Declawed games

[archiver]

Posted by Daniel.

Coach on team BORG (Berkeley Operational Robotics Group) from Berkeley High School sponsored by (working on the sponsor, too).

Posted on 1/12/2000 1:22 PM MST


In Reply to: Declawed games posted by Marc DeSchamp on 1/12/2000 11:04 AM MST:



In some ways I agree with you. It has come to a point where even if you're not specifically trying to tip someone over, but getting lost and excited you tap another robot while it's fully extended and are DQed on the spot. The more rules they have about violence, the more mistakes they're setting themselves up to make in their calls. You have to make a deliberate effort to back off most of the time.

BUT...

Taking this for granted, I really LOVE this year's game. Here's why: it's so hard to win! It's always about control, and with all that will be going on during these matches, it's near impossible to get out there with one robot and really control the match. I think a lot of the deciding factors will surface right at the beginning, with a few robots fighting for that bar. Remember, robot shoving is encouraged and should be expected to be quite common. This WILL be a battle. Also, FIRST got rid of most of the reasons to be fully extended for an extended (pardon the repetition) period of time, so most cases where robots tip over, it will be obvious that their CG was bad and it wont be called. You just can't go out and TRY to tip them.

Oh and about those bumpers, I'd like to see you try to get away with a wussy robot hiding away in that bumper. It's NOT going to protect you. You'll come home with a bucket of pieces like you would from robowars...

...but I guess that's what you want, anyway ;-)


-DL