BattleCry@WPI 7! [Archive]

Ken Stafford

19-04-2006, 19:18

Mark your calendars for the largest BattleCry ever. This 48-team, 2-day event at WPI is on 23-24 Jun! Open registration starts at 0800EDT on 2 May. DON'T DELAY--we have filled to capacity within hours in year's past. Your $350 registration gets you all the normal BC goodies: 10 free 5-color t-shirts, 10 free Fri barbecue meals, 10 free Fri evening social tickets (with free bowling, games, ice-cream, etc), 10 free Sat lunches, etc etc. It also gets you into both the Fri and Sat special games and guarantees your entry into the elimination rounds (16 final alliances). As usual, low cost on-campus dorm space is available for over-nighting as well as reduced fare local hotels. Expect some special guest appearances as well as a rather interesting new potential for scoring smack in the middle of the playing field... More info can be found at www.wpi.edu/+battlecry (http://www.wpi.edu/+battlecry). Volunteers should contact us at battlecry@wpi.edu.

Ken Stafford (CRUD: "Blackhole")

KathieK

19-04-2006, 19:27

Looking forward to it!

Kim Masi

19-04-2006, 19:32

as well as a rather interesting new potential for scoring smack in the middle of the playing field... )

interesting...I know Battlecry always offers a twist on the games, but I wonder what it could be this year...

team 177 will hopefully be attending again. This is always our favorite off season event.

However, I have noticed that these dates do conflict with a lot of graduations this year. I know the SWHS graduation is tentative for June 21st, but that's cutting it pretty close...

Dan Petrovic

19-04-2006, 19:42

166 will most likely be there. Unless something random happens and... I don't even know what would keep us from coming.

artdutra04

19-04-2006, 19:59

I know I will definitely be there, and team 228 should be there. If there is only one off-season competition that I could go to all year, it would be Battlecry. Battlecry is the IRI of the [north]east. :D

Julia Magoolia

19-04-2006, 22:37

I'm going to work to convince 811 to register... But I really don't think it'll take much convincing! :D

Greg Marra

19-04-2006, 22:43

However, I have noticed that these dates do conflict with a lot of graduations this year. I know the SWHS graduation is tentative for June 21st, but that's cutting it pretty close...

Heh, I rescheduled my graduation party to make sure I could go :cool: .

jagman2882

10-05-2006, 12:47

1126 may be there......unknown if we will be able to go yet(school politics :mad: ) but we are trying our best to get there

Greg Perkins

10-05-2006, 14:33

Need a ref Ken?

Dan Petrovic

10-05-2006, 17:16

1126 may be there......unknown if we will be able to go yet(school politics :mad: ) but we are trying our best to get there

If you guys could make it, that would totally make my... life!

K.Shaw

10-05-2006, 20:39

CAN'T WAIT! yay for graduation being on wednesday the 21st and not on the friday or sat. woot :yikes: wonder what this game twist will be? hmmm

Alex Cormier

10-05-2006, 20:58

Looks like a great bunch of teams going. I might try to make my way down there. :p

Greg Marra

10-05-2006, 21:07

wonder what this game twist will be? hmmm

Winners of auto go on OFFENSE first?

artdutra04

10-05-2006, 22:16

wonder what this game twist will be? hmmmI think we can say goodbye to the backbot.

Think about it: the role of the backbot is offense. Why not take away the backbot rule to allow for more defense? After all, this is BattleCry we're talking about. :p

jagman2882

10-05-2006, 23:24

If you guys could make it, that would totally make my... life!
looks like it will make your life!!!! sounds like we are going as of 2nite...still not definte but id say a 90% chance!!!!!! i cant wait!!!!!!!!!!

Dan Petrovic

12-05-2006, 16:50

looks like it will make your life!!!! sounds like we are going as of 2nite...still not definte but id say a 90% chance!!!!!! i cant wait!!!!!!!!!!

Yaaaay! Get ready for one of the best off-season events ever!

WernerNYK

13-05-2006, 01:13

Yaaaay! Get ready for one of the best off-season events ever!

