facebook clue? [Archive]

Josh Drake

01-12-2011, 08:17

From the FIRST fb page.... "Just saw an elf run by with an FRC Kickoff clue tucked under his arm. Hmm, the new year must be approaching!"

This one is too easy, footballs will be the game piece.;)

Taylor

01-12-2011, 08:49

This one is too easy, footballs will be the game piece.;)

Close - the official game piece will be a vintage 1972 rugby ball used in gameplay in New Zealand. They should be easy to find - Piggly Wiggly keeps them in inventory (unless for some reason they're out of stock, or you don't happen to live in one of the 18 states that has a Piggly Wiggly ...)

Tomatosoup

01-12-2011, 08:58

It certainly fits the "based on a real sport every other year" trend. However, I feel a non-circular ball game piece may be a bit difficult to work with (especially for new teams).

Josh Drake

01-12-2011, 09:07

There always seems to be some aspect for the new teams to still contribute.

Andrew Lawrence

01-12-2011, 09:20

Silly Facebook! Elves don't play football! They participate in elvish activities such as making toys, preparing Santa's sleigh, and WWE wrestling.

Learn your facts Facebook!

Plus, how can you hold a game hint? :D

Taylor

01-12-2011, 09:51

Silly Facebook! Elves don't play football! They participate in elvish activities such as making toys, preparing Santa's sleigh, and WWE wrestling.

Ooh, remember Elf Bowling?
-nevermind, that's FTC.

rabridges

01-12-2011, 10:35

thefro526

01-12-2011, 10:36

This was posted by FIRST about an hour ago.

Okay... we felt your pain. We heard your pleas. We worked through the NIGHT to extract ANY kind of hints from FRC staff. We even sent our trusty Elfbot in as a spy. Finally, we cornered Bill Miller this morning, and this is what we got:

"Coming soon. And that's it."

Mission not complete! We'll keep working on it...

http://a8.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/s720x720/377366_301043303251825_184063051616518_996400_2985 80604_n.jpg

Josh Drake

01-12-2011, 10:38

When you get a chance, could post the link.

Sorry, they don't allow fb at work. I can't imagine why.... At least they don't block CD:D

thefro526

01-12-2011, 10:42

When you get a chance, could post the link.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/First-Robotics-For-Inspiration-and-Recognition-of-Science-and-Technology/184063051616518

Second thing posted on FIRST's wall. I don't believe that there's a way to directly link to it. (Or I don't know how)

James Rutheford

01-12-2011, 11:02

sorry, I don't get on the FIRST website too often, whats Bill's Blog?

EricH

01-12-2011, 11:08

sorry, I don't get on the FIRST website too often, whats Bill's Blog?
http://frcdirector.blogspot.com/

The Director of FRC (Bill Miller) posts about once or twice a week with a little bit of what's going on.

thefro526

01-12-2011, 11:13

From the FIRST fb page.... "Just saw an elf run by with an FRC Kickoff clue tucked under his arm. Hmm, the new year must be approaching!"

This one is too easy, footballs will be the game piece.;)

After thinking this through, I've come up with a few thoughts.

1) It says an FRC Kick-off clue. Not necessarily an FRC Game Clue. This could be completely irrelevant to the Game itself, just something new at Kick-off. Also, the follow up post made by FIRST said that they did not have a game clue yet.

2) You don't really carry a football under your arm, it's more tucked against the chest. Soccer and Basketball players often take team photos with a ball tucked under their arm though.

EricH

01-12-2011, 11:16

After thinking this through, I've come up with a few thoughts.

2) You don't really carry a football under your arm, it's more tucked against the chest. Soccer and Basketball players often take team photos with a ball tucked under their arm though.You don't carry either one of those under your arm when running, though. Especially when playing the game--it's a handball in soccer and traveling in basketball.

I'd go more with the rugby ball--they're more likely to carry under the arm.

Josh Drake

01-12-2011, 11:23

I'd go more with the rugby ball--they're more likely to carry under the arm.

I hope it is, we have Piggly Wiggly stores in South Carolina!:p

JaneYoung

01-12-2011, 11:23

thefro526

01-12-2011, 11:30

You don't carry either one of those under your arm when running, though. Especially when playing the game--it's a handball in soccer and traveling in basketball.

