2014 Game

[Jay O'Donnell]

I'm indifferent towards the game object, but this year's senior class has had three games with limitations to the number of game objects a robot can manipulate. Maybe its time for a "Max" capacity game to make a return appearance.

I agree with this. Games like Lunacy and Aim High allowed for alot more creativity due to the lack of a limit on game piece possession. Considering no current students have been around for a game like that I think it would be pretty cool to do.

[Bald & Bearded]

Hello...

I've been reading a lot of posts in this thread and other related ones.
One thing i've noticed coming out of First are some vague references to
the past and some weird date typos which go into the future. (which First
shortly takes back down and corrects ) Now don't
go off on another thread on this...but what if in some weird way the 2014
game has something to do with the "Back to the future" movie? or is a hint that maybe we are going back to the past (as in a past game) to play it again in the future? (The number 3 hints might mean we are playing a old game but with 3V3 instead of 2V2?)Granted the movie came out in 1985 (and I and II came out in 1989 and 1990) Perhaps i shouldn't post this as its probably gonna open up a new can of worms. Well get your Flux Capacitors and Delorians ready.

Let us not forget the reference to Dr. Who in the blog. This is the 50th anniversary for our favorite time lord. But the baseball references are also there. We will only know for sure at kickoff.

One tweak I could see related to time is to switch teleop and autonomous. Last few years autonomous has been pretty easy to get a basic one working. (Physically line up the bot and shoot or drive straight). FTC autonomous has been far more complex.

Wouldn't it be cool if you had to line up your robot by the end of the match and use sensors for an autonomous end game?

[Kevin Thorp]

If it is a water game as so many suspect ;) check out this HiBot ACM-R5H: Video Link (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PC2hsu0jTbo)

http://spectrum.ieee.org/img/acm-photo2-full-1383622071255.jpg

[Foster]

Ok, so I'll bite. You are the GDC, given the current field size and 3x3 teams. Show us your "baseball" game.

[TheMadCADer]

Last year in December I said to my friends that the game would be "like Aim High but with frisbees". Let's see if I can go 2-for-2.

It's time for both another tube game and another stacking game. This year there will be vertical poles on the field that you put tubes on in stacks. Similar to 2007's scoring, you could get bonus points for having a "chain" of your colour of tubes all in a row on the same pole (so no opponents tubes in between each of yours), maybe a bonus for having the highest tube, or possibly give points according to how high the tube is (1st tube on a pole is 1 point, 2nd tube is 2, etc). Maybe each team has their own poles, maybe they don't. Playing tic-tac-toe again could be neat. Endgame will probably be a ramp where you can also lift other robots for more points.

Another thing that could be interesting (but I don't think will happen) would be to combine a tube game with a shooting game. It'd be like horseshoes, trying to throw the tube onto a short peg on the ground.

[jar24]

Ok, so I'll bite. You are the GDC, given the current field size and 3x3 teams. Show us your "baseball" game.

I wont be exactly baseball, because lets face it, those would hurt alot if hit by them, and also damage other teams robots, if it is baseball themed it would most likely use wiffle balls, or something along those lines, when I proposed the baseball idea I knew it would automatically be different.

[Foster]

I wont be exactly baseball, because lets face it, those would hurt alot if hit by them, and also damage other teams robots, if it is baseball themed it would most likely use wiffle balls, or something along those lines, when I proposed the baseball idea I knew it would automatically be different.

Ok Wiffle balls. 2 bases? 4 bases? Auto pitcher like at the batting cages? We know it would be "different", otherwise the "NY Mets" would be short for the "NY Metals" :rolleyes:

How different, spin those wanna-be GDC braincells up!

[jar24]

Ok Wiffle balls. 2 bases? 4 bases? Auto pitcher like at the batting cages? We know it would be "different", otherwise the "Mets" would be short for the "Metals" :rolleyes:

How different, spin those wanna-be GDC braincells up!

Would rather not give the GDC any more ideas, they might come back to haunt me lol, and one day I hope to be apart of the GDC.

but they spend a full year or more designing these competitions so the possibility's are limitless, but im guessing the only baseball related things will be us possibly shooting wiffle balls, but I will let peoples imaginations take over from here

[Kevin Thorp]

It's time for both another tube game and another stacking game. This year there will be vertical poles on the field that you put tubes on in stacks.

