Einstein?

[Karthik]

Originally Posted by eugenebrooks

A robot with an arm ripped off is not inoperable, it can still play
defense.

...

If your robot could not roll around on the carpet, I would call it inoperable.

You pick your alliance, and you play your elimination matches. If a robot is inoperable, it is quite obvious to everyone.

Eugene,

Are you saying that an alliance should not be allowed to replace a robot with a broken arm? That for an alliance to be allowed to make a replacement the robot must be 100% immobile? Isn't this a bit excessive. Since the backup rule was put into place in 2005, I've seen many teams be replaced for reasons far less than complete immobility.

Now, I can definitely agree that 494's attempt to replace 997 falls into a gray area, but I think forcing teams to play with a robot until it's completely "dead" is going too far.

Then again, the rule does say "inoperable". As you described, that wording is pretty clear.

[eugenebrooks]

Originally Posted by Karthik

Then again, the rule does say "inoperable". As you described, that wording is pretty clear.

Reading the dictionary, the meaning of the word inoperable is
pretty clear. The GDC could have used the word broken if they
did not mean inoperable in the stronger sense that it conveys.
I think that one might reasonably reach a conclusion that a robot
is inoperable while it still can roll around on the field, depending on
the situation, but in this years game there are too many different
ways to contribute to a win for just a broken arm, or a ramp that
is just below 12 inches, to get a robot classified as inoperable.

Eugene

[Bill Gold]

First of all, I find it very cowardly and offensive for someone to troll these forums anonymously. Your being on the floor taking pictures and self-admitted obscenities pretty much gives you away as either a member of 997 itself or of another friendly team from their area. If you’re going to say something like this you should at least make a fair representation of yourself like the rest of us.

It bothers me that I feel that I should have to even toss in my $0.02 here, but I think this is a bit ridiculous. It appears to me that the alliance captain and another member of the alliance weighed the opportunity cost between 997 and whoever the backup robot was in this situation only after coming to the realization that 997’s ramps could never count for the 12” lift period, even after extensive fixes. This is definitely a grey area for robot replacement (which means there are good reasons both for and against robot replacement), but there’s no harm in pursuing it. The only reason I can see that 997 would be upset about this would be because they would rather play and lose than to do what’s arguably in the best interest of the alliance and agree with the switch. The competition is a competition, and an alliance is like a hockey team. You want to win, and you want to do whatever you can and whatever’s in the alliance’s best interest to help it win. Not to mention the fact that if the alliance won with you subbing out there’s that 4th place on the alliance in the official records, so it’s not like you’re kicked to the curb with no recognition. Anyways, my point is that there’s absolutely nothing wrong with the alliance captain stating a case for a possible replacement.

With great respect Eugene it was pretty clear to pretty much everyone at the 2006 SVR that your team was one of the two main scoring threats on your alliance. It wouldn’t have made sense to take the backup robot at that point because it would have significantly decreased your alliance’s ability to win the regional not having your robot in play. It was very courageous and something that was very inspiring seeing a team doing all that it could to try to give its alliance the best shot at winning; that’s not to be forgotten, but to have such a harsh stance on robot replacements is also a bit... harsh for lack of a better word. Especially having seen a few robots who can drive in varying degrees be switched out.

Whatever happened happened. It’s over now.

By the way, I had absolutely no contact with 254 at all this season other than saying hi briefly to a couple people on the team at SVR. So don't think I'm taking their side because I'm a part of the team. I'm just speaking my mind.

-Bill Gold
(I take responsibility for my opinions)

[Daniel Brim]

To shift this thread in a different direction (since it's so off-track already)

Why is it the highest unpicked team for non-Einstein replacements? I would think that it should logically be another pick by the same alliance. Thoughts?

[Corey Balint]

Just to let everyone know, since they keep saying different things about the intent of this thread...the intent was just to find out who would be playing who on Einstein, and was not expected to have any more posts after about 4 o'clock Saturday.