Most Dominant Robots By Year

[Navid Shafa]

Let's just continue filling in previous years and wait to figure out this year AFTER Championships...

[Anupam Goli]

Originally Posted by Navid Shafa

Let's just continue filling in previous years and wait to figure out this year AFTER Championships...

I like this idea. You need a setting where you see some of these teams compete against each other before you can find out who really is the most dominant, and in some games, it's extremely hard to see who the most dominant bots are. Perhaps we might even have to wait until after IRI for this.

[Yipyapper]

Originally Posted by Andrew Schreiber

And what clairvoyance told you that this was the most important metric? I seem to recall a thread wherein people are moaning that 50 point dumpers aren't worth it. So it seems that shooting from the floor is more important.

I added afterwards—and it should already be apparent—that 1114 does this very quickly in addition to shooting extremely fast cycles; I remember a match in their 1st regional where they scored at least 20 frisbees. The 50 is like a bonus of sorts, one that is really, really valuable when tagged along with their powerful offense.

[Racer26]

IMO: 1114 built their 2013 robot specifically targetting the #1 alliance first pick position.

I think they (properly) gambled that the number 1 seed will be an 'extra-disk (most likely 7disk) auto' bot, who will want 1114's solid 3disk auto+superfast 50pt climb+4-5cycles.

If they get divisioned with 2056 again, I won't be at all surprised to see a 2056/1114/<3disk auto + FCS or 3disk auto + good defence> #1 alliance in that division. You can easily substitute 2056 here for any of the top 7diskers.

I think 1114 knew that seeding #1 would take a floor pickup (because of how autopoints are the first tiebreaker), but also knew that having the fastest climb+dump around would be what it would take to be the 1st pick. Two robots on an alliance with 7disk autos doesnt help you if they use the same 7. A risky strategy to be sure, but so far its worked. They've got their 5th triple regional win season to show for it.

[Michael Leicht]

For 2003 I would have to say team 111 with there crab drive and ramp system led them to win it all.

[JesseK]

We can't think of 'dominance' with a unilateral worldly respect. Think about this Rock-Paper-Scissors metaphor: it may be the case that the only regionals Rock can attend are those with many Scissors and little to no Paper. All of these teams deserve recognition as Great, but we have to be careful when comparing performance records across regionals.

2013: Given that 1114's cycles are defense-prone (attempted defense, at least), and that they haven't faced many of the traditional defensive powerhouses, I'd reserve any 'dominance' calls for after champs. 2056's ground pickup is pretty incredible, and after seeing first-hand what an active efficient ground pickup adds to a powerful offensive alliance, I almost wonder if 1114 could dominate championships without such a partner. I don't doubt they'll win nearly all of their matches, but what about the one where they face a similar-caliber robot + 1 good defender?

In 2009, didn't 67 practically re-invent their ball shooter prior to champs?

[Chris Hibner]

Originally Posted by JesseK

In 2009, didn't 67 practically re-invent their ball shooter prior to champs?

No, they re-invented it prior to their first event. They were undefeated (never lost a single match) going into their third event. They only lost a few matches all season.

What made their robot amazing was two things:

1) their driver (Nick) was incredible. (I'll have to point him to this comment since we works with me and is currently sitting about 15 feet from my desk - he'll like that).

2) Their floor pickup was flawless. If their shooter missed a shot, their pickup would immediately ingest the ball and shoot it right into the goal. Basically every ball found the goal within 2-3 seconds of them catching a goal even if they missed a shot.

[EricLeifermann]

Originally Posted by JesseK

In 2009, didn't 67 practically re-invent their ball shooter prior to champs?

No, they did it just before their 1st district competition.

[Chris is me]

Originally Posted by Yipyapper

OP can pick up off the floor, but many, many teams will be able to do that.

Less than 24 teams in FIRST have pulled off a 7-disc autonomous. I think your definition of "many" may be a bit off. I have been to four regionals this year and I have seen 5 floor pickups, none of which pulled off more than one additional disc. The idea that there's a whole flurry of working seven discs is a little misleading. There's a lot more seven-disc autos than there are quick 50 point dumping human loaded shooters, and I think a lot of teams are trying to retrofit their robots to add one, but I don't think divisions are going to be chock full of them.

There's no way anyone can answer this question for this year yet. All we have is grainy video at different regionals, impressions from pre-ship videos, and OPR. Wait until the Championship.

I would say it is totally wrong for anyone but 469 to get the title in 2010, and it's totally wrong for anyone in 2011 to get the title since the year became so even. Even 2012 was very close at the high level.

[Adam Freeman]

Originally Posted by JesseK

In 2009, didn't 67 practically re-invent their ball shooter prior to champs?

No...the ball shooter was re-invented before our first competition. Went from single wide to a double wide shooter.

It was the same throughout all our competitions.

[Mr. Lim]

I will throw this one out there to all the Canadian FIRST historians...

The most dominant robot of 2004 was...

1241

No exaggeration. Rookie year. Best robot in the world in 2004.

[thefro526]

Originally Posted by JesseK

In 2009, didn't 67 practically re-invent their ball shooter prior to champs?

Originally Posted by Adam Freeman

No...the ball shooter was re-invented before our first competition. Went from single wide to a double wide shooter.

It was the same throughout all our competitions.

Maybe Jesse was thinking of 33 in 2009?

IIRC, they rebuilt the ball path portion of their robot into a Hot-Inspired Double Wide Shooter/Dumper/Shumper.

[Andrew Schreiber]

Originally Posted by Mr. Lim

I will throw this one out there to all the Canadian FIRST historians...

The most dominant robot of 2004 was...

1241

No exaggeration. Rookie year. Best robot in the world in 2004.

I remember seeing them that year. They were incredible. I also recall one of the coolest plays during which 67 stuffed a 2x multiplier ball down their robot's throat. Excellent use of game pieces.

[Gaurav27]

Thanks guys,

Yeah we had a great run that year! If anyone would like to watch our matches at the 2004 Championships, I believe team 121 Rhode Warriors' website has video archives of the division eliminations.

Originally Posted by Mr. Lim

I will throw this one out there to all the Canadian FIRST historians...

The most dominant robot of 2004 was...

1241

No exaggeration. Rookie year. Best robot in the world in 2004.

Originally Posted by Andrew Schreiber

I remember seeing them that year. They were incredible. I also recall one of the coolest plays during which 67 stuffed a 2x multiplier ball down their robot's throat. Excellent use of game pieces.

[Bennett548]

Originally Posted by Andrew Schreiber

I remember seeing them that year. They were incredible. I also recall one of the coolest plays during which 67 stuffed a 2x multiplier ball down their robot's throat. Excellent use of game pieces.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mq-IpjxkQ50

One of my all-time favorite moments in FRC. I loved 1241, and their incredibly inspirational bot, but seeing them get shut down was just as inspirational.