I was studying an old VRC team for fun (202Z, they were relatives of mine), and I came across this image of Darren III from ITZ. While it is a fine piece of work (I actually have it in my workshop!), I’ve been a little curious about a few things, and I was wondering if the chamber of nerds here at VEX would be able to help me out. My brothers in 202Z have left notes in their notebook, but these are still some burning questions I’d like a second opinion on:
What’s with the heinous amount of rubber bands? I get the traction and easy reset factors (snap back into place), but wouldn’t that over-torque V5’s Smart Motors? Our team had a design with rubber bands for Push Back - I don’t know if it was faulty motors or too strong bands, but the motor running it kept consistently overheating.
That mobile goal extension looks very jerry-rigged (weird angle connection on what appears to be standoffs, questionable mounting structures, etc…). Was there any value in ITZ to doing this specific angle or were they just being special?
Would there be any benefit from salvaging any of these structures or mechs to use in a future season or possibly Override? And moreover, can I in the first place?
I know this is a bit of a wall, but I gotta know. Me and my team are relatively new to comps (only season we’ve played is Push Back so far and that went… suboptimally, to say the least) and it would really help us to learn from past teams, especially 202Z. Thanks guys.
53787N out.
My, we really are overdue for a lifting game aren’t we.
The rubber bands on the lift are to balance it against the force of gravity, so that the motors can move the lift up and down without fighting against unnecessary forces. Many lifts in ITZ were perhaps a bit positively tensioned so that upwards movement with a cone could be as fast as possible.
Looks like it was built to be as light as possible while still providing as much stability as necessary to place a mobile goal + many cones down without it tipping over. Mobile goals had weighted steel bases and when you out a ton of cones on top the weight became quite substantial.
As for the ideas, it depends on if the GDC gives us a true lifting game. The Double Reverse 4 Bar (DR4B) lift is pretty good for reaching high, so if we do get such a game I wouldn’t be surprised to seeit make a return.
I am personally hoping that it will be a lifting game.
I have been getting the members to learn building dr4b and also linear lift systems during their post-season.
And not just about dr4b, looks like the proper technique in doing rubber band is lost as well.
But OP is not entirely wrong - all these rubber-band system was mainly during the 393-era.
So the purpose for using rubber-band might shift slightly - from just pure helping the lift to move up faster, to maybe helping to achieve an uniform acceleration (for better control) of the lift system.
Believe me, I have no such intention. I was more referring to the technical strategies that this relic holds rather than defacing it. Who do you think I am, an animal?
We really are. I’d love to see ITZ or a similar game make a comeback in Override. That is - of course - if GDC actually pulls through.
Ouch. Learning the art of DR4B the first time kinda sucks. Worth it though.
Pardon my blantant illiteracy, but what was the 393-era?
before V5 system, it was cortex system and 393 motors.
V5 motor is more than 2 times stronger than a 393 motor.
but it was a fun era. It was that period that we saw students thinking of all sorts of ways to squeeze every drop of juice from the legacy cortex system.
Yet they still overheat like crazy under the slightest tension. Could just be me, though.
Now THAT sounds like a good challenge! Still hoping for an ITZ remake for Override, though. It’d be fun with the new and improved VEX parts and new wattage guidelines and such.
Not at all compared to 393s. If you stalled out your 393 drivetrain for more than about 3 seconds, the motors would likely burn out and shut down completely until you let off the sticks for about 10 seconds. By comparison V5 motors hardly burn out at all.
2 speed transmissions on the drivetrain were pretty common, here’s an example:
I built a DR4B for my lever bot this year, and I can truely say that it was one of the most fun mechanisms I’ve ever built. I really hope its used next year as well
Thanks everyone for your contributions! I’ve informed the legion of geeks and communion of nerds, and we’re all feeling quite ready for Game Reveal. Think we can pull off a 24-hour on a second year team?