You can say that again! As is per usual, the BattleCry staff try to add something each year to make the event bigger and better than ever. Already this year, we have increased the capacity of the event to 48 teams. Many of the things the staff have been planning thus far look promising and it's likely that there will be even more to look forward to upon arrival to Harrington Auditorium in June and in the announcements made in future SITREPS (Situation Reports) found on the Tactical Updates (http://www.wpi.edu/News/Events/BattleCry/tactical.html) BattleCry webpage.

And don't forget about the Team Social events on Friday night! In addition to the now-traditional BBQ-on-the-Quad, in the past there have been activities such as ice cream social, DDR, AMF bowling, bingo, billiards, CRUD, and gameshows (BattleCry style!).

ScoutingNerd175

13-05-2006, 02:02

Looks like I will be graduating on Thursday, doing safe-grad on Thursday night (it's a lock in), going to battlecry on Friday night and Saturday, and having my graduation party on Sunday. I think I may be able to get a bun of my family to come to Battle Cry including my dad, who has never seen the robot play, and ::crosses fingers:: my grandfather, the electrical engineer. Is it weird that I was hoping we wouldn't have too many snow days so that graduation wouldn't run into battlecry?

I just read the team list, this is going to be one excellent event!

And my last ever competition as a member of team 175.

kevin.li.rit

16-05-2006, 12:21

Hmmm I'm over 20 minutes away... that's kinda far... might not make it...

Scott Ritchie

16-05-2006, 13:24

Cyber Blue is so close to making this happen and everybody is excited about coming out. We are trying to get a new team interviewed since we have the IRI about four weeks after this we want people volunteering that will actually be on team. We then need to work out our transportation issues once we get there and things will be golden. Since Battle Cry is no longer the same week as the Formula One race here in Indy it is much easier to get out of the city for this. I bet we are going to see you in June.

Alex Cormier

16-05-2006, 13:36

Yaaaay! Get ready for one of the best off-season events ever!
about time 1126 finally go out to a real off season event. :D :D :D

(i am not bashing RCCRII, but i am saying that more then the local Rochester teams scrimmage)

kevin.li.rit

16-05-2006, 20:09

1405 is going too.

I also think your statement is accurate. Rachacha Ruckus is not comparable with battlecry. Not even close.

Julia Magoolia

16-05-2006, 23:03

Hmmm I'm over 20 minutes away... that's kinda far... might not make it...

No no no... 20 minutes is not worth missing Battlecry! I might be making the 45 minute journey each way both days.. I haven't looked into getting a room there yet.. I might want to hurry! :yikes:

aztech75

17-05-2006, 20:25

I think we can say goodbye to the backbot.

Think about it: the role of the backbot is offense. Why not take away the backbot rule to allow for more defense? After all, this is BattleCry we're talking about. :p

Removeing the backbot would be the greatest thing. it could become very interesting to watch if the whole match was 3 v 3. Cant wait to see what the guys @ wpi have in store for us. See every1 there

Tom 157

orelinde

19-05-2006, 07:37

Team 1733 is on the Ready Reserves and we sure hope we get called to action and hope to be ready in time. :D

kevin.li.rit

19-05-2006, 15:49

I guess 48 teams still isn't enough.

Master Dictator

21-05-2006, 15:50

Yea I was planning on trying to convince my team to travel from PA to go but its already full :ahh: :(

Jon K.

21-05-2006, 21:52

I can't wait for BattleCry. It is by far one of the best off-season events held. Also, I find it interesting that BattleCry will be the first time that many of the New England teams will see and face each other which should be rather interesting this year since it won't be another repeat of some regionals like it has been in some previous years. It will be an amazing even this year especially with so many notable teams in attendance.

kevin.li.rit

21-05-2006, 21:56

Yea I was planning on trying to convince my team to travel from PA to go but its already full :ahh: :(
Maybe they'll up it to 60 or something next year =)

Andy Grady

21-05-2006, 22:22

I guess 48 teams still isn't enough.

You could guess that even 70 teams wouldn't be enough. Battlecry has become the premiere event in the New England FIRST offseason. Some would say that winning the event carries as much weight as walking away from a regional with a championship. Really, there is nothing quite like the electric feeling in the building during finals...everyone is loud, and the music is pumping. Its a great time.

Can't wait to see you all there!

dk5sm5luigi

22-05-2006, 00:23

Maybe they'll up it to 60 or something next year =)

Although it is full does not mean your team can not go. Often a few teams drop out once the money is due allowing teams from the Ready Reserves to be bumped up.

