If YOU were the GDC...

[wazateer1]

One thing I am really curious about is whether the GDC intended the boulders to be able to get stuck in so many ways. Obviously they get stuck on/under/in robots, but they can interfere with crosses in so many ways that the game would be different if they were bigger to avoid just that.

Low Bar: Even before the change, boulders still could have gotten stuck here, but with the new fabric you almost always risk a G38 if you are carrying another ball.

Cheval De Frise: The balls seem to be the perfect diameter and compress-ability for getting stuck under this

Rock Wall: Woe to those who try to cross the rock wall if a sneaky boulder is hiding on the flat of the defense, but behind the wall. Only a little bit will peek over, but the colors are so similar that a driver in a high intensity situation will probably not notice. A robot not trying to Dukes-of-Stronghold the defense will inevitably get stuck.

Moat: The moat is a little bit better then the rock wall, because you can see the boulder, but that doesn't mean the defense isn't much harder then it was without the boulder. (Making the boulder bigger wouldn't help here, but it is just another instance of the boulders interfering)

Drawbridge / Sally Port: Not seeing the boulder, not seeing your robot, getting stuck, and not knowing anything is wrong while you continue to try to open these defenses (from behind, of course, the most popular way) takes a lot of time. Especially when you already think it is going to take a lot of time and don't question whether you are stuck until you fail to open the door multiple times. The hard part is the boulders don't make much of a difference in your robots tippyness, they just keep the wheels off the ground.

It seems like if the boulders were bigger, or the rules were changed so you could "hold" one ball and "herd" another, a lot of these issues would have been avoided.

Also, I would have removed the brattice. I don't know about anyone elses experience, but I haven't seen it used once.

[Breakaway3937]

I think a unique challenge to the design phase early in the season would have been to allow robots to manipulate and hold up to three boulders. Then, you would have had a lot less low bars capable robots and a lot more variation in design and height. Of course, you would have to add more boulders to the game in order to counteract the choke hold strategy that would exist. Number of boulders to take down the tower would need to go up as well.

[aldaeron]

I feel like there was not enough of an incentive to be a tall bot or to do all 5 defenses. Not exactly sure how to fix that.

General suggestion for most games: Change how elims work compared with quals. Make the match 30-60 seconds longer and up the difficulty of the game (i.e. up starting tower strength to 12, but give 45 more seconds). Maybe it inches up as you go into semis and then into finals. The alliances in elims are a different than quals since they were chosen to be cohesive teams. Throw them a little more of a curve ball.

Specific to Stronghold

I would add a 10 point bonus for damaging all 5 defenses in quals and up it to 20 in elims (keep the 1 RP and 20 point bonuses as is). This gives an incentive to do the Category C defenses in elims while you are scrambling to get around the defender to get balls in to weaken the tower. It also may make you choose between getting all 5 defenses and playing active defense in your courtyard. Being a taller bot helps with the Category C defenses so maybe this helps that angle.


I would also allow two balls to be carried instead of one with the starting tower strength doubled to 16. Robots could start with 2 balls. This would allow for some correction if you shoot one ball and miss. It seemed like a lot of robots spent a lot of time lining up only to miss then go chase the ball. This might require changing point values a little so that breaching points and shooting points are more in line (I liked seeing these two activities worth similar points). I think there should also be a way for defenders to "clear" balls from their court yard. Perhaps allow a defender to control as many balls as they want (i.e. push all missed shots into their own secret passage or carry 4 balls or something)


Color the dividers on the batter so they are easier to see. Maybe tape on the outer edges or something. Lots of unnecessary collisions with those clear shields.

Make the tall defenses clear wherever possible (especially the drawbridge)

No more camera poles

Allow driver station to be clamped down (C clamp should be built into driver station IMO).

Overall a very good game.

Big tangent (maybe should be separate thread): If FIRST worked out a Stronghold like game with a set of obstacles and a game piece shot into a goal and changed the details of the defenses and the game pieces and goals every year, could FIRST become more of a traditional spectator sport?

-matto-

[Hitchhiker 42]

Originally Posted by wazateer1

Also, I would have removed the brattice. I don't know about anyone elses experience, but I haven't seen it used once.

195 at the Hartford District event used it. I'm not sure why, but it was really interesting seeing them pick up from something not many have done. Maybe for proof of concept?

[axiomofdarkness]

Originally Posted by wazateer1

Also, I would have removed the brattice. I don't know about anyone elses experience, but I haven't seen it used once.

I know there's at least one team in MAR who feeds exclusively from the brattice, though I forget which team it is.

[Joe Johnson]

Originally Posted by axiomofdarkness

I know there's at least one team in MAR who feeds exclusively from the brattice, though I forget which team it is.

Honestly, I had forgotten what the heck the brattice even was and had to look it up in the manual to refresh my memory.

Man, I AM getting old...

Dr. Joe J.

[thatprogrammer]

I would've removed audience selection. Also I'll echo the thoughts that the Sally and the Drawbridge should've been transparent. Honestly. this game has been absolutely amazing!

[RoboMom]

I am on the volunteer recruitment and management side of things. The role of field reset was very labor intensive this season, both in actual numbers needed as well as how hard it was physically. I know these factors led to delays at some events. I wish there had been a bit more recognition of this up front.

[Hitchhiker 42]

Originally Posted by thatprogrammer

I would've removed audience selection. Also I'll echo the thoughts that the Sally and the Drawbridge should've been transparent. Honestly. this game has been absolutely amazing!

Seems like towards the later competitions, sally, cheval, etc. were consistently chosen (to prevent walls in front of the drive team). Except in the finals, when everyone wanted the hard defenses.
I'm not sure what I'd do to amend this, but make it so the drawbridge and portcullis do get chosen more often.