Re: 2014 Game
 

Depending on who you ask the first game hint(s) have already been released

Re: 2014 Game
 

If you ask FIRST, the answer is no.... Hints, when released, are pretty clearly labeled.

As mentioned above, calm down everyone.

Re: 2014 Game
 

After andymarks release of the stealth wheels I think that the field will have a different surface that smooth wheels would have an advantage on over treaded wheels. if those wheels truly are the KOP wheels the only reason I can think of for their existance is that some or all of the field will be a smooth non-carpet surface similar to regolith but with no wheel restrictions.

Re: 2014 Game
 

Regolith and other hard plastic floors will probably never happen again. The plastic dust that gets created is carcinogenic and generally very bad for your health.

Re: 2014 Game
 

So Lunacy was literally so bad, it would give you cancer?

Re: 2014 Game
 

It literally was that bad.

Re: 2014 Game
 

Could it be that this years game will have greater human player interaction? I'm thinking something similar to lunacy minus the regolith...

Re: 2014 Game
 

Or maybe a game where the roles are reversed, and the robot has to feed the human countless stacks of frisbees!

Re: 2014 Game
 

Does that mean the 'bots will be repairing defective humans in the Pits?

Re: 2014 Game
 

I would actually like to see a humans vs robots match of ultimate ascent. Could end badly though::ouch::

Re: 2014 Game
 

As opposed to almost any other game, I could actually see the robots beating the humans!

Re: 2014 Game
 

We don't have sports teams at our highschool, so the robotics team gets the pep rallies. Every year we do some sort of students vs. the robot match at the assembly. It's always a big hit with the school, gets them excited to go on a field trip to see us compete.

Re: 2014 Game
 

I could actually see that happening too... but the humans would be able to climb better:) well at least I could...

I bet I could play better defense as well

"oops was that the power button?"

Re: 2014 Game
 

Powering off the robot totally counts as a hit "below the belt". Even if the robot lacks a belt.

Re: 2014 Game
 

Really, you think climbing would be easy. I think that you forget all of the nuanced rules relating to climbing. How are you going to get on the first level without touching the second? If you manage to get to the first level, how will you be able to reach the second without touching the ground. If you are going for 30, how are you going to get your entire body above the 2nd bar and hold yourself there? Even with the opened up G23, you would have to be constantly wary of not breaking the 54" cylinder.

I have doubts that any person without extensive gymnastics experience could perform a legal 30 point climb in less than 20 seconds. The 20 point climb would also be extremely difficult. Also, the buzzer-beater 10 point hangs achieved by many robots would be all but impossible for humans.

Re: 2014 Game
 

Use the corner bar and brace/shimmy up?

All you have to do is straddle the first level bar and lift your feet.

Re: 2014 Game
 

And stay there for five seconds without tipping over?

Re: 2014 Game
 

With 2 hands on the bar I think I could handle that :p

Re: 2014 Game
 

One of my students made a clever guess that based on FIRST's history, they would again try to do some sort of game based on the major sporting event of this year. They suggested it may be related to the Winter Olympics. Thoughts?

Re: 2014 Game
 

Hockey is a possibility

Re: 2014 Game
 

I'm starting to lean along the line of something like curling. I've been feeling a zone scoring game coming for the last few days for some reason. Unless the pieces are larger, real-time scoring will be a nightmare, but it's been a while since we have had a game without a manipulator (2010). 2010 had shooters if you want to be really technical, but I think it's time for a game without shooting.

A manipulator game (read Innertube game) could also be in the cards. Wild speculation! 30 days to go!

Re: 2014 Game
 

I have a feeling that it is going to be similar to 2010, however on a slick terrain and hockey themed.

Re: 2014 Game
 

Agreed, I think it will be hockey themed

Re: 2014 Game
 

I don't think it'll include a slipper playing surface. I think they got enough complaints about the Regolith during lunacy and don't want to make that mistake again.

I think the most likely choice will be a game that uses arms since they've had two shooter games in a row now. I personally would like to try something other than shooting this year since that is all I have done so far.

