[FRC Blog] 2014 Game Hint

[Steven Donow]

Let the overanalysis begin...!!!!!::rtm:: ::rtm:: ::rtm:: ::rtm::


http://www.usfirst.org/roboticsprograms/frc/blog-2014-Game-Hint

Blog Date:
Friday, December 20, 2013 - 16:08
Here you go!

8234/57, 61126/1963, 62326/15806

Have a great weekend!

Frank

[Hallry]

Posted on the FRC Blog, 12/20/13: http://www.usfirst.org/roboticsprograms/frc/blog-2014-Game-Hint

2014 Game Hint

Blog Date: Friday, December 20, 2013 - 16:08

Here you go!

8234/57, 61126/1963, 62326/15806

Have a great weekend!

Frank

Go at it.

P.S. Notice how there's no number for the hint (ex. 2014 Game Hint #1). Looks like only one game hint again this year.

P.P.S. This thread's thread id # is 123456 ;)

[Calvin Hartley]

And so it begins.


....looks rather familiar, doesn't it?

[cgmv123]

8234/57 = 144.45614035087719298245614035088
61126/1963 = 31.139072847682119205298013245033
62326/15806 = 3.9431861318486650638997848918132

[Andrew Lawrence]

Those people at FIRST do like strings of numbers.

[Blueamber]

http://www.usfirst.org/roboticsprograms/frc/blog-2014-Game-Hint

Let's go!

[sergioCorral842]

Pulled out my calculator right away

[mdiradoorian]

Numbers as a game hint, lets see who can crack this one.

[cgmv123]

8234/57 = 144.45614035087719298245614035088
61126/1963 = 31.139072847682119205298013245033
62326/15806 = 3.9431861318486650638997848918132

[BigJ]

Googling the numbers for arbitrary facts...



61126 is a zip code in Rockford, Illinois.
62326 is a zip code for Colchester Illinois

ZIP codes were intoduced by the postal service in 1963.

[alectronic]

Not that it would matter, but the post says 16:08 and it was definitely not posted at 16:08... (more like 16:20)

[Calvin Hartley]

-----Posting pause as people consider hint-----

This thread will explode in roughly 10 minutes.


Not that it would matter, but the post says 16:08 and it was definitely not posted at 16:08... (more like 16:20)

Oh, it will matter. Everything matters. My (non-expert) guess would be that it was posted at 16:08 privately, and made public a few minutes later.

[Rangel(kf7fdb)]

I thought the numbers might be coordinates. Here they are plotted on a 2d version.

http://i.imgur.com/r4ovM9b.png

[Tottanka]

obviously a water game.

[Whippet]

NI PXIe-8234 is a gigabit ethernet interface device. Lifted bandwidth limits?

[Steven Donow]

Not that it would matter, but the post says 16:08 and it was definitely not posted at 16:08... (more like 16:20)

Posts almost never show up on the "FRC Blog" list right when they're posted. It usually takes some time. And the link to the URL wasn't posted publicly until whenever the GDC posted it.

[JOEL340]

Googling the numbers for arbitrary facts...



61126 is a zip code in Rockford, Illinois.
62326 is a zip code for Colchester Illinois

ZIP codes were intoduced by the postal service in 1963.

Did any big events happen in these city's?

[sailer99]

NI PXIe-8234 is a gigabit ethernet interface device. Lifted bandwidth limits?

Working off this maybe the 57 is the total order number, Im not sure how many fields FIRST runs but that number could makes sense

[Whippet]

Did any big events happen in these city's?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rockford,_Illinois

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colchester,_Illinois

[simpsonboy77]

NI PXIe-8234 is a gigabit ethernet interface device. Lifted bandwidth limits?

As a CSA and FTAA who signed no NDA's, I can say that I have heard nothing about lifting bandwidth limits, only modifying some.

[Bryce Paputa]

61126 and 62326 are zip codes, 1963 is when zip codes were started, which is fifty years ago. FIRST likes anniversaries.

[Brandon_L]

I wish I were on the GDC, just to watch everyone struggle to grasp the meaning of this.

[Martian86]

1963 is when Doctor Who started.

[gyroscopeRaptor]

I already tried last year's strategy on the strings, using pi and phi, no dice.

[Ozuru]

As for events that happened in Rockford, Illinois in 1963 I found this listing online:

http://www.rockfordillinois.com/chron7.htm

It doesn't look like too much went on. As others have noted, zip codes started in 1963 and their 50 year anniversary is 2013. Not 2014, though; this makes me think that the zip code idea is a diversion.

[cadandcookies]

Colchester is also a city in England, and there were a couple episodes of Dr. Who set there.

[Whippet]

Has anyone tried looking for the nth word in the dictionary, where n is the number from the hint?

[Bryce Paputa]

61126 and 62326 are zip codes, 1963 is when zip codes were started, which is fifty years ago. FIRST likes anniversaries.

The first evidence of Japanese writing came from 57 AD. Maybe some type of mail game?

[4404 PCH Colts]

side note, whos @FakeGDC

[Chris_Ely]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1963
Wikipedia list of major events and things from 1963.

[BigJ]

Colchester is also a city in England, and there were a couple episodes of Dr. Who set there.

http://tardis.wikia.com/wiki/Colchester Says that Colchester was visited by the Fourth Doctor, Tom Baker, who was mentioned in that one blog post.

[magnets]

has anybody tried coordinates yet? I got some place in the desert by dividing the numbers.

Also, I haven't found anything with doing decimal to ascii or that sort of thing.

[Rangel(kf7fdb)]

On Febuary 26th, 1963, the 57th day of 1963, it seems their is a space related event that occured.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/February_1963
A final piece of debris from the decaying orbit of Mars 2MV-4 No.1 re-entered the earth's atmosphere.

[cadandcookies]

http://tardis.wikia.com/wiki/Colchester Says that Colchester was visited by the Fourth Doctor, Tom Baker, who was mentioned in that one blog post.

We also have a couple of episodes with the eleventh doctor, Matt Smith, which were set there.

The Lodger (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Lodger_(Doctor_Who))

Closing Time (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Closing_Time_(Doctor_Who))

[Calvin Hartley]

side note, whos @FakeGDC

Here's your answer.

4404 PCH Colts on Chief Delphi asks who I am. My name is quite clear - I'm the GDC. http://puu.sh/5T8oA.png

[BleakRNS]

Personal opinion is that it's another cipher with nothing to do with ZIP codes or years but here's what Wikipedia has to say about 1963 in science:

-Geneticist J. B. S. Haldane coins the word "clone".
-Edward Lorenz publishes his discovery of the 'butterfly effect', significant in the development of chaos theory.
-November 23 - First episode of science fiction television series Doctor Who broadcast by the BBC in the United Kingdom.

Something else interesting but probably irrelevant:
8/2/1934: Hitler becomes Fuhrer

[Cecil]

Maybe some type of mail game?

All I could think about when you said that was this... (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WRukOo6-v4M)

Now all we have to do is make an accurate mail sorter that can hand out jury duty. The post office will love us! :rolleyes:

[Brandon Zalinsky]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xSLlZh9yelk

[JRuegsegger]

Going off the whole number searching thing:

First result on Wikipedia for 8234 is http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/8234_Nobeoka which is an asteroid discovered by a Japanese astronomer.

For the year 57 on Wikipedia, I got http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/57 which has some Japanese history about writing.

I have no idea what this could mean, though.

[cadandcookies]

Personal opinion is that it's another cipher with nothing to do with ZIP codes or years

I'm betting it's both a cipher and a clever connection to Dr. Who-- the Dr. Who references are just fun red herrings they threw in there to give us mortals something to look at while someone actually cracks the cipher.

[jwallace15]

Not only did 1963 hold the beginning of Doctor Who, but it also contained the assassination of President John F. Kennedy... Perhaps something to do with that?

He was shot from a book depository...

Books go on shelves...

Stacking things onto shelves?

[JohnFogarty]

I'd love life if it was a doctor who refrence.

[cadandcookies]

I'm really liking the "Who's on FIRST" game name theory right now.

[Gregor]

Ascii code 144 is É

144-31=133

Ascii code 133 is à.

133-4 is 129.

Ascii code 129 is ü.

