Re: 2013 ACTUAL game hint!!!
 

Here are the things I think are important for the info we have so far.
1. I think the significance of the 12/21/12 release date is that if you add the 1s and 2s together you get 3/3/3. Three groups of 3.
2. This was game hint 3, even though you really have to stretch to assume that there were two other official hints.
3. Pi was the key to decoding the hint (a version of 3)
4. The Rick Astley video was from exactly the three minute mark
5. This doesn’t have to do with three, but the box dimensions on the chassis are smaller this year.

Okay, so here is what I think it all means.
I think we had correctly figured out that the 3:00 mark on the Rick Astley hint means that we will have 3:00 matches this year. This bothered me because I, like most people (I think) would rather play more matches rather than fewer.

But if there are 3 alliances of 3 robots each, you can still have each robot play about 10 matches in qualification rounds with only about 2/3 of the matches. Usually at a 60 robot regional, you have to play about 100 matches for each robot to be in 10 matches. With 9 robots on the field, you only need 67 matches to do the same thing. I don’t even want to think about what this means for scouting though.

Fewer, longer matches also means more time with robots on the field and less reset time. Also, more interesting for the spectators.

This also goes along with the smaller robot dimensions. To have more robots on the field, they need to be smaller.

3/3/3 – 3 robots, 3 alliances, 3 minute matches

As for the nature of the game, I feel like it is much more speculative. I do feel like there may be a big tower in the middle of the field for something, but I wouldn’t bet much money on that thought. I feel more confident about the idea that you will have to hold up something heavy since it is (kind of) in both clues. The Rick Astley song – “Never gonna give you up, never gonna let you down” and in the cypher “A dinner missed, holding weight.”

Re: 2013 ACTUAL game hint!!!
 

Before everyone jumps ahead for thinking 3 alliances,(and if it's already been said, sorry, didn't read through every post in the thread) in the Veteran/Rookie KOP Difference chart, rookies get "Bumper Material Sets, Red and Blue, 2". That, to me, debunks 3 alliances. My opinion on the three could be three definitive divisions in the game modes (which also has probably been said), in that it's Auto/Hybrid, Teleop, and then End Game, where it's explicitly defined that you HAVE to do the end game task and ONLY the end game task, which is a contrast from previous years end games.

Re: 2013 ACTUAL game hint!!!
 

Already experimenting with the Raspberry Pi over here for the 2013 season. Ours will prove quite useful I think.

Re: 2013 ACTUAL game hint!!!
 

That is a very interesting idea about the possible true meaning of the "3"...I too thought it unlikely that 3 different alliances would compete simultaneously. For one thing, I could not imagine a finals bracket mechanism that would work.

If this scenario is true, though, I think the division would instead be to separate autonomous from hybrid. I have been saying since last year that Microsoft would probably be pushing hard to get the Kinect to be more heavily used, perhaps this is the way that will happen. I think the dynamics of regular play vs. endgame that we saw last year was pretty good...for example, 1717's machine - while an awesome balancing robot - was such a good shooter that they would choose to let the other two bots balance, and they could easily rack up more than the difference by continuing to shoot. I look for a regular play - endgame mix of that same "choose your strength" variety.

Re: 2013 ACTUAL game hint!!!
 

A ROSE, KISSED
SINGER GREAT
A DINNER, MISSED
HOLDING WEIGHT

Well, the first two lines of the poem match up to give us one hint: Seal.
How about the second two lines combined? A dinner missed, holding weight. I think the robots becoming smaller is a plausible explanation, but I, for one, wouldn't welcome it. I think that size is definitely one of the best parts of FIRST. When I'm sharing robotics with people who aren't in FIRST, my first question is always, "What do you think we're building?" Their answer is inevitably something similar to a RC car. When I tell them that we are building 28" x 38" x 60" robots, their jaws just drop.

Re: 2013 ACTUAL game hint!!!
 

There has been a lot of progress made in deciphering the hint in the last couple of pages.
I think the interpretation "Fish Scale" for the second part of the riddle is correct, Now how do we relate Seal to Fish Scale?
THAT
or a "Dinner missed, holding weight" is trying to tell us that the Seal missed his regular dinner of fish so he can hold a ball and "Never let it down"

Re: 2013 ACTUAL game hint!!!
 

Seals eat fish, so maybe we're weighing what our "sealed" bot has consumed? So we'd be placing stuff into our robot and then lifting ourselves to score points in the endgame?

Re: 2013 ACTUAL game hint!!!
 

Maybe the more you put onto/into the "fish scale" it unlocks a seal of something.

Re: 2013 ACTUAL game hint!!!
 

They had that in the 2004 game didn't they? Like you had to put a ball in a box during auto and it released like a million balls from above the player station.