Daisy

22-05-2006, 00:38

OR maybe the change will be that the green light will be red-blue-green!!!

THAT WOULD BE AWESOME!!! :D :D :D

KathieK

22-05-2006, 06:07

I'm looking forward to BattleCry 7 - lots of energy, great camaraderie, fun on Friday night!

Please let your team mentors know that there will be a NEMO (Non-Engineering Mentor Organization) meeting on Saturday at lunchtime in the Morgan Room in the Campus Center - I'd like to see some new faces join our discussion this year!

BobC

22-05-2006, 12:26

I am a mentor for team 176 if any teams in the area of Windsor Locks or close to (Connecticut or Western Massachusetts . ) if you need transportation for your robot I have LARGE box truck. For a small fee (depending on how teams I get) to pay for the HIGH COST of fuel I will take your robot and other stuff to Battle Cry. I do not have a lift gate on my truck. So what ever you want to transport must be lifted up to the back of the truck which is 4 feet off the ground. So you would need a few strong men ( or women ) and a boy (or girl )to lift your stuff if it is heavy to the back of the truck. Right now I will be going on Saturday morning. I would need to load truck on Friday night. I would like to load the truck at the Windsor Locks High School or maybe we could work something else out. You need to call me asap so if it I don't get enough teams I will let teams know so they can make other arrangements. I would have to say I need to know by Friday June 16th.
Call me Bob Charrette 860-623-2577 let it ring a lot for voice mail. (cell phone and I do not know how to change the number of rings to have it pick up earlier).
or email me bc56@cox.net

Ken Stafford

22-05-2006, 18:48

Yea I was planning on trying to convince my team to travel from PA to go but its already full :ahh: :(

I would STRONGLY suggest to you and all other teams that missed the 48-team limit to register anyway (http://www.wpi.edu/News/Events/BattleCry/fray.html)! Based upon our 6-year history, I would give the first 5 teams on the Ready Reserve a VERY high probability of being offered a spot. Things just seem to happen in the last month (now!) that lead to teams having to withdraw.

BTW, we are about to send out another update that will specify not only the special games we have planned but also the game "tweak." (Back Bots are still in--you may see another scoring opportunity however...)

31 Days to go!

The BattleCry Staff

Kyle Fenton

22-05-2006, 20:08

BTW, we are about to send out another update that will specify not only the special games we have planned but also the game "tweak." (Back Bots are still in--you may see another scoring opportunity however...)

Is it dual 3 point scoring goals? Two on each side would be cool.

BTW in 2001 Battlecry introduced dual ramps, and the teams liked it.

Jon K.

23-05-2006, 12:47

Is it dual 3 point scoring goals? Two on each side would be cool.

I could see them getting rid of the human player penalty for scoring into the 3 pt goal, that would make it more interesting for the HP.

Ryan Foley

23-05-2006, 13:59

Expect some special guest appearances as well as a rather interesting new potential for scoring smack in the middle of the playing field... .

Ken Stafford (CRUD: "Blackhole")

So it won't be removing the HP/ center goal penalty, or adding another center goal.

Maybe they put the ramps in the middle of the field. That could make for some great 2003-style King of the Hill battles.

Jeff Rodriguez

23-05-2006, 14:08

So it won't be removing the HP/ center goal penalty, or adding another center goal.

Maybe they put the ramps in the middle of the field. That could make for some great 2003-style King of the Hill battles.

While it would make it interesting, it would also cut down the room to maneuver.
One of the nice tings about this years game is the open field. It allows a good driver to really use their skill and out maneuver opposing robots rather than just sitting and blocking a lane.

K.Shaw

23-05-2006, 14:30

So it won't be removing the HP/ center goal penalty, or adding another center goal.

Maybe they put the ramps in the middle of the field. That could make for some great 2003-style King of the Hill battles.

though it would be coool they would have to think about the robots attending. though we don't do this some teams have to climb the ramp in order to score in the center goal, this would be quite unfair for those teams.

when they first said something about scoring in the middle i thought maybe HPs would be able to score in the center goal. this would be awsome.

aztech75

23-05-2006, 21:05

I have heard alot of talk about a ramp being put in the middle of the field... but has any1 realized that if there is a big ramp or goal sitting in the middle of the field, a lot of teams will lose their automode.

