Re: [FRC Blog] 2014 Game Hint
 

Has anyone went to the place where the sign says 25% weight reduction? What does that mean on a street? Can someone actually go there and check if it's there or if google and FIRST photoshopped it in or something.

Re: [FRC Blog] 2014 Game Hint
 

You really think that Google and FIRST would go through all of that effort just for a game hint?

Re: [FRC Blog] 2014 Game Hint
 

It is probably not a coincidence that one of the numbers led to that specific sign, as the first date listed on the sign is right before kickoff, and the second date is a few days right after world champs. FIRST almost definitely wanted us to see that sign, whether it is photoshopped or not.

Re: [FRC Blog] 2014 Game Hint
 

Pretty much! LOL!

But I guess it really doesn't matter, cause FIRST probably wanted us to find it.

Re: [FRC Blog] 2014 Game Hint
 

Just to clear the air: For those thinking the sign was 'photoshopped' into Google Earth...notice how as you move along the road, the sign is still there. It is either definitely not photoshopped, or they paid a guy way to much to do it just for something as small as this. I'm thinking the former. Whether or not this is what the game hint was really meant to lead us to...that's a different discussion.

Re: [FRC Blog] 2014 Game Hint
 

I don't think this is the game hint because only two of the numbers/ number sets lead us to a point on google maps. since all the number sets are in the same format if they were supposed to be input into google maps they all should work, but the third number does not, so most likely this sign is not actually a game hint.

Re: [FRC Blog] 2014 Game Hint
 

I think that it is unlikely the sign was placed on the road by someone affiliated with FIRST. In Google Earth the time stamp for the image is sometime in 2011, which seems to far back for the sign to be purposely placed there.

Re: [FRC Blog] 2014 Game Hint
 

How do you know they didn't?

Re: [FRC Blog] 2014 Game Hint
 

I myself doubt that it was place there for FIRST but I think they found that sign on purpose and used it on purpose

Re: [FRC Blog] 2014 Game Hint
 

So, I have finally made my way through all of the posts. I have no idea what to make of the numbers, although the triangle, rectangle, sphere sounds suspicious. The one thing I think is for sure is that if AndyMark was trying to hint at anything about the game, then it will definitely be a baseball game. Not just because of the baseball references, but because the new chassis is supposed to allow easily changing attachments. My theory is that this is to allow teams to build a simple base with an offensive attachment and a defensive attachment. A few others have mentioned this theory. Basically, you would use one attachment or the other based on which alliance you are on, since in baseball each team is either playing offense or defense, not both at once.

Re: [FRC Blog] 2014 Game Hint
 

With all the sign speculation, did anyone make note of the fact that it's a square?

I mean, maybe the text is just there to get people to freak out about 90-lb robots, and the real clue is the shape.

Re: [FRC Blog] 2014 Game Hint
 

The weight reduction must refer to something other than robot weight restriction as we know it. A strait 90lb limit is unimaginable with our hardware. I think it could refer to the game piece. The other option I can think of would be the ability to attach/detach 25% of your weight during the match.

Maybe that's what they want you to think, that all 3 sets should work in the same way. Maybe ones a zip code ones a google maps and ones something different, or ones a Google maps and the other 2 we haven't even thought of. Just a thought

Re: [FRC Blog] 2014 Game Hint
 

Thank you for your sanity. This whole google maps thing is way off.

Re: [FRC Blog] 2014 Game Hint
 

I might be stretching this too far, and this might not mean anything. When you add all those points and keep the seperated with commas you get 17/12,16/19,19/20. Now if you get rid of all the prime numbers you get 12,16,20. Now divide that by 4 the largest number they have in common and you get 3,4,5. 3,4,5 is a special right triangle.

Another possible way could be getting rid of the slashes once you add the all together. If you do that you get 1712,1619,1920. I don't know if that means anything.

