robot in 2010.

Think for a second three drivers reacting to the bridge going past equilibrium and trying to counter. I mean, we don't all have Nick Lawrence for drivers!

[Racer26]

Originally Posted by BrendanB

I have very similar feelings now. After thinking through it, that sounds a lot like the hanging off of a hanging robot in 2010.

Wholeheartedly disagree.

Not only do I think you'll see it (remember, we DID see it in 2010, from 2337 and alliance), but I think it will be a common feature of Regional Champion alliances. 20 pts is just too huge to give up. The 1 extra point in 2010 wasnt worth it, but 20 extra points in 2012 is. You have to make 7 top shelf baskets to make up for it.

[BrendanB]

Originally Posted by 1075guy

Wholeheartedly disagree.

Not only do I think you'll see it (remember, we DID see it in 2010, from 2337 and alliance), but I think it will be a common feature of Regional Champion alliances. 20 pts is just too huge to give up. The 1 extra point in 2010 wasnt worth it, but 20 extra points in 2012 is. You have to make 7 top shelf baskets to make up for it.

It only happened once in an entire season.

It really comes down to how the other robots are built and how skilled the drivers are at reacting the bridge. What makes it worse is that you will never see a triple balance until eliminations as teams will be focusing on the coopertition bridge for seeding points.

I wouldn't pick robots to join my alliance planning on doing a triple balance unless we had done it in qualification. That is where the another big issue is that the elims are not the time for testing but performing. I wouldn't glaze over a okay scorer for one that could fit on the bridge only to be bit when we can't pull it off.

These are my two cents.

[Daniel_LaFleur]

Originally Posted by Paul Copioli

Man this happens every year and DR. Joe fell into it ... You have been gone too long my friend. What I mean is that every year we grossly underestimate how hard it is to score ... I mean grossly!!

36 in Auton ... not on Einstein. Maybe at IRI, maybe. I don't doubt all three robots will score in auton on Einstein, but not all three in the high goal. It is too risky for just one lousy extra point. I am not going to risk 5 to get 1.

In any case, scoring is way harder this year than in any other shooting game year and the double balance will be a crucial decider in most matches. I see matches that are 20 - 10 with all the points coming from balance.

In any case, this makes Dr. Joe's hoarding scenario even more plausible in this game.

I don't know how I feel about the triple balance. Right now I am leaning towards that act being in the same place as the Lochness Monster: A few will claim they have seen it, but no one will be able to prove it.

I agree that scoring will be more difficult than is being presented here ... that being said, I only see that score (20-10) in early seeding matches. Scores will be higher as the regionals go on.

Also, any alliance thats put together specifically to triple balance (and can do it consistantly) will be my odds on favorite to win the regional.

[JesseK]

I think a triple balance is doable with 2 heavy robots and 1 light robot. The key is 2 heavy robots that weigh the same, with the lightweight robot being the one that actually does the balancing (automated via accelerometer). All 3 would have to be wide-drive bots though.

[JB987]

Originally Posted by JesseK

I think a triple balance is doable with 2 heavy robots and 1 light robot. The key is 2 heavy robots that weigh the same, with the lightweight robot being the one that actually does the balancing (automated via accelerometer). All 3 would have to be wide-drive bots though.

Or...some combination of mechs or omni drives or swerve that can climb the bridge "sideways" or pint sized bots? This assumes mechs and omnis can handle the smooth plastic surface of the bridge...

[Phyrxes]

I suspect a lot of people will be surprised when they try their wheels of choice on the plastic surface of the bridge. I know we were and are re-evaluating our wheel choice based on carpet and plastic interaction.

Also regarding triple balancing, one of my students put forward the idea the other day what if you as the middle robot "clamped" onto the bumper zone of a friendly robot to help support it so you could cantilever it off the edge of the ramp. I haven't looked to see if that is possible as we tabled the idea for later.