Key Factor In This Year's Game

[Doug G]

Definitely a well balanced alliance - defensive and multiple offensive options are a must. Also - low CG!! Several alliances seems to have the advantage - but if just one bot tips over - they usually can't recover.

Auto mode was absolutely awesome this year. We had offensive auto modes - but usually just played defense - since it took too long for us to pick up balls. So there always was this suspense during Auto mode if the defensive bot(s) could stop the offensive ones. Very exciting and much better than just watching a bot stack a tetra.

[James1902]

I think some of the key factors in this years game is scoring speed and scoring consistancy. If you have a slow shoter/dumper it's not hard to push you away from a scoring position after one or two shots. Consistancy and machine reliabilty are also massively good things to have. Lastly being able to get up/push team mates up the ramp. In a close match 25 points is a deciding factor.

[henryBsick]

This weekends alliance that won Wisconsin of 111 and another great shooter showed how pivotal autonomous CAN be. After auto they could have gone and parked on the ramp for the whole match and still won. 95 points can be tough to beat even without defense.

60+10+25

$.02

[MrForbes]

There is no "perfect robot" for this game. Having a well balanced alliance is crucial, so good scouting is essential. Autonomous is very important, but not necessarily the ability to score--at Phoenix the key was to be able to adjust the autonomous defense to defeat the other guys' auto scoring! Reliability is helpful, although we managed to do pretty well in Sacramento with essentially a dead drive system for most of 3 matches in the semis and finals.

Since none of these other things is the key, then it must be the ability to adapt to changing circumstances quickly, and to take advantage of any weakness you can find in the opposing alliance. This is what the winning alliances did in the finals at the two regionals I attended.

[Jherbie53]

Originally Posted by Jherbie53

Balance is key for any good team. But there really is no one key to the game. Autonomous is big, but how many teams have won after losing it. Anyhoo, it all comes down to the drivers, pit crews, and of course strategy. Without either of the groups the robot won't work, even if you are the best dumper, shooter, or defensive robot, and strategy is what wins close matches.

Yes I know I'm quoting myself, but I can't help it. Most people think the key is an attribute of the robot. I think the key is the people who design, build, program, and test the robot. As well as the people in the pits working, in the stands scouting, and the people helping other teams.

The robot wouldn't exist without these people THINKING up the design. Even if its mostly students doing the work, they are the key. A good robot is only as good as the people working on or driving it.

[Dan Petrovic]

I think, more importantly than side scoring, is being able to push anything you come across.

You can't go into a pushing match against 1138 and expect to win. They pushed us up the ramp, which really isn't much if you think about it. They pushed 40 when they had their traction plate down. We never got in a pushing match with them, but I can predict the outcome: The ref counting to 10.

I think, the only way side-scoring is really important is if you can gobble up 40+ balls in 40 seconds and dump them all into the goal during your offensive period.

Originally Posted by Jherbie53

even if you are the best dumper, shooter, or defensive robot, and strategy is what wins close matches.

I agree with you fully. Last year at one of the mini-competitions we went to we were in the finals and lost both matches by 10-20 points. Why? Rows. If you counted both alliances had about the same number of tetras. The winning alliance had a better strategy so they managed to get rows to give them those winning points.

[kborer22]

i believe that the main factor in this game is the way that the balls are delivered from your hopper/collection system to your dump/shoot. So far i have been to the Granite state and Boston Regionals and there have been a few teams that when you see them your jaw just drops; i.e. 233 think pink. Their helix to one wheel shooter works amazingly. It seemed at times that unstoppable. They would get up close to the ramp and unload anywhere from 5-25 balls in one continuous string effectively ending the match. 121 was basically the same robot. At the GSR team 40 comes to mind as well as 296 who had a conveyor come to the bottom of their 2 wheel shooter. The bottom wheel brings the ball around and eventually between another wheel on its way to the center goal, and don't forget 25. So far from what i have seen the speed in which you load balls is where you gain the big advantage, be it in autonomous, on the ramp or off.