What do you think of this year's competition?

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Posted by Ken.

Student on team #192, Gunn Robotics Team, from Henry M. Gunn Senior High School.

Posted on 2/22/2000 11:33 PM MST



It seems to me that this year's competition will be..., how can I say it properly..., physically challenging.
Looks to me that the hanging bar can fit 2 ro 3 robot up there, ane maybe even four! I can see that the four robot will fight for the hanging bar at the end of the match, and I can imagine robot being taken off the bar, or fail to lock it self off the ground.
Also, there are a lot of robot that can go under the limbo bar, which means the robot will be rushing for balls at the beginning (?).
Then, there are two type of picking up balls: one using a system to suck up lots of balls, and the other use an arm/basket to pick up about two balls. So maybe the robot that score tons of balls will do better?
In addition, I don't see robot with bumpers yet.
As for the the way of playing the games, I don't see much defensive robot expect a few that have long arm and reach in and grab balls out.
Finally, the way to calculate qualifying points is going to mess up how a game will be.

Any comment(s)?

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Posted by Michael Martus.   [PICTURE: SAME | NEW | HELP]


Coach on team #47, Chief Delphi, from Pontiac Central H.S. and Delphi Automotives Systems.

Posted on 2/23/2000 7:33 AM MST


In Reply to: What do you think of this year's competition? posted by Ken on 2/22/2000 11:33 PM MST:



You are most correct when you think that there will be a old time hangin' party at the end.

As for the Chief 47 We go under bar, go over ramp, we collect well and can remove balls fast from the opponents side.

If we are parked on the ramp no team can get on or hang.

This description I predict will fit many teams this year.

My only negative comment is with the rule about shipping at the end of the day. Rookie teams will suffer the most. They need the time to physically have the machine to repair and rework what is not working as they designed. This I feel this will discourage the teams from coming back next year.

We all know how our rookie year was. This rule will decrease amount of teams next year. It will not accomplish what FIRST wanted. It will only spread the gap between experienced teams and rookies. NOT what FIRST wants.

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Posted by Nate Smith.

Other on team #66, GM Powertrain/Willow Run HS, from Eastern Michigan University and GM Powertrain.

Posted on 2/23/2000 7:57 AM MST


In Reply to: Re: What do you think of this year's competition? posted by Michael Martus on 2/23/2000 7:33 AM MST:



: If we are parked on the ramp no team can get on or hang.

You sure about that? What about those teams that can reach the bar from the flat ground? =)

Nate

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Posted by Dante.

Student on team #47, Chief Delphi, from Pontiac Central High School and Delphi Automotive Systems.

Posted on 2/23/2000 9:32 AM MST


In Reply to: What do you think of this year's competition? posted by Ken on 2/22/2000 11:33 PM MST:




: Any comment(s)?

In my opinion, I believe there will be no such thing as defense because everything you do is going to get you points. Such as, blocking the ramp while you are on it-(5 points). THERE IS ONLY OFFENSE IN THIS GAME, NO DEFENSE!!!!!

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Posted by Ken.

Student on team #192, Gunn Robotics Team, from Henry M. Gunn Senior High School.

Posted on 2/23/2000 5:22 PM MST


In Reply to: Re: What do you think of this year's competition? posted by Dante on 2/23/2000 9:32 AM MST:



: In my opinion, I believe there will be no such thing as defense because everything you do is going to get you points. Such as, blocking the ramp while you are on it-(5 points). THERE IS ONLY OFFENSE IN THIS GAME, NO DEFENSE!!!!!

How about taking other robot off the hanging bar? How about removing balls from the enemy?

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Posted by Lora Knepper.

Student on team #69, HYPER (Helping Youth Pursue Engineering & Robotics), from Quincy Public Schools and The Gillette Company.

Posted on 2/23/2000 7:54 PM MST


In Reply to: Re: What do you think of this year's competition? posted by Ken on 2/23/2000 5:22 PM MST:



::THERE IS ONLY OFFENSE IN THIS GAME, NO DEFENSE!!!!!

: How about taking other robot off the hanging bar? How about removing balls from the enemy?


I can see both sides of this. If you really look at the game things get complicated. If you play defense, and you win the match, you are actually lowering your own score. If you look at it that way, you can only play offense, because by affecting your opponant's score, you effect what YOU get in QP's.

Lora

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Posted by Chris.   [PICTURE: SAME | NEW | HELP]


Coach on team #308, Walled Lake Monster, from Walled Lake Schools and TRW Automotive Electronics.

Posted on 2/24/2000 6:37 AM MST


In Reply to: Re: What do you think of this year's competition? posted by Lora Knepper on 2/23/2000 7:54 PM MST:



: ::THERE IS ONLY OFFENSE IN THIS GAME, NO DEFENSE!!!!!

: : How about taking other robot off the hanging bar? How about removing balls from the enemy?

:
: I can see both sides of this. If you really look at the game things get complicated. If you play defense, and you win the match, you are actually lowering your own score. If you look at it that way, you can only play offense, because by affecting your opponant's score, you effect what YOU get in QP's.

: Lora

Everyone is obsessed with qualifying. What about a robot that plays great defense and can win every match 3 - 0? Pretty inviting for the eliminations, right? Remember that the elimination round is what wins the championship, and defense counts in the eliminations since QP's don't matter. Has everyone already forgotten Juggernaut and TechnoKat from last year? These teams typically didn't qualify worth the darn (except for TechnoKat at Nationals), yet they always did extremely well in the eliminations.

Offense is the name of the game during qualifying. The elimination round is a whole new ball game. My prediction is that great defensive robots will beat great offensive robots in the eliminations.