Re: 2013 ACTUAL game hint!!!
 

It's true that there's no difference with rookie's getting a third color that veterans would not, BUT, what if they give material for a 3rd bumper to ALL teams? It wouldn't be listed as a differential among the teams.

Re: 2013 ACTUAL game hint!!!
 

Return of the human player pad? XD

Something else for the threes...what about like in 2006 with auton, offensive, and defensive? They are trying top make hybrid more important, though the lack of rookie connects is a but hindering...and I doubt Microsoft would donate another 3k kinects.

Re: 2013 ACTUAL game hint!!!
 

Um, yeah. That's the fun.

Seal is a pretty solid clue, and since seals live in water, water game.
A Dinner Missed shows fish. Fish live in water, water game.
And at 2012 CMP, a member of the GDC said "Water bottle game", there's a recording of it.

Oh, and 3 is important: There will be 3 teams on each alliance.

See you Jan 5th!

Re: 2013 ACTUAL game hint!!!
 

I think the "Dinner Missed" phrase relates to the play "Dinner for One". In the play the often used, operative phrase is "Same procedure as every year".

Re: 2013 ACTUAL game hint!!!
 

Yah... That would be cool to have a game with a bunch of balls, but it would also be a pain I would think... and last year we had a game with a bunch of balls, so wouldn't they want to change things up a bit?

See the animation here.

Re: 2013 ACTUAL game hint!!!
 

If you look at the first and third lines, they both start with 31 and end with the sequence 2341415326, which adds up to 31.

It's probably a coincidence and has no relevance, I just found it interesting.

Re: 2013 ACTUAL game hint!!!
 

Did anyone else think about the dinner missed part relating to this list?

Re: 2013 ACTUAL game hint!!!
 

Yes, read the thread.

Re: 2013 ACTUAL game hint!!!
 

3 Alliances is not feasible unless it is something like Coopertition FIRST where all are working toward a common goal. The GDC has proven they don't mind changing the game up for eliminations. What if there are coopertitious qualification rounds (3 alliances work towards one goal) and then competitive eliminations (two alliances compete)?

Re: 2013 ACTUAL game hint!!!
 

"Dinner missed, holding weight" is what wrestlers do before matches.

Re: 2013 ACTUAL game hint!!!
 

Drop in weight allowance? Could also mean holding the 120lb limit.

http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/sh...&postcount=100

Re: 2013 ACTUAL game hint!!!
 

"Never Gonna Give You Up" is the first track on Rick Astley's compilation "3 Originals" (there's the 3 again) which was released in 2003:ahh: .
2003's game was "stack attack" where boxes had to be stacked in scoring areas to earn points. Well what if in some variation of the game, the boxes had to actually "hold weight" this year. In addition, there have been posts stating that the boxes might be too small to be holding larger game pieces... So maybe the boxes themselves are the games pieces? Just some ideas.

Creds: Thomas

Re: 2013 ACTUAL game hint!!!
 

Seal's first band was called "Push". And there are some nifty 2 speed gearboxes newly on the market. A pushing game like stack attack (circa 2003)?

Re: 2013 ACTUAL game hint!!!
 

But veterans would need a third color, too, because all they have is red and blue... this doesn't even remotely debunk that theory.

Re: 2013 ACTUAL game hint!!!
 

The 120 pound limit has been modified in the recent past, with an option for a tall, light robot or a shorter, heavy robot. You had to make the trade-offs. I think you could be 5' tall and 110 pounds or 4' tall and 120 pounds - 2007 maybe.

On the three alliance point - this years player station would support that - what if one alliance had a driver station at each end of the field. The ball collection area formed a natural barrier to "separate" this drive team from the others?

And for a three phase match - what about Auto - Human - Auto? You have to set yourself up to do some autonomous task at the very end?

I could also see the GDC going to a smaller frame size. Lots of teams are getting good at 28x38 drive bases - wide or long. A change to a smaller size would force all of the veterans back to the design table to find a new, smaller system that worked.

Re: 2013 ACTUAL game hint!!!
 

It was Rack 'n Roll that had this rule.

Re: 2013 ACTUAL game hint!!!
 

Everyone's making connections to the number 3, but I think it is connections to pi. The game hint hint said it might have to do with the Mesoamerican Long Calendar ending. The Mayan Calendar was a circle, and circles have to do with pi. Someone said something about the numbers in the hint adding to 31, which are the first digits in pi. The hint was also decoded using pi. I think we have a circular game piece, possibly a forced circular robot, or, as strange as it seems, a circular field.

Also, our coach said the SINGER GREAT might have to do with will.i.am, as in 2011 he was at kickoff.