I'd go more with the rugby ball--they're more likely to carry under the arm.

Not while playing the game, you're right. But if, I'm running down the hallway with a ball, it'd probably be tucked under my arm.

In anycase, it's not even a game hint, it's a kick off hint. If anything, I can imagine an elf running down the hall with a kinect or two under their arm, possibly taking it to film a demo shown at Kick-off.

Tomatosoup

01-12-2011, 11:39

Not while playing the game, you're right. But if, I'm running down the hallway with a ball, it'd probably be tucked under my arm.

In anycase, it's not even a game hint, it's a kick off hint. If anything, I can imagine an elf running down the hall with a kinect or two under their arm, possibly taking it to film a demo shown at Kick-off.

"Okay... we felt your pain. We heard your pleas. We worked through the NIGHT to extract ANY kind of hints from FRC staff." Kind of makes it seems like a game hint, I haven't seen any pleas for a kickoff clue.

Josh Drake

01-12-2011, 11:40

I've lost track of all of the places to look: Facebook, Bill's Blog, the FIRST website - where else? This borders on nuts.

Jane

AndyMark: http://www.andymark.com/category-s/309.htm

Andrew Schreiber

01-12-2011, 11:41

I'm simply amazed at how people have time to follow FIRST around, looking for game hints. I've lost track of all of the places to look: Facebook, Bill's Blog, the FIRST website - where else? This borders on nuts.

Jane

RSS Feed from the blog, Text alerts from FB. Checking FIRST's website is about the most frustrating thing...

None of this takes very long. Or you could be like me and live under a rock in a cave and refuse to care about game hints. I suggest it, helps to keep me comparatively sane.

EricVanWyk

01-12-2011, 12:02

With all of these options to get information from FRCHQ, clearly the hint isn't the picture itself, but where the picture was posted. 2012, year of the wall.

JaneYoung

01-12-2011, 12:13

With all of these options to get information from FRCHQ, clearly the hint isn't the picture itself, but where the picture was posted. 2012, year of the wall.

Clearly and clearly, the go-to place is Chief Delphi. It connects all the dots.

Jane

JesseK

01-12-2011, 12:45

With all of our combined abilities to build robots, I don't know why we don't just build a robot that crawls, flies, or otherwise infiltrates the FIRST HQ building so we can get our own hints without the ambiguous nuance that comes with a so-called 'Elf Bot'.

People also tuck books under their arms.

Taylor

01-12-2011, 12:55

"Okay... we felt your pain. We heard your pleas. We worked through the NIGHT to extract ANY kind of hints from FRC staff."

Rearranging the letters that are capitalized in that passage, we get

"WOW ANYTHING FRC"

Kimmeh

01-12-2011, 13:00

I'm simply amazed at how people have time to follow FIRST around, looking for game hints. I've lost track of all of the places to look: Facebook, Bill's Blog, the FIRST website - where else? This borders on nuts.

Borders has game hints too!? Where? Can I purchase them early!? :rolleyes:

RSS Feed from the blog, Text alerts from FB. Checking FIRST's website is about the most frustrating thing...

None of this takes very long. Or you could be like me and live under a rock in a cave and refuse to care about game hints. I suggest it, helps to keep me comparatively sane.

Quoted for truth. And Andrew, they're not too bad. Reading the ideas that the hints lead to can make for some great entertainment.

Kovs

01-12-2011, 13:17

Guys, wouldn't the elf have a present underneath his arm? Presents...Boxes. I think I'm getting somewhere...

Josh Drake

01-12-2011, 13:26

Guys, wouldn't the elf have a present underneath his arm? Presents...Boxes. I think I'm getting somewhere...

Boxes and the pneumatic tires from AndyMark.... We may be onto something here....:rolleyes:

MattC9

01-12-2011, 13:44

Boxes and the pneumatic tires from AndyMark.... We may be onto something here....:rolleyes:

What have I learned from andymark releasing new products befor kick off in the past? They have nothing to do with the new game. If andymark has any game specific parts they won't be released until kick off. Sorry to burst your bubble.

Josh Drake

01-12-2011, 13:55

Darn, and we were so close to guessing the game.