Re: [FRC Blog] 2014 Game Hint
 

As interesting a coincidence the 25% weight reduction sign is, I think that it's just that- a coincidence. How could the GDC possibly figure out that those numbers when put into google maps would produce a picture of that sign?

Re: [FRC Blog] 2014 Game Hint
 

Well it's possible that they know that it is an official sign in Ohio, and contacted the Ohio department of motor vehicles to find a location of the sign. But I still highly doubt that sign is the hint. I believe that it is just a distraction.

Re: [FRC Blog] 2014 Game Hint
 

Also, I think it may be pertinent to acknowledge the fact that this is the entire game hint, not just the numbers:

Blog Date: Friday, December 20, 2013 - 16:08
Here you go!

8234/57, 61126/1963, 62326/15806

Have a great weekend!

Frank

(Copied directly from the FIRST blog)

Re: [FRC Blog] 2014 Game Hint
 

I think the sign is a definite clue, paying special attention to the last sentence of that post. Having a ~30 lb attachment for offence or defense could be a big element of baseball, hockey, or an abstract, stair-climbing endgame. I think the new KOP frame gives a little more credit to this theory, too.

As for how FIRST found the sign, maybe someone saw the sign while out and about and back figured it into a fraction. I dislike the idea that the numbers can only equate to one solution. Who says the game hint can't be geographical locations relating to road signs and anniversary hints?


I think this is a main thing to keep in mind. FIRST is about creative solutions (especially with game hints), not just connecting three points. Good luck everyone! ::rtm::

Re: [FRC Blog] 2014 Game Hint
 

They must be 3d coordinates.

Re: [FRC Blog] 2014 Game Hint
 

One team went to reddit for assistance deciphering the hint.
http://www.reddit.com/r/cryptography..._example_help/

I converted the number to hexadeimal maybe these mean something: 202a/39, eec6/7ab, f376/3dbe
In hexadecmial the first anwswer is C3. Second is 1F. And the Third is 3. (all answers in hexadcimal)
So this means there will only be one floor. C3 i just went on wikipedia and the first thing for technology is rockets, so we might be firing stuff using rocket propulsion or flying. Some other things might work too check for yourself what seems best: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C3#Technology. And 3 Means that we will have 3 different goals to shoot our rocket propelled thing into.
I just saw paintball on the wiki so we are definetly firing something
into one of 3 goals
im converting the final answers from hexadecimal back to decimal
1f = 31
c3 = 195
3 = 3
195 is a galaxy rockets

Think this is relevant?

Re: [FRC Blog] 2014 Game Hint
 

that would be interesting...minibot anyone? Frankly i think that is the most believable use of the sign yet. its been awhile since we had the minibot, and it brings a challenge to the game.

Re: [FRC Blog] 2014 Game Hint
 

i dont believe that anyone has plotted them yet like that.

Re: [FRC Blog] 2014 Game Hint
 

I like this theory, since it makes the division come out whole numbers, as for what they mean, I doubt rockets

Re: [FRC Blog] 2014 Game Hint
 

Just wondering, do they usually start hints with things like "here you go"? I haven't been able to find many past game hints, but the 2012 hint just went straight into the numbers. Is this common?
I ran the words "here you go" through an anagram solver the other day because I was curious, and nothing popped out at me right away, although some of the phrases could be vaguely related to the game if you stretch your imagination. Then again, one of them was "eh your ego," so maybe they're just mocking us.

Re: [FRC Blog] 2014 Game Hint
 

I also thought it was good to consider all of it. I couldn't see much with the rest of it though, but I don't think it should be thrown away.

Re: [FRC Blog] 2014 Game Hint
 

Well, getting the hint was dependent on adding 50 FB likes and 100 twitter followers, so it might be entirely innocent to have "Here you go" given it was a reward item.

On the other hand, it could be something, like a key to decode this thing.