Just some speculation... :)

Re: 2013 ACTUAL game hint!!!
 

There's the classes for Rack 'n Roll

Re: 2013 ACTUAL game hint!!!
 

I still think that we will have three alliances, but only 2v2v2. We can keep the field set up, but it does create something of a challenge. Your alliance partner is on the other side of the field. Sounds like a FIRST challenge to me!

Re: 2013 ACTUAL game hint!!!
 

I completely disagree.

If the frame size were to be 30" instead of 38", with similar aspect ratio, and the weight were to stay the same, many teams would only change a few dimensions and delete/modify a few wheels from their shelf designs. A days work max. It's similar to using a long-ratio shelf design for a wide-ratio robot, it really only changes the length of the main frame rails, and you might debate 6wd vs 8wd (again), and that's really it.


The bumps in 2010 arguably forced more teams to redesign drivetrains than a change in size would.


On a completely unrelated note, I really hope to see the Kinect go. It has no place at the FRC driver station, period.

Re: 2013 ACTUAL game hint!!!
 

realistically, all a veteran team has to do is take the drive and put it in a smaller base. our team has typically done a tank style drive for most of the years. it would require no real effort to apply a "tank" system to a smaller footprint. not completely ruling out the possibility of a size reduction, just trying to point out that it really wouldnt be that hard to transition to the smaller bases

Re: 2013 ACTUAL game hint!!!
 

Here is what I have so far.

The base of the three goals contain a scale that weighs the number of smaller dodgeballs that have been scored, and the weight will be how automatic scoring is applied.

Similar to 2004, Human Players will attempt to throw their dodgeballs into the middle goals. However, the yellow Stopper Balls could be in the way.

You see, when a robot dumps off a bunch of balls to a human player on the left side of the field, that will give the opponents an incentive to "cork" the goal.

Because the yellow Stopper Balls are worth zero points at the end of the game - no matter they be on a goal or on the floor.

Picture Link: http://i47.tinypic.com/34hbgag.jpg

Re: 2013 ACTUAL game hint!!!
 

I have been looking at the cipher for bit and I am not sure that the current translation is correct:

A rose, kissed
singer great
A dinner, missed
holding weight

There are many other possible translations. Try writing out the numbered pairs and see if you can come up with something different. It doesn't make sense that both g and t are represented by the number 97 when they could have used any other number (not already used) between 10 and 99.

What do you guys think?

Re: 2013 ACTUAL game hint!!!
 

There are a number of reasons why this can never happen, primarily because, while a 2v2v2 is very interesting to play strategically (in real time strategy games), 90% of the time it ends up being 4v2 with the worse two alliances ganging up on the strongest. This always creates a nasty dynamic with wheeling and dealing in the pre-match phase and I hope the GDC foresaw this if they were thinking of modifying 3v3.

I have no evidence for this but what if they changed the robot sizes to be smaller and made alliances have 4 teams on them, and increased match time to 3 minutes. This would keep approximately the same or more matches per team while shaking up strategy significantly.

Re: 2013 ACTUAL game hint!!!
 

How would the automatic live scoring detect the weight from robots on the scales, and from the stoppers in the goals?

Re: 2013 ACTUAL game hint!!!
 

Everyone's making connections to the number 3, but I think it is connections to pi. The game hint hint said it might have to do with the Mesoamerican Long Calendar ending. The Mayan Calendar was a circle, and circles have to do with pi. Someone said something about the numbers in the hint adding to 31, which are the first digits in pi. The hint was also decoded using pi. I think we have a circular game piece, possibly a forced circular robot, or, as strange as it seems, a circular field.

Also, our coach said the SINGER GREAT might have to do with will.i.am, as in 2011 he was at kickoff.

Just some speculation... :)

Re: 2013 ACTUAL game hint!!!
 

I think a couple of you are missing the point on the challenge of building a robot with a smaller frame size. For one thing, many teams practice designing and building the "standard" size frame in the off season (or, even though it's against the rules, intentionally or unintentionally copy a reference design they built in the off season or past years), and so they'll have to re-think the design if a new size is announced.

But more importantly, you're thinking only of the robot base and drive train. For example, the control system is not shrinking, and will have to fit within a smaller frame. Same goes for motors, gearboxes, compressors, and anything else you've had to squeeze into your available space. If the game calls for a complex mechanism internal to the robot, a smaller frame would definitely by a challenge.

Re: 2013 ACTUAL game hint!!!
 

Looking at the 3 modes of the game.

Stage 1 = Autonomous
Stage 2 = Teleoperated
Stage 3 = Kinect Mode (or Hybrid Mode)

-Clinton-

Re: 2013 ACTUAL game hint!!!
 

