Speeding up TT Field Reset

VEX Robotics Competition Discussion VRC > Tower Takeover (19/20)
#1

We all notice how painful field reset will be this year with the colored stacks, orientation, etc.

So, I’d like to pitch an idea to speed this up.
We all know how speedy robotics kids are when there is a competition, so why not advertise (on a local scale) a “field reset competition?”

Groups of 2 students would enter a field after each match and be timed to reset the field. The group with the fastest time wins a prize. (Trophy, or maybe the collection of lost parts on the field for more creative events)

I see that this isn’t very realistic, given precision by EPs to make sure each and every match runs smoothly, but I figured I’d ask the community their opinion. Thoughts?

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#2

Just get more people to do reset. Maybe get the teams that are next to help? But I agree field resets gonna be so painful. First year that I proposed won’t memorize the layout until way later.

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#3

It’s all about learning the pattern. IQ has had to do this several times before, VRC has usually gotten off easy.

  • The setup has a lot of symmetry, and that always helps. The line of symmetry is the autonomous line. The purple cubes are symmetrical on both sides of the field. The orange and green cubes are mirror images of each other, green more prominent on the blue alliance side, orange more prominent on the red alliance side.
  • Around each neutral tower, purple is always N and S, orange is W (toward red) and green is E (toward blue).
  • In the multi-cube structures in the field, the color that matches the alliance preloads are first/top, two of the other color are next, and purple is always last/bottom.
  • Every cube not next to a tower lines up on the south side of a full field tile and either directly next to another cube or along a tile edge.

For field reset, for many events we have the teams leave a member behind to help reset the field for the next match. We also tell the incoming match that they are responsible for checking the field to make sure it is properly set up. I frankly don’t feel a team has a valid complaint if something is misplaced and it screws up their autonomous. Part of getting to the field and getting ready for a match is checking to make sure everything is properly set up.

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