Re: [FRC Blog] 2014 Game Hint
 

So my strategy was to completely ignore the numbers (since I have no idea what I'm doing there) and run only the words through an anagram solver. I ran "here you go have a great weekend frank" and got out HEATHEN AGE GO FRAUD KEEN YORK WEAVER.

HEATHEN AGE: Heathen means non-religious, and atheism is on the rise today, so I interpret this to mean modern times. Baseball is a fairly modern sport.

GO FRAUD: This is the most confusing one. It might mean that you have to foul other robots in order to win (perhaps a certain number of fouls are allowed per game?). Not sure here.

KEEN YORK WEAVER: Jeff Weaver was a pitcher who played for the New York Yankees. You need keen eyes to be a pitcher. Baseball game.

BUT WAIT I JUST REALIZED THIS: when I think of baseball fraud, I think of the infamous Chicago Black Sox, where the players conspired to lose the World Series. They did this by prearranging bets with mafia guys. In other words, you're going to need to talk beforehand with your alliance partners (because of the modular systems for different tasks) to see how you can profit the most from the match.

Boom.

Baseball game.

Re: [FRC Blog] 2014 Game Hint
 

Alrighty here is what I have taken away from reading all the pages on the thread.

Things that have kept coming up consistently include: baseball, space, ice/skating/hocky, shapes (triangles, squares, and circles), football, racing, and wind.

I think that baseball and football are eluding to the fact that the element will be a ball. However there are also the different shapes. This could mean reuse of the tunes from logomotion. With the ice it could be the return of regolith coving. This also connects space and lunacy together. Racing could mean something similar to overdrive. With wind being a factor of racing (drafting and such).

The tape measures and 25% weight are probably changes to general robot rules. The chassis also being able to be a wide bot with 6 wheels may mean you need more traction to the playing surface.

Re: [FRC Blog] 2014 Game Hint
 

I believe somebody earlier in the thread used Wolfram Alpha to do this and got a sphere... I could be wrong though, it may have been something else. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong.

Re: [FRC Blog] 2014 Game Hint
 

That's correct! Somebody plotted it in Wolfram Alpha and got a sphere.


Somebody else plotted it different. I only saved the link of the attachment not the whole post. But you can see what he did. It forms a rectangle. So the conclusion of the guy was: Triangle, Sphere, Rectangle = 3 game pieces.

Triangle = Coordiantes google maps
Sphere = Wolfram Alpha
Rectangle = His plot

Here is his plot: http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/at...5&d=1387644692

Re: [FRC Blog] 2014 Game Hint
 

Triangle- Any three points will make a triangle, unless it's a line, can be done with random numbers.
Sphere- A single point was plotted on a sphere. The same could be done with any number.
Rectangle- The rectangle was plotted by making a rectangle with dimensions that were the given numbers. Again, any set of three numbers could do this.

What I'm trying to say is that if your game hint solution works with almost every set of three numbers, it might not be the solution.

Re: [FRC Blog] 2014 Game Hint
 

If only it was a triangle, circle, rectangle... It would be just like the FIRST logo

Here is something to think about. So I know we can't get very far with that part number. But what if it's similar to the hint from 2 years ago. The hint was a list of donated and purchased components from Rockwell/Allen Bradley. What if the part is in the KoP or on the field?

Re: [FRC Blog] 2014 Game Hint
 

Hello all.
Someone earlier said something about "Who's on FIRST?" Being a good game title. And that got me thinking about when it was created. Well, it was in 1938. (Source: http://thenostalgialeague.com/kwtnl/whos-on-first.html and Wikipedia, but I got lazy and didn't look it up again. ) That means that this year is the 75th anniversary. Someone might have hit a home run with that idea! (pun absolutely intended) Sorry if there are any mistakes, I'm on a cell phone.

Re: [FRC Blog] 2014 Game Hint
 

First I would like to say that I do not believe there is a weight reduction for this game. In the north, they have weight reductions every spring when the ground thaws so that large trucks do not destroy the roads. We have enough torn up roads just from the freezing and thawing without large semis crushing them. So there are thousands of instances of weight reduction on roads, it is likely a coincident that picture was found.