Could be

Re: 2013 ACTUAL game hint!!!
 

Now that's sounds like a realistic way to interpret the hint... In my experience, the hints are never about the game or game objects, usually it's something more obscure where even if you figured it out, it gives no advantage.

I would think the Kinect must play a bigger role in the game than last year. If I were FIRST, I'd be really disappointed if a major sponsor like Microsoft donated an item to each team, only to have it not used by 99% of teams.

I just can't envision 6 teams trying to use it at the same time, perhaps like Clinton says, there will be a Kinect mode this year and one robot from each alliance battle for some final bonus points at the end.

Re: 2013 ACTUAL game hint!!!
 

I'm just going to leave this here...

http://www.andymark.com/ToughBox-p/am-2388.htm

A 3 motor gearbox. Generally, Toughboxes are used with CIM's. So are we going to get 6 CIM drive trains this year? Are we going to need something that requires 3 CIMs in one gearbox worth of lifting? Holding weight? Game Title: Do You Even Lift, Bro

Re: 2013 ACTUAL game hint!!!
 

http://www.vexrobotics.com/vexpro/ge...reduction.html

kinda makes those threes keep coming up

Re: 2013 ACTUAL game hint!!!
 

Rick Astley:
Never gonna give you up
Never gonna let you down
Never gonna run around and desert you

Re: 2013 ACTUAL game hint!!!
 

I just thought I'd remind/inform everyone in the thread about how stupendously complicated it is to do a 3 "alliance" elimination. So I'll link to the elimination brackets from '98 Nationals, a 1v1v1 game:
98 Nationals Bracket 1
98 Nationals Bracket 2a
98 Nationals Bracket 2b

Yes, that's made extra complicated by the sheer number of teams that were in elims, but it honestly doesn't get that much simpler even at a regional:

98 New England Bracket

Re: 2013 ACTUAL game hint!!!
 

I've been thinking this and holding off just so I could develope it.

Everybody is flipping out about three alliances and saying its not possible for two reasons:
1. No yellow bumper material in the KoP.
2. The field won't support 3 alliances.

Well, to solve problem one, as stated, veteran teams would need yellow/white bumper material too, so it wouldn't be listed as a diference.

Secondly, what if we have been taking the Rick Astley hint all wrong and the pushpins tell us more than we have been seeing? That picture is a rectangle, the field is a rectangle. Maybe the GDC was telling us how they would lay out the driver's stations on the field. Red on one side, blue and yellow/white on the other with a barrier between. That means they wouldn't have to change the field anymore than the typical year-to-year changes.

Feedback on this is much appreciated. Thanks :)

Borrowing a page from http://www.sugobot.com ? Would be fun to have a autonomous or kinect driven end game like this...

Billy.

Re: 2013 ACTUAL game hint!!!
 

Karomata came up with a concept that hasn't been discussed ceiling

This is the hint:

31 88274153, 622341415326

412383975388 9788533197

31 262383835388, 332341415326

93276426238397 995323979397

Which somebody was able to turn into this:

A ROSE, KISSED
SINGER GREAT
A DINNER, MISSED
HOLDING WEIGHT

Now, from that we have been able to deduce that the first 2 lines refer to a song by Seal, and so while thinking about that, I thought about the different plays on words with seal. I kept going through words like seal-ed, seal-proof, seal-ling. Then using ceiling,

weighs being held from the ceiling that robots have to STAND UP to get

Re: 2013 ACTUAL game hint!!!
 

Usually I don't post on this type of thread, but, well, here goes nothing.

Three is the recurring number. No one denies that. (I especially like the 12/21/12 release date clue.) I think we can safely say that there will not be three alliances, as indicated from the bumper material,the difficulty setting up the field and creating eliminations, etc.

Aren't we missing something huge? I haven't read every single post on this thread, but I don't thing anyone's mentioned yet the possibility that we could be doing a replay of Triple Play.

Here's why it makes sense.

One, the hints consistently point to three. Tetras, three by three scoring grid, three robots per alliance for the first time, etc were all features of 2005. 'Nuff said.

Two, we haven't had an "arm game" (or what most people would consider an "arm game") in a year. The GDC likes to mix it up, and since 2005 (what many would consider the beginning of the modern FRC era) arm games have frequently followed shooter games, like 2007 and 2006, or 2011 and 2012. I guess they don't want us to be able to refine one design for too many years in a row (at least in terms of the manipulator). 2005 was an arm game, and the time is ripe for an arm game in 2013.

Three, it follows the much-debated recent pattern of "going one year back." 2011 "copied" 2007, and 2012 copied 2006, which leads me to suspect that the 2013 game will be similar to the 2005 game.

