2014 Inland Empire Regional

[DampRobot]

Any idea when we can expect videos on TBA?

[markmcgary]

Originally Posted by DampRobot

Any idea when we can expect videos on TBA?

I'm uploading to this playlist. These will be posted to TBA also.

Q15 was a pretty good example of 30 point assists.

[Grim Tuesday]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but in QF-1 Replay, 1678's alliance held up a DEAD BALL card and the head ref simply refused to recognize it? How is that allowed?

[Nuttyman54]

Originally Posted by Grim Tuesday

Correct me if I'm wrong, but in QF-1 Replay, 1678's alliance held up a DEAD BALL card and the head ref simply refused to recognize it? How is that allowed?

It was absurd. The match announcer even called the dead ball card out, and it was a good 40 seconds before they were allowed to take the ball. They didn't even have enough time left in the match to put the ball into play once they finally got it.

The dead ball card is not "please check our robot, and if you can't bring us back give us a new ball". The dead ball card is "Something is wrong with our robot, please give us a new ball NOW". The rules are clear as to what happens if the ball comes back out later, that should not be a consideration when deciding to honor a dead ball card.

Unfortunately...the dead ball card delay does not seem to be an uncommon occurrence.

[Grim Tuesday]

Why can't they make a "dead ball button" that wires directly into the field, and simply automatically lights up the pedestal, and notifies the head ref with some sort of match sound. The dead ball condition is not one that requires referee judgement, I don't get why the head ref even thought he should inspect the robot first.

[Caleb Sykes]

Why is the head ref inspecting a robot after the ball is called "dead" by the alliance anyway. If the robot is functional, and the alliance calls the ball in its possession "dead", said alliance is hurting itself, since any assist points on that ball will be nullified. There is no strategic advantage an alliance can get by pretending to have a dead robot/dead ball. Also, where in the rules does it say that it is at the refs discretion if a ball is truly dead or not after an alliance holds up the card? Refs do not have this responsibility, and they shouldn't.

[EricH]

I'm going to lay this out as clearly as I can. I was reffing at that event, so I was there on the field. (BTW, I can tell some of ya didn't see the head ref at IE clearly. Just sayin'.)

When a dead-ball card showed up, the first ref to spot it would get on the radio and call it in. (We all had headsets.) The head ref would then check that the card WAS showing and press her input panel.

The problem was, somewhere in the system, the signal was lost. She could have pressed the button 2, 3, 4, 5, 10 times--and the pedestal would NEVER have lit, if it didn't light after the first time. She was NOT happy about THAT! (The odds of the pedestal lighting the first time were about 50-50, as I recall, maybe lower.)

The result of the non-lighting pedestal was a scramble for either the FTA or, more often, the Head Ref down to the end of the field to TELL the alliance that they could remove the ball from the pedestal--which some HPs were pretty slow to figure out that when the Head Ref says to do something, just DO IT! (Hint to all HPs reading this: If the Head Ref says something, it means that you almost certainly WON'T be penalized for doing what the Head Ref says.) Once the alliance is told, then there's whatever delay the HP puts in by being slow.



Oh, and I can tell you why they don't give the alliances a dead-ball button. In addition to the normal interface issues with any new sensor (at 2/field, plus a spare/field), you'd have to rig something in code or hardware so that it could only be hit--and register--once, but still be reset for the next match.

[safiq10]

Does anyone remember the lyrics to "do you wanna build a robot?" that the janksters sang?

[teachsail]

Great regional, I am glad I got a chance to see the action in person on Saturday. It was extremely crowded, but most everyone was good natured about it.

Lots of great teams were there. Congrats to the awards winners and 4139, 294 and 599 the finalists. They did a great job. The winners 399, 4161, and 1678 should and I am sure are proud of their achievement. Everyone going up against 1678 should watch out, they are wickedly fast, great shots and the bot is well driven.

Good job to volunteers establishing this regional in its second year!

[rsisk]

We are already looking for solutions to the crowding problem. Originally the pits were going to be in the cafeteria, but that ended up not working out at the last minute. Good thing considering we got hit with monsoons on Friday and Saturday.

[DampRobot]

Anyone got any elims videos?

[Michael Corsetto]

Finals Match 1 and 2 are on our Match Archive Channel. We will have the rest up within the week.

Match 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZLsOE2nufoU
Match 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dhY_p3qhSkY

[DampRobot]

Originally Posted by Michael Corsetto

Finals Match 1 and 2 are on our Match Archive Channel. We will have the rest up within the week.

Match 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZLsOE2nufoU
Match 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dhY_p3qhSkY

Those F2 catches were the bomb diggity... Great a job 1678 and 399, you guys really really tore it up out there.

I can't wait to play with you guys at Davis! After seeing your huge iterations last year, I can't wait to see what awesome features you come up with for SAC, SVR and CMP.

[Citrus Dad]

Originally Posted by DampRobot

Those F2 catches were the bomb diggity... Great a job 1678 and 399, you guys really really tore it up out there.

I can't wait to play with you guys at Davis! After seeing your huge iterations last year, I can't wait to see what awesome features you come up with for SAC, SVR and CMP.

4161 was key to making us swing those high scores. They were so smooth getting each cycle going and then shutting down the other teams. They would have been the no. 1 bot on several of the other alliances. We were so happy to get them. We had the highest 6 scores in the elimination rounds.

[hionwind]

On behalf of team 1678, I would like to thank the organizers of the Inland Empire regional for putting on a great event. The atmosphere in the arena was intense and exciting but this was balanced by an overall relaxed attitude in the inspection process, practice field, queueing and pit management. I really felt that everyone was there to support the teams and help them achieve their best.

Congratulations to team 399 for achieving the trifecta of Chairman's, Woody Flowers, and the regional win. You guys, along with 4161 were awesome alliance partners and allowed us to rock those 60-point cycles.

Kudos to 294, 599 and 4139 for making it to the finals with some great strategic game play and some tough matches against our friends from Nor Cal, 701 and their alliance partners 1828 and 2839.

Also, congratulations to team 4499 for winning the Engineering Inspiration award and to team 5012 for being the highest rookie seed and winning the rookie all star award.

Looking forward to seeing some of you at Davis and SVR.