I was thinking about game piece volume for the 3 numbers. What if there are 3 different sized game pieces and they gave us the volume for them? Those numbers seem pretty specific. Here was a calculation on volume with in^3 converting to the diameter of a sphere in inches:

144.4561403508771929 in^3 = 6.50997 inches (diameter)
31.13907284769211920 in^3 = 3.90333 inches (diameter)
3.943186131848665063 in^3 = 1.96012 inches (diameter)

Now the numbers don't work out to a nice whole number, but maybe the game pieces have dimples or are in a 3D polygon shape. If so, these could be some of the smallest game pieces yet. The ~1.96 in (dia.) is slightly larger than a golf ball.

With the objects being on the smaller side of things, I lean away from a stacking game. Certainly lean away from a shooting game (unless the numbers are the area of the targets). It seems to lean towards a placement game with smaller containers than are customary to past FRC games.

Have a Merry Christmas!

Re: [FRC Blog] 2014 Game Hint
 

I would love this! Mainly because it would give me the right to make everyone watch Abbott and Costello! :p

Re: [FRC Blog] 2014 Game Hint
 

Using my Little Orphan Annie Secret Decoder Ring, I have determined that the game hint reads:

"Be sure to drink your Ovaltine"

;)

Re: [FRC Blog] 2014 Game Hint
 

8234/57
61126/1963
62326/15806

Fibonacci sequence: 1,2,3,5,8,13,21,34,55,89,134, etc.

Feel free to do what you want with this information. This may be connected to fluid dynamics?

Re: [FRC Blog] 2014 Game Hint
 

Someone has been watching TBS today....

Re: [FRC Blog] 2014 Game Hint
 

/begin sarcasm

This means one of two games.
1. Something involving a red ryder bb gun. Oops; this violates the spirit of FIRST so it cannot happen.
2. A football.

My money is on #2.

/end sarcasm

Re: [FRC Blog] 2014 Game Hint
 

Hi FIRST community,

I will admit that I am usually one to stray away from threads full of mere speculation- Nonetheless, I present some thoughts...

The Game Hint:
The game hint seems to be a series of 3 numbers-

My initial thoughts were coordinates (perhaps defining maximum X, Y and Z field dimension restrictions relative to the point 0,0,0 but the scale seems rather uncommon lest each value is in it's own specific unit [leave it to the GDC to be vague and "justified" in their hints])

My next thought was perhaps a scoring threshold, either pertaining to value or placement of game pieces; that too in my opinion can be denounced for proportions.

Throwing those aside, I look to game trends

Trends:

So here is some speculation of my own-

I don't think a stacking game is so far fetched. One such game I envision has the field strewn with crates (similar in design to milk crates) and numerous (90-200) balls of about 3 inches in diameter.

The objective of the game would be to stack these crates with variable numbers of balls in them, thus scoring points determined by stack size, and ball content.

The complications include dealing with upside down, sideways and irregular crates amongst "herds" of loose balls, the combination of which are difficult to navigate, and difficult to handle provided a versatile range of game pieces.

Alliances would also need to be concerned with defending built stacks.

(FIRST is decently rooted in providing irregular driving conditions; off the top of my head I list Maze Craze, and He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named (rhymes with "*unacy")

Sorry for ranting,
I guess we know why I try to stay away from these threads,

Re: [FRC Blog] 2014 Game Hint
 

I think you just described the foundation of the 2011? FTC game, Bowled Over:) Thus the FRC GDC emulates the FTC GDC...

Re: [FRC Blog] 2014 Game Hint
 

Please read the thread before commenting. Check back several pages, I plotted them in 3D several days ago.

Re: [FRC Blog] 2014 Game Hint
 

At risk of sounding like a jerk, but... Did you read the posts following the one you quoted? This was already addressed. Let's try not to be hypocritical. Thanks! (Although we're all guilty of this, I am sure.)