Other ideas, like changing match length, schedule, or frame size seem a little too speculative for me to comment on. I'll only venture that the GDC has a tenancy to stick to what works.

So, here's what I'm thinking for the 2013 game: the return of 2005. Probably a 3x3 scoring grid, possibly tetras and certainly a 3 robot alliance (although that shouldn't surprise anyone).

Re: 2013 ACTUAL game hint!!!
 

Well, a few things. The only thing that I see stopping the three alliances is the elim schedule. (See my above post about bumpers and field).
Secondly, 2011 was an arm game, with a scoring grid (Logomotion). The GDC wouldn't recycle a game that they did a year ago.

Re: 2013 ACTUAL game hint!!!
 

Someone mentioned this a little earlier, but no one really jumped on it or said anything about it. Everyone is looking at the number 3 and thinking "Three Alliances" and "Three distinctive parts of the game" and "Three Minute Games". Although I do agree with some of these, what about three different game pieces in the game? In Rebound Rumble's Kickoff video, they threw game pieces from past years across the theme and I know my team members were thinking it was going to be a mix of different games. What if they did that this year? Something to ponder...

Also everyone is thinking water game. With actual water. What if it was just water themed? We have determined the hint refers to Seal and have found other references to water, what if it is just water themed?

Going back to what I said earlier, maybe the game pieces are a "Log" (a large cylindrical piece) a "Coconut" (a ball) and an intertube/ beach ball. This would definitely be an interesting game and different for teams to work with different weights and sizes of game pieces.

Just some ideas to think about.

Re: 2013 ACTUAL game hint!!!
 

Yeah, they would. I made an excel graph plotting game pieces (misc., tubes, and balls (big or small)), and it I thought we may be due for a tube game. While I may not be right, we could see another arm game. I can't find a way to upload it though.
Here's how I did it. I went back in time to the FIRST website, and categorized each game piece as 1, 2, or 3. Ball = 1, Tube = 2, and Misc. = 3. Connect all the dots. If you slit it down the middle, fold the left side (older) down, and then fold across to the right, it will match up perfectly. The next predicted game piece is a tube. For further proof, in 2009 they used balls. 2010, balls. 2011, tubes. 2012, balls. 2008, balls. 2007, tubes. 2006, balls. 2005, misc. So another way of looking at it is that this year we will have a miscellaneous game piece, although you could "technically" consider Lunacy a miscellaneous game piece.

Re: 2013 ACTUAL game hint!!!
 

Check out my post #267

Re: 2013 ACTUAL game hint!!!
 

Stop worring guys I figured it out, it's aim high with footballs. ;) Of coarse this has been my guess since 07. That and i got video of the playing feild I posted it here. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ

Re: 2013 ACTUAL game hint!!!
 

You sir are fired.

Re: 2013 ACTUAL game hint!!!
 

I have been thinking the same for a long time now.

In case any of you missed it, the 2005 kit chassis is for sale on VexPro

http://www.vexrobotics.com/vexpro/ch...omponents.html

Re: 2013 ACTUAL game hint!!!
 

i think most points have been covered at this point. i think the first 2 lines refer to the 3 grammys won by seal to go along with the other 3's in the clue. my guess is that this refers to the game name in same way (triple replay?! with the past 2 years i wouldnt put it past FIRST) or a feature of the game (3 zones or something like that). not much else to get from the 3's.

the holding weight along with the AM 3 motor gearboxes and the "never gonna let you down" of rick astley points toward to a lifting game such as 07.

the one thing that i didnt see touched on much is the "dinner missed". my best guess for that is that there will be multiple end games where choosing to lift may prevent you from doing another, whatever it is (multiplier ball/tetra that only scored during allotted lift time for example). this would balance out lifting and could lead to several strategies where a lifting alliance could be beat by a non lifting alliance. this would definitely be targeted towards the regional level where lifting bots are in short supply making the contest more competitive.

thats my 2 cents
-Alex

Re: 2013 ACTUAL game hint!!!
 

Maybe Triple Play with the Lunacy Surface?

Re: 2013 ACTUAL game hint!!!
 

nice one! :) You got me :/ Doh!

Re: 2013 ACTUAL game hint!!!
 

Nobody has mentioned that the song was the theme for Batman Forever.

Re: 2013 ACTUAL game hint!!!
 

I feel like most people agree that this unequivocally refers to 'Seal'. But then what of the second half of the rhyme?

What if this does not refer to not a person, but a thing. For example, what type of table does not go to dinner, but still holds weight? Such as a Foosball table, or an end table. Arguably, this is a bit of a stretch, because I am getting nothing from 'Seal Table'. However, I feel like there is some reference missing from the second half that will just click when someone gets it.