Most of the time we shoot from the middle of the field ( not saying that the only place we shoot from) but it is an inconvinence for many teams in or out of auto mode so it will be interesting to see how they plan this out.

see u guys in a few weeks,

Tom

Greg Marra

23-05-2006, 21:07

though it would be coool they would have to think about the robots attending. though we don't do this some teams have to climb the ramp in order to score in the center goal, this would be quite unfair for those teams.

Maybe there will just be so many ramps you won't know what to do :ahh:

BobC

25-05-2006, 06:40

[QUOTE=BobC]I am a mentor for team 176 if any teams in the area of Windsor Locks or close to (Connecticut or Western Massachusetts . ) if you need transportation for your robot I have LARGE box truck. For a small fee (depending on how teams I get) to pay for the HIGH COST of fuel I will take your robot and other stuff to Battle Cry. I do not have a lift gate on my truck. So what ever you want to transport must be lifted up to the back of the truck which is 4 feet off the ground. So you would need a few strong men ( or women ) and a boy (or girl )to lift your stuff if it is heavy to the back of the truck. Right now I will be going on Saturday morning. I would need to load truck on Friday night. I would like to load the truck at the Windsor Locks High School or maybe we could work something else out. You need to call me asap so if it I don't get enough teams I will let teams know so they can make other arrangements. I would have to say I need to know by Friday June 16th.
Call me Bob Charrette 860-623-2577 let it ring a lot for voice mail. (cell phone and I do not know how to change the number of rings to have it pick up earlier).
or email me bc56@cox.net[/QUOTE

This being the first time I am going to Battle Cry I did not know that play begins on Friday night. I am still willing to help teams out if they need me.

BobC

25-05-2006, 06:49

Does anyone know the name of any hotel or motel within walking distance of the event?
Bob

Melissa Nute

25-05-2006, 07:28

Does anyone know the name of any hotel or motel within walking distance of the event?
Bob
The two closest hotels are:

Crowne Plaza Hotel Worcester
10 Lincoln Square, Worcester, MA, 508-791-1600, 800-227-6963, Fax: 508-791-1796

Courtyard by Marriott Worcester
72 Grove St., Worcester, MA, 508-363-0300, Fax: 508-363-3563

Both are about a 15 minute walk to campus though.

Greg Perkins

25-05-2006, 08:11

Anybody think it would be ok if i slept in my car in the parking lot?

ahecht

25-05-2006, 09:05

Does anyone know the name of any hotel or motel within walking distance of the event?
Bob

Lodging information, as well as a complete list of all area hotels, can be found on the BattleCry website at http://www.wpi.edu/News/Events/BattleCry/battlefield.html

BobC

25-05-2006, 10:15

The two closest hotels are:

Crowne Plaza Hotel Worcester
10 Lincoln Square, Worcester, MA, 508-791-1600, 800-227-6963, Fax: 508-791-1796

Courtyard by Marriott Worcester
72 Grove St., Worcester, MA, 508-363-0300, Fax: 508-363-3563

Both are about a 15 minute walk to campus though.

Thank you very much that's the answer I was looking for.

BobC

25-05-2006, 10:33

Anybody think it would be ok if i slept in my car in the parking lot?

Do you have a shower in that car also?? :D :cool:

Greg Marra

25-05-2006, 19:59

Does anyone know the name of any hotel or motel within walking distance of the event?
Bob

WPI offers dorm rooms for participants staying at Battlecry. I am not sure the exact details, but you should contact them about that. It's also much cheaper than a hotel, from what I hear.

ahecht

25-05-2006, 20:04

WPI offers dorm rooms for participants staying at Battlecry. I am not sure the exact details, but you should contact them about that. It's also much cheaper than a hotel, from what I hear.

Again, all the information is available at http://www.wpi.edu/News/Events/BattleCry/battlefield.html

BobC

25-05-2006, 20:43

Again, all the information is available at http://www.wpi.edu/News/Events/BattleCry/battlefield.html

I was not going to say anything but now I must.
1. Thank you to everyone that did give me the info that I was looking either here or by email.