Now let's get back onto the original topic! :)

Re: [FRC Blog] 2014 Game Hint
 

It seems a lot like it's going to be a game forwarded towards the moon. Like Zalinsky stated, JFK challenged the USA to go the the moon in this decade. Then there are the two 3s and the 3 water bottles. There's definitely a strong reference to the number 3. In my opinion, the 33 is a reference to the date 1933, when there was a film produced called the "Three-Cornered Moon". A triangle has three corners, just like the shape the water bottles formed in the picture and just like the graph of the points created. Just my opinion.

Re: [FRC Blog] 2014 Game Hint
 

Haha, point taken. But, yes, I did read the posts following that one (and all ~650 previous ones).

Re: [FRC Blog] 2014 Game Hint
 

I have not read all 40+ pages for this thread so I don’t know if anyone has proposed the following:

Looking at the Nov. 25 photo, if it indeed had games clues I would speculate that the game has something to do with billiards. First there is the green screen like the felt on the tables. There are tall chairs like you would find in a billiard hall/tournament. The water bottles (and the plotted hint numbers) form a triangle that would represent the rack. And finally, all three are reading their “Cues” from the teleprompter.

If I were to guess a name for this game it would be “Rack’em Up”

Re: [FRC Blog] 2014 Game Hint
 

Happy Boxing Day!


(Apologies if I'm duplicating ideas from earlier posts...)

Let's assume the hint is not an alphanumeric cipher, but rather refers to three "things". Personally, I do not believe these are coordinates (in physical space or colour space), since the inclusion of the "/" is an odd way to represent a coordinate.

I think each "thing" is a geometric object (game piece or field element), and the "Large Number/Small Number" defines the shape somehow. The relative magnitude of the numbers suggests (at least to me) "Volume/Area".

I had a look at the volume and area formulas for various solids (source: Engineering Toolbox/Volume and Surfaces of Common Solids). At first, I tried to match up Volume to Surface Area without much luck. However, when I instead looked at Cross-Sectional Area (or some representative planar area), things started jumping out.

Now, since absolute values are given for both Volume and Area, they are expressed in terms of some "unit" which is not explicitly defined. I think mm are too small, so the most likely "unit" is either inch or cm.

Here is a summary of the solids corresponding to each number group (all dimensions expressed in rounded "units")

• 8234/57 = tall cylinder (8.6 dia x 146) OR toroid (8.5 minor dia. x 46 major dia.)
  
• 61126/1963 = sphere (49 dia) -- minus a little bit, suggesting a cut-out or cavity
  
• 62326/15806 = shallow square pyramid (126 x 126 x 12 tall) OR shallow square platform (126 x 126 x 4 tall)

I drew these shapes to scale and put some of them into an assembly (based on pure speculation). Please see attachment.

Re: [FRC Blog] 2014 Game Hint
 

If trucks have to be lighter in the winter because the roads are colder, then maybe the robots will have to be lighter because of certain field conditions. It could be that heavier robots won't be able to complete a certain task, or they'll want to make it more difficult to drive a certain way by making them lighter. If that were true, then that would certainly be a portion of the game worth noting via a clue. Given that, the FRC GDC could have easily known these were already signs, making them the perfect clue.

Re: [FRC Blog] 2014 Game Hint
 

I really like Mr. N's interpretation of the hint, although it could be complete chance and we are overthinking it (but we all know that doesn't happen, right? :rolleyes:).

It's a pretty solid explanation- I just can't tell if that blue sphere is a game piece or a field structure, which leads me to a few ideas about how the blue sphere will affect all of this.

If the blue sphere is a game piece, it could mean one of three things: either we have to put the ball on the peg, take the ball off the peg (I feel like the second is more likely than the first, since it will take a ridiculous amount of accuracy on behalf of the programming/driver to get it perfectly onto the peg), or that the other team has to try to knock it off its pedestal... kind of like tee-ball, except that you are trying to hit the other team's ball.

