What are the most desirable attributes top seed teams are looking for in a robot?

[LogicParadox]

What are the most desirable attributes top seed teams are looking for in a robot? In otherwords, what are the most important attributes and/or action a robot would need to have/preform to be chosen by the top 8 teams. It is within the power of my team to create a bot that can do everything, would it be better to stick to one attribute/action vs doing it all?

[frcguy]

I'm of the opinion that the really good teams want robots that do one thing well. If you can do one thing well and demonstrate that consistently in quals then they have one less thing to focus on during elims.

[Isaac Ash]

It is ABSOLUTELY better to focus one one/two things rather than trying to everything, especially if you have limited resources (that includes experience). You can check out Karthik's latest seminar on effective FIRST strategies: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJOfH-lomEQ

As he says, a jack of all trades is master of none, and it is always better to do a few things at a "10" level than to do a bunch of things at a "5" level. Most alliance captains want robots that find a niche and do that really well, so they can build a good, well rounded alliance.

[Ben Martin]

Prefacing with we've only had 2 days of analysis...

Powerful drive/good drivers. In games like this, may teams (such as ours) are less likely to pick mecanum robots that can't do anything other than play defense.

Climbing is nice to have, since you're missing out on 50 points for every robot that can't do it.

As always, if you do something valuable that few others can do, that's an easy way to get picked quickly.

[AcidWombat]

coming from what we would want as a second pick, we are looking for just fast, efficient gear manipulation, competent handling (no mechanum/omnis pls) and a climber.

this is because higher level teams this year are going to focus on large volume boiler scoring, and all that they want is a little help with gears, and the elims bonus of a climb just makes you that more attractive.

[LogicParadox]

Originally Posted by AcidWombat

coming from what we would want as a second pick, we are looking for just fast, efficient gear manipulation, competent handling (no mechanum/omnis pls) and a climber.

this is because higher level teams this year are going to focus on large volume boiler scoring, and all that they want is a little help with gears, and the elims bonus of a climb just makes you that more attractive.

Would you say a static gear manipulation system and a climber be better then an active gear manipulation system with a climber?

Would you say an active gear manipulation system is better than having a climber with a static gear manipulation system?

[LogicParadox]

Please note: I do Not include a high shooter when I say "doing it all". My team doesnot have any experience with shooters.

[nardavin]

I would wager that most top seed teams will be looking for robots that are very good in the captain's specialty as a first pick. This would take a lot of the pressure off of the captain to carry their team to achieve the would-be RP conditions for the bonus points (100 points for all 4 rotors or 40 points for 40 kPa).

For second pick they will probably want a solid defense bot, as there's not much space for all 3 robots to move easily around the airship.

For both first and second pick, I bet that climbs will be a must-have. That's a very easy 50 points per climbing bot.

[RoboAlum]

I would say a small robot that holds its own on defense can do gears in auto and teleop consistently and can hang quickly and consistently

[ollien]

Originally Posted by LogicParadox

Would you say a static gear manipulation system and a climber be better then an active gear manipulation system with a climber?

Would you say an active gear manipulation system is better than having a climber with a static gear manipulation system?

While I'm not on a top seed team, in my mind, the active or static state of your mechanism does not matter as much as effectiveness of that mechanism.

[Cothron Theiss]

Originally Posted by RoboAlum

I would say a small robot that holds its own on defense can do gears in auto and teleop consistently and can hang quickly and consistently

What you described would very likely BE a top 8 bot at most Regionals.

[Andrew_L]

Originally Posted by LogicParadox

Would you say a static gear manipulation system and a climber be better then an active gear manipulation system with a climber?

Would you say an active gear manipulation system is better than having a climber with a static gear manipulation system?

Scoring lots of gears quickly and climbing reliably is all anyone cares about. How you do it doesn't matter.

[RoboAlum]

Originally Posted by Cothron Theiss

What you described would very likely BE a top 8 bot at most Regionals.

Well upon breaking down the game its not hard to do especially with the resources teams have.

[Cothron Theiss]

Originally Posted by RoboAlum

Well upon breaking down the game its not hard to do especially with the resources teams have.

I agree that neither of the game objects are extremely difficult to manipulate if you dedicate yourself to one or the other, but any team that can consistently place a Gear in auto, three Gears in teleop and climb will have a high seeding robot in most Regionals. Many teams would do well to aim for this goal and focus on achieving it.

[GeeTwo]

As always, consistency and speed (that is, rate of scoring), and the ability to score despite being defended against, in about that order.

As there will be very few 'bots capable of 12 gear cycles (at least if it means zipping to the far end of the field and back as well as the hang) by themselves, I figure that winning alliances (at least in early weeks) will consist of two gearbots and one high goal shooter. The good news is that the fuel vs gears poll seems to indicate that the teams are breaking somewhere close to that ratio. In later weeks, as the number of gears a single robot can place (at the high end of competition) reaches or at least approaches 12 (probably through floor pickup and forcing fumbles), hanger bots which can at least harvest for the shooter, and preferably also shoot fast, will find more use.