Rock-a-Stack!

http://5dbed9fecf35a6a00432-b6ca54e0af14a3f5541305dd8e97b043.r35.cf2.rackcdn.c om/web/2013sep/FISHER%20PRICE%20Rock%20A%20Stack%20Slider1.jpg

[raptaconehs]

Let's bring back the corn field from 1992 for 2014. I think we are due for a corn field.

[Cmac3082]

See this would make a lot of sense for a few reasons. Everyone has been saying that this year will be a ball game via the ball game intervals. Also, my team has been thinking that a small game piece such as a small tennis ball or baseball due to the other ball games the past few years. So due to the tennis game in 1992, a baseball themed game is due. We've done soccer, baseketball, discus, lets see some baseball!
Hockey might also be something we could see this year. Maybe with lunacy wheels to simulate the ice.

[Calvin Hartley]

Hockey might also be something we could see this year. Maybe with lunacy wheels to simulate the ice.

Did you just say Lunacy wheels? You better duck. Quickly.

[Damiaen_Florian]

I could be mistaken but I believe a guy named Ryan Hall did some research and figured out that the average game hint is released around December 21st so hopefully sometime soon we'll be able receive a hint and start speculating with a little bit more guidance. Although I must admit, it is very entertaining to see what the minds of FRC students can come up with for game ideas

[Martian86]

If we did have some variation of baseball with wiffle balls, I hope it's not a shooting game. Wiffle balls are painfully inconsistent when they fly.

[mechanical_robot]

Guys stop the game is going to be underwater robot trains

[Jay O'Donnell]

If we did have some variation of baseball with wiffle balls, I hope it's not a shooting game. Wiffle balls are painfully inconsistent when they fly.

Glad I have a book on the physics of wiffle balls! (Yes I'm serious)

[Martian86]

Glad I have a book on the physics of wiffle balls! (Yes I'm serious)

I should hunt one down for myself. You can never have too many physics books.

[Foster]

Glad I have a book on the physics of wiffle balls! (Yes I'm serious)

ISBN number or it didn't happen!

I did look and I found some great websites that talk about what goes on when they are thrown. Physics of Wiffleball site (http://kochey.8m.com/wiffleball.html) is pretty good.

[Kevin Thorp]

Four years ago the FIRST Tech Challenge used wiffleballs for "HotShot". Their field is much smaller (12' square) but that year they also had scoring tubs outside of the playing field.

In this video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sr-7_y3AfGw) the autonomous period starts at 2:15; teleoperated about 3:30.

[jar24]

Glad I have a book on the physics of wiffle balls! (Yes I'm serious)

whats the ISBN so the rest of us can get this?

[Jay O'Donnell]

whats the ISBN so the rest of us can get this?

Unfortunately couldn't find my copy after a quick search but I found it here on amazon: http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1600783619/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1387327730&sr=8-1&pi=SY200_QL40
Lots of the book is just about the history of the wiffleball and stuff like that but I remember there being a few chapters on physics behind the wiffleball (I'm talking legitimate equations) and how the ball will move when thrown with the holes on the wiffle ball in different orientations. You could probably find all of the information online somewhere if you took the time to look (but for any other wiffleball enthusiasts it is a good read).

[jar24]

thanks, now if we have wiffle balls, how to get them to be orientated correctly that will be the true challenge of them, if we even have to shoot them

[Rynocorn]

Baseball game I posted a few months ago:

Here is my baseball game for next year. It was in another thread but your comment made me want to share it with you guys.

I'm holding out for a baseball game next year. Here's what I have been thinking about.

Game- First baseball

Pieces- whiffle balls (baseballs) (ideally a lot of them on the field at a time >100) and large colored cubes (players)

Field- there would be a high wall on either end acting like a fence on either side of the court which robots will have to shoot balls behind in order to score points. There would be a batters box (rectangle of tape) somewhere on the field from which teams could shoot over the fence safely (like key in 2012). The bottom of the goal behind the fence can be sloped so the balls will run off the side and be counted easily like 2010. Also, in the middle of the field, there will be 4 boxes that are something like 4-6'' (that's supposed to be inches) tall with one for each alliance and 2 neutral ones all arranged in a baseball diamond shape.