If the blue sphere is a field structure, it is either an endgame field structure with a purpose (like the tower in Ultimate Ascent), or it is a standard field piece that is in play the entire time, like something we have to drive around. I really don't know what the its purpose could be. A few random guesses: We have to lasso it? Throw/stack something on it (like Logomotion)? Fill it up with some other mini game pieces?

Just my interpretation of Mr. N's work.

Re: [FRC Blog] 2014 Game Hint
 

Why didn't anybody respond on this post? I really like what he did. I'm a new kid on the block, second season coming up, so I don't know how much deepness/work FIRST puts in these hints.

But there are a lot of theories behind the baseball idea and this confirms it as well.

Coincidence? Maybe... Reliable theory? Maybe..

Re: [FRC Blog] 2014 Game Hint
 

Since the the weight reduction sign has to do with trucks this could mean we would have trailers again.

Re: [FRC Blog] 2014 Game Hint
 

Mr. N, I like your thoughts.

The image reminds me of a tesla coil.... not going to happen, but a fun thought.

That being said, I think this could be a very solid lead. I don't have much else to add to this speculation, but I like where it's going. If your blue object is the game piece and the rest a field element that would make sense.

I'm afraid my post isn't doing much more than taking up space... hrm. :o

Re: [FRC Blog] 2014 Game Hint
 

I have read seriously every single post on this tread and other treads. After you have read over 700 posts you may forget a few.

Re: [FRC Blog] 2014 Game Hint
 

oh this sounds like a great idea with Mr. N's idea. this greatly supports the baseball idea.

Re: [FRC Blog] 2014 Game Hint
 

So has anyone seen the AndyMark Ri3D website? On the bottom of the page they have up a simple arm joint, which is a new item they sell. So....arm joint......game where we need an arm? After all the hints, my money is on a baseball game where we have to move the "ball" onto tee-ball peg (check out Mr. N's pic above) somewhat like Logomotion. Interesting..... :D

Re: [FRC Blog] 2014 Game Hint
 

The Mr. N theory, as it has now been dubbed, revolving around the sets of numbers each being ratios between the volume and an area of grometric shapes, sounds pretty legitimate. However, keep in mind that his drawing is just one speculation, and that the bottom square could also be a pyramid. That is just one orientation he came up with. But I still like the general theory more than anything else we've come up with, because it is an actual interpretation of the numbers mathematically, not just typing the numbers into google or a coordinate grid, which is where most of our theories have been coming from.

Re: [FRC Blog] 2014 Game Hint
 

Yeah, I like it too. I don't see us getting anything at all out of these numbers.

Re: [FRC Blog] 2014 Game Hint
 

I am currently in the middle of checking the math on this one. I don't like how much rounding is involved here. Would you please post your work for how you got those dimensions for the objects.

Re: [FRC Blog] 2014 Game Hint
 

I actually factored the pyramid base in when I was originally coming up with my theory (with the same explanation as below), but now that I think about it, the pyramid base could also be applied to another scenario.

In both cases, a pyramid base would prevent a robot that runs into the base from having its parts jarred lose by running into an edge, and it wouldn't shake the pole as much as a flat piece of metal, although a flat base a few centimeters higher than the ground should not have much of an effect on the robot's functionality (but who knows). The other advantage of having a pyramid base is that it allows round objects to roll down its slopes, so a pyramid base could mean that there are a lot of small, round objects (or one big one). Either way, the slope helps round objects roll off the base.

Now, for the two possibilities:

1) The tee-ball version. For the sake of saving space, refer back to my earlier post if you forget or haven't seen it.

