I'm new at this thing. Help!

VEX Robotics Competition Discussion VRC > Starstruck (16/17)
1

Hi there!

I’ve just started this year’s VEX competition Starstruck and I’d really appreciate any advice you could give. Is there anything important that do you thing I should take into account before I start building my first robot? Are there any tips which could be useful to make a good strategy. Thanks

2
  1. Your first robot will not be your last one. Expect to iterate your designs as you figure out what works over the season.
  2. Grabbing and managing the game objects is one of the toughest parts of the game. When thinking of grabbing and moving, don’t use your fingers to grab, keep them straight like your manipulator will do.
  3. Be cognizant of weight. It is a killer on these tiny motors. It’s all part of the challenge.
  4. Make sure your wheels spin freely. Friction is a killer. Real world physics is a bear to deal with too.
  5. Look at how points are scored and develop your game plan there first. Figure out how to win autonomous with a minimal amount of moves as 15 seconds goes fast. Here’s one hint - reducing the points scored from elements on your side is as good as scoring in the near zone. (1 point difference for stars)
  6. Practice driving like crazy - it is amazing what a good driver can do with a less fancy robot. As your robot gets better, it makes you that much more better later.
  7. Observe! See what others do and stand on the shoulders of giants (just don’t clone the giant)
3

1.Remember the first rule of designing a robot:
Keep
It
Simple,
Stupid

2.Analyze the game and make a strategy(keep this simple too) before you build, determine what is worth doing, and what isn’t, determine the simplest ways of scoring points and develop a simple robot that can do it.