Goal of game- to score the little balls into the goal over the fence and also get points by getting your robot onto your alliance box (the bases) at the end of the game or putting the large cubes on top, or both for with increasing points for the level of difficulty. Or, the bases could be used in a manner like 08 where robots have to race around the bases. Having robots have to do all these challenges would give varied robots and not one method of winning.

Gameplay- since baseball does operate in turns with teams alternating playing offense and defence, there could be an element of strategy like Aim High with maybe only one scoring zone along the long width of the field where teams each can score during a 50 second period and then the final 20 seconds the score will go to both teams (co-operation points)


This is just an idea I have been thinking of and I think it would be a pretty cool game to play with. I also like the idea of lots of scoring pieces and also big scoring pieces, both of which this game would have.

[Anthony4004]

Hockey might also be something we could see this year. Maybe with lunacy wheels to simulate the ice.

Hockey had been my other guess due to the Winter Olympics, but I think they would use indoor pucks. They wouldn't use regolith plastic due to how many people complained from the shavings (with caused cancer ive been told). Tho some slick wheel mechanum wheels would be fun.

[Jay Burnett]

Hockey might also be something we could see this year. Maybe with lunacy wheels to simulate the ice.
Hockey had been my other guess due to the Winter Olympics, but I think they would use indoor pucks. They wouldn't use regolith plastic due to how many people complained from the shavings (with caused cancer ive been told). Tho some slick wheel mechanum wheels would be fun.

I think hockey would be difficult enough without some sort of slick surface or traction limiting wheels. Also i just don't see the GDC regulating wheel options just because of the limits that would put on the creativity of the teams and the all around failure that was Lunacy. Also, real hockey players seem to have very good grip and turning abilities.

That said, I do think hockey would be a very interesting game if played on maybe a white carpet. (refer to my post on page 15)

[nickmcski]

I think hockey would be difficult enough without some sort of slick surface or traction limiting wheels. Also i just don't see the GDC regulating wheel options just because of the limits that would put on the creativity of the teams and the all around failure that was Lunacy. Also, real hockey players seem to have very good grip and turning abilities.



That said, I do think hockey would be a very interesting game if played on maybe a white carpet. (refer to my post on page 15)


We'll if we were using a traditional puck (aposed to road hockey ball) we would need some slick surface, unless It was Air hockey, That would be awesome!

[HumblePie]

Doesn't street hockey use tennis balls instead of pucks? Might make sense....j/s.

[Lil' Lavery]

http://www.hockeyworld.com/common/images/products/large/112-2606.jpg

[Zmarken]

If the references in the blog posts are actual hints, then I think there are three possibilities

It could be baseball, but hat trick is an unofficial term.

It could be hockey, but there's no home runs.

Or... It could be cricket (no clue about home runs on cricket)

To keep with the ball pattern, hockey would be street hockey.


...or they could be screwing with our heads. Anyone else have any thoughts?

[4404 PCH Colts]

If the references in the blog posts are actual hints, then I think there are three possibilities

It could be baseball, but hat trick is an unofficial term.

It could be hockey, but there's no home runs.

Or... It could be cricket (no clue about home runs on cricket)

To keep with the ball pattern, hockey would be street hockey.


...or they could be screwing with our heads. Anyone else have any thoughts?

I've tried to do a summary of what we know in the 2014 Game Hint 1 thread. The link is below.
http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/showpost.php?p=1314592&postcount=25

Apparently baseball has hat-tricks as well so i'm still leaning towards baseball, although kickball seems like a more plausible/doable idea

[Zmarken]

Kickball would be interesting, and I didn't get the who's on first thing at all.

I think instead of a breakaway variant, kickball could be an overdrive variant, (actually, kickball or baseball), to have something similar to running the bases.

EDIT: could the "lots of moving parts that need to work together" mean another co-opertition aspect? If it's not that, then maybe it could refer to different types of game pieces instead of just 1 this year?

[4404 PCH Colts]

Kickball would be interesting, and I didn't get the who's on first thing at all.

I think instead of a breakaway variant, kickball could be an overdrive variant, (actually, kickball or baseball), to have something similar to running the bases.

EDIT: could the "lots of moving parts that need to work together" mean another co-opertition aspect? If it's not that, then maybe it could refer to different types of game pieces instead of just 1 this year?