2) A fill-the-basket scenario: If there are a lot of small game pieces, that probably means that there is a bucket or some sort of container (the sphere with a hole in the top) that needs to be filled with those aforementioned game pieces (probably a small-diameter ball, like a tennis ball or a golf ball). The sloped sides would make any pieces that don't make it into the bucket go back out onto the field, where you pick them up again.

I personally like the tee-ball idea more, though.

Also, it's late and I have been thinking about this for a long time, so there are probably some gaps in my logic, and I think that explanation might not be as clear as I thought it was... if you see any problems or are confused, just tell me and I will be happy to explain again or rethink my theory.

Re: [FRC Blog] 2014 Game Hint
 

I know I am a little late to the party but did any one else notice that the numbers all form a repeating decimal?
8234/57 144.456140350877192982


62326/15806= 3.94318613184866506389978489181323548019739339491332 40541566493736555738327217512337087182082753384790 58585347336454510945210679488801720865494116158420 85284069340756674680501075540933822599013033025433 37972921675313172213083639124383145640895862330760 47070732633177274452739466025559913956725294192078 95735796532962166265974946222953308870049348348728 33101353916234341389345818043780842717955206883461 97646463368341136277363026698722004302163735290396 05213210173351891686701252688852334556497532582563 58344932304188282930532709097810957864102239655826 90117676831582


61126/1963= 31.13907284768211920529801324503311258278145695364238 4105960264900662251655629

Re: [FRC Blog] 2014 Game Hint
 

All rational numbers are either repeating decimals or end after a finite number of decimal digits. Not particularly noteworthy.

Re: [FRC Blog] 2014 Game Hint
 

given the geometric nature of most first games this actually seems pretty neat...

Re: [FRC Blog] 2014 Game Hint
 

Don't know if anyone has pointed this out, but they're in a hangar in the picture. Look at the floor drains, the corrugated metal walls, and the cockpit diagram in the back left. Seems interesting.

Re: [FRC Blog] 2014 Game Hint
 

Well, I redact the statement about the walls upon further invetigation. But still, it looks a lot like a hangar. I've spent a good amount of time in and around them.
Also 666th post

Re: [FRC Blog] 2014 Game Hint
 

Cockpit diagram! So that's what it is...

Also, in regard to the weight limit sign, perhaps that indicates a game component involving moving larger, heavier game pieces around the field, à la Stack Attack, but with a stipulation that the game piece must be within the frame perimeter whilst moving? A wild conjecture, but what isn't, at this time of year?

Re: [FRC Blog] 2014 Game Hint
 

Further to my original post (#649, p44):

Attached, please find an Excel spreadsheet containing the calculations for my analysis. The exact numbers are given with no coarse round-off. (Please check my math.)

Here are a few additional notes:

1. If the "Volume/Area" assumption is correct, then any geometric solid that can be represented by two independent parameters (e.g., cylinders, prisms, pyramids, cones) may be forced to fit. So there are myriad possibilities.
   
2. The exceptions are single parameter shapes like spheres and cubes. You can choose the parameter to match volume or area but not both. However, once you do so, if you do get a match for the other quantity, then it's a good bet that the shape is a sphere or cube.
   
3. The "Volume/Area" is akin to aspect ratio (in this case, it's a characteristic length), in that it says something about the general properties of the shape. For example, "8234/57" is a large ratio, but the "volume" number is small, which suggests a tall, thin object (whatever it ends up being). For my "guess", I chose a tall, slender pole (in keeping with past FIRST games). Conversely, "62326/15806" is more "massive" than the first shape, but the ratio is much smaller, suggesting a large but very shallow object (like a flat platform or a pyramid with gently sloping sides or a very squat cone).
   
4. As people have rightly pointed out, the drawing I posted is pure speculation. There is not enough information to specify the exact shapes. However, if you ask yourself, "What Would FIRST Do?", then certain shapes (balls, platform, poles) seem to be more likely than others (e.g., 9' tall cones with a narrow base).
   