Re: 2014 Game
 

I mentioned this on the previous page, but regolith, or a similar hard plastic field surface will probably never happen again due to health concerns from plastic dust.

Re: 2014 Game
 

Heck, It was long enough that I could just lay along it like a bed. pretty trivial...

Neal

Re: 2014 Game
 

This was an idea I had thought of a few nights ago, this isn't a full game just a small concept:

So imagine a disc (not a frisbee!!) with one side being colored red and the other blue, the object of the game would be to simply flip the discs over to your colored side and score points that way.

I doubt this would actually be implemented but I think it's an interesting concept that the GDC could modify and make way more entertaining.

Also another idea: Capture the Flag!!

Re: 2014 Game
 

Capture the flag would be a great game idea! :)
However, I think that there will be an arm game as others have said. I hope it will be hockey themed...maybe air hockey?

Re: 2014 Game
 

Could use an arm to pick up the "flag" or "flags" then score it.

They could do something where you can get a game piece from one side of the field but cant cross a certain line with it in your robot and have to relay it.

Re: 2014 Game
 

Everyone says hockey on a slippery surface. Due to the lack of success of Lunancy I think there is another way to use hockey. How about floor hockey, it can be played on carpet.

Re: 2014 Game
 

If it does become a capturing the flag game. I will be very pleased. For our offseason competition we did a capture the flag style game and would be able to have a head start. I highly doubt that it would be capture the flag just due to the fact that is a very common idea and it is likely many teams may have tried such a thing during one of their offseason.

Re: 2014 Game
 

Last year we (like many teams) used a cut down 5 gallon bucket for our Frisbee hopper. I was thinking it would be fun to stack buckets in a pyramid. Points awarded for # of buckets stacked and overall height.

Of course your alliance would also try to knock down the opponent's stack. If that's too easy, maybe restrict robots from crossing into the "Pyramid Safe Zone". They'd have to knock the stack down with a long arm, or perhaps roll a game element into the stack?

Here is an interesting video of the First Presbyterian Youth Ministry (Oostburg, Wisconsin) setting a bucket stacking record.

Re: 2014 Game
 

wait a minute glow in the dark braclets im sorry to possibly spoil but i think its laser tag! i talked to a few officials about it at my regional there probally might be a twist but laser tag would be epic :D

Re: 2014 Game
 

Sounds a lot like 2003 to me.

Re: 2014 Game
 

2003 + a giant staircase in the middle instead of a ramp. That would be cool.

Re: 2014 Game
 

Joke's on you, I love this song!

Re: 2014 Game
 

Yup. But with some type of playing element to knock the bucket stack over. Maybe a bowling ball, like the 2012 FTC game?

Encrypted Manual
 

Anyone know when they typically post the encrypted game manual?

Re: Encrypted Manual
 

Usually a week or so before kickoff.

Re: 2014 Game
 

Instead of a rectangular carpeted playing field, this year it will be a large circular track, ringed with magnets to accelerate the robots to very high velocities in opposite directions, until they collide.

The impacts should produce new types of mini-bots, but they will be very unstable & only exist for an instant.

Re: 2014 Game
 

Welcome to the 2014 FIRST Robotics Competition and this year's game...FIRST Collision!

Re: 2014 Game
 

Had some of my veteran students research the history of all FIRST games and write their predictions for 2014. They all predicted a manipulator (or non-shooter, at least), and all felt that it would be a sport. In order from most common prediction to least, here is what they think.

1) Capture the flag.
2) Roller hockey.
3) Laser tag.
4) Bowling.

Any way we can look up shortages (due to above normal purchasing) of items like pucks at sporting goods stores? Maybe a helpful indicator.

Just my 2. Very excited to see what happens next month!

Re: 2014 Game
 

The 2014 FRC challenge... Work in progress names:

Proton Paraphernealia
Ecstatic Elements
Between a Rock and a Hadron Place
UnunFIRSTium
Quantum Quarrel

and I'm done with the puns for today. Time to sleep.