Re: 2013 ACTUAL game hint!!!
 

:)

I hope others get the message that I think you're making. It's been my opinion all along that the Rick Astley photo is nothing more than Frank rickrolling the whole FRC community.

Of course, all the wild speculation here just adds to the fun. :)

Re: 2013 ACTUAL game hint!!!
 

I think it will be played like The Mayan Ball Game. Played on a rectangular field, with alliance partners. The goal is to work together as a team in order to put a ball through a hoop high off the ground without using your hands. If the ball touches the ground before getting into the hoop, game is over, or, ball is dead.
In this game you are competing against the other teams for the win by working cooperatively with your alliance team. FIRST likes this!

Re: 2013 ACTUAL game hint!!!
 

But in that type of game you are almost completely reliant on your alliance partners for all of the match. While I do agree that FIRST likes coopertition, I feel something like that just puts your fate too much in the hands of whatever computer creates the match schedule and your alliance partners.

Re: 2013 ACTUAL game hint!!!
 

This hint was labeled "Hint #3" and we can assume that the photo of Rick Astley was the first hint, but does anybody know what the second hint was?

Re: 2013 ACTUAL game hint!!!
 

My thoughts on the significance of the number three in the hints up til now is that one of the game pieces will be Cubes. which leads me to think that the other game pieces if any will be a triangular pyramid, and a ball, corresponding to the FIRST logo, and maybe working off of the mayan game there are three types of goals that you have to put each game piece into to score points.

Re: 2013 ACTUAL game hint!!!
 

Let's be honest. FIRST game hints can be kind of lame and pointless. I usually avoid them like the plague. However this year I'm intrigued by a couple parts.

1. The ciphertext of the hint consists of the first 52 digits of Pi. Kudos to everyone who figured this out on their own, and also to the GDC for using substitution scheme that looks considerably harder than it actually is to decrypt.

(Of course, consider a different possibility. In cryptography, if you can break a code/cipher really easily, it often has meant that someone has intentionally tried to lead you down the wrong road to distract you.)

2. There's lots of speculation that the first two lines of the decrypted poem refer to the 90's song "Kiss From A Rose" by Seal. I really hope this is true, just because it means that someone on the GDC enjoys 90's pop culture as much as I do. Here's the video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AMD2TwRvuoU

As mentioned by a few of you, this song was on the Batman Forever soundtrack, which is a fairly underrated album. The roster of artists is pretty darn impressive, spreading the gamut of musical genres. U2, Method Man of the Wu-Tang Clan, Michael Hutchence of INXS, Brandy, Massive Attack, Seal, etc. Kiss From A Rose went on to win multiple Grammys, while Seal went on to bigger and better things, namely marrying Heidi Klum.

As for Batman Forever, I highly suggest that those of you who've grown up on the Christopher Nolan Batman trilogy, go and check this movie out. It's pretty much the exact opposite of the new Batman movies. It's more of a comedy than an action movie (as suggested by Jim Carrey's presence in the film), and seems downright campy by today's standards.

What does any of this have to do with the actual game hint? Probably nothing at all. Game Hints are usually lame and pointless; I just wanted to had some context to the discussion.

Re: 2013 ACTUAL game hint!!!
 

On reading some of the other posts, it may work. There is a ball that climbs until it finally goes into a hoop. This works with placing heavy blocks onto a scale. Each alliance partner can do this and help the team. When the scale reaches it's limit, the ball rolls into the hoop. So, no one is touching the ball, yet, all work together by putting on weights.

Re: 2013 ACTUAL game hint!!!
 

I have had suspicions that recently the games alternate between a "concept" game and an actual sports game.

2007: Rack 'n Roll
2008: Overdrive (NASCAR)
2009: Lunacy
2010: Breakaway (Soccer)
2011: Logomotion
2012: Rebound Rumble (Basketball)
2013: .....

Re: 2013 ACTUAL game hint!!!
 

Weather or not this is true, at the GDC FRC live thing at champs, they openly denounced this.

Re: 2013 ACTUAL game hint!!!
 

We have.
We also considered that the last two lines could point to the singer MEATLOAF, who's "Bat out of Hell" album was very popular.

Bat.... Baseball....3.... Triple Play?

I deserve a cookie.

Re: 2013 ACTUAL game hint!!!
 

Has anyone considered these numbers to have something to do with the Mesoamerican Long Count calendar. Because the second and third hint could be put together.

Re: 2013 ACTUAL game hint!!!
 

would you care to elaborate on the Mesoamerican Long Count calendar

Re: 2013 ACTUAL game hint!!!
 

I think this is fitting:

Re: 2013 ACTUAL game hint!!!
 

jason701802: I was thinking that too, when I saw the second panel in the newspaper. Perhaps Monday XKCD will have something too?