Éàü = eau.

eau means water in French.

Watergame.

*I'm not smart enough to figure that out, Natalia from 1310 is the genius behind it.

[Brandon Zalinsky]

I seriously hope it's not a Dr. Who reference.

Also 1963 = JFK shot = JFK challenged USA to "go to the moon in this decade" = moon game = Lunacy

[Steven Donow]

Ascii code 144 is É

144-31=133

Ascii code 133 is à.

133-4 is 129.

Ascii code 129 is ü.

Éàü = eau.

eau means water in French.

Watergame.

You're absolutely wrong about watergame, but this is the most legitimate analysis I've seen in the thread...it's one of the few things (from my skimming) that links all three numbers together.

[bardd]

Well, the doctor's 50th anniversary was less than a month ago...

[Dukenator76]

Moon=Lunacy=Regoliath=Hockey

[rhinobot]

Someone tweeted this

[Petzer]

Doctor Who was mentioned in the blog following its 50th anniversary. Posted November 26th, "You should read the rest of the rules in this section for yourself, I don’t want to spoil the ending.*" "*SPOILER ALERT. If you can’t wait, I’ll tell you the end. Tom Baker makes an appearance as the museum curator. " Tom Baker was the 4th doctor. 1963 was the year the show premiered. Could the other numbers have Doctor Who related significance?

[Brandon Zalinsky]

Moon=Lunacy=Regoliath=Hockey

This. Hockey game.

[Woolly]

FRC Team 1963 is a defunct team from Winchester, England that competed in the Toronto Regional in 2006.

[tuXguy15]

Where did you get those numbers?

[JRuegsegger]

Also in the 62326 zip code (Colchester) is Fandon, Illinois, which was to be the capital of Forgottonia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fandon,_Illinois

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forgottonia

[colin340]

what 340 thinks
15806 >>>>60851 = Fortaleza = host city of world cup

[DampRobot]

Also 1963 = JFK shot = JFK challenged USA to "go to the moon in this decade" = moon game = Lunacy

This should become the new water game thing.

[Neima]

Moon=Lunacy=Regoliath=Hockey

or it could be a second lunacy challenge

[Chris is me]

I have a theory. There have been several events lately focusing on the ideas of errors or mistakes. FIRST Choice failed twice, and a series of omnious blog posts followed. Three glitchy edits appeared in the 2013 manual months after the season ended, in quick succession, perhaps itself an error.

The number 8234 could refer to a product by National Insturments (http://sine.ni.com/nips/cds/view/p/lang/en/nid/205150). It's an Ethernet controller that supports vision acquisiton. In LabView, error code 57 (http://digital.ni.com/public.nsf/allkb/83A6C5F1B12A019586257996007E206B) reads as follows: "This VI was compiled on a platform with CPU features not available on this host (SSE/SSE2). Rebuild the application with SSE disabled to support this target." Interestingly, we're switching control systems in 2015, so this error could pop up. I don't know enough about LabView in FRC to know if this error is ever seen in our purposes.

I'll write more later, just wanted to get this out there before the flood. The theme of threes and glitches / errors has been prominent in FIRST communication. Who knows?

[bearbot]

From the hint their are three "3's" which could lead to three areas or the field,scoring zones,3 dimensional game piece CUBES?

[Justin Montois]

what 340 thinks
15806 >>>>60851 = Fortaleza = host city of world cup

We realized 62326 was a palindrome. So if it's written "backwards and you assume the next number is also written backwards then you get 60851 which lead us to what Colin mentioned...

So basically we got...

61126/1963 related to zip codes...

62326 isn't a zip code but it is a palindrome. Then we reversed 15806 to 60851 and got the zip code for the 2014 world cup host city....

That takes care of the middle and end numbers. We are nowhere on 8234/57.....

[cadandcookies]

or it could be a second lunacy challenge

How about no.

I'm betting on a time-travelling moon game played underwater at this point.

[TK3950]

62326 is a palindrome.

[gyroscopeRaptor]

62326 is a palindrome.

So is Racecar.

Overdrive redone confirmed

[John Sabath]

I thought the numbers might be coordinates. Here they are plotted on a 2d version.

http://i.imgur.com/g68DEDr.png


Also, did anyone have any speculation as to why the photo from the Nov 25 blog showed the water bottles? They seemed so arbitrarily yet intentionally placed.

http://www.usfirst.org/sites/default/files/uploadedImages/Robotics_Programs/FRC/Game_and_Season__Info/2014/Kickoff-Filming.jpg

Coincidence?

[cadandcookies]

From the hint their are three "3's" which could lead to three areas or the field,scoring zones,3 dimensional game piece CUBES?

Relatively confident that every game piece we've ever had has been three dimensional.

[Andrew Lawrence]

Coincidence?

This is one of the more legitimate things I've seen.

[MikeE]

Relatively confident that every game piece we've ever had has been three dimensional.

Citation?

[Rangel(kf7fdb)]

Coincidence?

I actually did not notice that. The water bottles are aligned in a triangle similar to the coordinate points.

[dellagd]

This is one of the more legitimate things I've seen.

Those water bottles do seem to be the only thing in the photo that could have been made to..."hold"...data.

[Bryce Paputa]

Every last digit in base ten is either a prime number or divisible by two. Creating a binary number out of this gives either 101011 (43, divisible by two->1, prime->0) or 010100 (20, opposite). Assuming the year is 2014, subtracting these gives the years 1971 and 1994.
In 1971:

Intel releases the world's first microprocessor, the Intel 4004.


Ray Tomlinson sends the first ARPAnet e-mail between host computers.


The British postal workers' strike, led by UPW General Secretary Tom Jackson, ends after 47 days.


In 1994:

March 14 – Apple Computer, Inc. releases the first Macintosh computers to use the new PowerPC Microprocessors. This is considered to be a major leap in personal computer, as well as Macintosh history.


May 12 – Ice hockey becomes Canada's official winter sport.


June 14 – Hacker Kevin Poulsen pleads guilty to 7 counts of mail fraud, wire and computer fraud, money laundering, and obstruction of justice.


This is probably all coincidence, but it's interesting.

[RoundTabler]

March 14, 1963 ---- Rockford's official population is announced at 132,835.

http://www.colorhexa.com/132835

Color for the third alliance?

Also, JFK keeps coming up in my searches....

[davidthefat]

The ratio between the first two numbers is about 4.64 and the ratio of the second to third number is about 7.90. Each consecutive number is smaller by a bigger factor.

The target this year will get progressively smaller as time or score progresses. Since the limiting factor of the size of the goal is the game piece, the game piece this year will be a tennis ball or golf ball (something around that size).

[Xavbro]

Coincidence?

:yikes: Nice catch.

[Brandon Zalinsky]

Coincidence?

THIS
Post confirmed for true

If not only to get the right answer, but to dispel the Dr. Who discussion.

[davidthefat]

This is one of the more legitimate things I've seen.

No, look at the axis labels. That's the first thought to pop into your head, but the scales are off.

[Calvin Hartley]

Coincidence?

Very interesting. I support this "theory", but where can we go with it? Game piece? Field markings?

What if the field is marked across opposite corners? (Cutting the rectangle of a field into two triangles)

Ii looks like Woodie is laughing about how we will respond to their placement of waterbottles.

[Andrew Lawrence]

No, look at the axis labels. That's the first thought to pop into your head, but the scales are off.

Maybe they did the same thing as Rangel did.

[SuperBK]

I think the numbers indicate an anniversary of some kind and a quarter quell. Parts of previous games will be combined to form a new game. Previous winners will be invited back to play. The only way to win will be to form a good alliance.

[Caleb Sykes]

Anyone else notice the similarity between 61126 and 62326?

[cadandcookies]

Citation?

Citation: Here. (http://www.usfirst.org/sites/default/files/uploadedFiles/Who/FIRST_History/FRC_Game_Summaries_Photos.pdf)
1992 - Tennis Balls
1993 - Variety of balls
1994 - Soccer balls
1995 - Vinyl balls
1996 - Large balls
1997 - Inner tubes
1998 - More balls
1999 - Floppies (pillows)
2000 - Balls
2001 - More balls (and movable goals)
2002 - More balls (and movable goals)
2003 - Bins
2004 - Variety of balls
2005 - Tetras
2006 - Poof balls
2007 - Tubes
2008 - Giant balls
2009 - Moon rocks (weird balls)
2010 - Soccer Balls
2011 - Variety tubes
2012 - Foam balls
2013 - Discs

Analysis confirms that 15 out of 22 games have had balls.