Robert Cawthon

01-12-2011, 14:28

Quoted for truth. And Andrew, they're not too bad. Reading the ideas that the hints lead to can make for some great entertainment.

Very true. The entertainment value is huge! Oh, and Jane, I don't know about you, but I enjoy crossing the border from time to time. :D

Basel A

01-12-2011, 15:16

http://www.facebook.com/pages/First-Robotics-For-Inspiration-and-Recognition-of-Science-and-Technology/184063051616518

Second thing posted on FIRST's wall. I don't believe that there's a way to directly link to it. (Or I don't know how)

You click the time of the post (e.g. "5 hours ago," "27 November at 6:50," etc.).

Here's a direct link (though the picture's been posted already..):
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=301043303251825&set=a.188288274527329.44763.184063051616518&type=1

RB73

01-12-2011, 15:37

From the FIRST fb page.... "Just saw an elf run by with an FRC Kickoff clue tucked under his arm. Hmm, the new year must be approaching!"

This one is too easy, footballs will be the game piece.;)
Well, lets be more realistic, more than just footballs are carried under an arm. What about small boxes? or telescopes? (still going with the titanic prediction)

Jon Stratis

01-12-2011, 15:44

With all of these options to get information from FRCHQ, clearly the hint isn't the picture itself, but where the picture was posted. 2012, year of the wall.

You mean we have to build a robot that can post on Facebook while playing the game?!?!?!?

Robert Cawthon

01-12-2011, 15:48

What is the "elfbot's" head? Its driving me nuts. Looks familiar, but can't place it.

On a side note, I miss Dave's red herrings.

Tommy F.

01-12-2011, 15:54

Elf = North Pole = Ice = Water game

JaneYoung

01-12-2011, 15:56

Oh, and Jane, I don't know about you, but I enjoy crossing the border from time to time. :D

I miss Dave. He drove us totally nuts. Nothing borderline about it.

Jane

Astechz_Nick

01-12-2011, 16:12

Has anyone considered that the elfbot might be a clue?
I don't understand why else they would introduce this info through the elfbot.
Also,
Could elfbot be in the game animation?
I guess only time will tell.

216Robochick288

01-12-2011, 16:43

I still am left to wonder if they drop hints and see what we come up with for ideas about the game... Then base the idea off of what they like from the list.

Peyton Yeung

01-12-2011, 17:13

Elf-north pole-ice-regolith? That would be interesting :)

avanboekel

01-12-2011, 18:06

Elf-north pole-ice-regolith? That would be interesting :)
Some sort of football game on regolith?

On another note, if this, "Just saw an elf run by with an FRC Kickoff clue tucked under his arm. Hmm, the new year must be approaching!" is hinting to anything at all, it could either be a football (or rugby ball) or present. What else would an elf carry around under their arm?

And the robot telling us that there are no hints yet looks like something we would see in the game animation (minus its santa hat).

DSM33

01-12-2011, 18:33

Well, I think these posts clearly point to a football based game. Under the arm, running, "Kick-Off" clue. OCCRA (the Oakland County high school robotics league) had a game with footballs in 2008. Don't remember all the details since I was but a wee freshman before my first FRC season but it involved launching them.... or that's what the 33 team back then built.

On the Elfbot...
I immediately thought minibot and the wheels and appendages make me think of a more intricate minibot this year. or maybe it's just a design choice by FIRST. Or I could be over-analyzing the entire situation and slowly driving myself insane even before anything has actually started! :p

Wildcat

01-12-2011, 18:54

i bet its a false one, would they really release a hint on facebook? cause im pretty sure theres people out there that don't use it (like me)

Andrew Lawrence

01-12-2011, 19:15

After thinking this through, I've come up with a few thoughts.

1) It says an FRC Kick-off clue. Not necessarily an FRC Game Clue. This could be completely irrelevant to the Game itself, just something new at Kick-off. Also, the follow up post made by FIRST said that they did not have a game clue yet.

2) You don't really carry a football under your arm, it's more tucked against the chest. Soccer and Basketball players often take team photos with a ball tucked under their arm though.