This baseball theme: running bases; home runs; pitcher vs batter. "I don't know -- Third Base!" Three strikes yer out? Would the field refs be wearing chest protectors instead of striped shirts? "Strike Zone!" Sounds like a good game.

I agree with Karthik that "The Hint" only gives two weeks of fun speculation.

Not in so many words:
Mmmm ... cookies.... :)

Re: 2013 ACTUAL game hint!!!
 

I am going to guess that the significance of the three is that it is the value of points given for the "goals" or what ever it would be.

Re: 2013 ACTUAL game hint!!!
 

This is a pretty interesting notion, but isn't that kinda like the sport-nonsport and ball-nonball general rules?

Re: 2013 ACTUAL game hint!!!
 

Sounds reasonable...

Re: 2013 ACTUAL game hint!!!
 

3 is obviously a very common occurrence this year. This is probably a stretch; but going off of 3...

The U.S. Billboard Hot 100 #3 hit of 1993 was "Can't Help Falling in Love" by UB40. The lyrics of that song are:

I understand that this is very far fetched... I myself even doubt it's intentional, but who knows? This is just the fruits of an hour long drive on Friday night with two FIRSTers and two other guys up to the challenge... was good to have them there at a different viewpoint. (Because they're not involved with FIRST).

Re: 2013 ACTUAL game hint!!!
 

Take two key words from the Rick Astley song and a word associated with pi and you get "Up, Down & A Round"

Re: 2013 ACTUAL game hint!!!
 

The only re-occurring thing that I can draw something about the game from (Three is re-occurring, but it doesnt really mean anything at this point) is the constant mentioning of lifting, falling, or holding. I really think we will have a end game circa 2007 Rack n' Roll of lifting your opponents. Anything else said I really havent seen much evidence for.

As for the lifting:

-Rack n' Roll is similar to Rick Roll
-This hint mentions "Holding Weight"
-Rick Astley says "Never gonna let you down"
-Many mentions of falling from Seal

Re: 2013 ACTUAL game hint!!!
 

they could also be retrying the end game of lifting your alliance partners like in breakaway (2010)

Re: 2013 ACTUAL game hint!!!
 

Has it accrued to anyone that the reason they are calling the second game hint the THIRD game hint is probably because it is another hint about three of something? Third hint=3 important
Makes sense to me.

Re: 2013 ACTUAL game hint!!!
 

they could also be retrying the end game of brake away (2010)

Re: 2013 ACTUAL game hint!!!
 

Perhaps the Pi can refer to Raspberry Pi. I have seen a few people talking about applications in FIRST on their forums and their company is all about educational applications. It would only make sense to blend the two.

Re: 2013 ACTUAL game hint!!!
 

Looks like this hint is getting stale. Time for hint number != 3.

- Sunny G.

Re: 2013 ACTUAL game hint!!!
 

This theory I could get on board with

But unless there's some other hidden reference, it's unlikely that's what they were referencing. IMO of course.

Re: 2013 ACTUAL game hint!!!
 

But what would be the game to go with this terrifying name? I shuddered when i saw this...

Re: 2013 ACTUAL game hint!!!
 

This is brilliant. This would also be in the realm of what I was thinking. Stacking or moving heavy objects of some sort, possibly different shapes and/or weights.

Re: 2013 ACTUAL game hint!!!
 

If this were to be the case, teams would be beta testing it and we would know about it.

But I would be up for it :)

Re: 2013 ACTUAL game hint!!!
 

The raspberry pi is great. We at 2607 have already been testing with it for our 2013 season. The small little board can do some pretty useful stuff. Just because they dont give it to you doesnt mean its not great for a FRC robot :)

But I agree, all of the morals of the Raspberry Pi foundation and FIRST jive. It wouldnt surprise me. Infact, thier missions are pretty similar (Like the place that makes the Pi's is a foundation, not a Inc. or LLC)

Re: 2013 ACTUAL game hint!!!
 