Also, molecules are usually presented as attached balls representing atoms, which means I'm 100% confident it's a water game.

[RoundTabler]

No, look at the axis labels. That's the first thought to pop into your head, but the scales are off.

Are they off by a factor of 4.64 or 7.90 or 3.94?

[Hallry]

I think the numbers indicate an anniversary of some kind and a quarter quell. Parts of previous games will be combined to form a new game. Previous winners will be invited back to play. The only way to win will be to form a good alliance.

Wasn't there a lot of water in that movie? :rolleyes:

[Neima]

Coincidence?

any 3 point in a 2d plane are going to make a triangle unless they are the same or in a line though

[cadandcookies]

I want to note that the link to the game summaries page also contains the word "who," and FIRST has been posting pictures of old fields on twitter lately.

[Mirrus]

AndyMark realesed a T-shirt with a year, 2004, in 2014 there will pass 10 years since then.

Water Game.

http://cdn3.volusion.com/vyfsn.knvgw/v/vspfiles/photos/am-2414-2T.jpg?1355897317

[Brandon Zalinsky]

I want to note that the link to the game summaries page also contains the word "who," and FIRST has been posting pictures of old fields on twitter lately.

no, please.

[Woolly]

I want to note that the link to the game summaries page also contains the word "who," and FIRST has been posting pictures of old fields on twitter lately.

The Who released a song called "Pinball Wizard"
Pinball game 2014

[Romano2630]

found out that 8234/57 = 144.4561404... which google brought up to be the hex code of green.
also - 61126/1963 = 31.13907285... which is the hex code of BLUE, same method.

[davidthefat]

http://i.imgur.com/0CK1OGx.png

Corrected scale; it means nothing at this point.

[DonRotolo]

found out that 8234/57 = 144.4561404... which google brought up to be the hex code of green.
also - 61126/1963 = 31.13907285... which is the hex code of green, same method.
GREEN. Green is the hint.

OK, now we have the hint figured out, now what should I do between now and kickoff??

[billbo911]

Moon=Lunacy=Regoliath=Hockey
Here is my day one ramblings.


I have been hoping for a Hockey game for a couple years now.

There are a lot of Regolith Haters out there, but I am not one of them.
It introduced a whole new paradigm to driving and robot design that hasn't been repeated.

Now, look at the largest angle of the of the triangle created by the water bottles. Somewhere near 104deg (http://www.physicsofmatter.com/NotTheBook/Talks/Ice/Ice.html)?
Look at the section under "A Game & A Challenge".

Just sayin'

[RoundTabler]

Mapping 8234 gets me three cities in Switzerland, Luxemburg, and Austria.

[Caleb Sykes]

prime factorization of each number:
8234 = 2*23*179
57 = 3*19
61126 = 2*13*2351
1963 = 13*151
62326 = 2*11*2833
15806 = 2*7*1129

[NanoCollins]

I have an idea. The number when divided might be referencing

TITLE 31
Motor and Other vehicles
CHAPTER 31-14
Speed Restrictions
SECTION 31-14-3

This is the info I found on it:
§ 31-14-3 Conditions requiring reduced speed. – (a) The driver of every vehicle shall, consistent with the requirements of § 31-14-1, drive at an appropriate reduced speed when approaching and crossing an intersection or railroad grade crossing, when approaching and going around a curve, when approaching a hill crest, when traveling upon any narrow or winding roadway, when special hazard exists with respect to pedestrians or other traffic or by reason of weather or highway conditions and in the presence of emergency vehicles displaying flashing lights as provided in § 31-24-31, tow trucks, transporter trucks, and roadside assistance vehicles displaying flashing amber lights while assisting a disabled motor vehicle. Violations of this section are subject to fines enumerated in § 31-41.1-4.

(b) When an authorized vehicle as described in subsection (a) is parked or standing within twelve feet (12') of a roadway and is giving a warning signal by appropriate light, the driver of every other approaching vehicle shall, as soon as it is safe, and when not otherwise directed by an individual lawfully directing traffic, do one of the following:

(1) Move the vehicle into a lane that is not the lane nearest the parked or standing authorized emergency vehicle and continue traveling in that lane until safely clear of the authorized emergency vehicle. This paragraph applies only if the roadway has at least two (2) lanes for traffic proceeding in the direction of the approaching vehicle and if the approaching vehicle may change lanes safely and without interfering with any vehicular traffic.

(2) Slow the vehicle, maintaining a safe speed for traffic conditions, and operate the vehicle at a reduced speed until completely past the authorized emergency vehicle. This paragraph applies only if the roadway has only one lane for traffic proceeding in the direction of the approaching vehicle or if the approaching vehicle may not change lanes safely and without interfering with any vehicular traffic.

Violations of this section are subject to fines enumerated in § 31-41.1-4.

History of Section.
(P.L. 1950, ch. 2595, art. 25, § 1; G.L. 1956, § 31-14-3; P.L. 2002, ch. 292, § 109; P.L. 2005, ch. 63, § 2; P.L. 2005, ch. 65, § 2; P.L. 2008, ch. 131, § 1; P.L. 2008, ch. 194, § 1.)

[Akash Rastogi]

found out that 8234/57 = 144.4561404... which google brought up to be the hex code of green.
also - 61126/1963 = 31.13907285... which is the hex code of green, same method.

Green alliance guys.

[cadandcookies]

I have an idea. The number when divided might be referencing

(/snip)

Source?

[John Sabath]

Green alliance guys.

A 3rd (green) alliance could relate to the triangle.

[mrnoble]

I'm currently leaning toward the theory that the "green screen" photo is significant. The green hex code seems to coincide with the green background, and those water bottles seem significant too. What about the placement of the people, or the stools?

If triangles are significant, it's probably because of the shape of the playing pieces. Don't know what green means.

[Caleb Sykes]

Seriously guys, basically ANY three points plotted in 2D or 3D space make up a triangle. The only way that it wouldn't happen is if the points made a line, which might actually mean something. The "triangle" is not the hint.

[tim-tim]

How about two water bottles in one zone and one in another. Return of offensive/defensive time periods and zones. Brings in zip codes as zones.

The Hex code for the color green - green targets, again.

With respect to the space comments, the game pieces will be of varying sizes. We know they will be balls. It follows a historical pattern. I think we could all do without regolith floors and wheel restrictions again.

I could see a hockey game, in a similar fashion to the 2006 game. I'm sure I'm not even close.

[RoundTabler]

Decimal to ascii give me this:
‚4/W, a/c, b2/€

From Chinese to Latin gives me:
? IV / w / C, B2 /?

From binary to ascii to latin:
(VIII)CCXXXIV / LVII, VI? XXVI / CMLXIII, (LXII)CCCXXVI /? LVIII qa

[Neima]

A 3rd (green) alliance could relate to the triangle.

i feel like a third alliance is improbable unless they change the number of teams on each alliance to 2. they already have the locations of all of the events and most of them cant have the field that much larger.

[InvaderSkoodge]

I just want to point out that 8234, 57, 61126, 1962, 62326, 15806, are all asteroids in the asteroid belt.

http://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/sbdb.cgi?sstr=8234+Nobeoka

http://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/sbdb.cgi?sstr=57;orb=0;cov=0;log=0;cad=0#phys_par

http://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/sbdb.cgi?sstr=61126;orb=0;cov=0;log=0;cad=0#phys_p ar

http://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/sbdb.cgi?sstr=1963;orb=0;cov=0;log=0;cad=0#phys_pa r

http://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/sbdb.cgi?sstr=62326;orb=0;cov=0;log=0;cad=0#phys_p ar

http://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/sbdb.cgi?sstr=15806;orb=0;cov=0;log=0;cad=0#phys_p ar

This could be nothing, or maybe a game with a lot of game pieces?

I have run a lot of factor stuff, and tried to find if any numbers could work in a nihilist cipher, but so far nothing. Numbers are tricky, so much can be contained in so little.