2. Yes the link for hotels from the web site does list a bunch of hotels, motels, ect. The list does not tell you how far from the event they are which was what the info I was looking for. :p :)

Elgin Clock

30-05-2006, 12:31

2. Yes the link for hotels from the web site does list a bunch of hotels, motels, ect. The list does not tell you how far from the event they are which was what the info I was looking for. :p :)

The address of WPI is:

100 Institute Road, Worcester MA

The map I used (Google maps) pinpoints that almost exactly .25 miles from the Gymnasium.

Should be good enough to calculate mileage.

Kyle Fenton

10-06-2006, 22:04

http://www.wpi.edu/News/Events/BattleCry/rules.html

It appears that goal in the middle of the field for Battlecry. Sounds like a cool idea. I wonder how it will affect games.

Jeff Rodriguez

10-06-2006, 22:10

There will be an additional scoring opportunity in the middle of the field. It shall consist of a 2 ft diameter flat Lexan target centered 8 1/2 ft above the floor facing the field ends. It has a neutral starting position but, through ball contact, may be activated to favor either the Red or Blue alliance. (E.G., contacts made by balls thrown towards the Red home zone will tend to move the target to favor the Red alliance.) Its status at the end of the match determines which alliance, if either, gains the 10-point bonus. There will be real-time feedback throughout the match to indicate if and when the target is favoring a particular alliance. It may be engaged anytime during a match by either alliance. There will NOT be any vision system target above it. While it may be engaged by a human player or back-bot, ball shots from either of these would tend to move the target in favor of the opposing alliance.

So, is this like a tug-o-war style (more times you hit it is better) thing or a possession (last ball to hit it) thing?

aztech75

10-06-2006, 23:14

its deff gonna be hard shooting toward yourself with no green light or anything.

it will be interesting to see what kind of affect this will realy have on game play.

Sam Lipscomb

10-06-2006, 23:24

Anybody think it would be ok if i slept in my car in the parking lot? If I had a car that would definitely be my plan. As of now I am still trying to figure out how to get up there Friday night. It will happen though!

This floating target thing seems to be quite interesting as well. Does it just keep moving in favor of one alliance? Is there a certain point where it becomes futile to try to change what side it's on? Or is that where GP comes into play and the human players start moving the target back to the center :D

ahecht

11-06-2006, 15:11

So, is this like a tug-o-war style (more times you hit it is better) thing or a possession (last ball to hit it) thing?

The latter.

Daisy

11-06-2006, 15:30

can you still see the green light from the other goal (can't open the WPI website, probably being flooded w/ FIRSTers, so I'm just going off of info here)?

Greg Marra

11-06-2006, 15:42

While it may be engaged by a human player or back-bot, ball shots from either of these would tend to move the target in favor of the opposing alliance.

I am confused. The backbot and the human players are on opposite sides of the target. The back-bot remains on the offensive side of the field, and the human players are on the defensive side of the field.

Which way does the target face?

Also, I too am concerned with being able to see the vision target at the opposite end of the field, especially from the center alliance station. Those targets are important to know when human-control has started and who won autonomous mode. I already sort of have to duck to see it from behind the line. I, too, can't get on WPI's site, so I guess we will just have to wait and see.

ahecht

11-06-2006, 18:38

All WPI network services were offline today as the power systems in the server room were being updated. Everything should be back online now.

As to visibility of the vision target, remember that the middle target will be made of clear lexan.

KathieK

11-06-2006, 19:02

Please let your team mentors know that there will be a NEMO (Non-Engineering Mentor Organization) meeting on Saturday at lunchtime in the Morgan Room in the Campus Center - I'd like to see some new faces join our discussion this year!So far I only have two mentors signed up for the NEMO workshop on Saturday and will only be holding it if I get ten mentors to sign up... so please, if any of your team mentors are interested in attending have them e-mail me with their name, FIRST program, team name and number, and the topic(s) of interest they'd like to discuss. Kathiek@firstnemo.org

artdutra04

11-06-2006, 20:00

During the eighth-final rounds, each alliance matching will meet up twice. The alliance that scores the most points in the 2 match-ups will progress to the quarter-finals. Eighth-finals will ONLY go to a 3rd match in the unlikely event of a tie.Did anyone else notice this? ;) It does not matter who wins or loses the matches in the eigth-finals, just which alliance has the highest combined score.