Re: 2014 Game
 

They thought the Higgs Boson was hard to find? Wait 'till we get our hand on the Lavery Boson!

Re: 2014 Game
 

Yeah, the first two especially seem plausible.

Laser Tag might be a bit strange to have robots do, there wouldn't be too much visible interaction for spectators unless the lasers have a consequential action, and bowling, hmm, haven't though too much about that though I feel that seems more suited for FTC.

Re: 2014 Game
 

True, but then when was the last time we had a single game piece that was particularly heavy?

Re: 2014 Game
 

2008, Trackballs.

2005, Tetras.

2002, mobile goals that weighed more than the robots--empty!

Re: 2014 Game
 

Exactly we're overdue.

Re: 2014 Game
 

Don't forget 2007, when robots became game pieces

Re: 2014 Game
 

How do you mean? With the ramps?

Re: 2014 Game
 

I know thateveryone else3 is going to hate this,but I'd love to see a mini bot again...

Neal

Re: 2014 Game
 

In a better iteration the concept can work I think. On top of that when I first started FIRST my training was to build a minibot witch was a pretty good intro to basic robotics for me.

Re: 2014 Game
 

How about this for hockey: All robots must use mecanum wheels (like the rules for lunacy) on carpet, and the drive motors MUST be set to coast instead of brake (also no other braking mechanisms)

Re: 2014 Game
 

Oh my goodness, no. The team I was on in 2012 didn't have a competitive robot that year specifically because they couldn't get the mecanum wheels to work correctly. Mecanums should only be used by those teams who are experienced enough in frame building and programming to make them work correctly.

Re: 2014 Game
 

Mecanum wheels are 1) hard to use correctly and 2) very expensive. Not every team has the budget to buy an up-to-$500 set of wheels.

Re: 2014 Game
 

Remember, Vex's wheels are a bit less expensive: http://www.vexrobotics.com/vexpro/wh...um-wheels.html

$40 for a 6" wheel and $60 for an 8". We used the 6" ones this year and were very satisfied, though our rollers started to break post-season. I'm not sure if this was due to normal wear-and-tear or if they were driven on a poor surface.

Re: 2014 Game
 

i didn't know mecs required extra programming i thought you just slapped them on like normal wheels what specifically do you have to do to your robot to use them?

btw we are slightly off topic but topic is still interesting

Re: 2014 Game
 

I am no programming guru - in fact I am no programmer at all. However, I do know that strafing involves turning the wheels towards each other. When looking down on the wheels from the top, the rollers should form a sort of "X-pattern." Keep this in mind and try to imagine what happens when you turn the wheels different ways. I know this isn't much, but it helps me understand how they work.

Doing some sleuthing with the search here on CD will probably yield far better information than I can offer. ::rtm::

Re: 2014 Game
 

With mecanum, if you have a 3-axis joy stick, there's like a whole ~16 lines of code to write.

Something like (in pseudocode):

Re: 2014 Game
 

My guess at the 2014 game:

clue1: Frank's September 27 blog refers to the "Morris dance". This obscure traditional dance is referenced in Terry Pratchett's Discworld series.

clue2: picture included in Frank's blog of September 27, on the leftmost of three display screens and partially obstructed by Frank's arm may be this year's field set-up. Later referred to in Frank's December 10 blog "we had a chance to take a look at a fully assembled 2014 season field in person rather than on a display screen or on paper"

clue3: "Tom Baker makes an appearance as the museum curator" in Frank's November 26 blog is a reference to TIME-travelling Doctor Who.

game name: "TIME CRUNCH" or, more likely "CRUNCH TIME". TIME comes from clue3, CRUNCH comes from the end game.

playing field: from clue2, eight (or more) 3-sided cubicles line the side walls of the field. In the middle of the field at each end are four robot-width ramps arranged in a spoke pattern reaching heights at the hub of 20", 40", and 60"
autonomous: each of the eight robots (four robots per alliance in qualification rounds) starts the match in a cubicle. To earn points during the autonomous period robots must vacate their starting cubicle and move across the field (Morris dance) to enter a cubicle on the opposite side and activate a pivoting hourglass. If at least one robot executes this task in the first 5 seconds then an additional 5 seconds of autonomous is allowed for both alliances. This repeats for a maximum of 20 seconds of autonomous.
tele-op: robots dart from one side of the field to the other trying to "cap" as many cubicles as possible by pivoting the hourglass to their alliance color
end game: allied robots drive up the ramps and stack themselves one on top of another (ie. the big CRUNCH), the higher the stack the more end game points. Idea comes from clue1 where the fictional flat Discworld is said to rest atop elephants atop turtles.

