Blocking both ball corrals

[srjjs]

The way I see it, it looks like it would be possible with a 2-stage arm design that falls down from the top. Twice the height of the robot on both sides, plus the width gives 23 feet, more than enough to prevent a ball from getting through. The first stage could even be used for collecting more balls of your own.

Is any team planning to try something like this?

[Jedi Padawan]

So your going to give up the time and resources to design somthing that allows you to complete more goals and get more points just to prevent the opponent from scoreing a few measly balls? that to me at least makes no sense when you could have a robot at the very least hanging if not helping your partner collect balls and getting 2x multipliers. Why would you throw that much time into being that defensive when you could affect your score much better by being offensively aggressive??

[that1guy]

Im not really sure that you would need to block the corrals, if you do this, the other team will get little to no points, and you would not be able to get any points for yourself, if all you are doing is sitting there, so I dont think any team should do this, and the arms would weigh alot also.

[KenWittlief]

there is another thread that has gone 3+ pages on this same idea - biggest problems:

1. if there is anything between you and the other wall, you wont be able to pull it off (like the other teams bot, or loose balls on the field)

2. something that long is a giant level - the other team could hook onto the end and drag you around the field like a ragdoll, turning your wings into a pretzel in the process.

[srjjs]

Well, I think the pulling thing will not be a problem because it seems fairly easy to design the wings to be fairly flat against the wall, which you would be pressed up against, so that it will be difficult to push you.

Really, the only way I see this having problems is if the other team is able to hang, or if the other team can keep you away from their wall, in which case they're still not collecting balls.

And Jedi, since the rankings are determined by wins and not points this year, I think having a better chance of outscoring your opponent by not letting them score is better than a somewhat lower chance of outracing your opponent to a high score.

EDIT: Oh, and the reason I did not add on to the other smiilar thread is because I think blocking the opponent's vision is a really bad idea and probably illegal (via implication) anyways.

[Cory]

Ok, lets say that you go 7-3 with such a design (I know, most regionals dont have 10 matches per team, but whatever) 3 other teams are also 7-3. One team is 8-2, one team is 9-1, and one team is 10-0. the top 3 are: 10-0, 9-1, 8-2. You are 7-3 and you have say 500 points. You could be # 4 in the alliance pairings, or you could be # 6. Lets say that since you blocked the chutes, you only have 500. You have another 7-3 team that just ran around and got balls, helping where needed. They have 750 points. Then we have two teams who started out slow, and then played the game well, doing superb on offense, and keeping the score close. They have 1000, and 1200 points, respectively.

You are #6. Wouldnt you like to be #4? I know I would.

Just to show you seeding isnt everything. There comes a certain scenario where you may be in the top 8 by record, but the tiebreaker by points kicks you out because you were busy lowering the opponent's score.

Cory

[Ken Leung]

Originally Posted by KenWittlief

there is another thread that has gone 3+ pages on this same idea - biggest problems:

1. if there is anything between you and the other wall, you wont be able to pull it off (like the other teams bot, or loose balls on the field)

2. something that long is a giant level - the other team could hook onto the end and drag you around the field like a ragdoll, turning your wings into a pretzel in the process.

I just checked out FIRST's Q&A section, and it said:

Q: During a match, are the human players allowed to use both ball chutes or only one?

A: Human Players must stay inside their own Team Zone so they could only get balls from one chute. They can pass them to the other HP in the alliance as long as the HP stays within their own Team Zone.

This will make blocking the chute much easier than having to block 2.

[stuy694]

Here's another idea, just have a two part robot connected by a tether to block both corrals. No need for fancy/breakable wings

[KenWittlief]

This will make blocking the chute much easier than having to block 2.

the Q&A site says "Team" not "alliance"

both openings will be in use durning all matches. If you only block one, the HP on the other side can pass balls to the blocked HP

tethers are very seldom allowed because of the entanglement rule - wires on the field during most of the match are a potential snare

besides, anything you send to the other side isnt going to weigh much

there is nothing in the rules that say I cant hook onto or grab any part of your robot

so a wire streached across the floor is fair game for my bot to grab

do you really want to be the 1st bot in the history of the game dragged around the field by its own wires?

[SpaceOsc]

Here's another idea, just have a two part robot connected by a tether to block both corrals. No need for fancy/breakable wings

thats an idea worthy of not telling anyone and keeping to yourself until the last possible moment lol

If A ball Corral Blocking robot Proves it self Worthy, Functional and Just Good at what it does but doesnt Get to the top 8 then a good Ball Herding Team Or Bar Hanger or Big Ball Grabber will Pick you and your paired up with someone that needs you and will take care of what you cant.

If Your Strategy Works in a Stand alone Capacity and you make the top 8 then you can choose accordingly

If you Make a corral Blocker it cant be mediocre, whatever that means. At lease u can Make a Mediocre Ball herder and still play well so its easier

[KenWittlief]

keep in mind, if you are preventing a team from scoring or delivering balls to their human player, your bot is fair-game for WHATEVER They have to do to get you out of the way, except deliberately damaging your bot

you better be able to take a pounding!

[SpaceOsc]

unlike previous years and the theaders attached to those years this year u have a wall to pin yourself into safety against. it was easy to mess with robots and there fragile parts in earlier years cuz they had to be out there in the middle of space and the field so you could just run over theaders and get the DQ but now with that wall if you do it right your theader can lie on the edge formed by the wall and the carpet or high up inthe air against the wall. i see a few robot types that could tangle with it such as Wedges and Forklifts(Most anything with a tangle point close to the ground) but i dont suspect to many of those this year because of the stairs in the middle of the field

[SpaceOsc]

http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/pi...&quiet=Verbose
Does Anyone Remeber Swap Thing 2003? team 179 lol that all u need, just has to be able to move sidewards instead and split in two

[WakeZero]

Originally Posted by SpaceOsc

http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/pi...&quiet=Verbose
Does Anyone Remeber Swap Thing 2003? team 179 lol that all u need, just has to be able to move sidewards instead and split in two

It would have to be much bigger than Swamp Thing's however

[SpaceOsc]

well it would have to cover more area than swapthing but doesnt need to be bigger just split in two and yet be connected with a theader between both parts, u dont need to defend the center of the field