25-01-2017 00:38

Ikillee

Re: paper: Steamworks Scenario Evaluator

Can you explain how a robot can score 60 points in autonomous mode of they're only allowed 10 balls?

25-01-2017 01:18

cad321

Re: paper: Steamworks Scenario Evaluator

Drive to the nearest hopper, collect 50 balls and miraculously score all 60 for a total of 60 points.

25-01-2017 05:00

pmattin5459

Re: paper: Steamworks Scenario Evaluator

I think your assumptions are rather good, though it does rather misleadingly suggest that fuel is the most valuable thing on the field. While it may appear so, three decent fuelbots will be hard to find in this game, especially considering a couple of the polls here suggest that there's about a 2:1 ratio between gearbots and fuelbots. I think that the most viable alliance comp will probably be either:

-Gear+FuelX2: a solid composition that is likely in the top alliance or two (1+2 and 3+4). Able to score lots of points, especially if the fuel bots offer a hand with the gear scoring. The big caveat here is that this is likely to be more suited for a champs alliance, with more and better fuel scorers and some gear scorers that aren't just a box on wheels with a rudimentary mechanism. Also, to reach four rotors, the fuelbots need to spend time gear scoring, which slows their fuel cycles. Also, none of the robots in this have any time for defense or counterdefense, as they are rather time pressured to get all four rotors plus get a bunch of fuel in the goal. Good alliance, just shut down with decent defense.

-GearX2+Fuel: This alliance is sure to win at all levels of play, even up to champs. With 6 gears each plus 2-3 in auton, this alliance has plenty of time to get their gears in and deal with and play against (or even as) defensive bots with that spare time. I could see a 2nd/3rd seed forgoing teaming up with the top alliance at an event to grab a couple of gearbots (I'm going to assume that fuelbots will win quals, as top teams will be the only ones to do fuel well, and will probably also be able to run very fast gear cycles too) and proceed to take an event.

Other alliances are possible, I just wanted to highlight the ones I think we'll see at champs. Too much focus on fuel or gears is probably going to be detrimental to your alliance, and hybrid robots are probably going to want to focus on fuel for the most part, perhaps dropping a few gears but certainly not pulling the weight of a specialized gearbot (I'd be happy to see a top team prove me wrong and make 6 gear cycles and 40kpa in teleop).

A few other thoughts: a top team's auton would probably include 40kpa, maybe even a gear if they can manage it. Defensive bots, if done well, can and will shut down alliances almost entirely this year, with the lack of protected shooting and the huge airship right near the scoring areas. Good shifting gearboxes are going to be awesome in this game, with their ability to push bots out of the way and yet still dash across the field.

It's gonna be a rough game out there, but also one of the most interesting ones so far from a strategy perspective.

25-01-2017 07:17

rick.oliver

Re: paper: Steamworks Scenario Evaluator

Thanks for the responses. The scenarios I selected and dimensioned reflect ideas which came to me; many based on reading through threads and discussions with a few other folks. My intent is to provide the community with a tool to help make decisions.

Have fun with it, the more data based your analysis, the better should be your outcomes and decisions.

26-01-2017 14:51

rick.oliver

Re: paper: Steamworks Scenario Evaluator

Uploaded a second version.

Ran some scenarios with the following assumptions:

Fuel Scoring Assumptions
High Goal Capacity 150 FUELs
High Goal Processing Rate 5 FUELs/sec
Time to Process a Full Goal 30 seconds

Tele-Operated Match Time 135 seconds
Clock Time for Final Fully loaded Goal 30 seconds
Lag Time before First Full load into Goal 15 seconds
Net Processing Time Available 120 seconds
Clock Time for First Fully loaded Goal 120 seconds
Number of Full Goal Load Cycles 4 cycles
Number of FUELs scored per match 600 FUELs

Robot Configurations:
FUELer - Ignore GEARs; FUEL accumulation capacity >150; Acquire from Hoppers and Floor; Score in High GOAL; Climb. Strategy - accumulate and score two "Full Goal" loads per match, then climb.

GEARer - Focus on delivering GEARs; Ignore floor acquisition; Acquire FUELs from Hoppers; accumulate 20 FUEL in ordered storage; score in High Goal from beyond the Key, ideally near a Lift; climb. Strategy - deliver >= 7 GEARS (1 in AUTO; 6 in TELEOP); acquire and score 20 FUELs once or twice per match; climb at the end.

GEARer / FUELer - Handles GEARs; FUEL accumulation capacity >50; Acquire from Hoppers and Floor; Score in High GOAL; Climb. Strategy - accumulate and score 3 loads and deliver 3 GEARs per match, then climb.

Defnder = GEARer