[loyal]

Green alliance = 4- H

[Rangel(kf7fdb)]

Seriously guys, basically ANY three points plotted in 2D or 3D space make up a triangle. The only way that it wouldn't happen is if the points made a line, which might actually mean something. The "triangle" is not the hint.

That is true. What interests me is that in the green screen photo with dean and woody, the triangle the water bottles make have the same incline on the bottom points similar to the points when plotted. The scaling was off on the original graph but if you plug in ratios such as 4.6, then the triangle looks similar to the alignment of waterbottles. Not fullproof theory at all but it holds up slightly I think.

[NanoCollins]

I just found it on google, it was a traffic law for Illinois if I remeber correctly.
This is the link if you want to check it out.
http://webserver.rilin.state.ri.us/Statutes/TITLE31/31-14/31-14-3.HTM

[loyal]

Or green = recycle = an old game brought back

[John Sabath]

http://i.imgur.com/7b8aipE.png

Is this common practice for the images they release, or are they lying to us?

[Neima]

green could be something referring to the environment like going green. we saw this type of further message with ultimate accent last year because they where comparing it with life's challenges

[raptaconehs]

Since it appears that green might be big. The camera light on first choice is also green as opposed to any other color. And could those be referencing something related to a baseball field?

[Calvin Hartley]

This could be nothing, or maybe a game with a lot of game pieces?

This supports what I seem to remember reading (way back) that no students this year have had robots that handled more than 4 game pieces at a time. I like the thought of having a high quantity game.

[glennword]

found out that 8234/57 = 144.4561404... which google brought up to be the hex code of green.
also - 61126/1963 = 31.13907285... which is the hex code of green, same method.
Is there any way you could verify these hex codes? Cause I've been to a couple different sites and they all seem to have different colors for these numbers. Also, what decimal did you stop at?

[jee7s]

I noticed that this thread is Chief Delphi topic 123456 (seriously, check your address bar). Tried to apply CD thread numbers to the numbers in the hint...no go.

ISO 61126 deals with lamps, ISO 62326 deals with PCBs. Not sure if there's a hint there.

8234/57 seems like a plausible number of points scored (8234) in total by a number of teams (57). I'll throw out this wild idea: say there are 57 teams remaining from 1997 (I don't know that to be a fact, but it's plausible), and those teams scored a combined 8234 points that year. ...so we're playing a re-make of Toroid Terror this year. (No, I'm not being serious. But, if I'm right give me credit ;))

[flamespinner]

Guys, if it is a water game... Water can take many forms keep in mind! It could be ice, it could actually be water. I'm willing to bet its a hockey game... This is probably gonna keep me up all night :eek:

[loyal]

Old game brought back+ asteroids + doctor who= lunacy

[Hallry]

Since it appears that green might be big. The camera light on first choice is also green as opposed to any other color. And could those be referencing something related to a baseball field?

H-....How-....How does green = baseball field? ::rtm::

[Caleb Sykes]

Since it appears that green might be big. The camera light on first choice is also green as opposed to any other color. And could those be referencing something related to a baseball field?

And we all have little green lights right next to our usernames. :ahh:

Maybe... we are the game hint.

[Eagleeyedan]

Sometimes I wonder if the Game Committee comes here after releasing a hint and just sit back and laugh at all the crazy things we come up with. One thing's for sure, FIRST students are very creative and good and stretching vague stragglers of information into wild guesses. But that's all part of the fun.

[loyal]

Air hockey using three sides

[Fifthparallel]

After I just copied and pasted these numbers into wolfram alpha, It seemed to think that these were spherical coordinate points, where the first element was an r, the second was yaw and the third was azimuth.

Don't most number based game hints involve some kind of mathematical or physics-related relationship for that years game?

[Calvin Hartley]

Guys, if it is a water game... Water can take many forms keep in mind! It could be ice, it could actually be water. I'm willing to bet its a hockey game... This is probably gonna keep me up all night :eek:

Solid, liquid, gas.... 3 forms of water.

3 has seemed to appear many times. Water game confirmed.

(sorry, I had to :rolleyes: )

[raptaconehs]

H-....How-....How does green = baseball field? ::rtm::

Well I wasn't relating green with baseball. Perhaps the triangle that is formed has something to do with baseball.

[Flimsor]

Just out of curiosity, does anyone know who the third person in that photo is?

[Chris is me]

I've figured out the second number's possible relation to a FIRST supplier. In Rockford, IL (zip code 61126), Gates Rubber Co. announced construction of a factory. This company is now known as Gates Corporation and is the supplier of kit of parts timing belts.

Unfortunately, the current zip code of the Rockford plant is 61109, but there's always the possibility that it was different in 1963, or that the hint was just referring to the city.

I'll work on the third and then give up on this ridiculous witch hunt soon enough.

[Neima]

H-....How-....How does green = baseball field? ::rtm::

green could refer to any other sports field thats played on grass.

I was thinking maybe the ground would be artificial or turf.... but the more I think about it the more messier it seems.

[Flimsor]

http://i.imgur.com/7b8aipE.png

Is this common practice for the images they release, or are they lying to us?

Holy cow! That's not the least bit suspicious at all

[billbo911]

green could refer to any other sports field thats played on grass.

I was thinking maybe the ground would be artificial or turf.... but the more I think about it the more messier it seems.

Please tell me we get to play Golf!

[XaulZan11]

The game will be a re-do of Aim High but with footballs and a different end game.

[BleakRNS]

Assuming they're equations, these are their answers in sig figs:
140
31.14
3.9432

If you'll notice, these three numbers, written in the order as they appear in the game hint, can be put in the shape of a pyramid as so:

http://i.imgur.com/w0VlXqV.jpg

Something that may catch your eye is that if you take the same arrangement of digits and add them together, you get the preceding number in the bottom row.

http://i.imgur.com/1deEZOe.jpg

Which means that the only two digits remaining are...

http://i.imgur.com/xvePEkL.jpg

I rest my case.

[Akash Rastogi]

Jan 4th 1963- Soviet Luna (4) reaches Earth orbit but fails to reach Moon

Lunacy guys.
Green alliance.

[Calvin Hartley]

http://i.imgur.com/xvePEkL.jpg

I rest my case.

Well we've got the answer, now what's the question? :D

[robochick1319]

Rockford Peaches - "There's no crying in [robot] baseball!"

LOL, sorry, couldn't resist jumping on the baseball bandwagon! :p

[RoundTabler]

http://wiki.multimedia.cx/index.php?title=YCbCr_4:2:0. Do these numbers mean anything in YCbCr color space code?

[NanoCollins]

And we all have little green lights right next to our usernames. :ahh:

Maybe... we are the game hint.
Yep the game this year is going to be a Cheif Delphi Forum game. We are going to have to rely messages to each other to. (This is not serious, but that sounds like it would be a very hard game to put points to.)

[Brandon_L]

Which means that the only two digits remaining are...

http://i.imgur.com/xvePEkL.jpg

I rest my case.

Oh man, I laughed so hard when I got to the end of this post.

+1

[SteamlyPunk]

Searching Google for the 61126 zip code I got this thing:
https://31.media.tumblr.com/c397b51e8c9fec224490345ccdafce89/tumblr_my4no4vJL81snpl07o1_500.jpg
And going on youtube looking for 'Rockford 1963' I got to this video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DtkQ6wA9rYY).
I don't know about you but imo drones would be a pretty cool concept.

[Neima]

The game will be a re-do of Aim High but with footballs and a different end game.

the thing with a football shooting game is there are already really nice football throwing machines and i feel like first likes us creating things that aren't already made for a mass market

[Calvin Hartley]

Dave Lavery just tweeted this:

Three miles of wear and tear on @MarsCuriosity's wheels, and they are still going strong nasa.gov/jpl/msl/mars-rover-curiosity-pia17551/#.UrTJnKUeq4R … (http://www.nasa.gov/jpl/msl/mars-rover-curiosity-pia17551/#.UrTLjfRDswq)

Three miles! Is this a very subtle hint, about the number 3?

(Sorry Mr. Lavery. You were bound to be roped into this at some point.)

[Hallry]

I don't know about you but imo drones would be a pretty cool concept.

