New for 2006: 3 Foot Flags on Robots

[Wetzel]

Originally Posted by micro3000x

Even though most people don't have a problem with it, some teams will. Some teams are probably looking at this and saying "YOU MUST BE JOKING!"

That will be the teams that were not around for the bubble light. That took a lot more space then this flag needs.

Wetzel

[dez250]

At least this flag is non functional.

[greencactus3]

in OCCRA we have been using flags for the past um. 2 years i think. i love them. SO much easier to tell which alliances each is on.

[Steve W]

I believe this to be a great move on FIRST'S part. What a simple easy way of telling teams apart. It doesn't count in your weight and simple to build into your design. We have time to prepare now not as in previous years were we picked up parts at the competition. FIRST got it right again.

BTW I am an announcer and after last year, my job will be way easier.

[EricH]

Originally Posted by Wetzel

That will be the teams that were not around for the bubble light. That took a lot more space then this flag needs.

Not to mention shattered easily (at least in '04 they did). Not to mention being hard to mount.

[Jessica Boucher]

This thread reminds me of one of my favorite spotlights....

I like what FIRST said about it best: They consider it part of the "Game Challenge"

(link to original post)

What can you do? The more time you waste here speculating the less time you have to work on the robot. Go! Build Robots! Now!

[Matt Krass]

I didn't see it mentioned in the rules, does the flag pole holder have to be within the confines of the robot footprint? I would tend to think not, it'd be kind of annoying to have to make space for it, and could mess with manipulators...then again the light was worse. Just wondering, thanks.

[B. Flaherty]

Although I only have one year of FIRST under my belt, I think driving with the flags will be much easier for this game. Last year was pretty easy to me, mainly to the fact that the robots carried colored tetras. I was aware of who my opponents were, but in the heat of the match, I mainly used tetras for identification. Hopefully, the flags will have the same effect on this years game.

[Steve W]

Originally Posted by Matt Krass

I didn't see it mentioned in the rules, does the flag pole holder have to be within the confines of the robot footprint? I would tend to think not, it'd be kind of annoying to have to make space for it, and could mess with manipulators...then again the light was worse. Just wondering, thanks.

There is nothing stating that there is an allowance, so my guess would be inside of the robot size limits.

[sciencenerd]

I really don't believe the bicycle flags will present a visibility issue. I remember a thread, similar to this one, created last year; where people discussed the possibility that the five foot goal directly in front of the center alliance member's driver station would impede the vision of that alliance's drivers. I was one of the drivers on our team last year, and I never had a problem with this, nor heard anyone else ever complain about it. People will always be a little nervous, which is ok, but this is even less of a concern than it was last year, and I'm sure it will be fine.

[Cory]

Originally Posted by Steve W

I believe this to be a great move on FIRST'S part. What a simple easy way of telling teams apart. It doesn't count in your weight and simple to build into your design. We have time to prepare now not as in previous years were we picked up parts at the competition. FIRST got it right again.

BTW I am an announcer and after last year, my job will be way easier.

This seems to be a common misconception in this thread. No, the flag doesn't count against your weight limit, but the PVC pipe it sits in, plus mounting hardware sure does. Add that to the LED's, and you have a net decrease in usable weight from last year (although probably fairly insignificant).

On topic, do I think FIRST will change the rule? No.

Do I think it's a good idea to differentiate alliances with a more easily identifiable method? Yes.

Do I wish they used something other than a somewhat lame looking bike flag sticking out the top of my robot? Yes.

[Ryan Albright]

I am not to much of a fan of the flag. I agree these will be much more visible then the LEDs. The LEDs were a good thought just not bright enough. How about teams the teams that have started vertically in the past couple of years such as 67. Now if they were planning on this again, they are going to come up with a device to let the flag swivel so when the robot become horizontal the flag will still be vertical, or this can even stop a team from starting their robot like that. I think this is sad because i love robots that start like that. I think FIRST needs to totally rethink how they identify a alliance color. The LED's were a great idea just not bright enough, I think personally they need to stay with some kind of light, there are so many options out there, just need some research. I hate to say it but the best things we have had were the rotating lights. Yes they were big and bulky and sometimes the color lens would fall off but they were bright and it was easy to identify the alliance. Yes i def think we can do better then those but we need to stick with the lights.

My $.50 cents
Sorry 2 cents is getting to cheap for me

Note: If i mentioned anything that goes against the rules this year please correct me, i have been to busy to read fully through the Manuel i have only skimmed it

[Cory]

Originally Posted by Ryan Albright

Note: If i mentioned anything that goes against the rules this year please correct me, i have been to busy to read fully through the Manuel i have only skimmed it

Indeed you did

falling down robots a la 67 are no longer allowed.

[Ryan Albright]

Originally Posted by Cory

Indeed you did

falling down robots a la 67 are no longer allowed.

Thanks for takin it easy on me

Wow now i am a little upset, i like those robots
excuse me while i go cry

California people are cool. There different time zone means they are up when i am working graves on the east coast woot woot

[Tomasz Bania]

I can't believe this, but I think you guys are starting to change my mind about the flags.