Terrifying Karthik

[Monochron]

Originally Posted by Abc123454321

My theory is that teams are trying to be as much self sufficient as possible. By being able to go under the low bar, you have a guaranteed scoring method and don't have to rely on others.

This was a factor in our decision making.

[Ginger Power]

Originally Posted by Taylor

I'm so meta, even this acronym.

I can't tell if this is a deeply profound thought... or if it's crazy...

[IKE]

My initial thought was quite similar to Schreiber's, and the difficulty associated with building a short robot to play this game.

I do not know him well, but it seems like he strives for Excellence, and tries to inspire others to use passion to foster excellence.

He previous linked to a professor of his that had an incredibly inspirational (though also potentially slightly depressing) talk about why most of us will fail to have a great career due to not chasing passions and striving to be great at something.

Karthik has also given many talks about being great at a couple things being better than ok or so-so at a lot of things. Being great at the LOW Bar, and just the LOW BAR is a pretty low bar indeed. Most will need to be proficient with at least one more thing, and being able to do the low bar makes most other tasks significantly more difficult. This ultimately pushes teams into the compromised position of just being OK, or worse, bad at so many other tasks, but having invested enough effort at those tasks that they will flounder going after them. Floundering at several things squashes enthusiasm of which Karthik believes is very important to success.

This was an awful loft of assumptions and memory, so I reviewed his TEDx over lunch.

Assumptions verified during this talk:
Importance of passion-check
Better to be awesome at something than mediocre at a broad field (accounting...)- check


Now, I recommend paying close attention to the end of this talk as he quotes Micheal Jordan.

“Limits, like fear, is often an illusion”

Karthik could be creating an illusion that he is terrified just to make sure that everyone checks their assumptions to remember the reasons for going after the LOW BAR. I believe the young-ones consider this a form of benevolent "Trolling". Car Nack has a tendency to do this with some of his predictions.

************************************************** **

My belief is he truly is terrified of a field of Mediocrity.

[PayneTrain]

Originally Posted by marshall

Isn't that what started this? We're going to get Karthik meta-terrified... metafied?

This thread is just one to two degrees of separation from a potential fanboy speculation thread of the life and times of Karthik Kanagasabapathy.

[GMeyer]

I think Karthik is concerned about how the matches will be. Although I've seen exceptions, the majority of robots that will be capable of going under the low bar will probably be incapable of doing much else, as Joe G. has convincingly argued elsewhere.

Therefore, I think Karthik is worried that if the poll is true, the matches will be boring, as most of the robots on the field will be ineffective limbo bots, while the experienced teams will run away with the matches and drive up the scores.

If this is indeed what concerns Karthik, then I think he can relax. The poll is likely accurate as to the amount of teams that plan to build low bar robots. However, that does not that they actually will. I think the task may just prove too difficult, and many teams will decide to scrap their low bar plans before the end of build season. The rest will either make effective limbo bots or get weeded out in the course of the season.

[Doug G]

By building a low robot, teams may find themselves limiting other possible functions the robot could do in this game. Our team is going for a low robot and still trying to do everything else, and it is by far the hardest build we've ever done. If only we still had the old perimeter rules (28x38 from 2012).

[GMeyer]

There's another possible reason I can think of: Karthik may be terrified because he thinks everyone else will be able to go under the low bar. But he has not planned for this, so he's concerned he'll be at a disadvantage. A bit like how people get concerned about whether they are underdressed or overdressed before a party.

Although my previous answer is more plausible, I think this one is a possibility as well.

[cait.schroeder]

We have a few (more than a few i lied) possibilities here.
1. Karthik is scared of all the idiots that are going to make their robots 15-16 inches and are not going to be able to make it under.
2. He is scared that people making their robot able to go under the low bar are not going to be able to scale or shoot and are going to make the game boring (not a fun choice but a possibility.
3. People are going to have problems fitting everything and attaching bumpers.
4. There are going to be a lot of robots nipping at peoples heels.
5. The game will be boring due to lack of fighting/ defending robots and none getting flipped on their sides and such.
6.The results are terrifying because a lot of teams are overestimating themselves and are going to have a lacking robot and be a disadvantage to other teams.
7. Karthik is joking and freaking us all out.
8. Karthik doubts the abilities of short robots.
9. Karthik knows something we don't.
10. He meant to type terrific (I know he didn't whatever).
11. Karthik is going crazy.
12. Karthik is scared for the 10% that will not go under as they may be less likely candidates for alliances in the late game.
13. Karthik knows there is no reasons for like all the robots to be able to go under the low bar as other teams can do that and it will result in a lack of good shooters.

PS. I know Im crazy but I might add more as I think.

[cj3958]

Originally Posted by cait.schroeder

12. Karthik is scared for the 10% that will not go under as they may be less likely candidates for alliances in the late game.

I like this one. Karthik is terrified because there wont be ENOUGH limbo bots.

[Citrus Dad]

Karthik finds it terrifying that such a high proportion of the teams finally recognized an important fundamental function for a game.

[nuggetsyl]

I agree with Karthik the poll results are scary. Joe J and myself answered a question on camera asked by Andy Baker. I truly thought the low bar was going to be under utilized and my advise was to not under estimated needing a robot for the low bar. IMO this would be a perfect task for teams trying to master just a one task. I have seen several designs so far that have teams shooting and lifting and I just do not see these teams being competitive. Just go back to 2012 and watch how many teams could not make a shot in the hoop and there was a safe zone to shoot from and they were shooting from a higher point making it hard to block. Defense is being over looked in shooting which is going to leave a lot of points on the table. Time will tell who is right and who is not.

[SM987]

He meant to say "The results of this pole are terrifying."

[PayneTrain]

Originally Posted by SM987

He meant to say "The results of this pole are terrifying."

#teamtether

[BethMo]

Originally Posted by SM987

He meant to say "The results of this pole are terrifying."

WINNER!

(At least, it made me laugh the hardest.)

[Peyton Yeung]

Originally Posted by SM987

He meant to say "The results of this pole are terrifying."

Your robot just gave birth...congratulations.