*Originally posted by Replic *
**Anyone know if there will be a stop between the human controlled and autonomy, or will it just turn on the human controlled with no stopping transition? **
there isn’t supposed to be a stop between, just after 15 seconds, the human control should be active.
yea, and thoes 15 secs. are comming off of our 2:00 time for the match…:ahh:
I’m glad that the other 10 isn’t…
The matches will be won and lost by the first 15 seconds, it’s easy to see.
*Originally posted by Thorin *
**The matches will be won and lost by the first 15 seconds, it’s easy to see. **
Well, 1:45 is a very long time for someone who got ahead in the 15 seconds to run into major problems or be terribly dumb. But if planned well, yes, the 15 seconds will be a major decision maker. Hence the need to plan and code :).
Yes, but look at it this way, those 15 seconds are going to determine who gets the wall…
Now, unless your robot has a crazy massive chucking rate, or some crazy way to plow 5+ at a time, then it is quite critical.
Exactly. Perhaps they’ll steal your human-built stack, too. And since you took the wall, their stack still stands… it would also be in your interest, i think, not to shut your opponent out. Remember, own score+2(opponent’s). And if it’s not a shut out, there’s always a chance a good bin stealer could gain points. And remember, the hill is 50 possible points. The automation is important, but nothing is guaranteed until the power is off 
(Or maybe someone will have a few coasting bots or unstable stacks, so a few seconds after the power is off…)
For the record, I was at the Seattle kick off and I think most teams were excited by the idea of actually having a robot on the field for 15 seconds, not just a big RC car.
Of course we are home to the SRS (also well represented in the teams) (SRS -> Seattle Robotics Society)
I think the game will be won in that first 15 seconds. Linefollowing can be done on a Lego Brick. IR sensing also (remember the Lego Segway??)
I just hope we have Manual control code space left after we try and have 12 different auto programs (OK maybe just 8)
This is gonna be a great year. But so far it isn’t obvious what the exact plan is gonna be…
Have fun, its started!!
has anyone noticed how choppy those lego line readers are? Ive watched them, and I saw about three inch jumps from either side of the line. I dont know if this is an issue with our sensors as I know nothing about them. Did anyone think of placing multiple bins along the lip on the ramp. When robots started going towards the ramp in autonomous mode, more likely than not they would hit these, and they could get caught on the lip, making it impossibleto move by. If nothing else, I’d imagine this would really confuse the bot.
Cory
The lego line readers are only choppy depending on how you program them. It will be a challenge for line followers in this game as well to make sure that their robot is efficient and smooth with their movement. For you code junkies, think about how you might use the code to make a quick and smooth turn onto the ramp. I bet you’d want to use some sort of degredation of motor speed rather than just shutting them off for instants which is what the lego bots do if they aren’t programmed correctly.
And for the record - this whole autonomous thing is the greatest. I think it’s going to add a lot of depth, strategy, excitement and of course luck. Not only that, but it makes the whole thing just a little more magical and awe inspiring for those young spectators we’re trying to draw in.
everyone seems to be fearing this period of autonomous operation. I see this as a challenge. First has asked us to make our robots a little smarter than ever before, and i think that even with the problems at kick off, some teams will find ways to use this short period of unmanned operation to their advantage. A team doesnt have to have a perfect robot, tons of money, or fancy designs to complete this part of the game. All they need is some vision, and a little imagination, and i think that they could take this a long way. Good luck to all the teams out there who are accepting the challenge and are going to attempt to make their robot do more than run around crashing into things blindly during the first 15 seconds of play.
ok. Here’s an idea:
If you read 7.2 in ‘The Game’ it says that if your HP is not off the field withen 10 sec. then your bot won’t be powered up during the autonomous section. Then, it they still arn’t off the field in that 15 sec. your bot won’t be powered.
SO… now… your human player decides to take a little longer than the 10 sec. - What he really does is stand right in front of your tower preventing any alliance from hitting it because it would have to hit him and that wouldn’t be allow because of safety. (duhh…) Yes, your robot can’t be used during the autonomous peroid, but if the other alliance can knock down the wall, then you’ve got no problem. Then at about 12 seconds, you run off the field and hit the sensor to let your bot function during the rest of the match. Personally, I think it’s a great loophole. Can anyone tell me if they found a rule that wouldn’t allow it? (aside from commen cense :))
the game doesn’t start (or robot part) until all 4 pressure pads are activated ;). kinda hard to activate it from the field, eh?
Hmmm…
Ok… I guess i could see that. I guess i miss-read the rules. It was sort-of hard for me to think that they would not have thought of that, but i was wishing.
So… I guess that your HP could take an hour, just the robot wouldn’t work. - Also, the line about the 15 secs. confused me.
-Darn. 
If the HP stays on the field too long and is still not off by 15 secs then your bot will not be activated at all for that match
Perhaps they’ll steal your human-built stack, too.
A big problem in stealing stacks. I don’t think any robot will be able to really do it that well considering the fact you have to go over the ramp.
*Originally posted by wysiswyg *
**A big problem in stealing stacks. I don’t think any robot will be able to really do it that well considering the fact you have to go over the ramp. **
Unless you lift it over the bar 
Yeah I’m sure someone will think of a way to do that.
Jack, I have the solution to your problems, program your robot to sit still during its fifteen seconds, but I think anybody trying to evade this part of the competition is making a huge mistake. Fifteen seconds could win or lose the match for you. Anyways, think of it like this. Your robot w/driver is just the largest most expensive RC car you will ever own in this life. these fifteen seconds, the robot is funtioning closer to a robot.
Robot- a machine that can funtion on its own without continual outside guidance
Robot- a machine that can funtion on its own without continual outside guidance
Well I personally don’t like this definition because even some robots get some human guidance. ie. The martian probes
*Originally posted by Ben Mitchell *
**I instantly had visions of robots crashing into each other.Personally, I would have several programs loaded, and communicate with my alliance partner as to who’s doing what befire hand, so there aren’t and (wince) crashes. **
the instant i heard there were going to be autonomous play i thought of the same thing of having multiple options and using one of them after stragety discussion… however i dont think my thought of having switches on the control box will work if we wont have radio contact so the switches will have to be on the bot itself.