I love the idea of adding the new pendulum to the center of the playing field. It certainly spruces up the game, and throws a monkey wrench into the plans. Since you have to be the last person to hit the panel, and since you have to shoot at it facing towards your home zone, then this adds a new challenge: should I try to score on the center panel, or should I go for the ramp?

I love this, as it reminds me of the challenge of last years game of deciding on where to score each tetra to maximize the bonus points for each row. Kudos to WPI for this awesome addition to the game. :D

Daisy

12-06-2006, 10:34

greg, I think that the goal will face both ways. Probably going to be standing there, and if you are on one side (say the red offensive zone) and you shoot TOWARDS the middle goal, then the 10 points are towards the BLUE. because remember no ball is actually going into the goal, just hitting it, and bouncing off.

So, I guess here's my question, is only the goal made of lexan, and covered by another type of material (like say wood), or is it a piece of lexan with a round goal on it.

my guess is that you can still see it, but it's just going to be really far away....

[edit] Even with a foot and four inches clearence will you be able to see the goal from that far away?

Peter Matteson

12-06-2006, 16:04

Courtyard by Marriott Worcester
72 Grove St., Worcester, MA, 508-363-0300, Fax: 508-363-3563

Both are about a 15 minute walk to campus though.

Not A 15 minute walk, 10 at most to the farthest point on campus (Stoddard Hall). I lived in a fraternity house directly in front of it for 4 years, so I know the walk well. Follow the 112 year old rut through the park to the back of Fuller Labs. Walk up the stairs on the left of the building and go around Salisbury labs, and follow the bricks to the main parking lot.

Pete

skimoose

12-06-2006, 19:29

There will be an additional scoring opportunity in the middle of the field. It shall consist of a 2 ft diameter flat Lexan target centered 8 1/2 ft above the floor facing the field ends. It has a neutral starting position but, through ball contact, may be activated to favor either the Red or Blue alliance. (E.G., contacts made by balls thrown towards the Red home zone will tend to move the target to favor the Red alliance.) Its status at the end of the match determines which alliance, if either, gains the 10-point bonus. There will be real-time feedback throughout the match to indicate if and when the target is favoring a particular alliance. It may be engaged anytime during a match by either alliance. There will NOT be any vision system target above it. While it may be engaged by a human player or back-bot, ball shots from either of these would tend to move the target in favor of the opposing alliance.

Woot! Its the Pendulum of Doom reincarnated. The POD was a great idea! :D

Daisy

12-06-2006, 19:35

Ken Stafford

16-06-2006, 13:05

[QUOTE=Daisy]is it going to be hanging off the ceiling or on the floor?

Happy to see all the interest the new bit generated. The wording in the original Tactical Update was purposely vague--we hadn't decided upon 3 competing designs. Here's what I can say--the target is transparent except for a colored ring around the outside, it will hang from above, it will always stay in the center of the field. If you check the recent wording in the Rules of Engagement you will notice that we corrected an earlier typo to indicate indeed that back-bots could effect the change in their alliance favorable direction. Yes, the inspiration was last year's Pendulum of Doom from WPI's Savage Soccer Vex Tournament!

See you at WPI!

Ken

aztech75

18-07-2006, 19:32

dose any1 know if there is a video archive from battlecry and how i can access it?

ahecht

18-07-2006, 20:46

dose any1 know if there is a video archive from battlecry and how i can access it?

From this thread (http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/showthread.php?t=47933#post510614):

It may be a few days or weeks until we have all the matches online, as we are waiting for the WPI media server to have its storage space upgraded. I have put up "unofficial" copies of the opening ceremonies from Friday and Saturday, as well as the last finals match and the closing ceremonies on Saturday at http://users.wpi.edu/~brian/bc7/ (http://users.wpi.edu/%7Ebrian/bc7/) .

Ian Curtis

29-07-2006, 18:37

Do you guys (ie 190 and company) have an idea of when BC7 video will be available, as it has been over a month since the event? Or will it be a repeat of last year? :(

dk5sm5luigi

29-07-2006, 21:35

It is not going to be a repeat of last year. It should be a matter of a week or two before we get it up. Currently the WPI media server is full and they are in the process of upgrading it to have 4Tb of hard drive space not including the redundancy. Once that is up and running we will be putting the videos up. The videos are already cut so the hard part is already done.