tipped bins

[jrgrim12]

I don't think that a negative number is possible. They way I read the rules you get one point for every bin in your zone except the ones in the stack. You don't add the all up and then subtract you find the tallest stack measure it, those are worth zero and then count the remander totes and then multiply.

I have a new question though. If you had a stack and at the end it was knocked over (before time ran out) and some of them landed on each other so they were a jumbled mess but you had a stack height of 2 (say one landed on top of three) then how is that be scored. If they are all touching each other then do they all count as a stack or do only some and how many do you count.

[Johca_Gaorl]

Originally posted by seanwitte
Your score is ((# Bins in Zone) - Max SHU) * (Max SHU)

It CAN be negative. Say you score 5 bins and manage to stack 3 of them to equal 6 SHU:

Bins = 5
Max SHU = 6

Score = (5 - 6) * 6 = -6

I have a question, isn't this an over-complication of the way the scoring was explained during kickoff?

If you had 5, and stacked 3 to a height of six, you would have 2 scoring bins.

so your score is 6 * 2 = 12

Or am I just confused?

Seems to me they made this harder than they had to, if there are 4 bins in a stack, the stack should be 4 high, who cares if one is crooked.

[Gadget470]

Flaw.

Your score is ((# Bins in Zone) - Max SHU) * (Max SHU)
It CAN be negative. Say you score 5 bins and manage to stack 3 of them to equal 6 SHU:

Bins = 5
Max SHU = 6

Score = (5 - 6) * 6 = -6

You can't have 5 bins in your zone and have 6 be the SHU. You are labeling bins in zone as everything, but then counting bins only the floor'd/small stacks.

With your math above (Zone - SHU) * SHU

Bins = 11
SHU = 6

(11-6 )*6 or 5 * 6 = 30

[seanwitte]

I think the scoring is done this way to remove ambiguity. There is no need for interpretation. Say theres a big mound of bins. Which ones are in the stack? Scoring is simplified because they just count all of the scorable bins and measure the max height with that big pole. The score is just (bins - height) * height. Otherwise it would be impossible to judge and scores these matches without issues.

Addendum:

The dimensions of a bin are nominally 24.25" x 17.25" x 15.75".
One Stack Height Unit is 15.25". So, yeah, you're right. You cannot have a 6 SHU stack with 3 bins. BUT, with 4 bins you can stretch is out to a max height of 6 SHU. 4 Bins on their side would be about 96". Thats over 6 SHU, and allows a little overlap. Leave one on the floor you have:

1 carefully arranged stack of 4 bins, height = 6 SHU
1 bin on the floor
----------------------------
5 Scorable bins
Max Height = 6 SHU
Score = (5 - 6) * 6 = -6

The more probable scenario is the worst case of 0. Two bins, one its side would be (2-2)*2 = 0. The basic negative score would be 2 bins, one on its side on top of the other. Bins = 2, height = 3, score = (2-3)*3 = -3. If you take all of your bins and stack them up you get zero. If the top is flipped you go negative. If you can get a negative score you should get some sort of award...

[Johca_Gaorl]

Originally posted by seanwitte
The score is just (bins - height) * height. Otherwise it would be impossible to judge and scores these matches without issues.

You seem to contradict yourself, cause scorable bins * height is different from (total bins - height) * height

Example, 2 bins stacked for a SHU of 3, 10 other bins in the scoring zone

scorable bins * height = 10 * 3 = 30
(total bins - height) * height = (12 - 3) * 3 = 9 * 3 = 27

The first way I believe is the right way, as it is simpler IMO.

[Doug]

Im starting a petition to completely get rid of the whole bin thing from this game it is too complex and vague and think of all the animals that might die from being hit with the only legal projectile!?!?! those things hurt. Dont you care about the animals? yeah I definately think that in the spirit of first, co operatition, and gracious professionalism i think that we should just give our robots hands so they can join them and sing together at the top of the ramp. now I cant wait for the poll, shall the robots sing kumbaya or we are the world.

[cbudrecki]

Originally posted by seanwitte

Your score is ((# Bins in Zone) - Max SHU) * (Max SHU)

It CAN be negative. Say you score 5 bins and manage to stack 3 of them to equal 6 SHU:

Bins = 5
Max SHU = 6

Score = (5 - 6) * 6 = -6

This is not feasible!!!!! How could you ever stack 3 bins to 6 SHU's?!?!?!?!?! Bins stacked end to end can't stay up!!!!

[Mike Schroeder]

the way i look at it is that

4 bins w/ on off center = the height of 5 bins


but the tallest stack is 5 bins which would make

Total # of Bins = 9 (one 5-stack and one-4stack)
Stack Height Units (SHU) = 5
Base Score = Total # Bins - SHU = 9-5 = 4
Total Score = Base Score * SHU = 5*4 = 20

correct

[Johca_Gaorl]

I still have not seen this answered:

Base Score = Total # Bins - SHU

Where is this equation coming from? I have obviously totally missed this part of the manual

[laurence]

Dave Lavery explained this method of scoring to those of us who stuck around after the NASA broadcast.
He said it was vague in the rules, and will be clarified in an Update. Hopefully all will be made clear later today.

And as interesting or annoying as all this may be, it really doesn't affect overall strategy too much. This will only give you problems when you have a small number of total bins.

[dlavery]

See Team Update #1. This question is answered in the clarified version of Rule SC8.

-dave