FRC 2009 - Lunacy

[ExarKun666]

Originally Posted by Abra Cadabra IV

If I'm reading that rule right, it means we're stuck within the starting dimensions for the entire game, not just the start. However, rules <R12> and <R16> seem to contradict it (there's no reason to have to rubber-band your bot into the starting dimensions if it's never allowed to leave them). Am I misreading things?

Because if I'm not, this is going to add a huge about of complexity to the design process.

You are reading it right and R16 doesn't contradict

<R16> Once the MATCH has started, the ROBOT may assume a PLAYING CONFIGURATION that
is different from the STARTING CONFIGURATION. The ROBOT must be designed such
that the PLAYING CONFIGURATION of the ROBOT shall not exceed the dimensions
specified in Rule <R11>.

[Aren Siekmeier]

The general consensus of my team is that the restrictions on robot size during the game is to prevent guarding your own trailer with your robot. Does anyone know how long the trailer tongue is? Also, can balls be removed from trailers, because they are not scored until the end of the game?

[GaryVoshol]

I haven't found any rule that says descoring is illegal (except that if the goal tips, it is scored as however many were in it at the time it tipped). But I can't fathom how you're going to descore without going outside your 28x38x60 size.

[Protronie]

I really like what I've seen so far about this game.
Anyone can win it! Teams that have spent months designing wheels and fancy drive systems with the pushing power of a dozer... hahaha too bad your playing on fake ice with stock wheels.

Teams with whole machine shops that can build really awesome grippers and arms... oh well, them arms won't help this year.

With no fix-it window and all the robot contact this game will have. The robots will have to build robust. This year the winners will be robots that are simple, and tough.

Good luck teams!
-p

[lukevanoort]

Originally Posted by Abra Cadabra IV

(there's no reason to have to rubber-band your bot into the starting dimensions if it's never allowed to leave them).

You could design your robot in such a manner that the motors need power to stay within the starting configuration, and rubber bands could keep the robot within the dimensions until power comes on. Why someone would design their robot so that they needed to do that is beyond me though.

[Enigma's puzzle]

Hey we have a question about the game pieces in the trailer. Are you or are you not allowed to take out the game pieces that are in your trailer or your alliance's trailers?

[Nawaid Ladak]

Originally Posted by lasereyes

If you're looking for videos of the game animation, you can find them on NASA's website:

http://robotics.arc.nasa.gov/events/...s.php#webcasts

someone uploaded it to utube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pW0eCFPDoxc

[computerish]

Originally Posted by Enigma's puzzle

Hey we have a question about the game pieces in the trailer. Are you or are you not allowed to take out the game pieces that are in your trailer or your alliance's trailers?

As far as I know, there is no rule against this, however you cannot extend past the size limits for the robot, so I cannot see a way to do this. If you find one, though, and you want to let me know...

Also, I called the fake ice after the first hint!

http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/sh...ice#post780133

[MGoelz]

Originally Posted by ExarKun666

Just quickly wanted to run this by some people, some of my team feel that the camera is useless since you would only be able to really use it in autonomous, and I disagree. What are your thoughts on this? Would it give any advantages or disadvantages?

Well, I do believe that it would be mostly only advantageous in autonomous, however, that advantage is a large one. With each team able to start with up to 7 moon rocks, an alliance has the ability of scoring up to 42 points before the teleoperated period. That would give a huge advantage to the game. Of course, the likelihood of scoring all 21 is slim, but the point is the same. The camera is important because autonomous is important. You can't dead reckon to a moving target to score. Just because you don't need it for the majority of the match doesn't mean you should forget about it. I think you need the camera.

That's my opinion.

[cbudrecki]

Originally Posted by Nawaid Ladak

someone uploaded it to utube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pW0eCFPDoxc

you may want to read this thread...

[meastman]

Has anyone found any rules that prevent covering the trailer or removing game pieces from trailers. If you could cover the trailer there wouldn't really be any point to the game.

[computerish]

Originally Posted by meastman

Has anyone found any rules that prevent covering the trailer or removing game pieces from trailers. If you could cover the trailer there wouldn't really be any point to the game.

Yes, you can't extend beyond the robot dimension requirements at any point. That basically prevents a cover.

[Koko Ed]

Those wheels are funky. It's gonna take a real clever team to be very skilled at this game. You also are going to be very reliant on your partners being able to perform (if they can't move or are very slow guess who's getting scored on). You got to hit and run to thrive at this game. I suspect like hockey this is gonna be a fast and furious game.

[thefro526]

I like the game personally.

It's finally leveled out the playing field from veterans to rookies for the most part. And also it's leveled out the economics aswell. By changing the surface on which we play and the wheels that we're allowed to use First has essentially forced many of us teams to rethink our drive trains. Most teams have a "traditional" drive train they like to work with but now most conventional drive systems made for carpet would be too fast, illegal, or too powerful for the Game's playing surface.

I think that this will also be a Driver's game. A good driver/operator combo will be essential and both positions (Driver more so than Operator) will require a substantial amount of skill.

The only issue I have with the game is that autonomous does not seem to be straight forward nor is it really mentioned in the rule book. The way I understand it is that the scoring's still the same.

In all I like it though, It should be a fun game to play.

[pacoliketaco]

I think that even if you can get your robot to track another's goal, you still have to have a way to determine which side of the opposing robot you are facing. You may be locked onto their goal, but their robot might be facing yours, and you might just end up dumping all of your cells onto their robot, instead of into the goal. Even when you are behind the other robot, if you are both moving at similar speeds, it is going to be hard to keep tracking and following them. I also haven't put much thought into shooting, but it seems like it would be hard to do.

also, i was trying to find out where we can buy the "regolith", and found Glasteel's site. http://www.awci.org/buyersguide/file...el_MPC2007.pdf one of these might be worth looking into, but they dont have very many distributors or manufacturers. and it seems 100% necessary to have a lot of time to practice driving this year.