Week 1 Analysis

[notmattlythgoe]

Originally Posted by Wayne TenBrink

On the scoreboard, there is a number adjacent to the team number. What does it represent? Seems too high to be total assists.

Could it be current team rank?

[Nathan Rossi]

Originally Posted by Wayne TenBrink

On the scoreboard, there is a number adjacent to the team number. What does it represent? Seems too high to be total assists.

It's the team's current rank.

[BleakRNS]

Originally Posted by Nick Lawrence

Teams are also having difficulty with shooter accuracy. It's also incredibly frustrating when a team has 3 assists on the board at the end of the match, after trying to shoot into the 10pt goal 4 times rather than just finishing the cycle by dumping it into the 1pt goal.

Yep. Looking more and more like having a strong shooter–even one doing poorly in all other metrics–will be mandatory if you want any kind of success on your alliance for eliminations at a competitive regional.

[ToddF]

- The number of G40 penalties is insane. They should either relax that rule, or make a better barrier so it's clear where the human players can't reach. Just some simple tensabarriers would help.
- This year's high vs low goal scoring at the end of the game is like 2012s 1vs2vs3 robot bridge balance. Coaches MUST pay attention to the score at the end of the match to make better decisions about whether a guaranteed low goal or an iffy high goal is necessary to win the match. Bad coaching is costing teams matches.
- There is some great defense being played, and it's making the difference. There is also some poor defense being played. It's not illegal to hit a robot that's taking a shot. If someone is lining up to shoot, don't just sit there in front of them, push them around! Spin them so they are pointing away from the goal! Or, if they are trying to pick up a ball, get in their way.
- Counter defense also works. I've been impressed by the alliances which use the "middle zone" robot to keep defenders off of the goal scoring robot.
- 3 assist cycles rule. When it happens, it runs up the score very quickly. Three assisters, who work together to score 1 point goals quickly, crush the powerhouse truss shooting-high goal scoring bot acting alone. The GDC succeeded with their goal. If you put three of those powerhouse robots together, I expect to see match scores in the mid to high 300's.
- Last second truss launches win matches.
- The design of the high goals needs fixed. Scored balls are bouncing back out of the goals onto the field, with no points awarded. That's just not right.
- Web streaming technology sucks.
- An awesome unveiling video is not necessarily an indicator of onfield performance.

[Rick]

This year, the human player is very similar to 2010. Small mistakes from an HP yield big swings in the score.

The safety zone was created to reduce G21 penalties from poorly designed and/or controlled robots. Instead we now have the G40 which is an automatic technical.

G21 and G40 were created to keep HPs safe and lawyers happy, but it has the potential to ruin this game.

G40 should be changed so that it is only called if a robot has an apendage sticking out of the field barrier in the area of the HP.

[nuggetsyl]

We learned today people don't read the rules and have no clue how to score.

[BigJ]

Originally Posted by ToddF

- The design of the high goals needs fixed. Scored balls are bouncing back out of the goals onto the field, with no points awarded. That's just not right.

I didn't believe it til I saw one go completely through and come back out. Hopefully they modify those shelves with a sheet of lexan or something to avoid bouncing back off the bars.

[Ty Tremblay]

Originally Posted by BigJ

I didn't believe it til I saw one go completely through and come back out. Hopefully they modify those shelves with a sheet of lexan or something to avoid bouncing back off the bars.

I heard second hand that FIRST investigated that fix and it was deemed too expensive.

[BigJ]

Plywood? Corrugated plastic? Anything smooth

[notmattlythgoe]

Originally Posted by BigJ

Plywood? Corrugated plastic? Anything smooth

Doesn't even need to be smooth, just somewhat flat.

[The_ShamWOW88]

I'm seeing lots of "side-coaching" by Human Players with hands pointing and reaching which may be causing some of the G40....Hands in pockets will be implemented in our matches if you're human player. May make more sense to roll ball into our roller system than reaching and dropping ball into the robot.

Definitely agree that Auto is a killer this year if you miss shots. Seems like it's better to leave balls off the field if you can't reliably put the ball in the goal during Auton.

[Max Boord]

G40. Way too many matches are decided by penalties and with the average match score double that of a technical foul something needs to be done. G40 needs to be changed to a foul. If contact is made to a robot or ball touching a robot technical foul.

Just my $.02

[joelg236]

Teams either have no driver practice, don't read the rules, or have very inconsistent shooters.

I haven't seen a fluid match yet.

[nuggetsyl]

Learning also teams feel the need to pick balls up when pushing would work better in most cases.

[rcmolloy]

The fact that teams can't hold on to the ball. I was seeing this during reveal videos and even practice matches yesterday. Defense is going to be huge this year and you really have to make sure you hold on to the ball well. If not, it will launched out of your robot with one big hit.