Tank Drive VS Arcade Drive on a Skid-Steer Platform

[JoeyD]

So I am wondering what drive styles everyone was using this year with a skid-steer or fishtail drivetrain. I have generally found tank to be better for maneuverability while arcade provides long smooth arcs for long open fields.

What did you use and why?

Edit: I am thinking of all of this in the sense of this year's game, Recycle Rush.

[Electronica1]

Split arcade/Halo/ what ever 610 was calling it is by far the best drive set up I have seen for skid-steer and omni-directional platforms.

(joystick controls forward and backward, the other joystick controls turning)

The controls feel incredibly natural to use. Plus if your driver has played a FPS, then they have already been practicing it for a while without knowing it.

[GeeTwo]

We usually do tank drive if either all of the controls other than driving are "push button", or if we have a separate "shooter" driver. This year, we didn't get the "push button" controls on the lift worked out, so we did arcade for drive and another joystick/hand for the lift.

[AustinSchuh]

Originally Posted by JoeyD

So I am wondering what drive styles everyone was using this year with a skid-steer or fishtail drivetrain. I have generally found tank to be better for maneuverability while arcade provides long smooth arcs for long open fields.

What did you use and why?

Edit: I am thinking of all of this in the sense of this year's game, Recycle Rush.

Chezy drive, same as 254. It has worked well for 971 for the last 8 years, and 254 for longer. Our driver knows how to drive it, and it works well for precise motion and fast motion. Maneuverability is all about the gains on your input devices, the tuning, and practice.

Every time I see someone try to drive a fast robot well with tank drive, I can tell from their driving style. A little part of me always dies...

[Thad House]

We used cheesy drive in 2012-2014, and absolutely loved it. Hopefully we go back to normal drive trains next year, so we can use it again. I miss our 6wd WCD

You definitely have to spend time messing with the gains though. It makes a large difference for sure.

[JoeyD]

To those who do not use either Tank or Arcade, would you please share what you do use?

[carpedav000]

Originally Posted by Thad House

I miss our 6wd WCD

And I miss our 2-speed 8wd from last year (even though it was tank drive and you had to go low gear to turn)

To answer Joey's question. I dont know what drive style we used for this years mecanum, but its weird (I dont think its tank or arcade)

[Electronica1]

Originally Posted by JoeyD

To those who do not use either Tank or Arcade, would you please share what you do use?

At least for me, I was saying that split arcade/halo was different than standard arcade.

[Ether]

Originally Posted by carpedav000

I dont know what drive style we used for this years mecanum, but its weird (I dont think its tank or arcade)

I would hope it's not simply tank or arcade. That would kinda defeat the purpose of mecanum.

There do however exist driver interfaces which use a supplemented tank or arcade with mecanum.

For example, you could use the (normally unused) tank joystick X axes for strafe.

Or you could use a second joystick with arcade for strafing.

Or you could use Joystick1 for fwd/rev and strafe right/left, and Joystick2 for turning.

[carpedav000]

Originally Posted by Ether

Or you could use Joystick1 for fwd/rev and strafe right/left, and Joystick2 for turning.

I think thats it.

[BrennanB]

Originally Posted by JoeyD

So I am wondering what drive styles everyone was using this year with a skid-steer or fishtail drivetrain. I have generally found tank to be better for maneuverability while arcade provides long smooth arcs for long open fields.

What did you use and why?

Edit: I am thinking of all of this in the sense of this year's game, Recycle Rush.

I personally am addicted to tank drive. I love the way it gives you control of the robot, and as a result 4476 has been able to do some cool things on the field. I've played with arcade and split arcade plenty, but personally love the absolute control you have with tank. Never used cheesy drive, max speed of a robot that I have driven in 14 ft/s

I have always been an advocate of whatever the driver wants. I have seen plenty of drivers rip it out on the field. Ultimately, use whatever makes your driver the best.

[wireties]

Exactly what is "Cheezy drive"? I know all about WCD - am wondering about the control scheme. What makes it different from tank or the various arcade variants?

TIA

[Rachel Lim]

Originally Posted by wireties

Exactly what is "Cheezy drive"? I know all about WCD - am wondering about the control scheme. What makes it different from tank or the various arcade variants?

TIA

Cheesy drive / split arcade drive / halo drive / Kaj drive / FPS drive uses one joystick to control forward/backward motion and the other for rotation.

(I believe tank arcade has one joystick for all directions (push sideways to turn) and arcade tank uses one joystick for each side (e.g. left joystick controls left set of wheels))

Edit: fixed mixed up definitions; thanks Ether.

[carpedav000]

Originally Posted by Rachel Lim

Cheesy drive / split arcade drive / halo drive / Kaj drive / FPS drive uses one joystick to control forward/backward motion and the other for rotation.

(I believe tank has one joystick for all directions (push sideways to turn) and arcade uses one joystick for each side (e.g. left joystick controls left set of wheels))

In that case... I love chezy drive! We used it for FTC this year (on our skid-steer robot) and it was phenominal!

[Ether]

Originally Posted by Rachel Lim

(I believe tank has one joystick for all directions (push sideways to turn) and arcade uses one joystick for each side (e.g. left joystick controls left set of wheels))

It's the other way around.