Addressing the scoring pegs

[SteveGPage]

Originally Posted by billbo911

And L.......O......N........G arms!!

Which brings up another good point regarding standardization. Unless we can find a 7 - 8 foot tall basketball player, on every alliance, we just may need to approach this from another angle!

I would propose that each robot have a set of lights that can be used to signal the human player at the feeder station.
Blue light on, feed blue square tube
Red light on, feed red triangle tube
No lights on, feed white circle tube (I figured this would be better than having both lights on, in case one light was obstructed and the feeder fed the wrong tube.)

If teams don't read CD (heaven, forbid!), and adopts some standard communication practice, then the analyst would just have to deal with whatever the human player decides and go from there.

Thoughts?

[Tetraman]

Originally Posted by SteveGPage

Which brings up another good point regarding standardization. Unless we can find a 7 - 8 foot tall basketball player, on every alliance, we just may need to approach this from another angle!

I would propose that each robot have a set of lights that can be used to signal the human player at the feeder station.
Blue light on, feed blue square tube
Red light on, feed red triangle tube
No lights on, feed white circle tube (I figured this would be better than having both lights on, in case one light was obstructed and the feeder fed the wrong tube.)

If teams don't read CD (heaven, forbid!), and adopts some standard communication practice, then the analyst would just have to deal with whatever the human player decides and go from there.

Thoughts?

Cut out large shapes out of paper (around 10 inches), and glue them to cardboard/foam core/matte board. Cut out the shapes and attach a wrist band to the back of the board. Analysts can wear the shapes along their arm when not in use. When it's time to contact the Feeder, the Analyst takes off and holds up the right shape for the Feeder to see.

Making sure that the Feeder sees what shape is needed before the robot comes to pick it up will be key.

[SteveGPage]

Originally Posted by Tetraman

Cut out large shapes out of paper (around 10 inches), and glue them to cardboard/foam core/matte board. Cut out the shapes and attach a wrist band to the back of the board. Analysts can wear the shapes along their arm when not in use. When it's time to contact the Feeder, the Analyst takes off and holds up the right shape for the Feeder to see.

Making sure that the Feeder sees what shape is needed before the robot comes to pick it up will be key.

That's a good idea, especially for any teams that don't have some kind of on-board light indicator. I would think it would be preferable of the signal came on the robot, from the team driver, just so the Analyst doesn't have to look down, select the shape, then wave it until the Human player saw it - but that's not to say it couldn't be done that way. I think it would be good to have those shapes available for those other teams.

[GaryVoshol]

Originally Posted by SteveGPage

Blue light on, feed blue square tube
Red light on, feed red triangle tube
No lights on, feed white circle tube (I figured this would be better than having both lights on, in case one light was obstructed and the feeder fed the wrong tube.)

"Blue light on, but obstructed" appears the same as "no light on" to the FEEDER; you'll still get a wrong tube from time to time.

[SteveGPage]

Originally Posted by GaryVoshol

"Blue light on, but obstructed" appears the same as "no light on" to the FEEDER; you'll still get a wrong tube from time to time.

I know, I thought of that, too. I figured we could say to the feeder -

"If you don't see a light, take a second look from a different angle, if you can, and see if there is an obstruction first."

If they just saw a blue light, and the red was obstructed, I was concerned they wouldn't think twice about that and wouldn't take a second look.

[Bill_B]

The feeders will have to see any signals while robot approaches in the lane. At the window is too late as time will be lost trying to find the right/desired tube. Ideal situation is tube is projected from slot before robot gets there to take it. A good analyst will be able to have color for next time and the robot with this time grabs and leaves. Oh, and for both feeder sides.

then there's the matter of we ran out of that color, boss! what now? How does feeder feedback missing info? to whom? Standing order for absence or sequence? This feeder guy better not be what is called in the popular parlance a "bottom feeder!"

[synth3tk]

Originally Posted by Bill_B

then there's the matter of we ran out of that color, boss! what now? How does feeder feedback missing info? to whom? Standing order for absence or sequence? This feeder guy better not be what is called in the popular parlance a "bottom feeder!"

That's an interesting point, and a scenario that I'm sure may come up from time-to-time.

The feeder could possibly raise an arm or two arms, while giving the 'bot whatever color(s) they have left, just to indicate that they acknowledge the request, but had no tubes of the appropriate color left.

[Bill_B]

The analyst from our team will be carrying a clipboard with marker on a lanyard. S/he will cross out each of the nine shapes on each side of the field as they are passed or thrown out. that is, keep an inventory of which tubes are available. I'm hoping this will keep our alliance partners from random failures to get the "right" tube.

[synth3tk]

Originally Posted by Bill_B

The analyst from our team will be carrying a clipboard with marker on a lanyard. S/he will cross out each of the nine shapes on each side of the field as they are passed or thrown out. that is, keep an inventory of which tubes are available. I'm hoping this will keep our alliance partners from random failures to get the "right" tube.

That should fall in line with the rule that goes along the lines of allowing you to bring a clipboard or other (non-powered) strategy device. I've only skimmed the rulebook once, but I'll have to go open it up to find this one.

EDIT: Here we go.

<T26> Devices used solely for the purpose of planning or tracking strategy of game play are allowed inside the ALLIANCE STATION, if they meet ALL of the following conditions:
- Do not connect or attach to the OPERATOR CONSOLE
- Do not connect or attach to the FIELD or ARENA
- Do not connect or attach to another ALLIANCE member
- Do not communicate with anything or anyone outside of the ARENA.
- Do no include any form of enabled wireless electronic communication (e.g. radios, walkie-talkies, cell phones, Bluetooth communications, WiFi, etc.)
- Do not in any way affect the outcome of a MATCH, other than by allowing TEAM members to plan or track strategy for the purposes of communication of that strategy to other ALLIANCE members.