Support Robot Concept

[pandamonium]

OK they block the lane with a 10 foot arm, the robot can still drive across the field to supply another team or move out of the way and shoot. Even still forcing a team that can score to block a team that can't is still worth it.

I am kind of surprised so many people are ruling this idea out...

[Brandon Holley]

Originally Posted by pandamonium

OK they block the lane with a 10 foot arm, the robot can still drive across the field to supply another team or move out of the way and shoot. Even still forcing a team that can score to block a team that can't is still worth it.

I am kind of surprised so many people are ruling this idea out...

The shooting concept is probably being ruled out because its quite a challenge to undertake. Can it be done? I'm sure it can, and probably will be this season, but it's still a large challenge, and risk, that many teams probably do not want to take.

The idea of bringing tubes across the field is perfectly legitimate, and I'm sure many teams will be able to do this quite successfully. However, many teams may have this functionality built in to their design just by having an arm capable of loading quickly and driving fast.

Unless theres a specialized mechanism, the idea of a support robot seems more like a strategy than a design concept.

-Brando

[RyanCahoon]

Is there a distinct advantage to this more than just having the feeder throw the tubes over the wall instead of putting them through the slot?

<G57> During the TELEOPERATED PERIOD, FEEDERS may enter LOGO PIECES onto the FIELD by using the FEEDING SLOTS or by throwing the LOGO PIECE over the top of the FEEDER STATION wall.

I've heard credible reports of being able to reach half-field, and that's without much practice.

--Ryan

[Lil' Lavery]

Originally Posted by eagle33199

It might be... but if you can't pick them up off the floor, you're stuck driving to the other side to get game pieces every single time. That's a pretty big handicap to have, considering past experiences of game pieces littering the floor.

I'm not defending or advocating the decision to not have the ability to pick up off of the floor, but just pointing out it's not a feature to be taken for granted. If you're going to design your whole robot and strategy around having partners who can pick up off the floor, you better be sure that there are plenty of robots who are going to be able to acquire tubes on the floor.

Originally Posted by RyanCahoon

Is there a distinct advantage to this more than just having the feeder throw the tubes over the wall instead of putting them through the slot?



I've heard credible reports of being able to reach half-field, and that's without much practice.

--Ryan

Tubes are open targets for both alliances at half-field. They aren't if they're in the scoring area.

[RyanCahoon]

Originally Posted by Lil' Lavery

Tubes are open targets for both alliances at half-field. They aren't if they're in the scoring area.

Understood, I guess this was just me being skeptical that something as aerodynamically unstable and with as low relative inertial as the innertubes would be able to be aimed well enough to actually land and stay in the scoring zone with any reasonable reliability. Should probably keep my comments to myself until I (or someone else) actually attempts this, though.

--Ryan

[pandamonium]

now that is a very good point. but I do feel that teams will be able to pick up off of the floor. The 100% bumper rule makes this difficult though.

[pfreivald]

Originally Posted by pandamonium

now that is a very good point. but I do feel that teams will be able to pick up off of the floor. The 100% bumper rule makes this difficult though.

I will be shocked if the majority of robots are unable to pick up tubes from the floor, even with the 100% bumper and 60" cylinder rules.