THAT'S IT!!! :yikes: THIS YEAR'S GAME IS A SOCCER GAME! Teams will be in alliances of 3 each, the field will have 2 bumps 1/3 the way across from each side of the field, and at the end the robots must hang themselves on the towers!

It's GENIUS!

Tomatosoup

01-12-2011, 19:18

i bet its a false one, would they really release a hint on facebook? cause im pretty sure theres people out there that don't use it (like me)

Most people have an account on Facebook, plus I'm pretty sure some people don't have internet, doesn't stop them from releasing it online.

Andrew Lawrence

01-12-2011, 19:22

You mean we have to build a robot that can post on Facebook while playing the game?!?!?!?

That, or we'll have to simultaneously post what's happening to Facebook during the matches.

Dragonhawk

02-12-2011, 11:10

The "Something" isn't a football... it's a baby!!

Hallry

02-12-2011, 11:34

The "Something" isn't a football... it's a baby!!

Baby? Minibots?

Dragonhawk

02-12-2011, 11:48

Babies as game pieces, hmmm

Libby K

04-12-2011, 18:46

Strange possibility that you guys may not have thought of...
(from someone who worked in the FIRST HQ office)
.
.
.
It could be that the Marketing staff just wrote the FB post without meaning anything behind 'under his arm', etc, etc.... because they're not on the GDC and therefore don't know much re: the game...

Andrew Lawrence

04-12-2011, 18:49

Libby K

04-12-2011, 18:53

I think we should probably listen to her advice. :|

Sorry, not trying to ruin any fun. I love reading the game-hint-speculation.

(also, WATERGAMELOLOLOLOL)

Just trying to be a liiiiiittle bit rational before y'all get overwhelmed.

EricH

04-12-2011, 18:55

Libby K

04-12-2011, 19:02

Marketing does need to be able to produce promotional material on the game, though. It wouldn't surprise me if they at least knew a few of the basics (say, the name). (Though details, I'd be shocked.)

I'm certainly not saying that Marketing staff doesn't know ANYTHING... you're completely correct. I'm just saying I didn't think they would have enough of a connection to the game to make word choices that directly outline a 'hint'... or that they would even intend to do that. :)

IndySam

04-12-2011, 19:43

I'm certainly not saying that Marketing staff doesn't know ANYTHING... you're completely correct. I'm just saying I didn't think they would have enough of a connection to the game to make word choices that directly outline a 'hint'... or that they would even intend to do that. :)

Ah but they could make a mistake and unintentionally do it :)

Robert Cawthon

05-12-2011, 09:56

Sorry, not trying to ruin any fun. I love reading the game-hint-speculation.

(also, WATERGAMELOLOLOLOL)

Just trying to be a liiiiiittle bit rational before y'all get overwhelmed.

Rational? What does rational have to do with anything? The crazy ideas may be closer to the truth than the "rational" ones. That's what makes this so fun! :ahh:

Taylor

05-12-2011, 09:59

I'm certainly not saying that Marketing staff doesn't know ANYTHING... you're completely correct. I'm just saying I didn't think they would have enough of a connection to the game to make word choices that directly outline a 'hint'... or that they would even intend to do that. :)

True, but nobody here has any idea either, and it seems that as soon as somebody posts some outlandish theory, it's instantly Gospel.

That's why the 2012 game pieces will be herrings and bananas.

rsisk

05-12-2011, 10:39

That's why the 2012 game pieces will be herrings and bananas.

If that's the case, I definitely don't want to be part of a week 7 event. Those game pieces will be quite ripe by then.

JamesBrown

05-12-2011, 13:35

I'd go more with the rugby ball--they're more likely to carry under the arm.

As a rugby player I sincerly hope it isn't, there are regularly shortages of low end ($20) rugby balls in the US in Jan/Feb as well as September as teams order in buld for their season, adding in another 1000+ teams would certainly not help the situation.

It is probably not worth noting but in Rugby you spend less time carrying the ball under arm than in football as it is a position only used for carrying into contact. When running the ball is either held against the forearm, or out in front.

Ernst

02-01-2012, 22:51

Ah but they could make a mistake and unintentionally do it :)

A Freudian slip?