Leave that to the college kids :rolleyes: http://collegiateaerialrobotics.org/

[MooreteP]

I swore to myself that I wouldn't post.

I think there will be three alliances, the third one being green.
Hence the water bottles and a coordinate system clue.

Three or four years ago at the CMP they showed a third color implying a three alliance competition in the future.

I think that suggestion has come true.

If so, the question is how many teams on each alliance?
2v2v2 or 3v3v3.

I think they transitioned us to smaller perimeters last year to prepare us for a crowded field of 9 robots.
Tough in smaller district competitions for match scheduling, so, maybe the matches will be longer this year.

Maybe autonomous will be at the end?

Or in the middle.
Driving in a circle stacking tetras on our opponents.
With well hung Ubertubes and a bridge over a tunnel.
2x Bonus balls on a stairway to heaven.
Each alliance will form a pyramid with one robot climbing on the other two.
Big Coopertition points if all nine robots climb on each other.
And there will be regolith. Covered with corn.
For the endgame each alliance will drive into the pits and knock over their opponents totes and steal their batteries.

I'm still working on the point values.
And each team should start prototyping a TARDIS.

Remember, you heard it here FIRST

Oh yeah, almost forgot.
SuperSoakers to short out your opponents electrical system.


When's the next ChiefDelphi Anonymous meeting? :D

[Fielding S.]

I saw the reference to "Who" and I saw something someone said about The Who, so I searched it on Google. I clicked on their Wikipedia page, hit Ctrl+F and searched for "1963". The only result was a list of performances from The Who (even though they were not officially "The Who" yet) from 1962-1963.

On Friday, December 20, 1963, The Who performed at Forest Hill, England. What I found interesting--and slightly startling--They performed multiple times there, but in the listing for Friday, December 20, Hill is spelled with three L's.

Just thought it was interesting.

[ykarkason]

Guys!
Here's the shitz:
Here are the points mapped in a Cartesian coordinate system: http://i.imgur.com/0CK1OGx.png

Here's the photo from the kickoff filming blog post:
http://www.usfirst.org/sites/default/files/uploadedImages/Robotics_Programs/FRC/Game_and_Season__Info/2014/Kickoff-Filming.jpg

Take a look at the shape of the water bottles on the floor! Odd, euh?

3 bottles, 3 people. 2 green screens, 2 red lights, 2 blue lights = 3 alliances of 2 teams each!

Now what's more?
Woodie and Don Bossi are sitting whilst Dean is standing. Two Bottles are on the floor and one is lifted. Can it mean anything?!

[XaulZan11]

the thing with a football shooting game is there are already really nice football throwing machines and i feel like first likes us creating things that aren't already made for a mass market

I don't think the challenge would be throwing/shooting the balls, but picking up and storing them without jamming.

[NanoCollins]

Searching Google for the 61126 zip code I got this thing:
https://31.media.tumblr.com/c397b51e8c9fec224490345ccdafce89/tumblr_my4no4vJL81snpl07o1_500.jpg
And going on youtube looking for 'Rockford 1963' I got to this video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DtkQ6wA9rYY).
I don't know about you but imo drones would be a pretty cool concept.
A flying game would be cool. Nobody ever said our drive system ever had to stay on the ground. (but that could get dangerous... spinning blades of death-type situations are good to avoid)

[cadandcookies]

Now what's more?
Woodie and Don Bossi are sitting whilst Dean is standing. Two Bottles are on the floor and one is lifted. Can it mean anything?!

And look, their stools form a triangle too!

It's almost like any non-linear arrays of points we find makes a triangle! That sounds an awful lot like geometry!

[Hallry]

3 alliances of 2 teams each!

OR OR OR.... 2 alliances of 3 teams each! Man, wouldn't that be crazy?!?

:rolleyes:

[Neima]

I don't think the challenge would be throwing/shooting the balls, but picking up and storing them without jamming.

In that case it could be

[Johnnybukkel]

OR OR OR.... 2 alliances of 3 teams each! Man, wouldn't that be crazy?!?

:rolleyes:

You seem to be clinically insane good sir...

[RoundTabler]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/57_%28number%29
Interesting stuff here.

[Calvin Hartley]

3 bottles, 3 people. 2 green screens, 2 red lights, 2 blue lights = 3 alliances of 2 teams each!

Now what's more?
Woodie and Don Bossi are sitting whilst Dean is standing. Two Bottles are on the floor and one is lifted. Can it mean anything?!

You sir, have an eye for the details.

Is that an Altoids tin on the ground in front of Woodie? Does anybody know how many Altoids are in a regular size tin? After some quick google searching I came up with many different numbers that appeared to be guesses, the most credible looking was about 70. High quantity game piece maybe? Will we be placing them in bins of some sort?

[brandon.cottrell]

I think there will be three alliances, the third one being green.


I feel like if there was ever a third alliance it'd be the White alliance to go with FIRST colors.



What tends to happen in 3 alliance matches though is that 2 alliances will just gang up on the remaining one.

[Dukenator76]

Mabey the game is about the most efficient robot it is the way of the future more efficient the better. So my thought is the games are longer and require more energy "One thing you will not see in the award section is the return of the 3D Design and Animation award. I haven’t given up on this yet, but we are running out of time to put this in place for the 2014 season. This sounds like it should be a simple thing, but every award has lots of moving parts that need to work together. I’ll let you know one way or the other when the decision on this award is finalized." Lots of moving parts working together efficiency

[ERB]

I don't know if the hint has anything to do with zip codes but it is just awesome to have my city brought up in a FIRST setting.

[ErickX2]

I'm surprised no one has brought up the change made to the KOP drive train this year and how they refused to reveal any details on it because it would be related to the game.
Then again I still see no way of applying this to the game hint.

[pr0ph3t]

What if it is a WATER bottle game? FIRST has had complaints for some time about game pieces not being easily obtainable. Green = recycling.

[brrian27]

3 alliances (blue, red, green), each with 2 robots

Hockey

Regolith surface



Yup, sounds about right to me.

[gabrielau23]

I feel like at this point last year we made a LOT more progress than we have this year on the game hint.... XD

[RonnieS]

I highly doubt 3 alliances...FIRST would more than likely have to re-make fields more than likely to maybe triangle that aloud for the 3rd alliance of 2 teams to be together so communication is achievable. That being said, someone would have commented on here by now about a huge change such as ALL FIRST fields being changed into a new formation other than the rectangle.

[billbo911]

I feel like at this point last year we made a LOT more progress than we have this year on the game hint.... XD

What??? Zero progress is still progress.
Just like "I am in shape, round is a shape."

[brandon.cottrell]

I highly doubt 3 alliances...FIRST would more than likely have to re-make fields more than likely to maybe triangle that aloud for the 3rd alliance of 2 teams to be together so communication is achievable. That being said, someone would have commented on here by now about a huge change such as ALL FIRST fields being changed into a new formation other than the rectangle.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/0/0d/Ladder_logic_field.jpg
Ladder Logic (1998)

http://www.mreilly.com/WebPages/usfirst/pics/usfirst_field.gif
Hexagon Havoc (1996)


I think that FIRST holds the right to change anything at a moments notice. It's not "Official" really that the fields have to be rectangular, it just makes things easier and simple. FIRST might want to make things less simple.

Also, the yellow from Hexagon Havoc suggestions a Yellow alliance would be more fitting. Primary colors.

[VioletElizabeth]

Only thing I've noticed so far is that since the last two fraction-like things each have a common factor (13 and 2 respectively) it's probably not the decimal expansion that is significant. But if the decimal expansion were to be significant, the first one has an 18 digit repeating sequence, the second one has a 73 digit repeating sequence, and the last one has a longer than 300 digit repeating sequence. Probably irrelevant.

[Chris is me]

I think that FIRST holds the right to change anything at a moments notice. It's not "Official" really that the fields have to be rectangular, it just makes things easier and simple. FIRST might want to make things less simple.

That was more true back in the day than now. At this point, several regions of the country own their own FRC fields. Events are planned assuming the field stays roughly the same size and shape. FIRST is somewhat locked in to the 27ishx54ish FRC field at this point.

[c.shu]

Doctor Who = time travel.

Maybe they are looking at replaying an old game?

