Can I start a rumor...

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Posted by colleen.   [PICTURE: SAME | NEW | HELP]


Other on team #?, Actually, I'm a FIRST-aholic, from an undecided team for the year 2000 and I'm taking invitations :-).

Posted on 8/9/99 2:42 PM MST



Based on talking to people who've got an inside track (but wouldn't tell on next year's comp.) and their reactions to things said, I'm thinking this will happen for the game in 2000:

-The playing field will be spread out like '98 (Ladder Logic) but they will allow much more interaction is you want it.

-Different from '98, no one will start with points on the goal, you earn everything.

-Alliances will return.

-The playing pieces will not be something we've seen before (footballs, footballs, footballs)- maybe even, so i've heard, some kind of heavy basketball like objects. And it'll be something more conformed (pre-made?) so there isn't the issues of size differences, volumes, psi, etc..

Who wants to prove me wrong with their predictions?? Let's get the minds churning!

-colleen
Proud FIRST-aholic
'A fanatic is one who can't change his mind and won't change the subject.'

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Posted by Michael Martus.   [PICTURE: SAME | NEW | HELP]


Coach on team #47, Chief Delphi, from Pontiac Central H.S. and Delphi Automotives Systems.

Posted on 8/9/99 6:12 PM MST


In Reply to: Can I start a rumor... posted by colleen on 8/9/99 2:42 PM MST:



Well I also heard from a reliable source the following:

The field will remain the same size.
Alliances will be 3 teams on a side.All playing at the same time.This means 6 robots per match.
Game pieces will be smaller and round.
Robots will be lighter by 20 pounds.
Scoring will be in a column(s) in the center, order will matter as much as quanity.

The Goal will be still movable but there will be two of them.

Where your machine is at the end of the contest will matter for multipliers.

Sound interesting?
What do you think?

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Posted by Dan.

Student on team #10, BSM, from Benilde-St. Margaret's and Banner Engineering.

Posted on 8/9/99 7:24 PM MST


In Reply to: Re: Can I start a rumor... posted by Michael Martus on 8/9/99 6:12 PM MST:



My source says the weight limit will be the same, but we'll be building 2 robots this year. One 'mother' robot with full functions, but also one 'baby' robot who has a simple & cheap 2 channel receiver/transmitter. The baby robot is neccesary to get into the center of the field which has a 2 foot high steel beam around it. The baby and mother robots will both participate in scoring. And naturally the baby starts inside mother, and must get back inside by the end in order to score a multiplier.
:-Dan

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Posted by colleen.   [PICTURE: SAME | NEW | HELP]


Other on team #?, Actually, I'm a FIRST-aholic, from an undecided team for the year 2000 and I'm taking invitations :-).

Posted on 8/9/99 7:44 PM MST


In Reply to: Re: Can I start a rumor... posted by Dan on 8/9/99 7:24 PM MST:




I'd agree on same size field..

Six per match I wouldn't think they'd do.. but provided there are as many teams we all hope for.. I think FIRST would do that before making the regionals qualifiers for the nationals.. so yes, very possible..

Robot at that end matter for multiplers.. I like.. kind of like 1992, robot had to be back in a center box for any points to count.. that adds a lot of strategy.. how long do you stay at the goal scoring..

What if.. what if.. the game pieces weren't color-coded.. it's everyone going for 20 instead of two sides going each for their own ten.. hmm..

and say maybe.. scoring was self-contained... meaning your robot itself is your goal.. no where to put the pieces.. but maybe those movable things in the middle could be multiplers.. in your zone it's worth more, etc..

20lbs lighter, i'd definitely believe.. two many teams are using every last ounce of that 130.. i don't think they'd get much heavier.. so the only way to go is down..

As for the mother and baby.. i don't think i could see FIRST doing that.. that would add a lot more stress to the 6 weeks..

I also think HP abilities will be limited.. kind of like this year, there wasn't too much to do but load.. you couldn't be too defensive with floppies by chucking them at other bots.. i think there play will be either limited by the pieces like this year or like in '96 (Hexagon Havoc) seatbelted down and bar to throw over...

Pieces: small water-filled balls like Rug Rage ('93.. and you can't seem to find any just laying around FIRST.. all the other balls, tubes, floppies, etc.. are around in some way shape or form somewhere.. but not even a trace of balls like that.. hmm...)

so i think... there will be many similarities from past games.. almost like a '90s in review kind of game.. with a Y2K twist :-)

colleen

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Posted by Mike.

Student on team #175, Buzz, from Enrico Fermi High School and UTC - Hamilton Standard Space Systems.