On a different note, I think the hint means that our robots will have to carry minibots known as "footballs." Like the President's Nuclear Football, the minibots will contain buttons that cause something to explode, perhaps a game piece or a pile of gamepieces. Each alliance will have the goal of knocking one of their opponents footballs loose, pressing the button, and exploding their pile of gamepieces, thus putting them into play. They will then have to push these gamepieces (tennis balls) into goals.

Andrew Lawrence

02-01-2012, 23:03

A Freudian slip?

On a different note, I think the hint means that our robots will have to carry minibots known as "footballs." Like the President's Nuclear Football, the minibots will contain buttons that cause something to explode, perhaps a game piece or a pile of gamepieces. Each alliance will have the goal of knocking one of their opponents footballs loose, pressing the button, and exploding their pile of gamepieces, thus putting them into play. They will then have to push these gamepieces (tennis balls) into goals.

I don't mean to burst your bubble, but I don't think FIRST is going to have explosions on the field, or anywhere near the robots anytime soon. Or for that matter, anytime at all.

Good thinking, though! No idea is a bad one, so please think more!

EDIT: Forgot to mention. This isn't a game hint. We decided that a while ago.

PAR_WIG1350

02-01-2012, 23:38

I don't mean to burst your bubble, but I don't think FIRST is going to have explosions on the field, or anywhere near the robots anytime soon. Or for that matter, anytime at all.

Good thinking, though! No idea is a bad one, so please think more!

Use springs instead of chemical explosives.

goodmorning2403

03-01-2012, 01:21

Maybe waiting is the game hint....

ChristopherSD

03-01-2012, 17:03

It certainly fits the "based on a real sport every other year" trend. However, I feel a non-circular ball game piece may be a bit difficult to work with (especially for new teams).

If rookies last year could build and deploy minibots, throwing a football should be low-tier difficulty.

Flimsor

03-01-2012, 20:02

If rookies last year could build and deploy minibots, throwing a football should be low-tier difficulty.

Good point

Ernst

03-01-2012, 22:55

If rookies last year could build and deploy minibots, throwing a football should be low-tier difficulty.

I disagree. If a team is able to build a full-sized robot that can compete in an FRC competition, then building a minibot out of FTC parts should be easy.

Throwing a football accurately, however, would be difficult. You would have to propel it forwards, make it spin to keep it accurate, and be able to pick it up and load it (just not in that order). This would involve various mechanical components to pick up, orient, load, and aim the ball, potentially some type of pneumatic something-or-other (I'm on Electrical, can you tell?) to propel or load it, some way to spin it without slowing it down much, and probably half a dozen other things I can't think of.

RedLeader342

03-01-2012, 23:02

Josh Drake

04-01-2012, 07:19

the hint is on the football

Oh good, now we know where to look for the hint. Just need to tackle that elf.

Brandon Zalinsky

04-01-2012, 10:36

Oh good, now we know where to look for the hint. Just need to tackle that elf.

Challenge Accepted.

mdiradoorian

04-01-2012, 13:59

first we have to find one

RedLeader342

04-01-2012, 15:51

Oh good, now we know where to look for the hint. Just need to tackle that elf.

i played defense in middle school! number one line backer in the sertoma b-league

mdiradoorian

04-01-2012, 18:15

i played defense in middle school! number one line backer in the sertoma b-league

Good job :)

Sean Raia

04-01-2012, 18:19

Good job :)

I feel like that was a graciously-proffesional "cool story bro"

jdunston94

04-01-2012, 18:25

RedLeader342

04-01-2012, 20:12

I feel like that was a graciously-proffesional "cool story bro"

thats wat i was thinkin. its cool though

RedLeader342

04-01-2012, 20:13

Sean Raia

04-01-2012, 20:18

In an effort to unify hint discussion i urge you all to go here (http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=99251), and share your boundless knowledge.

Brandon Zalinsky

06-01-2012, 16:09

think of throwing the football like a pitching machine in baseball... of course in baseball the way you throw it doesn't matter as much but if you can spin high placation wheels and get them up to speed then jam a football in, you could get the propulsion and direction,spin with controlling the speeds and direction of the wheels

To get the spin like a spiral in real football, you could use a bored barrel to shoot the balls. Also, there's only been one game hint. There's only one football on the field at once. The lack of a game hint is a game hint in itself!