[Jon Stratis]

For all of you thinking three alliances... how big of a pain would it be to have three different bumper colors?

[brandon.cottrell]

For all of you thinking three alliances... how big of a pain would it be to have three different bumper colors?

Well there's ways around that (http://youtu.be/gHeWym1pB8k?t=5m19s)

[gabrielau23]

What??? Zero progress is still progress.
Just like "I am in shape, round is a shape."
LOL

I was just making a remark how by this point last year we were trying to figure out what
A Rose kissed
Singer great
A dinner missed
Holding weight

meant rather than trying to figure out the clue actually said. At this point we have no solid proof that Doctor Who references or triangles on the ground with water bottles are the game clue. They might be, I don't know, but, uh...maybe they finally stumped the Chief Delphi community? XD

[Itamar]

To me it kinda remind TCP\UDP ports!

[Romano2630]

found out that 8234/57 = 144.4561404... which google brought up to be the hex code of green.
also - 61126/1963 = 31.13907285... which is the hex code of BLUE, same method.

Just want to mention i got confused - the second color is BLUE, not green as I wrote accidentally before!!

[Electra]

http://i.imgur.com/xvePEkL.jpg


42 is Jackie Robinson's number, and "The Triangle" in Right Center of Fenway has a similar shape to the triangle made by the coordinates from the hint, and the park is also home to the Green monster. And green turf.
I'm thinking baseball.

[jee7s]

To me it kinda remind TCP\UDP ports!

Yes, except those really high numbered ones have no consistent meaning.

Of the well known ports 57 is the mail transfer protocol (OMG...ZIP codes anyone!)

[Herbblood]

The points on the Cartesian coordinate graph are a triangle, but if you look at the shape of the triangle it is like a flag, specifically a flag for capture the flag, thus we are playing capture the flag

[simontore]

I think we are looking in the wrong direction I believe the numbers decode to something else, they have no direct meaning as they currently are.

[cadandcookies]

LOL
They might be, I don't know, but, uh...maybe they finally stumped the Chief Delphi community? XD

Let's not be too hasty now. We're still in the first few hours.

[gabrielau23]

Let's not be too hasty now. We're still in the first few hours.
Oh believe me I have not given up. Chief Delphi is an incredibly smart, creative, and resilient bunch, and I think we'll figure it out before the weekend is out.

[theCADguy]

Doctor Who = time travel.

Maybe they are looking at replaying an old game?No, probably not. This would give the teams that have been a long time a HUGE advantage over newer teams, as they will have already built a robot for that game.

[cadandcookies]

I could see a mashup though-- and that could have to do with the old field pictures they've been posting on twitter.

[DampRobot]

Oh believe me I have not given up. Chief Delphi is an incredibly smart, creative, and resilient bunch, and I think we'll figure it out before the weekend is out.

Ahh, great! I'll call up the design team and make sure they can be ready by Monday to start the robot CAD.

[coalhot]

So, someone needs to tell me what this game hint has to do with the glow-in-the-dark measuring tape that was mentioned from CMP last year...

... :D ...

[phantokidd7x]

Not only did 1963 hold the beginning of Doctor Who, but it also contained the assassination of President John F. Kennedy... Perhaps something to do with that?

He was shot from a book depository...

Books go on shelves...

Stacking things onto shelves?

That could also make sense with the mail theme that people seem to be throwing around as well.

[theCADguy]

I could see a mashup though-- and that could have to do with the old field pictures they've been posting on twitter.

I could see that being a possibility.

[icebot]

What if the game was a triangle pool full of water and you had to push a game piece to the other end then take it out of the water. so like youd have to put the piece in the water and then push it to the end then take it out and put it somewhere else

[raptaconehs]

Has anyone tried graphing the cordinates using cylindrical or spherical form?

[icebot]

Coincidence?
what if it was a water game where you put the piece into the pool had to move it thru obstacles in the pool then take I tout on the other side

[coalhot]

Also, a friend of mine (Kevin from 365) mentioned to me that no one has noticed that all the numbers are 16 bit numbers.

[magnets]

Also, a friend of mine (Kevin from 365) mentioned to me that no one has noticed that all the numbers are 16 bit numbers.

Every number less than 65,535 and greater than zero are 16 bit unsigned numbers, so I don't know what to do with this information....

[RobotDoktor]

8234 is the name of a main belt asteroid discovered in 1997. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/8234_Nobeoka
57 is the atomic number of Lanthanum, the first element in the lanthanide series, also known the rare-earth metals.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Element_57

Rare earth metals are often found in asteroids and are a chief reason to mine them, thus the game might be related to asteroid mining.:ahh:

I'd also like to note that the hint is not marked as hint number 1, so it could be the first and only hint, OR there are hints before it!

[cadandcookies]

Playing around with the numbers in different bases...

Decimal, Hex, Octal, Binary;
8234, 202A, 20052, 10000000101010;
57, 39, 71, 111001;
61126, EEC6, 167306, 1110111011000110;
1963, 7AB, 3653, 11110101011;
62326, F376, 171566, 1111001101110110;
15806, 3DBE, 36676, 11110110111110;

[Martian86]

If you take each digit in the hint and rearrange them in numerical order, you get

0111122223334556666667889

The middle number is 4, with twelve numbers on either side. This points to the 4th Doctor.

Also, 0 and 9 appear with the same frequency as 4. The beginning and end together suggests some kind of circular game piece, which aligns with hockey pucks or inner tubes- discs, too, but we just had that. Or maybe the endgame will be autonomous, since autonomous was previously at the beginning- beginning and end together.

[Sean Raia]

Talk about ambiguous.

[echin]

Here are the numbers converted from hex to decimal:
33332/87, 397606/6499, 402214/88070

[pfreivald]

I'm going to go out on a limb and say that we have to displace objects and/or robots in order to score points.

[Sean Raia]

Make a program to print out each fraction to a few hundred decimal places and look for things that stand out?
I don't know, but they certainly look like fractions to me, that or a cypher. Plugging in those raw numbers into a google search or a coordinate system is FAR too simple for FIRST hints.

[theCADguy]

Every number less than 65,535 and greater than zero are 16 bit unsigned numbers, so I don't know what to do with this information....

Maybe the number 16 is significant?

[malanis]

My guess for awhile now, this having little to do with the clue, is weighted balls. i,e medicine balls/ bowling ball/ 48in solid steel ball.

[Sean Raia]

62326

5 digits and a mirrored number?
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Five_letter_word_spelled_the_same_forward_and_back wards#slide=2
Radar and Rotor stand out here.

Might be of interest. Perhaps the digits stand for letters

[raptaconehs]

Someone mentioned that there were 2 red light, 2 green screens, and 2 blue lights in that picture. Is it possible that the hint lists the coordinates in RGB.

[theCADguy]

Searching Google for the 61126 zip code I got this thing:
https://31.media.tumblr.com/c397b51e8c9fec224490345ccdafce89/tumblr_my4no4vJL81snpl07o1_500.jpg
And going on youtube looking for 'Rockford 1963' I got to this video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DtkQ6wA9rYY).
I don't know about you but imo drones would be a pretty cool concept.

That's it! We have to build amphibious robots that can fly, thus being a water game and an aerial game!

[magnets]

62326

5 digits and a mirrored number?
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Five_letter_word_spelled_the_same_forward_and_back wards#slide=2
Radar and Rotor stand out here.

Might be of interest. Perhaps the digits stand for letters

I've been trying for a while with this, and gotten nowhere. There's a ton of 6's so I set six equal to e, but the only words that start and end in e (for 61126) is efface, and there aren't any palindromes like that (for 62326). Then, I tried with two letters is, in, my, at, or, and couldn't get anywhere with that either.

[nickmcski]

Guys!
Here's the shitz:
Here are the points mapped in a Cartesian coordinate system: http://i.imgur.com/0CK1OGx.png

Here's the photo from the kickoff filming blog post:
http://www.usfirst.org/sites/default/files/uploadedImages/Robotics_Programs/FRC/Game_and_Season__Info/2014/Kickoff-Filming.jpg

Take a look at the shape of the water bottles on the floor! Odd, euh?

3 bottles, 3 people. 2 green screens, 2 red lights, 2 blue lights = 3 alliances of 2 teams each!