Re: 2014 Game
 

I like this concept, except with yesterday's blog, there has to be something impressive on the field, without robots.

Re: 2014 Game
 

this idea sounds valid but its sounds very difficult and is confusing for my self to interpret (still trying to interpret it) you seem to have strong evidence

Re: 2014 Game
 

You and I apparently have very different definitions of "strong evidence." :rolleyes:

Re: 2014 Game
 

Impressive item on the field...isn't that impressive enough? I mean who else can say they stacked their robots on top of their alliance partners who are on top of an elephant on a turtle? ;)

Seriously though...this one broke my brain...

Re: 2014 Game
 

On the right side of that Sept. 27 blog photo is the old style FIRST logo. That hasn't been used since "FIRST Frenzy" in 2004.

Re: 2014 Game
 

Oooh, 2014 will be ten years after 2004, and Tom Baker was the fourth doctor, so it's clearly a replay of '04. The 3's are just red herrings. Also, there is certainly something impressive on that field, and it wouldn't be another shooting game.</wild guesses>

Re: 2014 Game
 

Ok, so I’ve spent like 3 hours on chief Delphi looking through possibilities for the 2014 game (don't you go judging me), and here are my final proposals:

Hockey-based game due to the winter Olympics, FIRST seems to make a game over a year that has a sporting event

Tennis-based, 100th anniversary of tennis is 2014

Frank had quoted saying about Tom baker, the fourth doctor, in a post. and in the September 27th post, there was obvious the field on a comupter screen that is being covered up, as well as the old FIRST logo last used in 2004, which was 10 years ago. So possibly something in relation to picking up objects. We’ve had two years in a row of a shooting game, no way that will be the case again, its time for another game where you have to be able to pick or move objects.

The glow in the dark based game. There was a student who made his way into the Dean's List room at worlds, and one of the FIRST officials had stated that next year it will be a good idea to get a glow in the dark measuring tape. Also, Andymark just released a LED drive base kit to make your robots GLOW!

I would see how making a dark field would make it no fun for the audience, so what about a game where the robots are "in the dark" so-to-speak where they have no camera? or vision processing? or maybe the drivers will have to make their way through some tricky obstacle without seeing? IDK.

Re: 2014 Game
 

We don't judge here, and 3 hours browsing the rumor mill is what many of us would call a "Great Start".

Welcome to the board! :)

Re: 2014 Game
 

i am seeing a great amount of ideas which is great but i think we should start pulling evidence and focusing on a smaller amount of ideas and see which shoe fits :)

Re: 2014 Game
 

Speculate all you want, because -why not-?!

But just so you know, that's more than likely just desk decoration. FIRST is full of old artifacts from old seasons & games that frequently make their way into people's offices/cubes to help jazz up the place.

For the two summers I was in the office as a Marketing intern I had quite a few game pieces, old event posters, and photos around my desk. I even got a denim jacket with an old logo to drape over my chair (took that one with me).

Lots of old logos around HQ - the original, as drawn by Jack Kamen. A wonderful tribute to the almost-25-years of history FIRST has. :)

Re: 2014 Game
 

There have been lots of things pointing towards something to do with the number "3". On the surface, we could consider this to be a confirmation of Half-Life 3. However, this is far to superficial.

1. Half-Life = Black Mesa
2. Aperture Science > Black Mesa
3. Something to do with Aperture Science

Portal guns are attached to the robots.

P.S. The game involves running away from a homicidal AI.

