Is anyone surprised by the scoring in week #1?

[Zach101]

Originally Posted by JamesBrown

148 is having issues with Alfred which moves the Recycle containers out of the way in auto. They haven't been putting that component on the field. Rumor is it is fixed now and will be used after lunch.

Has it been fixed yet?

[Batterink]

Originally Posted by Zach101

Has it been fixed yet?

I've seen some talk of it being ruled unsafe. Possibly due to the hard to see cable.

Just rumors though.

[IronicDeadBird]

Originally Posted by Batterink

I've seen some talk of it being ruled unsafe. Possibly due to the hard to see cable.

Just rumors though.

It was on the field once and the bins it pulled didn't get completely contained unfortunately.

[Loose Screw]

I'm just happy that there's no game-breaking penalties like last year. It's hard watching teams that try to score points lose to teams trying to score penalties. Week 1 Centerline (detroit) still leaves bad memories.

[MrJohnston]

Originally Posted by Batterink

I've seen some talk of it being ruled unsafe. Possibly due to the hard to see cable.

Just rumors though.

Perhaps it could be "unsafe" because of the aspect of it being a bunch of metal falling from a height of about six feet? Whatever the issue, I'm sure 148 will have a solution before its next competition.

[Boltman]

148 can only use two of three other deemed illegal unless overturned (unlikely)

[faust1706]

Originally Posted by Boltman

148 can only use two of three other deemed illegal unless overturned (unlikely)

So they can't use their entire robot system? I feel that is incredibly unfair. I hope that rule is changed by the time of their other regionals.

[wesbass23]

Originally Posted by faust1706

So they can't use their entire robot system? I feel that is incredibly unfair. I hope that rule is changed by the time of their other regionals.

The refs have to stick to the rules though. If they start allowing passes then other teams will complain because they made sure to abide by the safety rules when designing their robot.

[faust1706]

That's incredibly disappointing from the refs of frc then. They are penalizing creative game strategy. It's an illogical rule, and it's illogical to follow such a rule.

But alright. 148 will still mostly likely win every competition they go to....without using a third of their robot. I'd like to see other teams try to do that.

[Boltman]

Originally Posted by faust1706

So they can't use their entire robot system? I feel that is incredibly unfair. I hope that rule is changed by the time of their other regionals.

Its a safety violation the ref did not see the string so unless they can redesign it to high visibility they are playing with two robots.

[gabrieltheaweso]

Originally Posted by MrJohnston

I am surprised at the number of teams not putting up any points.... Very few teams seem to be attempting a three-tote auto stack - and fewer are succeeding.... Even some really strong teams are struggling... Watching Dallas, I saw 148 fail to score any auto points, but did proceed to make two very nice stacks topped with recycling containers.

My team has a 3 tote auto, but it requires 2 of the 3 containers to be moved out of the way: we are finding it difficult to get 1 or 2 alliance partners to do this, so we never ended up using it.

[Ichlieberoboter]

Very surprised! The only way to move up in the rankings has essentially been coopertition.

[Left To Beaver]

I think the main problem keeping scoring down this year is that a lot of teams made stacker robots without container mechanisms in the hopes of having a capper robot putting a container on top, and that a lot of teams made capper robots without stacker mechanisms in the hopes of having a stacker robot to provide totes, and that those two robot classes are not getting along at all. A couple stackers without any cappers just leads to bunch of scattered tote stacks and minimal scoring. A couple cappers leads to no points or action at all (or, if your that one team in Dallas, trying to stack containers on top of each other because your alliance partners can't even push a tote on the step). Even if there is a stacker and a capper in the same match, I saw many examples of overzealous cappers trying to put a container on a stack and pushing the entire stack off the platform in the process.

I am surprised by the number of robots that can successfully do co-op stacks, though, to the point where, by some regionals' end, matches having co-op was the rule, not the exception.

[Boltman]

Originally Posted by Left To Beaver

I think the main problem keeping scoring down this year is that a lot of teams made stacker robots without container mechanisms in the hopes of having a capper robot putting a container on top, and that a lot of teams made capper robots without stacker mechanisms in the hopes of having a stacker robot to provide totes, and that those two robot classes are not getting along at all. A couple stackers without any cappers just leads to bunch of scattered tote stacks and minimal scoring. A couple cappers leads to no points or action at all (or, if your that one team in Dallas, trying to stack containers on top of each other because your alliance partners can't even push a tote on the step). Even if there is a stacker and a capper in the same match, I saw many examples of overzealous cappers trying to put a container on a stack and pushing the entire stack off the platform in the process.

I am surprised by the number of robots that can successfully do co-op stacks, though, to the point where, by some regional's end, matches having co-op was the rule, not the exception.

Yes this.

I'm surprised at the predominant specialization ...stacker, capper or stepper.

There were many times today watching I just shook my head at time wasted. Some good bots basically neutered waiting for another bot to finish sometimes waiting over a minute. That is what we purposely designed our robot to do it all perhaps not as a high of a level as a true stacker only against the HP station BUT can change roles on a dime as needed.

[RonnieS]

At first glance walking around the pits, we were pretty pleased with what we saw. Only maybe 1 or 2 teams that were the common box on wheels, the rest seemed to have mechanisms....this opinion greatly changed when we seen teams on the field. The box on wheels has evolved to a tall rectangle on wheels. The teams that have had drive practice were very easy to pick out.

Teams with active intakes that worked had a great advantage! Being super slow and relying on lining up is a very bad way to get good at this game. It also seemed that a good alliance was better off doing 2 stacks of 3 totes and a can then 1 stack of 5 with a can and then tip it over after wasting the entire match.

Now strictly scoring, I was surprised with how little every team beside the good ones were able to contribute. I thought there would be the good and mediocre but it seemed like you were either getting a few stacks or none(beside the bad matches which I will attribute to little drive practice). I expected more teams to do a 3 tote auto just simply on the fact that the points from that would get you ranked fairly high just from that. (Obviously this is true for early events, not so true for later events)

This is just a side note, I noticed the refs being very relaxed about transport configuration. I seen numerous teams come to the field WAY outside of transport configuration and nothing said...that really disappointed me.
-Ronnie