WEEK 1

[pfreivald]

Originally Posted by ttldomination

(1) Strategy is so big. It's so big it's not even funny.

(4) Scoring from the fender.

In eliminations, we're finally seeing fender-scoring robots being defended against, and it matters quite a bit. I've been perplexed about the lack of defense on fenderbots for two days.

[Littleboy]

Originally Posted by pfreivald

In eliminations, we're finally seeing fender-scoring robots being defended against, and it matters quite a bit. I've been perplexed about the lack of defense on fenderbots for two days.

Exaclty how are they being defending? Preventing? Pushing?

[PayneTrain]

What's happening is that one team gets a nice 15 point lead, then a robot will break off from scoring to disrupt the other team the entire match.

I've been watching match results come in. There's around a 40-50% chance that if your alliance can double balance, you can win a match. Endgame matters just as much in 2012 quals as 2011 quals. However, if you can't pick up any points in hybrid or non-endgame teleop in the elims, start packing up.

[davidthefat]

Originally Posted by PayneTrain

What's happening is that one team gets a nice 15 point lead, then a robot will break off from scoring to disrupt the other team the entire match.

I've been watching match results come in. There's around a 40-50% chance that if your alliance can double balance, you can win a match. Endgame matters just as much in 2012 quals as 2011 quals. However, if you can't pick up any points in hybrid or non-endgame teleop in the elims, start packing up.

Our bot is not capable of scoring at all... Or even effectively feed

[pfreivald]

Originally Posted by Littleboy

Exaclty how are they being defending? Preventing? Pushing?

Park against the fender, push sideways if necessary.

Originally Posted by pfreivald

Park against the fender, push sideways if necessary.

So what are the ways around this for fenderbots?

[PayneTrain]

Find a way to stay still.

In 2006, our team built a system that dropped incredulously high friction pads all around the robot so we couldn't be touched when we scored. If we were to have kept that subsystem on this year, that would have been something that could help.

[pfreivald]

Originally Posted by SuperNerd256

So what are the ways around this for fenderbots?

As far as I can tell, unless you've anticipated it and built a robot to deal with it (a high-traction drive train and a sideways scoring mechanism, for example... or being able to score from both the front and the side of the fender), you're going to have a hard time dealing with a defensive robot that can prevent you from getting to your scoring position.

I'm sure people more clever/insightful than I am can come up with other solutions, too.

Originally Posted by pfreivald

As far as I can tell, unless you've anticipated it and built a robot to deal with it (a high-traction drive train and a sideways scoring mechanism, for example... or being able to score from both the front and the side of the fender), you're going to have a hard time dealing with a defensive robot that can prevent you from getting to your scoring position.

I'm sure people more clever/insightful than I am can come up with other solutions, too.

What about scoring.....from the side? (into the middle hoops?)

[pfreivald]

Originally Posted by SuperNerd256

What about scoring.....from the side? (into the middle hoops?)

Yup. That works, too -- though you're limited to one side because of your opponent's alley. (I'd be shocked if there aren't other strategies/builds that enable fenderbots to circumvent or mitigate defense.)

Originally Posted by pfreivald

Yup. That works, too -- though you're limited to one side because of your opponent's alley. (I'd be shocked if there aren't other strategies/builds that enable fenderbots to circumvent or mitigate defense.)

All I know is front or side, 256 is just rocking those middle hoops like they're nobody's business.

[pfreivald]

Originally Posted by SuperNerd256

All I know is front or side, 256 is just rocking those middle hoops like they're nobody's business.

I would expect no less! 256 is a powerhouse for a reason.

Originally Posted by pfreivald

I would expect no less! 256 is a powerhouse for a reason.

.......Do you mean 254? I'm going to be honest with you. I would never call 256 a powerhouse now. maybe in a year or two (or by week 5, depending how we do). We're a great team, but not a powerhouse yet. We strive to be one, and have been taking the 973 approach to things, since they are a successful team we greatly admire, and one of the best teams in my personal opinion, and pushing ourselves this year to do our best. Maybe we'll be successful. Maybe not. But until then, we are team 256. Just team 256.

Thank you very much for the compliment, but we're not a powerhouse yet. But, keep an eye out for us at the Silicon Valley and Central Valley, and you can see what we've come up with this year.

[Deetman]

While I was not coaching or driving (those days are long gone...) it appears to be important for balancing that one robot does the majority of the work. The most effective balancing seemed to come from one robot tipping the bridge, driving up but keeping it tilted, and the second robot pushing the first up the bridge and knowing the sweet spot for stopping. It also helps a bunch if a robot won't slip down a tilted bridge with no power applied to the wheels.

[Mastonevich]

1. Hybrid mode really can make a difference. There is the potential to score 36 points. That amount of points can win several matches.

2. To get a high seed, a team must have many matches where they balance with the opposite alliance on the coopertition bridge. This can not be stressed enough.

3. Balancing on bridges wins matches.

4. To win most regionals you will have to be proficient at scoring in the 3 point hoop. This can be done from the key portion with great accuracy.