Scores

[lavarball]

You have to say though, the score curve was interesting for the invitational since around 10cm would get you around 15th place there, but probably top 10 in other invitationals. But to be fair, if you were used to a good floor, you weren't getting the distance you expected there, since the floor was a piece of garbage; mediocre being a complement.

Floor seemed perfectly fine to me

[vehicleguy]

I was sitting behind the team that got 6th place at MIT and they said there raw score was an 8.6

That's crazy! I've got more work to do! For the top teams it's now all about speed.

They made this event way too simple so there really isnt even a skill gap anymore. You see the most random teams winning just because of the RNG behind it. They might as well switch it's spot with ppp and make it an inquiry. big dumb

Yeah I've been noticing this big time. I also think the event is way to easy to get high scores. I wouldn't be surprised if top 20 scores at nats are all under 10 bc of how consistent you can get these vehicles.

[CPScienceDude]

That's crazy! I've got more work to do! For the top teams it's now all about speed.

They made this event way too simple so there really isnt even a skill gap anymore. You see the most random teams winning just because of the RNG behind it. They might as well switch it's spot with ppp and make it an inquiry. big dumb

Yeah I've been noticing this big time. I also think the event is way to easy to get high scores. I wouldn't be surprised if top 20 scores at nats are all under 10 bc of how consistent you can get these vehicles.

I wonder if they'll add some sort of height bonus next year.

[Tendan]

They made this event way too simple so there really isnt even a skill gap anymore. You see the most random teams winning just because of the RNG behind it. They might as well switch it's spot with ppp and make it an inquiry. big dumb

Yeah I've been noticing this big time. I also think the event is way to easy to get high scores. I wouldn't be surprised if top 20 scores at nats are all under 10 bc of how consistent you can get these vehicles.

I wonder if they'll add some sort of height bonus next year.

They could also do a weight bonus, but that might not completely fix the problems with luck. I was also thinking something similar to previous years like fitting between two cans, or maybe something outlandish like a three-wheel bonus or having to go backward or turning, of which the latter two might be near impossible for this event.

[Tendan]

Accidentally posted twice.

[sciolyperson1]

Yeah I've been noticing this big time. I also think the event is way to easy to get high scores. I wouldn't be surprised if top 20 scores at nats are all under 10 bc of how consistent you can get these vehicles.

I wonder if they'll add some sort of height bonus next year.

They could also do a weight bonus, but that might not completely fix the problems with luck. I was also thinking something similar to previous years like fitting between two cans, or maybe something outlandish like a three-wheel bonus or having to go backward or turning, of which the latter two might be near impossible for this event.

Yea, I don't think there's a reasonable way to have a vehicle turn unless with a second set of guiding rails/wheels. (A car can't turn on a curved track)

[dragonfruit35]

That's crazy! I've got more work to do! For the top teams it's now all about speed.

They made this event way too simple so there really isnt even a skill gap anymore. You see the most random teams winning just because of the RNG behind it. They might as well switch it's spot with ppp and make it an inquiry. big dumb

Yeah I've been noticing this big time. I also think the event is way to easy to get high scores. I wouldn't be surprised if top 20 scores at nats are all under 10 bc of how consistent you can get these vehicles.

I agree that this event is relatively easy to score well in, but 20 teams under 10 seems a bit excessive... I'm guessing maybe top 12 or so, and then top ~25-35 under 20.

Yea, I don't think there's a reasonable way to have a vehicle turn unless with a second set of guiding rails/wheels. (A car can't turn on a curved track)

Couldn't you just aim the ramp one way and the axle of the vehicle in the opposite direction? (i.e. the vehicle would start out going right because the ramp is aimed right [would still have to be behind the start line] and then have one of the axles adjusted so that it would tend left and eventually make its way back to the centerline?)

[sciolyperson1]

They made this event way too simple so there really isnt even a skill gap anymore. You see the most random teams winning just because of the RNG behind it. They might as well switch it's spot with ppp and make it an inquiry. big dumb

Yeah I've been noticing this big time. I also think the event is way to easy to get high scores. I wouldn't be surprised if top 20 scores at nats are all under 10 bc of how consistent you can get these vehicles.

I agree that this event is relatively easy to score well in, but 20 teams under 10 seems a bit excessive... I'm guessing maybe top 12 or so, and then top ~25-35 under 20.

Yea, I don't think there's a reasonable way to have a vehicle turn unless with a second set of guiding rails/wheels. (A car can't turn on a curved track)

Couldn't you just aim the ramp one way and the axle of the vehicle in the opposite direction? (i.e. the vehicle would start out going right because the ramp is aimed right [would still have to be behind the start line] and then have one of the axles adjusted so that it would tend left and eventually make its way back to the centerline?)

The wheels wouldn't rest flat on the ramp when going down the curve. For events like scrambler, even if it's curved the car starts flat on the ground (with the ramp angled) so it isn't an issue.

[lavarball]

I feel like they could have done things like height score, speed being worth more, offset points, or even some bonuses that they could add. The event is way too simple this year.

[Tendan]

Yeah I've been noticing this big time. I also think the event is way to easy to get high scores. I wouldn't be surprised if top 20 scores at nats are all under 10 bc of how consistent you can get these vehicles.

I agree that this event is relatively easy to score well in, but 20 teams under 10 seems a bit excessive... I'm guessing maybe top 12 or so, and then top ~25-35 under 20.

Yea, I don't think there's a reasonable way to have a vehicle turn unless with a second set of guiding rails/wheels. (A car can't turn on a curved track)

Couldn't you just aim the ramp one way and the axle of the vehicle in the opposite direction? (i.e. the vehicle would start out going right because the ramp is aimed right [would still have to be behind the start line] and then have one of the axles adjusted so that it would tend left and eventually make its way back to the centerline?)

The wheels wouldn't rest flat on the ramp when going down the curve. For events like scrambler, even if it's curved the car starts flat on the ground (with the ramp angled) so it isn't an issue.

I guess it might work if you had three wheels, but I would question the reliability of three wheels going down a ramp like that.

You could also make the chassis so that it could flex, but only in such a way that all four wheels will rest on the ground, causing no steering changes. I accidentally built my buggy from two years ago like that, and I had no trouble with alignment.