Most Important Game Aspect of '05

[richardp]

As I read the rules i beleave that it says that u get points just for haveing a tetra on top it doesnt have to be the top on it just has to be on. I could be wrong ill check with Dave tomarrow. But i think the most important aspect is just being able to get the tertas-themselfs ask fast and effeciently as possible so that they are there to use.

[Cory]

Originally Posted by richardp

As I read the rules i beleave that it says that u get points just for haveing a tetra on top it doesnt have to be the top on it just has to be on. I could be wrong ill check with Dave tomarrow. But i think the most important aspect is just being able to get the tertas-themselfs ask fast and effeciently as possible so that they are there to use.

every tetra you get onto a goal counts as points for you.

It has to be on top to count as a row though

[greencactus3]

Originally Posted by Alex Pelan

Defense and herding are key here. I think we are overestimating the amount of teams that will be able to reliably cap multiple tetras. Think about how long some teams took to cap last year, and then add more edges/having to be perfectly aligned with the top of the goals. Thus, in many matches, especially in the earlier rounds, while some teams that did not get much driver practicing in are getting used to their robots still, there will not be much capping going on. However, herding tetras into goals will be a lot more feasible, and, if there is nothing stacked on top, you can still make tic-tac-toes with tetras in the goal for extra points. Manipulating the tetras is not going to be an easy task. As for defense, it is always integral to the game. All robots should be built hardily and should be able to effectively block other robots. Control of the center, whether it be through capping or herding, will be key here, and we should see a lot of last minute shoving matches here, where capping the center can result in many-point swings.

really? i would think capping tetras would be easier than big balls assuming you have a reliable method of lifting a heavier tetra. and you can cap from any direction not only one side. and if you get the goal tetrahedron tip anywhere inside the bottomside triangle frame of a tetra , you just drop and itll stay.

[AmyPrib]

Originally Posted by Alex Pelan

However, herding tetras into goals will be a lot more feasible, and, if there is nothing stacked on top, you can still make tic-tac-toes with tetras in the goal for extra points.

I don't think I understand that comment. You don't get a "row" unless it's stacked on top.. You can't get a row using a tetra just sitting underneath a goal.
Maybe I just mis-read your comment....

[Alaina]

Originally Posted by AmyPrib

I don't think I understand that comment. You don't get a "row" unless it's stacked on top.. You can't get a row using a tetra just sitting underneath a goal.
Maybe I just mis-read your comment....

If you watch the people-playing-robots part of Kickoff you'll notice that after auton red has a row by having two capped and one under. They got the two capped by getting the center capped by a vision tetra. Having a tetra under a goal will count for a row, but if an opposing color is placed on top, it doesn't count. The highest tetra has possesion of the goal for scoring a row.

[AmyPrib]

Originally Posted by Alaina

If you watch the people-playing-robots part of Kickoff you'll notice that after auton red has a row by having two capped and one under. They got the two capped by getting the center capped by a vision tetra. Having a tetra under a goal will count for a row, but if an opposing color is placed on top, it doesn't count. The highest tetra has possesion of the goal for scoring a row.

Yep - early on I missed that rule... if you have the majority or have the highest tetra UNDER a goal, then you own it (if there are none stacked on top).
However, from Q/A, if you and opponent have the same number of tetras, and they're at the same height inside the goal, then nobody owns the goal.

There's so much to watch for in this game.

[Collmandoman]

Untrue, you have 'owned' a goal..if you have onw below until someone else caps

[kevin.fort]

Originally Posted by Collmandoman

Untrue, you have 'owned' a goal..if you have onw below until someone else caps

are you sure i dont remember that anywhere in thr rules.
anyway whats the likelihood that noone will put one on top

if you can plz post the rule to clarify

[Petey]

None of the above.

Tetra manipulation. Plain and simple.

Although, if it had to be one of those choices, it would be tetra stacking.

--Petey

[n0cturnalxb]

Why do we keep saying tic-tac-toe? It reminds me of bingo, but with 3 per row

I think the stacking's one of the most important aspects. If you can get your robot to hold the tetras relatively stable-y AND stack while collecting (go in and out of the loading zone, collecting more than one tetra and forming a stack before you put it onto the goals) ... you've got a pretty good advantage there.

Then again, they're pretty heavy to keep holding.

And I have no idea how such an arm mechanism would work.

.. But anything's possible!

[IMDWalrus]

Originally Posted by n0cturnalxb

Why do we keep saying tic-tac-toe? It reminds me of bingo, but with 3 per row

How is that any different?

I think that the most important thing here is going to be having a team of three robots that work well together, just as it has been in the past few games. Teamwork is what you'll need to win, right?

[leo_singer]

Originally Posted by n0cturnalxb

If you can get your robot to hold the tetras relatively stable-y AND stack while collecting (go in and out of the loading zone, collecting more than one tetra and forming a stack before you put it onto the goals) ... you've got a pretty good advantage there.

Then again, they're pretty heavy to keep holding.

And I have no idea how such an arm mechanism would work.

I've got an idea, but as it is it's too complicated to build. Imagine a telescoping arm consisting of several conveyor belts, studded with pins from which tetras can hang. As a conveyor belt reaches the end of one length of the arm, the tetra is handed off to the next length. You load tetras from some sort of hopper inside your robot and carry them up the arm to place them.

Think of a string of detachable aerial ski lifts.

[rcflyer620]

Originally Posted by Cyberguy34000

What do you think?

Because of the initial height of the center goal I think capping will only be important there for 2 or three tetras. Beyond that, the weight and size limits of the robots and the weight of the tetras will not allow an articulated arm or lifting platform to get high enough to put any more on. What if you were the first one to cap the center and then defended it vigorously while completing rows?

[bigjhutch]

No Question,
Tetra capping is harder, but it's unreversable and how many points can you score in autonomous mode? If any robot scores more than three single handedly, I will marry that robot.