Poorly named -- Backbot

[Hieb]

After competing this weekend, I thought it would be a good idea to draw attention to the "Backbot." Threads indicated quite a few offsides penalties during the first week, and the St. Louis regional had a its share as well.

In several of our matches our alliance selected a team to be the backbot, but during the match that team immediately drove to the "back" of the field (nearest the drivers station) during our defensive period.

Remember, the "Backbot" actually stays on the offensive side of the field, away from the drivers station.

[Greg Marra]

"Permanent Offensive Bot" just doesn't have the same ring to it.

Is it me, or does the GDC coin a lot of terms. Last year it was "tetra" and this year it was "backbot." Do you think eventually the community would have arrived at a consensus as to what to call these things, or is it better for FIRST to invent our lexicon for us?

[KenWittlief]

FarBot!

that would make a great chant!

[Jeff Rodriguez]

Originally Posted by KenWittlief

FarBot!

that would make a great chant!

our team acutally started calling it the "Forward bot" OR farbot... and teams got confused on several occasions which was quite funny on our part but i do think it could have been better named... offensive bot??? hhmmm...


*post made by Heretic121... im on jeff's laptop...

[RebelWithARobot]

Originally Posted by Greg Marra

"Permanent Offensive Bot" just doesn't have the same ring to it.

Is it me, or does the GDC coin a lot of terms. Last year it was "tetra" and this year it was "backbot." Do you think eventually the community would have arrived at a consensus as to what to call these things, or is it better for FIRST to invent our lexicon for us?

Things must be defined in the rules so that they don't have to explain what they mean everytime. Just like in programming, you define your terms, then you use them.

They must come up with defined terms so that you know what they are talking about. And the refs must use these terms because that's what is in the rules. If every team has a diffirent name for it, everyone gets confused.

"Backbot" is just fine. "Kaplooiespew" would have been just fine too, the actual word doesn't matter, it's the definition that counts. There was a definition in the rule book, it was used repeatedly in the rule book so that anyone who ACTUALLY had an understanding of the rules wouldn't get confused. And it works the same every year guys and girls. Dunno why this is so aggrivating for you all.

[Nuttyman54]

I think what's confusing is that when someone says "Be the backbot" you don't immediately think "Ok, i'll drive to the FAR side of the field" It's just an artifact of using an everyday word as part of a new word. I don't know if there's any way this could have been avoided, but Farbot may have been better.

[Stuart]

yeah from now on were(1745) going to refer to that position as "farbot"

[FusionFluff279]

Now that I think about it, backbot does seem a little odd. But then further thinking realized "back" is away from everyone else. Like Back off. So its kind of iffy depending on who you ask.

[GaryVoshol]

Beside "backbot", the concept of "offsides" is a bit skewed as well. In football, offsides is being illegally beyond the line of scrimmage. Similar offside concepts in soccer and hockey.

In Aim High, you're offsides if you don't stay beyond the half. "Farsides"?

[bombadier337]

This was our discussion during one of our matches at VCU

Me: "HEY!!! You're supposed to be backbot!!!"
Them (forgot team): "We ARE backbot!"
Me: "You're on the wrong side of the field!!!"
Them: "WHAT?"
Me: "Get on the other side!!! Quick!!!"
(We were being human loaded, and they had a gatherer, and we're closer)

Still a fun match, and no hard feelings to which ever team that was. I know we laughed it off after the match, and we were still successful. But in conclusion, yeah, I think the backbot name probably isn't the best.

[sanddrag]

Our partners have scored us a couple penalties on that one.

Teams, please ensure that you know what side you need to be on at all times. It is very confusing. Have your coach and drivers take a rules quiz. Please.