Now what's more?
Woodie and Don Bossi are sitting whilst Dean is standing. Two Bottles are on the floor and one is lifted. Can it mean anything?!
This may be over analyzing, but look at deans feet, I wonder if that is significant at all as it looks really uncomfortable for him.

[rzoeller]

I'm thinking something about placing things or stacking them. We have zip codes mentioned, they represent placing things on a map. Tis a great day to prototype an elevator lift.

[raptaconehs]

This may be over analyzing, but look at deans feet, I wonder if that is significant at all as it looks really uncomfortable for him.

I am pretty sure analyzing his posture is over analyzing

[Martian86]

I am pretty sure analyzing his posture is over analyzing

Over analyzing is scratching the surface.

[magnets]

Notice the URL for the US FIRST website or in this case the blog...

http://www3.usfirst.org/roboticsprograms/frc/blog

Every page on the usfirst website now begins with "www3" instead of "www".

Checking the latest cache of the usfirst website on Google shows that (at least on Dec. 16), usfirst used the "www" subdomain (aka. prefix) site wide.

http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:-p4yPWCAcT8J:www.usfirst.org/+&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us

So someone changed the subdomain to "www3".

The number three does seem to be an important number this year...

This is really common for websites where content is hosted on multiple servers. Right now, if I go to the site, I still get www. It depends on when you make the request and how many people are making the request at the same time. It's not a hint, it's always been like this.

[PhantomPhyxer]

Googling the numbers for arbitrary facts...



61126 is a zip code in Rockford, Illinois.
62326 is a zip code for Colchester Illinois

ZIP codes were intoduced by the postal service in 1963.


Rockford, Ill was divided by an Interstate Hwy. in 1963
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rockford,_Illinois
A lot of the population moved east.

[coalhot]

Rockford, Ill was divided by an Interstate Hwy. in 1963
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rockford,_Illinois
A lot of the population moved east.

I see... http://cdn.memegenerator.net/instances/500x/44058653.jpg

[Cash4587]

It's green:
http://www.andymark.com/product-p/am-2611.htm

[RobotDoktor]

Three of the numbers; 61126, 62326, and 15806; appear on the Wikipedia list of minor planets. Could this be a hint?

[Hallry]

It's green:
http://www.andymark.com/product-p/am-2611.htm

And this is yellow:
http://www.andymark.com/product-p/am-2637.htm

:p

Rockford, Ill was divided by an Interstate Hwy. in 1963
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rockford,_Illinois
A lot of the population moved east.

You mean Interstate 90? It says that was completed in 1958... ::rtm::

[AndyBare]

coming up in 2014, it will be the 57th anniversary for all companies established in 1957. just an idea. also, as for 1963, some big events... Postal codes introduced, Nasa launches first geosynchronous (stationary) satellite. Kennedy was assassinated. Also, 3 plane crashes as well as a spaceplane crash. seemed like some of the biggest news.

[dysonk811]

So here is my idea and i know its a stretch but eh when arent these hints stretches

61126 when added = 16
1963 when added = 19

--- both are the numbers of joe Montana

Now 8234 and 57

He is 57 currently
82 was his pick number
57-34= 23 his age when he was drafted into the nfl

Finally 62326 and 15806

62326 when added = 19
15806 when added = 20

1920 was the year the nfl changed it's name temporarily to apfa

So there's my idea!!! How cool would a football game be?? What are you guys thinking ??

- team 2265 The Femaidens :)

[phantokidd7x]

Wasn't the game hint for Ultimate Ascent a picture of Rick Astley pinned onto a cork board? It was just as confusing to me it seems. The yellow push pin made people think there'd be a third alliance as well. Really the only close relation to it I saw was give you up with ascending the pyramids.

[TK3950]

So here is my idea and i know its a stretch but eh when arent these hints stretches

61126 when added = 16
1963 when added = 19

--- both are the numbers of joe Montana

Now 8234 and 57

He is 57 currently
82 was his pick number
57-34= 23 his age when he was drafted into the nfl

Finally 62326 and 15806

62326 when added = 19
15806 when added = 20

1920 was the year the nfl changed it's name temporarily to apfa

So there's my idea!!! How cool would a football game be?? What are you guys thinking ??

- team 2265 The Femaidens :)


I think that's way too much of a stretch. The hints are usually obscure, but not always a bunch of random "connections" that you can easily make up as you go along. (shrug)

Also, I remember seeing your team at Maker Faire a little while ago. I even stayed to chat with them for a while. Great team name.

[jzeiders]

If use the Unicode character for / (47) the first number pair is the part number for a 3 watt motor that's way geared down
http://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/82344757/82344757-ND/2466759

[SuperDave777]

My 1/2 cent


8234 and 57: Playing field size, first in mm then ft. :D

[dodar]

My 1/2 cent


8234 and 57: Playing field size, first in mm then ft. :D

57 feet = 17373.6 mm

[SuperDave777]

My guess for awhile now, this having little to do with the clue, is weighted balls. i,e medicine balls/ bowling ball/ 48in solid steel ball.

I hate to have to lift a 48in solid steel ball. Battle bots watch out. ::ouch::

[Martian86]

My 1/2 cent


8234 and 57: Playing field size, first in mm then ft. :D

So that's about a 27x57 foot field, previously a 27x54 foot field. The difference in length is...three.

[SuperDave777]

57 feet = 17373.6 mm

27 ft by 57 ft

[ksafin]

So by assuming x/y=x divided by y we get the numbers:
144.4, 31.1, 3.9; now recognize that these are quite close to 144,32,4=12^2,2^5,2^2. Now add the base number in each to the power and look at that letter in the alphabet to get NGD; the ticker symbol for none other than New Gold Inc. "It engages in both exploratory and production activity in North America, South America and Australia" And what is the abbreviation for these three continents? That's right, NSA; the government agency recently being exposed for wiretapping. Thus we can obviously see that this challenge will require our robot to somehow incorporate wires.

[TK3950]

So by assuming x/y=x divided by y we get the numbers:
144.4, 31.1, 3.9; now recognize that these are quite close to 144,32,4=12^2,2^5,2^2. Now add the base number in each to the power and look at that letter in the alphabet to get NGD; the ticker symbol for none other than New Gold Inc. "It engages in both exploratory and production activity in North America, South America and Australia" And what is the abbreviation for these three continents? That's right, NSA; the government agency recently being exposed for wiretapping. Thus we can obviously see that this challenge will require our robot to somehow incorporate wires.


Genius. Code cracked. We can all sleep easy.

[Robotmmm]

Holy over-analysis Batman! This thread really exploded!

Can someone who has been around awhile answer a simple question please?

Has analysis of the game hint ever produced a clear understanding of the game prior to kickoff?

[Brandon Ha]

Holy over-analysis Batman! This thread really exploded!

Can someone who has been around awhile answer a simple question please?

Has analysis of the game hint ever produced a clear understanding of the game prior to kickoff?

never. in. ever.
I think the only reason why they even put them out is to get the creative juices flowing. and to give some jobs to people that love FIRST

[Bryce Paputa]

Holy over-analysis Batman! This thread really exploded!

Can someone who has been around awhile answer a simple question please?

Has analysis of the game hint ever produced a clear understanding of the game prior to kickoff?

Not that I know of? I think that people generally figured out that 2010 would be soccer from the CAD file they gave (maybe that was another year/game), but couldn't really know anything about the game without the rules. The games make the hints pretty obvious though, and normally someone gets it right; The problem is knowing which of the crazy "solutions" is correct.

[z_beeblebrox]

Holy over-analysis Batman! This thread really exploded!

Can someone who has been around awhile answer a simple question please?

Has analysis of the game hint ever produced a clear understanding of the game prior to kickoff?



I asked that around this time last year!

[mikemat]

Holy over-analysis Batman! This thread really exploded!

Can someone who has been around awhile answer a simple question please?

Has analysis of the game hint ever produced a clear understanding of the game prior to kickoff?

I recall getting darn close in 2012.

[theawesome1730]

Also, the yellow from Hexagon Havoc suggestions a Yellow alliance would be more fitting. Primary colors.