Oh man I can't be that old to the point that people don't recognize Who's On First, can I? So the original blog post had a Dr. Who reference. Someone on here mentioned that Who + First = Who's on First, which is an old Abbott and Costello skit involving baseball. It's a classic comedy routine.

[Zmarken]

Oh man I can't be that old to the point that people don't recognize Who's On First, can I? So the original blog post had a Dr. Who reference. Someone on here mentioned that Who + First = Who's on First, which is an old Abbott and Costello skit involving baseball. It's a classic comedy routine.

I've heard the phrase, but I personally don't watch comedy skits, or really any skits at all. I just didn't put 2 and 2 together.

[M. Lillis]

Here is a link to the comedy skit for reference. There probably isn't any important in the video.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kTcRRaXV-fg&feature=youtube_gdata_player

[Mitchell1714]

Here's a new idea,
Talking during the match may play a big part in the game. Possibly having to talk to the opposing alliance during the match or human players don't stand in the driver's station. Less likely could be voice commands (kinetic rehash) during autonomous, naturally.

[M. Lillis]

Hat Trick: "three or more homeruns in a game" (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hat-trick)

Again, three is a recurring theme

[rwkling1]

Hat Trick: "three or more homeruns in a game" (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hat-trick)

Again, three is a recurring theme

Yeah, my guess is that the hat trick is just another reference to the number 3. So there will be something with the game this year with 3. I'm not sure if it's referencing hockey or just the number three, since there have been a couple of references to baseball.

[nickmcski]

Yeah, my guess is that the hat trick is just another reference to the number 3. So there will be something with the game this year with 3. I'm not sure if it's referencing hockey or just the number three, since there have been a couple of references to baseball.


Three alliances possibly?

[rwkling1]

Three alliances possibly?

That's what people have been saying for the past few years, but my guess it's something we'll never guess.

[nickmcski]

That's what people have been saying for the past few years, but my guess it's something we'll never guess.


The GDC said they tend to plan games 2 years in advance, since there was a spike in FRC teams was a few years ago it's a possibility for 3 alliances this year.

[rwkling1]

The GDC said they tend to plan games 2 years in advance, since there was a spike in FRC teams was a few years ago it's a possibility for 3 alliances this year.

I can see that, but quite honestly I don't see them doing it yet, just my opinion.

[Damiaen_Florian]

The GDC said they tend to plan games 2 years in advance, since there was a spike in FRC teams was a few years ago it's a possibility for 3 alliances this year.

As EricH said in this thread on page 34 I believe? In 1998 there were 3 alliances (1v1v1) but what ended up happening is that teams started teaming up against the best teams, or the best of the three, making it 2v1 instead of 1v1v1 to give themselves a better chance. Since they apparently had lots of problems with the game that year with competing I don't think they'd be going back to that anytime soon for the same reasons, unless they could find a way to prevent that problem which I don't see how they could, but they're the GDC so who knows what they could come up with:p

[ButterflyXing]

"Our apologies for the two strikes this weekend, we promise our next swing will be a home run." (http://www.usfirst.org/roboticsprograms/frc/blog-FIRST-Choice-Opening-Postponed-Part-2)

Might it be a baseball game?:eek:

[wilhitern1]

http://www.hockeyworld.com/common/images/products/large/112-2606.jpg

The cost isn't too bad. And I'd bet that First could get a deal from the manufacturer since they'd be ordering a huge bucket of them... They'd play well on some interesting surfaces. Anybody played with them on carpet? I wouldn't expect that to be the best surface.

I wonder about the safety issues, though. Last year, I didn't see any frisbees thrown that I couldn't have caught. But I've seen slap shots that I don't think I'd want to try to stop even in the pads. (I'm no hockey player)

Neal

[wilhitern1]

Again, three is a recurring theme

Three is the magic number in Tic-tac-toe.

Neal

[Jay Burnett]

The cost isn't too bad. And I'd bet that First could get a deal from the manufacturer since they'd be ordering a huge bucket of them... They'd play well on some interesting surfaces. Anybody played with them on carpet? I wouldn't expect that to be the best surface.