Re: 2014 Game
 

Sounds like our 2013 robot testing...

Re: 2014 Game
 

I actually wouldn't be surprised with another shooting game. The publicity and excitement towards spectators has been beneficial to FIRST. Both 2012 and 2013 produced some of the best games of all time as well (in my opinion).

I would also not be surprised to see multiple game objects on the field. We've done soccer, and Frisbee, and basketball, and racing, but what about a combo?

And of course, I would not be surprised to see a football.

Re: 2014 Game
 

Sounds like our robot all the time

Re: 2014 Game
 

That's why we did the mecanum/regular drivetrain



It wasn't too hard to program mecanum... especially in labview, you can tie in a gyro and you are good to go! (if you have a decent gyro)

Re: 2014 Game
 

I keep coming back to someone's post... What if there were 3 alliances on the field at once. It just seems so intriguing! Perhaps a trigional field design. 3 ways of playing the game.

I know there's a lot of money invested in the current field design. So it will never happen. SAD!

Neal

Re: 2014 Game
 

Every time someone says that something will never happen, the GDC adds it as a possible game.

Re: 2014 Game
 

Check this out http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wvmye...afet y_mode=1

I thought it was so cool, I had no idea that that was even possible

Bravo.

Re: 2014 Game
 

It would also use balls, which is in line with the strict ball/not ball alternating pattern we've seen over the past decade or so (assuming you don't count 2009's orbit "balls" as balls, which they arguably weren't).

Re: 2014 Game
 

That sounds a lot like my team's robots already. I guess we get an advantage!

Re: 2014 Game
 

Awright, you young whippersnappers. It's time for your history lesson. So sit on down (but NOT on the lawn!) and clean out your ears...

The money invested in the current field design is not the reason 3 alliances will never happen. The REAL reason is that it ALREADY happened--and FIRST did not like what was happening.

Let's go back to 1998. I was hanging around a team, but not on it yet (my dad was, though, and most of this comes through his stories). The game that year was played 1v1v1--that is, 3 alliances of one team each, red, white, blue--but they changed that to 1v1 for the very finals. Look up Andy Grady's post on the Bracket of DOOM! for the gory details.

Anyways, FIRST was looking through data of match results after the season that year, and noticed something weird. No very highly ranked team--I forget how high--won their first match of the day. It became obvious fairly quickly on looking at the matches in question that the other two teams in each match were playing defense on the top team. Now, FIRST couldn't prove any collusion. But, they did sense a problem--and one they'd continue to have under the "the enemy of my enemy is my friend" principle.

Their solution was introduced the following year at Kickoff. "Since collusion cannot be prevented, it will now be required." -- Woodie Flowers, Kickoff 1999. 2-team alliances were introduced. Initially, you were only told to be there for a match, where you'd find out who your partner was of the other 3 teams. Within a couple years, that announcement came when the match schedules did; various tweaks to the elimination setup also came around that time.

Long story short, FIRST will not go back to XvXvX because it will quickly become 2XvX.

Re: 2014 Game
 

Thanks! That's a very helpful diagnosis. A lot to be learned there.

Neal

Re: 2014 Game
 

Hey guys, thought I would share this with you. Kind of in the spirit of Twas the Night Before Kickoff. I worked harder on it than I care to admit. Imagine it to the tune of Silver Bells

New VEX PROducts, busy forums
AndyMark and FIRST Choice
In the air
There's a feeling
of Kickoff
Dean is laughing
at people joking
‘bout a water game this year
and on every Delphi thread post you'll hear

Game ideas, Game ideas
It's Kickoff time on Chief Delphi
Nope that’s wrong, they’re all wrong
Soon it will be Kickoff day

Strings of LEDs
Even E-stop lights
Blink a bright red and blue
as the FIRSTers rush
for free FIRST Choice treasures

Read the game hints
See the numerologists squint
This is Kamen's big scene
Above all the decrypting
You'll hear

Game ideas, Game ideas
It's Kickoff time on Chief Delphi
Nope that’s wrong, they’re all wrong
Soon it will be Kickoff day

Re: 2014 Game
 

Yep.