Yellow is a primary color for pigments, but green is a primary color in light. It could still be something I suppose

[Orion.DeYoe]

So here's the thing. This clue probably has two levels of "confusingness." The first one is that we're given a, seeming random, string of numbers. The assumption is that these numbers decode somehow into a series of letters, words, or other understandable data. As far as I can tell the numbers have no meaning by themselves and need to be decyphered.
I ran these numbers through a binary and hex converter and got this:
binary:
(00)10000000101010/(00)111001
()1110111011000110/(0)11110101011
()1111001101110110/(00)11110110111110
the zeros in the "()" are potential leading zeros (the calculator had an option for this.

hex:
202A/39
EEC6/7AB
F376/3DBE

No real pattern I see, but an interesting thought occurred to me as I was typing this. What if the binary is Morse code? the zeros could be dashes and the ones could be dots or the other way around. Anyone want to have a stab at translating it?

[Christopher149]

If you reduce the third fraction (62326/15806), the numerator becomes 31163, which has a very similar pattern to 61126 (the second numerator).

Hmm.. I got nothing yet.

[RB73]

Going back to this picture: http://www.usfirst.org/sites/default/files/uploadedImages/Robotics_Programs/FRC/Game_and_Season__Info/2014/Kickoff-Filming.jpg

Im surprised no one has commented about how, from left to right, they have 0, 1, then 2 feet on the ground.

Endgame involving climbing on something? full points for fully supported, partial points for partially supported.

[pandamonium]

Can aomeone please explain the hex color idea more in deapth and is the other numbers a colr??

[Hallry]

Has analysis of the game hint ever produced a clear understanding of the game prior to kickoff?

I recall getting darn close in 2012.

I believe the second hint of the 2008 game also pointed out a racing game pretty easily. They were coordinates of a place in Boston, and a compass heading pointing to a nearby statue of a tortoise and a hare.

[dodar]

27 ft by 57 ft

27x57 still doesnt equal 8234.

[jolrael]

OK, hold with me here.

In 1963 the post offices created the zip codes.
61126 is the area code for Rockford, IL.
In Rockford there is a Boy Scouts of America team; Number 57.
Googleing BSA 8234 gives you a site about a silver dollar.
http://www.greatcollections.com/Coin/8234/2010-P-Boy-Scouts-of-America-Silver-Dollar-NGC-MS-70
Googleing silver dollar and 15806 sends you to this site, about the red rainbow-fish. By the way the rainbow-fish picture was taken in IL.
http://www.ratemyfishtank.com/friendemail.php/15806
I couldn't find anything for the last number...

[Hallry]

27x57 still doesnt equal 8234.

No, 8234 mm ~ 27 ft.
(27.0144 ft. to be exact)

[RobotDoktor]

So the triangle formed by using the numbers as cartesian coordinates has side lengths of approximately 13894.91, 56338.04, and 52926.33. I doubt this is the actual hint, but you never know.

[Karibou]

Holy over-analysis Batman! This thread really exploded!

Can someone who has been around awhile answer a simple question please?

Has analysis of the game hint ever produced a clear understanding of the game prior to kickoff?
Never a clear understanding of the game as it would be played, though we've been able to get bits and pieces. For example, 2009's Moonfish (moon --> lunacy).

They are fun to guess at, though. I'm pretty impressed with what's come up so quickly this year, and even though there's always water game jokes there have been some clever connections so far.

[TK3950]

I did briefly run through the ideas of binary, morse, hex, and all of that, even layered together. I didn't find anything. The problem is that decoding anything without any context or key can be very difficult. You need as many ideas as you can. My recent thought was that we are given Data/Key. The first number might represent data, and the second number represents a key used to decrypt this data. I'm running through a few ideas of what coding system could be applied to this, but everything has run up rather dry so far. I'm not posting any results that seem useless.

[hardcopi]

Ok, I have a few things.

61126 = Rockford, IL
62326 = Colchester, IL
08234 = Egg Harbor Township, NJ

Now Egg Harbor has smaller towns or whatever inside them. One caught my eye. Cardiff. Now any proper Doctor Who fan will know that is the base of a LOT of Doctor Who stories.

1957 = Sputnik (The Doctor had an adventure with this)
1963 = First Doctor Who (A lot of stories are in this year too)
15806 = Some future Who story I can't find?

[Headphones]

Well, a quick google of the first number yields this map result:

https://maps.google.com/maps?q=8234

It appears to be some small hamlet in Switzerland, which contains several roads with names like "Staanakenstrasse" -- roughly equivalent to "farmland lane", but also suspiciously similar to "Stacking".

Also -- Switzerland is landlocked. No water game this year!:ahh:

[Karibou]

Ok, I have a few things.

61126 = Rockford, IL
62326 = Colchester, IL
08234 = Egg Harbor Township, NJ


Man, and I thought I was going to be the first one to bring up that 08234 would be a possible zip code.

I'm finding a lot of connections between two of the cities, but can never fit the third one into the mix. If it is cities, all I can think of for Colchester is coal/rock. There's also an obscure baseball thing that happened there, for those going on that theory right now. It's such a small city, it's going to be hard to get much out of it. The only sizable company I can find in it is Yetter Co, which produces agricultural equipment attachments.


Also, if you type 15806 into google, you get hits for Brandenberg, Germany.

[Orion.DeYoe]

I think we're missing something here. We've given many possible explanations for the numbers. What do you all think about the punctuation marks? The GDC doesn't usually take an obscure piece of data about the game, encrypt it, surround it with a bunch of useless crap that can be ignored, and then send it out to us as a hint. Every character in the hint is (usually) significant in some way.
I was thinking about the different uses for the two punctuation marks used ("/" & ","). Slashes are usually used to denote "or". I had an idea that this clue might present potential trade-offs we will face in the game. Slashes are also used for dates and other things (feel free to expand on this). Commas are used in lists. They're also used in coordinate systems (which would give us three terms if applied to these numbers). Are there any more obscure uses for these symbols that anyone knows of?

[Anthony4004]

1963 is when Doctor Who started.

Plus the quote about Tom Baker!!!! OMG we all have to build TARDIS-based robots!!! Best game ever!! lol

[Christopher149]

08234 - Egg Harbor Township, NJ
00057 - Channel Islands National PK, CA
61126 - Rockford, IL
01963 - Wincanton, UK?
62326 - Colchester, IL
15806 - ????

[Bochek]

61126 - Rockford, IL

1963 - Year

http://www.rockfordillinois.com/chron7.htm

January, 1963 ----- Gates Rubber Co. of Denver announces plans to build factory in Rockford, and city council sells the company 27 acres of War Memorial tract. St. Anthony Hospital moves into new building; old hospital structure is renamed St. Clara Continuing Care Center. It later is torn down.

[hardcopi]

Gates Rubber has a history with first giving out scholarships, etc...

[RegaCaska]

15806 is Zossen Germany. Looking on the wikipedia page:

"Between 1901 and 1904, Zossen adopted the use of different high-speed vehicles, such as electric locomotives and trams, for transportation to and from Berlin-Marienfelde. These vehicles were powered by an alternating current of 15kV and used a variable frequency. The power was transmitted by three vertical overhead lines."

Overdrive?

[OzzyArmas]

So after reading all these possible versions of the hint's meaning I will say what I THINK it could involve after reading some of you guys have said.

Since I also love Doctor Who and Lunacy, I think the game is going to be space related. Secondly, like someone pointed out earlier, and I will not go back because I am too lazy to do so and find that person, the amount of feet on the ground in the picture. Levels of climbing. I believe this competition is going to be related to some climbing in space challenge. Ergo it will be messy, confusing really odd to accomplish.

[Mr. N]

Hey Everyone -- my first post on CD!

Not sure if this occurred to anyone yet, but the hint seems to be structured as Morse Code. The "/" and "," separators are used to construct messages.

The first portion of the message becomes:

8234/57

10000000101010 / 111001

-. .. ... .. -.-. -. / ---...

The problem is, there are many potential groupings of letters.

Perhaps someone can run with this.

[Bochek]

8234 is a NI part number.

http://sine.ni.com/nips/cds/view/p/lang/en/nid/204722

Not sure how 57 fits in there, but so far we've got Gates and NI

[runneals]

Coincidence?

When I showed this to my dad, he said that he is positive that the red light on the right of the photo has to do with something.