Cycle Time

[pandamonium]

What will the fastest cycle receiving full (Assist, Truss, and Catch) points be?

[z_beeblebrox]

That's an interesting question. Once we get a couple of robots running, I'd like to time various configurations of cycles to get some empirical data.

It is likely possible that you'll get more total points with a faster but lower scoring cycle.

[Bryce2471]

Are you asking about the fastest average cycle time far any alliance? Or are you asking what the fastest full cycle in the entire season will be?

I think the fastest full cycle we will see is going to be 10-15 sec,

[Jibri Wright]

The fastest time: 30secs at best. Probably more. An opposing alliance is smart enough to not let this happen without a fight.

[Wayne TenBrink]

Originally Posted by Jibri Wright

The fastest time: 30secs at best. Probably more. An opposing alliance is smart enough to not let this happen without a fight.

An alliance that puts too much focus on defense is not scoring, at least not with a high assist count. With two of the right robots and a fairly simple third bot, a 60 point cycle is possible in 20-30 seconds. If you can achieve a couple of these cycles, any attempt by the defense to slow you down will prevent them from ever catching up.

[Jibri Wright]

Originally Posted by Wayne TenBrink

An alliance that puts too much focus on defense is not scoring, at least not with a high assist count. With two of the right robots and a fairly simple third bot, a 60 point cycle is possible in 20-30 seconds. If you can achieve a couple of these cycles, any attempt by the defense to slow you down will prevent them from ever catching up.

You may be right, but when you see you're opponent go for a 60 point cycle, you're gonna send one of your teammates that don't have the ball to to slow it down regardless of score. It's just instinct.

[Pjohn1959]

There will be matches where alliances will be able to complete a 60 point cycle (that's inbound and score) in less than 10 seconds.

Defense can be played, but there will be teams that will be ready for it.

[Chris_Elston]

IMHO...

The fastest cycle time will be TWO ROBOTS and ONE defense robot.
10 seconds.

Robot #1 will be parked near the human player right against the side wall.
Robot #2 will be parked along the same side wall near the goal on the other side of the truss.
Robot #3 will be the "defender" that will "check" all other alliance robots.

Human player will give ball to robot #1, more than likely a full court catapult. Robot #2 is a catch robot with a toss into the goal.
2-3 seconds human player load
2-3 seconds robot #1 truss to robot #2 catch
2-3 seconds robot #2 in the goal.

Alignment along the walls will aid in catching and depth perception efficiency. Never dropping the ball will be key to fast cycle times. Dropping the ball and chasing it down will be bad in this game.

This game is about efficiency and cycle times for sure. Who can cycle the fastest with the best partner robot.

10 second cycle never dropping the ball.
2:20 = 14 cycles possible
above points:
20 goal
10 truss
10 catch
40 point cycle times 14 = 560 possible, undefended.

(if you did full assists and truss and catch)
30 second cycle never dropping the ball.
2:20 = 4 cycles possible
60 point cycle times 4 = 240 possible, undefended.

maybe you are better than that..
(if you did full assists and truss and catch)
20 second cycle never dropping the ball.
2:20 = 7 cycles possible
60 point cycle times 4 = 420 possible, undefended.

[magnets]

The elimination rounds are going to have vastly different scores than qualification. When the good teams have a cycle set up, there's no stopping them...

I'm not fully understanding strategy for this game ?? If you are standing still dosn't this make you and easy target for some level of disrupive contact. It would be difficult to accurately long range pass the ball with another bot slamming into you. Or for that matter sit in one spot and lob balls into the high goal. No safe, shooter or loading zones, right? Weaker performing alliances can even things up fairly well with a "Man to Man" style of play. How do you re-open your collector (need be) when another bot has you "covered. In most team sports I have witnessed, the ball is being passed and shot while everyone is moving. Theoretical cycle times might not prove out, no " indefensible, stationary, machine gun" style full court shooters this year.

[Ginger Power]

Originally Posted by DMike

I'm not fully understanding strategy for this game ?? If you are standing still dosn't this make you and easy target for some level of disrupive contact. It would be difficult to accurately long range pass the ball with another bot slamming into you. Or for that matter sit in one spot and lob balls into the high goal.

This is the trick. There are ways of avoiding defense that you may not be thinking about. If you figure out the ways to effectively evade defense then you will see why this strategy could be viable.

[pandamonium]

If you are flush against a wall or a wall and a goal good luck getting moved.

[Chris_Elston]

Originally Posted by pandamonium

If you are flush against a wall or a wall and a goal good luck getting moved.

Exactly. Other than "height" or a blocker.

[Calvin Hartley]

Originally Posted by Jibri Wright

You may be right, but when you see you're opponent go for a 60 point cycle, you're gonna send one of your teammates that don't have the ball to to slow it down regardless of score. It's just instinct.

I have a feeling that not everyone is going to follow instinct and play defense on a high scoring cycle. For example, if you are scoring more/fast than your opponents with your three robots, why send one of them to play defense? I hope teams will know enough to follow a working strategy and not change that based on instinct. If their strategy is NOT working, then defense may be what makes it work. Though I wouldn't consider that instinct.

I would be hesitant to make a blanket statement such as yours, though I do see your point being viable in some cases.

[Ty Tremblay]

A few weeks ago, I made a little tool to calculate estimated score based on which cycle you do. It's not 100% accurate and makes some pretty big assumptions. Feel free to make a copy of it and edit as you wish.

One of the biggest assumptions is that a 50% shooting percentage only gets you 50% the points for that goal per cycle. I'd like to change it so that 50% of your cycles are longer by the X additional seconds it takes to reacquire the ball.

Google Spreadsheet

Variables are blue, constants are grey, and calculated output is green. Cycle time is used to determine the max number of cycles you can get if you only use that type of cycle. Points are then calculated based on how many cycles you can do. If you want to change a formula, please make a copy of the spreadsheet first (aka, don't change the formulas in this spreadsheet).