Re: 2014 Game
 

Same here! That's why I think it would be great for us! Lol.

Re: 2014 Game
 

Hello...

I've been reading a lot of posts in this thread and other related ones.
One thing i've noticed coming out of First are some vague references to
the past and some weird date typos which go into the future. (which First
shortly takes back down and corrects ) Now don't
go off on another thread on this...but what if in some weird way the 2014
game has something to do with the "Back to the future" movie? or is a hint that maybe we are going back to the past (as in a past game) to play it again in the future? (The number 3 hints might mean we are playing a old game but with 3V3 instead of 2V2?)Granted the movie came out in 1985 (and I and II came out in 1989 and 1990) Perhaps i shouldn't post this as its probably gonna open up a new can of worms. Well get your Flux Capacitors and Delorians ready.

Re: 2014 Game
 

In addition, they gave all of the Dean's List Finalists/Winners bright yellow tape measures with LED Lights. Dean implied that they were hints for next year's game, and as a result, the Dean's List kids were all atwitter for about two weeks about a glow in the dark game, or IR tracking or a dark maze (a box that robots have to drive into to get across the field) or something.

However, after examining my tape measure, I've come to think that the LED light has more to do with tracking the retro-reflective tape they try to get us to use every year - a dark game would be just too terrible for spectators. It would completely contradict everything that was said at worlds about "Making it Loud," since no one would be able to see a dark field. Can you imagine scouting?

I've attached a picture of my tape measure, if anyone's curious...

Re: 2014 Game
 

Nope! That was said by Blair, the master of ceremonies for the Dean's List ceremony. As has been discussed in other threads, this was more than likely just a joke.

Re: 2014 Game
 

I stand corrected!

Re: 2014 Game
 

Because of the blog post about two strikes and hitting a home run, I think the game is going to be related to baseball in some way or form

Re: 2014 Game
 

Which blog posting was this? I don't believe I've seen it.

Re: 2014 Game
 

it was this one
http://www.usfirst.org/roboticsprogr...stponed-Part-2

Re: 2014 Game
 

is anyone else curious about why only woodie has his water bottle next to him and Dean and Don have there water bottles so far away?
http://www.usfirst.org/roboticsprogr...ickoff-Filming

Re: 2014 Game
 

This years 2014 game hint has been in our faces for the past few months!!!

Am I the only one who can see it!?

It's painfully obvious that its movie themed!
All of this years hottest 2014 movies!!!

click here meow to see the full movie in HD!
We are all sitting on directors chairs and we can stop the game clock by yelling "CUT!!!"

Re: 2014 Game
 

Look at the latest blog post about FIRST Choice..."Our apologies for the two strikes this weekend, we promise our next swing will be a home run." Coincidence? I think not.

Re: 2014 Game
 

If that's the case, it looks like it'll be another Einstein year for 180! ;)

Re: 2014 Game
 

See this would make a lot of sense for a few reasons. Everyone has been saying that this year will be a ball game via the ball game intervals. Also, my team has been thinking that a small game piece such as a small tennis ball or baseball due to the other ball games the past few years. So due to the tennis game in 1992, a baseball themed game is due. We've done soccer, baseketball, discus, lets see some baseball!

Re: 2014 Game
 

I'm still rooting for a lifting game. People who started in 2011 will have only seen one arm game by the time they graduate if we had another shooting game, and I think we're all tired of trying to launch stuff. :)

Re: 2014 Game
 

I'm indifferent towards the game object, but this year's senior class has had three games with limitations to the number of game objects a robot can manipulate. Maybe its time for a "Max" capacity game to make a return appearance.

Re: 2014 Game
 

I sort of disagree, I started in 2011 and I've enjoyed the past 2 years a lot more than my first year. Part of the reason is that the spectators know what's going on. If you walk into competition without any prior knowledge of robotics, you can understand that they're playing basketball, or trying to get frisbees into goals, but when you see robots hanging tubes on racks, it's not as entertaining in my opinion.