For all those Pi fans out there, Pi is.....
3.141592653589793238462643383279502884197169399375 1058209 74944592307816406286208998628034825342117067982148 08651 32823066470938446095505822317253594081284811174502 84102 70193852110555964462294895493038196442881097566593 34461 28475648233786783165271201909145648566923460348610 45432 66482133936072602491412737245870066063155881748815 20920 96282925409171536436789259036001133053054882046652 13841 46951941511609433057270365759591953092186117381932 61179 31051185480744623799627495673518857527248912279381 83011 94912983367336244065664308602139494639522473719070 21798 60943702770539217176293176752384674818467669405132 00056 81271452635608277857713427577896091736371787214684 40901 22495343014654958537105079227968925892354201995611 21290 21960864034418159813629774771309960518707211349999 99837 29780499510597317328160963185950244594553469083026 42522 30825334468503526193118817101000313783875288658753 32083 81420617177669147303598253490428755468731159562863 88235 37875937519577818577805321712268066130019278766111 95909 21642019893809525720106548586327886593615338182796 82303 01952035301852968995773622599413891249721775283479 13151 55748572424541506959508295331168617278558890750983 81754 63746493931925506040092770167113900984882401285836 16035 63707660104710181942955596198946767837449448255379 77472 68471040475346462080466842590694912933136770289891 52104 75216205696602405803815019351125338243003558764024 74964 73263914199272604269922796782354781636009341721641 21992 45863150302861829745557067498385054945885869269956 90927 21079750930295532116534498720275596023648066549911 98818 34797753566369807426542527862551818417574672890977 77279 38000816470600161452491921732172147723501414419735 68548 16136115735255213347574184946843852332390739414333 45477 62416862518983569485562099219222184272550254256887 67179 04946016534668049886272327917860857843838279679766 81454 10095388378636095068006422512520511739298489608412 84886 26945604241965285022210661186306744278622039194945 04712 37137869609563643719172874677646575739624138908658 32645 99581339047802759009946576407895126946839835259570 98258 22620522489407726719478268482601476990902640136394 43745 53050682034962524517493996514314298091906592509372 21696 46151570985838741059788595977297549893016175392846 81382
:D

Re: 2013 ACTUAL game hint!!!
 

Well, ..., approximately.

Greg McKaskle

Re: 2013 ACTUAL game hint!!!
 

Who ever posted pi please delete it... Its not that funny when you are trying to see real posts.

Re: 2013 ACTUAL game hint!!!
 

Ok, like a slapstick comedy, this thread has run its course, culminating with a pi in the face.

Re: 2013 ACTUAL game hint!!!
 

But he used the wrong smilie at the end. :p :rolleyes:

After a mention of raspberry pi he shoulda posted a raspberry.

Re: 2013 ACTUAL game hint!!!
 

I agree with DMetalKong, there still is a big piece of this riddle with no reasonable answer. Once that answer is found then the two pieces solved together "should" help us figure out what the game might be.

So,
"A DINNER, MISSED
HOLDING WEIGHT"

What is this?

Re: 2013 ACTUAL game hint!!!
 

I think that does win the award for the longest CD post I have ever seen. Took me forever to readthe whole thing.

Re: 2013 ACTUAL game hint!!!
 

Yeah, and he quit right when it was getting to the good part. I'll have to wait until they make make it into a movie to see how it ends.

Richard was right. 23 pages of comments. Nothing conclusive (ase usual). And it all comes down to a pi in the face.

Re: 2013 ACTUAL game hint!!!
 

A rose, kissed = Seal

Singer great = Seal appeared on American Idol and critiqued a rendition of Kiss from a Rose by Jack Black

12/21 = Jack Black/Black Jack

connection to robotics = Jack Black will be involved in the upcoming movie "How to Survive a Robot Uprising" based on a book by roboticist Daniel Wilson.

21 = blackjack

"www.usfirst.org/roboticsprograms/frc/blog-kit-of-arts-info-and-actual-game-hint" = music (Rick Astley, Seal), literature (Daniel Wilson), movies (Speilberg to direct Robopocalypse by Daniel Wilson for release in 2013)

pi = circular playing pieces = chips in stacks (red, blue, gold)


"Seal the Deal"


...and yes, each team will decide how many qualification points to wager on each of their preliminary matches.

Re: 2013 ACTUAL game hint!!!
 

This is one of the first puns/jokes/whatever that I've seen on CD that doesn't make me immediately facepalm.

Well done, good sir.

Re: 2013 ACTUAL game hint!!!
 

I like how this went from a game hint thread to a pi thread. :]

In all seriousness, I'm curious about what "A DINNER, MISSED/HOLDING WEIGHT" means. :confused:

One thought is that bucket of fish - maybe that means that one part of the game will be as easy as "shooting fish in a barrel (or, in this case, a bucket - even easier?". And by easy, I mean easy by FIRST standards - something every team can do and should do to earn some points.

The second part, if we want to take it literally, would mean holding a very heavy object - not so easy. Probably the endgame involving robots lifting each other or some other heavy thing. :eek:

The game hint rhymes, so maybe the game name will rhyme (it has before). Someone earlier (sorry for lack of quote) said "Seal the Deal". If this is the game name, perhaps one needs the endgame to "Seal" points that were earned during the "easy" part of the game.

Just my $0.02. This is my first go at even looking at game hints so... might be totally off the mark. :o