jander14indoor wrote:I like the height bonus, course all I have to do is measure it....
Comment, its not a large bonus, until you can get a near perfect score with everything else, it may not be worth spending a LOT of time on.
Note, please spend a little time on it, I HATE ties.
Jeff Anderson
Livonia, MI
"perfect score"
Was that not eliminated from having a score ceiling?
The following is completely conjecture:
I think in saying "perfect score with everything else," he means capturing as many points as possible with field objects. With these objects, there will a score ceiling, but there will not be an overall ceiling as the height bonus is a variable score. (envision something like 94 + a few points for height) That way, a device still has to be good at picking up objects to place well and the height bonus effectively becomes the new tiebreaker.
well I was commenting that they wanted to make the event this year without a maximum score to avoid ties, so the wording seems to say that there is a maximum normal operating score (not including the height factor) but the bonus is small like chalker said so one can find the 'realistic' maximum score.
But we'll have to see when the rules arrive
2011 Helicopters State Runner-up
2012 Helicopters State Champion
2013 Robot Arm State Champion
I meant more or less what blazer said. The bulk of the points is in placing objects like last year and there is a maximum on those as there are only so many objects to place. The height score is weighted so it will be hard to get a high score without placing the objects. You'd have to raise it a long way to offset one item not in the bonus jug, for instance.
As far as new specs for the arms, is it likely that most teams will be able to use previous years' arms, or will most teams need to completely reconstruct their arms, if you are ignoring what some teams may do to maximize their height bonus?
twototwenty wrote:As far as new specs for the arms, is it likely that most teams will be able to use previous years' arms, or will most teams need to completely reconstruct their arms, if you are ignoring what some teams may do to maximize their height bonus?
Most teams should be able to modify their existing arms for this year. We've changed the objects a little bit and put some limitations on the devices that didn't exist in the past (as well as 'removed' a limitation or two that have been sources of controversy)
Student Alumni
National Event Supervisor
National Physical Sciences Rules Committee Chair
Putting limitations on scares me... I really hope we don't have to be any smaller, my arm's already 29x29cm and I had trouble fitting it in I don't remember any controversial restrictions however... This will be interesting
'If you're the smartest person in the room, you're in the wrong room' - Unknown
iwonder wrote:Putting limitations on scares me... I really hope we don't have to be any smaller, my arm's already 29x29cm and I had trouble fitting it in I don't remember any controversial restrictions however... This will be interesting
I would personally prefer if they made the rules so that last years' devices were rendered useless in their current form (but obviously you can reuse the electronics just change base size, playing field size etc) to level the field more. The people who had great arms last year should easily be able to roll with the punches with the knowledge they learned but that way they have something new they have to work on instead of a couple mods on an old design. Stimulate innovation and the like..
(I dont recall any major controversies either..)
2011 Helicopters State Runner-up
2012 Helicopters State Champion
2013 Robot Arm State Champion
I'm eagerly (okay, underestimate!) awaiting my manual in the mail, as I'm sure you all are! And yeah, the rules are out, maybe you could give us a little info now about objects/how the height bonus works/etc.? It'd definitely be appreciated
But I think that the "limitation" removed from last year is going to be the rule that prohibits dropping a "tool" that is not tethered to the robot.