Rapid Relay Skills - Changes to skills needed?

VEX IQ Robotics Competition Discussion
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All these early seasons skills videos of mid to high level teams, it’s just a drive back and forward contest, it doesn’t feel like it’s truly a skills contest and feels like the GDC should make some tweaks. Disclaimer: this isn’t a knock to teams that are getting these scores, they have obviously been putting in the hard work with the rules of today to get these scores.

Ya these high scores are amazing to see, but it just doesn’t feel like it’s a true test of skills when more than half the match is just a drive back and forward contest. It feels like there needs to be an adjustment. It’s only November, which means we have 4 more months of just driving back and forth if not.

I would like to propose a hypothetical change to both driver and autonomous skills. Yes, scores would be lower but feel this would be the best way to make it more of a true skills challenge for the good teams. Both of these ways would still start with a preload and the second ball on the field like today.

Then:

Driver: Only have rapid loading the last 15 seconds. This means 20 more seconds of drivers having to actually use their driving skills and robots to get balls from the loading station. Maybe they could also change the points of balls loaded through the loading station and then a lesser value to rapid load balls like in teamwork.

Autonomous: Loads have to come from one of the four full black squares in the front of the loading zone, only one ball at a time in square, no hands on the field once the robot has entered the loading zone (this eliminates the rolling controversy), and the ball must be all the way within the volume of the black square. Having to turn and a farther distance to drive would mean coders would have to be more precise. Could also do rapid loading last 15 seconds and similar point difference as above idea to maybe. Can’t use the loading station and little kids can’t place the ball in the middle of the field anywhere, so those options are out.

But what about the little guys you say? Well, with the preload and the ball on the field to start, this still allows the beginner teams to still score easily to start with. The rapid loading last 15 of each could also be another easy way for them to get points as well.

Again, this is just an idea, and I know posting to the forum doesn’t change anything, I’m just opening up a discussion. Would love to hear if anyone else has any ideas on how to make skills feel more of a true skills challenge instead of just a drive back and forth game. I could be the only one feeling this way, but if others out there feel the same, maybe enough noise could be made before the January game manual update.

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Skills is how your robot preforms, not how the game can be optimized. I totally agree with you because these teams are just scoring mindlessly while other newer teams have to adapt. But also that is why the better teams are the most successful.

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I see your point, but I have some issues with your solutions (no offence)

The most inconsistient part of rapid relay is the loading station. Having driver skills be even more reliant on luck would be terrible.

This is a good idea, but still increases the “luck” component of the game.

Not bad except for:

IQ does not have enough sensors to code a very precise autonomous. I have spent 20+ hours coding and tuning PIDs and functions to drive at a specific heading and I still have only a 70% consistient auton. If thre were shaft encodere in IQ, then this would be nice. However, there is not.

I did not do IQ in elementary school, so I don’t know how this would work.

It’s great that you are expressing your concern, I just don’t think such a drastic change will be done so late in the season.

(p.s. what team were you on?)

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