Day 2

Strategic Core Values for 2024

Shot Location

The primary shot we are going to pursue the close subwoofer shots. This is similar to hub shots from 2022, or key shots from 2012. It’s the widest opening to make shots. Alternate locations are important for flowing as an alliance and not bumping each other.

Shot Blocking

Our current belief is that shot blocking will be a high priority for this year given the likelihood of short robots shooting. Shot angles for max height blockers, especially ones that also reach out of frame perimeter. This especially can be used in amped periods for scoring of opponents to reject the high points scoring period. It is expected to be somewhat more prevalent in elims due to otherwise “high octane shooters” not having to fully focus on the 18 piece RP.

Amplifying for the Speaker

Points wise it makes sense to basically only shoot speaker when it’s amplified. The points work out for 3 game piece solo cycles to

Shot Orientation

The robot is also going to pick up and shoot from opposite sides. This is critical for auto success, though maybe sideways shooting would be good for a potential 4 note auto.

Autonomous

It’s pretty clear that auton is quite strong this year. It’s going to be important for winning matches to have a strong auto. 2-3 piece from center line, and 4-5 piece from the closely staged notes.

Driving under the Stage

Driving under the stage is going to be a high priority for us to be able to evade defense better.

Stashing notes

Our current belief is that stashing notes for when we can amplify the speaker will be a staple of gameplay for all teams in 2024.

Floor hockey shot

We are also highly considering a forceful outtake across the ground we call the “floor hockey shot” to be able to stash notes near our speaker in dangerous zones for our opponents to take. Forcible outtake allows us to quicker cycles, much like cube shooters did in 2023 by barely entering the community zone and launching the cube close to the nodes.

Prototyping

Intake

After testing a multitude of wheels and compressions, 1/8”-1/4” compression for intakes seem to work best. It also seems like we will need a full width no (or minimal) gap roller to make contact with the notes throughout the entire path of intake/conveyor. Colson’s specifically didn’t have amazing grip to the ring

There are some over the bumper intakes that look pretty good. One clear thing we noticed is the ring can drastically bend while being picked up, and it’s fine. However if we were to outtake for our hockey shot, this would drastically slow down our note while outtaking.

## [[Shooter]]

We haven’t tested anything yet, but other shooters so far have had double rollers on either side of the ring

This one has a top and bottom roller

So far both of these have had wild accuracies shooting, so I hope that adding spin like 2013 launchers will help with its consistency, especially for long range shots.