New Off-season Defenses

[NShep98]

Originally Posted by CalTran

Spoiler for 10th Defense?:

As much as we'd love to cart Tim around to every off-season event, I think we'll have to pass. It was hard enough getting him to two event in two pieces.

[notmattlythgoe]

Originally Posted by AllenGregoryIV

Was this from HQ, Andymark, or someone else? I'm just wondering what off-seasons won't have the portcullis.

From Frank

the base of the defense will certainly be sent. The idea would be (for events that don't want to create a new defense, though I think that's a neat idea!) is that the 'Category A' defense would just be the CDF, so in that category, there would be no real option, the CDF would just be put on the field.

[rlowe61]

Originally Posted by EricH

I was thinking a rolling-log type of defense. Should be quite entertaining to watch robots try to go over some round-ish material(s) that can spin in place but not roll off the platforms.

This would be an easy design. 4" dia steel pipe set center of defense plate, with 1"-4" underneath (make it adjustable (1" increments) so the head ref pulls a number out of a hat for each time it's used)(or make it perm to the field like the low bar and set the height to pneumatics so the FTC can change randomly during a match). The end of the pipe would have end caps with bearing in them for it to rotate on (make it more fun, have the bearings off center so it has a cam effect).

[EricH]

Originally Posted by rlowe61

This would be an easy design. 4" dia steel pipe set center of defense plate, with 1"-4" underneath (make it adjustable (1" increments) so the head ref pulls a number out of a hat for each time it's used). The end of the pipe would have end caps with bearing in them for it to rotate on (make it more fun, have the bearings off center so it has a cam effect).

Or a series of smaller pipes, same general idea. Oughtta be quite "entertaining" (and maybe claim a few robots on the way...)

[Kevin Leonard]

Originally Posted by chmconkling

A set of boulders that are attached to the flat base that you have to drive over.

• Boulders cut in half, then affixed flat-side-down to a base.
• The platform without installing a defense (with no attachment, so that there's a lowered portion)
• A big ramp to launch yourself into the courtyard, but almost impossible to cross backwards
• A 2012 Bridge
• a 2010 bump
• A series of bungee cords strung across the base very close together
• a Lunacy trailer you can push onto the batter that can replace a robot for the challenge requirement (or a tote or some other item to push onto the batter and can start on top of a defense platform)
• A tall bar that can be hung from as a replacement for the hanging endgame
• rolling bars
• Just a platform, no defense on it, but you need to clear the other 4 defenses in order to get the breach
• A bunch of 2013 frisbees
• ACTUAL FIRE

[jodge1706]

Originally Posted by Kevin Leonard

• Just a platform, no defense on it, but you need to clear the other 4 defenses in order to get the breach

In the midst of craziness and rambling, here's an actual good idea

[AllenGregoryIV]

Originally Posted by jodge1706

In the midst of craziness and rambling, here's an actual good idea

I think this would be a difficult change for FMS. Unless you just didn't get any points at all for crossing this defense in auto or teleop.

[EricH]

Originally Posted by AllenGregoryIV

I think this would be a difficult change for FMS. Unless you just didn't get any points at all for crossing this defense in auto or teleop.

Wouldn't be all that hard, just gotta train the refs that if that defense was in play, it doesn't get entered as a crossing.

Of course, offseason events like to make up their own rules...

[Brian Sherman]

MAR will also not be providing the portcullis to off-season events. If anyone (or group) wants to design and build a replacement defense, we have a few bases available.

PM or email me.

[jodge1706]

Originally Posted by AllenGregoryIV

I think this would be a difficult change for FMS. Unless you just didn't get any points at all for crossing this defense in auto or teleop.

Why don't we do that? It will still allow robots designed solely for crossing defenses would still be able to cross, and it would make it easier for robots designed to shoot to do that. If anything, it think it would make the game more exciting, more high scoring shots.

[Bryan Herbst]

I wouldn't put nothing in the base- the holes in the platform for the defenses' wheels would be problematic for robot wheels.

A flat defense that you put in the slot with the mentioned rule change would certainly be interesting.

[CalTran]

Originally Posted by Tanis

I wouldn't put nothing in the base- the holes in the platform for the defenses' wheels would be problematic for robot wheels.

A flat defense that you put in the slot with the mentioned rule change would certainly be interesting.

"Why would they select to put nothing in the defense position? What is the other alliance playing at?? "

Originally Posted by Sun Tzu, Art of War

The whole secret lies in confusing the enemy, so that he cannot fathom our real intent.

[EricH]

Originally Posted by waterwaterwater

Ok, I know we were talking about the portcullis, but I have an idea to replace the drawbridge visibility issues. For both the sallyport and drawbridge, replace the wooden part with clear lexan, but insert a low bar sized cutout (with a few inches on each side) that robots can drive through. In order to make it more difficult than the traditional lowbar, doing the portcullis/sallyport the "proper way" (ie. without just driving through the cutout) earns one more defense crossing than it would normally (ie. proper earns both for the breach or 2 of the 3 if one more crossing is added to the rules).

Somebody pulls that, we'll have too big of an advantage. Fully damaged drawbridge/sally port in auto or something like that. Rewards very few of the teams for putting in a lot of hard work, penalizes the rest of 'em.

[maxnz]

Originally Posted by waterwaterwater

Or the new pseudo low bar crossing adds one to your tower score.

You mean that they cross it like they would cross a drawbridge, right?

[maxnz]

Originally Posted by waterwaterwater

Spoiler for Full Summary of Idea:

The sally port and drawbridge will both have a slot cut out of them at the bottom, 14" high and with a few inches on each side. A team that crosses them without using these cutouts will receive one of the following (depending on which one the event organizer feels is the most balanced);

1. An extra defense crossing.
2. An extra (5?) number of points for their crossing.

Another option instead of rewarding the proper way is to penalize the new way by;

1. Making the crossing worth no points AND/OR;
2. Adding one to your tower strength.

That's answers my question. I just wanted to know if the defense being crossed like a drawbridge or a sally port (I didn't realize initially that the sally port was included) caused the special points/tower increase/etc. to occur. Thanks.