Posted on 8/9/99 10:36 PM MST


In Reply to: Re: Can I start a rumor... posted by Dan on 8/9/99 7:24 PM MST:



I personally, think that for FIRST to become truly successful- the games have to change. If you were an average person without a child and were in no way involved with the FIRST program and you heard that big companies partnered with high school kids to y with 'floppies', you would not be overly enthusiastic about supporting such an organization. But what if the game had something to do with inspiring (or completely creating) a robot to help people... For instance, if the game were to rescue people (in the form of dummies) out of burning playing fields (complete with such obstacles as stairs and doors) you would have created something HUGE. That person would now think FIRST was a gift from above. You would have created a game that everyone in the world could see as an important cause. FIRST would be a program that inspires young minds and helps everyone in the world to have a better life. What does everybody else think?
- Mike

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Posted by Joe Johnson.   [PICTURE: SAME | NEW | HELP]


Engineer on team #47, Chief Delphi, from Pontiac Central High School and Delphi Automotive Systems.

Posted on 8/10/99 10:12 AM MST


In Reply to: Re: Can I start a rumor... posted by Mike on 8/9/99 10:36 PM MST:



I beg to differ.

As to what folks get excited about, try to describe ANY major sport to someone from another planet. They ALL sound silly.

People get excited about sports because well, they are exciting to watch (once you know some of the ins and outs of the game).

I think that FIRST needs to focus not on a higher mission or purpose but on designing a game that is exciting to watch and that is easy enough to describe so that (a) the general public can pick it up and (b) the typical broadcast news organization can fit it can fit into a 2-3 minute segment.

But there I go again with my position that FIRST will not have the impact that Dean envisions without making it to TV in a big way.

For me, getting on TV without losing the sponsors or the schools or the kids the central problem of FIRST's long term viability.

Game design, tourney structure, National competition, Kick-off, kit material, etc. should all be measured on that scale.

What say you???

Joe J.

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Posted by colleen.   [PICTURE: SAME | NEW | HELP]


Other on team #?, Actually, I'm a FIRST-aholic, from an undecided team for the year 2000 and I'm taking invitations :-).

Posted on 8/10/99 12:04 PM MST


In Reply to: getting excited about nothing posted by Joe Johnson on 8/10/99 10:12 AM MST:



I definitely agree.. we've got to become bigger than NFL if we want half the credit.. we have to get it on TV...
A game can be easy to understand and exciting to watch and still be challenging to us.. the game has to be something that people could look at quickly and understand after 2 or 3 matches tops..
I think FIRST has to encourage the interaction and fight-to-win way of playing because that's what keeps people watching.. i don't know.. color-coded corners of the field that you have to be back in for your points to count.. maybe even something in your corner that you have to protect from your opponents, but at the same time try to steal theirs..

maybe i'm off on some odd tangent (highly unlike, i know ;-) but FIRST has to keep it simple... like this year... the fact that people we're trying to get on the puck.. and that effected score.. it was easy to understand.. figuring out the score was the difficult part.. i think people will watch even if they don't understand (kinda like some people who don't understand every call in football) but if they can catch the general jist (ball in end zone- good)you can hook them for life..
keep it simple and it'll make it big... that's what i think..

sorry if the comments are kind of random.. i know what i'm trying to say..
-colleen
hooked on FIRST- for life...

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Posted by Jeff Burch.

Engineer on team #45, TechnoKats, from Kokomo High School and Delphi Delco Electronics Systems.

Posted on 8/10/99 5:03 PM MST


In Reply to: getting excited about nothing posted by Joe Johnson on 8/10/99 10:12 AM MST:



I have to agree with Joe on this one. We take our robot dozens of places during a year and demonstrate it to a variety of audiences and everyplace we go people are wowed. And this is even without the benefit of the playing field or a robot that picks up floppies (remember TKO? all arm - no basket?).

It's been my experience that folks are not as concerned about the game the robot plays as what it can do (move, lift, grab, etc.) and how it was built. As long as the game requires the robots to do big, noticeable things (as opposed to something like sorting coins in a box), people are going to be impressed and excited about the robots.

The game needs to be exciting enough and understandable enough to make people stop and look. After that, it's how the robots play the game that holds people's attention.

Jeff Burch
TechnoKats

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Posted by Jacob Etter.   [PICTURE: SAME | NEW | HELP]


Student on team #177, Bobcats, from South Windsor High Schoool and IFC & Onsi.

Posted on 8/10/99 5:11 PM MST


In Reply to: Can I start a rumor... posted by colleen on 8/9/99 2:42 PM MST:



my 'inside source' tells me your all full of it. :)

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Posted by colleen.   [PICTURE: SAME | NEW | HELP]


Other on team #?, Actually, I'm a FIRST-aholic, from an undecided team for the year 2000 and I'm taking invitations :-).

Posted on 8/11/99 1:23 PM MST


In Reply to: Re: Can I start a rumor... posted by Jacob Etter on 8/10/99 5:11 PM MST:



it's all in fun that we kind of talk about what we hope it would be... but.. never doubt who has got the inside track..cause there are some people who do.. and you never know who it is ;-)


what do you think's going to happen next year..??