Could not agree more, the motor reset block is extremely valuable in getting your robot to behave correctly. When squaring up on a wall using a seconds in a move block, instead of degrees or rotations, use a motor reset lock to prevent errors from motor memory. On Oct 7, 2013 1:54 PM, "John Barrett" <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > Brandy, > Good advice all around. I would always tell my teams "Every second you > spend in base is a second your robot is not scoring points" > > Practicing and perfecting mission starts from base results is much better > scoring. And I agree that inconsistent robot performance is often a result > of operator error and not the robot itself. > > I will add, though, if your team is working with a single, master program, > then the motor memory could cause one mission to affect the next mission. > In situations like this (one single master program), a motor reset at the > start of each mission can help. > > John > > ------------------------------------ > > John J. Barrett > Industrial Medium Software, Inc. | 1616 Anderson Road | McLean, VA 22102 | > http://www.industrialmedium.com > (cell) 703-231-5094 | (office) 703-286-0818 | (fax) 703-286-0888 > > > > On Oct 7, 2013, at 12:36 PM, B Bergenstock wrote: > > My old FLL team figured out it was never programming the missions or > coming up with amazing attachments that killed their score, it was *the > switching*. It was having 1 attachment do one mission, and then take it > off and put on the next attachment that resulted in lower robot game > scores. Their best score in their 3 years was the year they figured out to > adapt 2 attachments to participate in 8 missions :) > > That and always trying to start from one place in base (as much as > possible anyway). I know it's probably too late to help a lot of teams with > that tip, but the more missions you have that start in one place, the > better the chance that the operator will get it right and the robot will > hit it's target, as just a few degrees off in a mid-field mission can be > disastrous at the wrong angle. Sensors can greatly aid in correcting for > small errors, but hooking or slicing the robot when placing it down may be > difficult to compensate for since it can miss its sensor's mark. Practice > here does make perfect! It's nice when teams keep track of whether a > mission worked well or not. Understanding the percentages of achievement > right before a tournament can take the guesswork out of what missions to > run on the table in a time crunch. > > If you can't start in one place, at least have the team do themselves a > favor and don't float the robot in the base. Have it start off a wall, or > make a lego ruler to create the angle you need and be consistent with the > starts each time. The increase in accuracy from starting off a wall is > significantly higher than floating "the back wheel off the side of the M", > or "having to count 7 dashes in the left side base to line up the back > wheel". Just don't. I noticed with my team that one operator would > complain about a mission* never *working, but put a different operator > down there to start it off and it was a 95% accurate program. Our first > year was fraught with us blaming the robot for what turned out to operator > error that would have been solved by following this simple best practice > "start rule". > > If you are seriously considering that two chassis concept, have the kids > do several runs (like 5-8) with and without chassis changes and see what > their final score would be in a timed match. I recommend not adding any > new programs the week before competition; Perfect programming, but no new > ones. Practicing our robot game starts and just getting lost of face time > with the game we were going to run at competition, we learned it made for a > much higher score! > Regards, > Brandy > FTC 6193 > > > > On Mon, Oct 7, 2013 at 9:40 AM, Bdh612-ess <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > >> My team considered that, but besides the complexity issue, we worried >> about the transition time and robot bloat issues in trying to provide the >> switch-ability mechanism. >> >> That said, I'd live to see the video, could you post a link? >> >> Brian >> >> Sent from my iPhone >> >> On Oct 7, 2013, at 9:07 AM, Alex <[log in to unmask]> wrote: >> >> Answer for question two. >> >> There is a team that does the multiple chassis plan. The motors and >> programmable brick are moved. >> >> There are youtube videos that show them switching between missions. >> >> >> On 2013-10-07 07:46, Larry Landsberg wrote: >> >> 2 separate questions. Hoping for 2 separate answers. >> >> 1. Can you use multiple robots during the tournament, ie 1 robot (EVS) for the first mission we attempt then a second robot (NXT ) for the next mission we attempt? >> >> 2. Can we have two different chassis but 1 brick that we switch between chassis during the tournament? >> >> Thank you, >> >> Larry >> >> -- To UNSUBSCRIBE or CHANGE your settings, please visit https://listserv.jmu.edu/archives/vadcfll-l.html and select "Join or leave the list". >> >> -- VADCFLL administrative announcements are sent via VADCFLL-ANNOUNCEMENTS-L. Visit https://listserv.jmu.edu/archives/vadcfll-ANNOUNCEMENTS-l.html to subscribe. >> >> ------------------------------ >> To UNSUBSCRIBE or CHANGE your settings, please visit >> https://listserv.jmu.edu/archives/vadcfll-l.html and select "Join or >> leave the list". >> VADCFLL administrative announcements are sent via >> VADCFLL-ANNOUNCEMENTS-L. 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