I wonder about the safety issues, though. Last year, I didn't see any frisbees thrown that I couldn't have caught. But I've seen slap shots that I don't think I'd want to try to stop even in the pads. (I'm no hockey player)

Neal

Idea! They could leave the floor as is (concrete, wood) to save flooring costs and provide a better surface for the caster pucks. Most of the venues are already floored with one of those two materials, so the variations in the playing surface wouldn't be that much

[Jon Stratis]

Idea! They could leave the floor as is (concrete, wood) to save flooring costs and provide a better surface for the caster pucks. Most of the venues are already floored with one of those two materials, so the variations in the playing surface wouldn't be that much

The basketball arenas would be in horrible shape if they didn't put down some flooring to protect them. The wheels would do some damage, but a robot tipping over could easily gouge the surface. Trust me, they will always have some sort of uniform flooring that will be put down for the field!

[TheKeeg]

Robot Quibbage? ::rtm::

[Mr_I]

Let's bring back the corn field from 1992 for 2014. I think we are due for a corn field.

< If you build it, he will come > (said in a whisper)

[Lil' Lavery]

Hat Trick: "three or more homeruns in a game" (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hat-trick)

Again, three is a recurring theme

While that may be listed on wiki, I have never heard that used in conversation or analysis of a baseball game in my life. Three goals in soccer or hockey are absolutely referred to as a hat trick. Baseball, not so much.

[Kevin Thorp]

I was thinking about the Street Hockey idea and the lighted tape measures. Check out this glow in the dark Street Hockey Ball:
http://www.lightupandjuggle.com/store/images/hockey%20ball%20red.jpg
Maybe during the Autonomous Period or the End Game the playing field lights go out and the glowing balls are randomly dispensed onto the field? The goal(s) could be ringed in lights

The robot flashing lights and "bling" lights might be distracting, but there could be a rule about the colors of lights you're allowed to have on your bot.

[nickmcski]

I was thinking about the Street Hockey idea and the lighted tape measures. Check out this glow in the dark Street Hockey Ball:

http://www.lightupandjuggle.com/store/images/hockey%20ball%20red.jpg

Maybe during the Autonomous Period or the End Game the playing field lights go out and the glowing balls are randomly dispensed onto the field? The goal(s) could be ringed in lights



The robot flashing lights and "bling" lights might be distracting, but there could be a rule about the colors of lights you're allowed to have on your bot.


We'll at the Calgary regional for sure and a lot of other regionals it would be really hard for them shutoff the lights on the field without turning the lights off for the whole building.

[Abhishek R]

Yeah, I don't see lights becoming a factor in the game. Too much variability from regional to regional just because of the venue.

[Zuelu562]

I wonder about the safety issues, though. Last year, I didn't see any frisbees thrown that I couldn't have caught.

As a scorekeeper standing directly behind the #2 Driver Station, I got hit in the head a couple times by rogue frisbees that managed to hook over the top of the bins at BattleCry, with quite a few more finding the floor first. They hurt, but they weren't anywhere near damaging.

But I've seen slap shots that I don't think I'd want to try to stop even in the pads.

If they do do hockey this year I expect it not to be a "shooting" game, in fact, I expect rules that expressly prohibit design of a device to/shooting pucks (if not disallowing excessive shooting speed similar to 2010). Herding and/or limited manipulation is probably the solution to a hockey-esque game, whether the piece be a rubber ball or some semblance of a hockey puck.

[coalhot]

From @FRCTeam on twitter (https://twitter.com/FRCTeams/statuses/414112249616158720)


Interesting...

[Zmarken]

From @FRCTeam on twitter (https://twitter.com/FRCTeams/statuses/414112249616158720)


Interesting...

Well that's just lovely... I wonder how long it'll take.

EDIT: it looks like they got the followers and likes! Hopefully the hint's out soon.

[pb360]

I know what the game is … but actually i just have my methods. Don't worry I won't tell till Janurary 3rd.

[NoahB]

oh man.... here comes the water game suggestions

[Calvin Hartley]

oh man.... here comes the water game suggestions

You're a bit late to the party... Every game hint thread to date had numerous water game suggestions.

Maybe this is the year? :p

[RedLeader342]

stacking. calling it now

[Joshua25801]

I know it's very early but I wanted to start a discussion about the 2014 FRC game. I know that this year many were thinking about a stacking game but any ideas for next year's game?

Has anyone found the weight of the ball this year?

[asid61]

Has anyone found the weight of the ball this year?

3.5lbs, not sure if that's filled or unfilled.