5. The most "tantalizing" match concerns the number "1963". If we assume it is a circular area, then the corresponding diameter is "49.99" units --- extremely close to "50". To me, this appears to be more than a coincidence. It strongly suggests something round or spherical with a diameter of 50 cm or perhaps 50 inches (rejecting something measured in mm as too small for FRC).
   
6. The most "irritating" object is Shape 2 ("61126/1963"). It is almost an exact match for a 50-unit sphere --- almost! In fact, it is off by 4%. You can get an exact match if you assume a prolate spheriod (i.e., a squashed sphere) with major and minor diameters of 50 and 48.3, respectively. (Could this be a slightly saggy "yoga ball"???) You can also get an exact match if you assume a perfect 50-unit sphere with a small bite, flat or hole taken out of it (for hooking onto a pole, perhaps???).

Anyway, I hope this helps.

Attached is a drawing of a torus that matches Shape 1 (major diameter = 45.98 units, with an outside diameter almost exactly equal to a sphere that matches Shape 2).

Re: [FRC Blog] 2014 Game Hint
 

Please see my update in Post #668. I've attached the spreadsheet on which my calculations were based, so you can see the numbers without round-off. You can also use the spreadsheet to check the formulas.

Re: [FRC Blog] 2014 Game Hint
 

Remember: Game hints all depend on whether or not they think we think they think about what we think they think is related in any way to what they think we think they thought about what we thought about their thinking.

Re: [FRC Blog] 2014 Game Hint
 

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Re: [FRC Blog] 2014 Game Hint
 

Those field elements that Mr. N made make a lot more sense if you use the torus. Then it looks like you're putting inner tubes on a vertical post, and stacking them up. That seems very reasonable.

Re: [FRC Blog] 2014 Game Hint
 

Based upon Mr. N's latest extrapolation of the game hint, its looking very similar to VEX Round Up from the 2010/2011 season. Perhaps replace the middle pyramid with those promising looking stairs found many pages back.

Re: [FRC Blog] 2014 Game Hint
 

This is interesting because the ratio of earth's diameters is about 1.0032160486.
The ratio of the prolate spheriod's diameters is about 1.03519668737.

Is this close enough to be considered a clue?

Re: [FRC Blog] 2014 Game Hint
 

I think its going to be some sort of turf war like King of the Hill or Territories. The triangle representing that there are three territories that teams will try to take over. This may true considering there are three robots on each team. There will also probably be different types of terrain. Each robot specializing in a certain type of terrain or all three considering what type of robot you build.

Re: [FRC Blog] 2014 Game Hint
 

Has anyone compared this game hint to the seasons past to see if they even lay credibility to the actual game? This is our second year in and we were late starters last year so this is all new to us. The take away is most of what is suggested is probably not even close or the hints never have anything to do with the game...

Re: [FRC Blog] 2014 Game Hint
 

There was discussion of that in this thread a few pages back. I think the overall conclusion was yes, the hints are credible. Some years we've gotten closer than others, and I think Mr. N's Theory could be very close.

Re: [FRC Blog] 2014 Game Hint
 

Thank you. I admit... I have not read through all 46 pages of posts. :yikes:

Re: [FRC Blog] 2014 Game Hint
 

Props to Mr. N. I didn't think we were getting anything done. Now, I think we might have a clue. That, and the 25% weight reduction are our most credible leads.

EDIT: How many of you have read all 46 pages? I have. :)

Re: [FRC Blog] 2014 Game Hint
 

well it looks like kit of parts chassis lost 4 lbs somewhere
http://www.andymark.com/AM14U-p/am-2563.htm
http://www.andymark.com/product-p/am-2239.htm

and we might have gotten 3in back on the chassis? ideas?

Re: [FRC Blog] 2014 Game Hint
 

Glow in the dark ring toss? http://www.one-stop-party-ideas.com/...-Ring-Toss.jpg

Would be fun!

Re: [FRC Blog] 2014 Game Hint
 

Yes I agree with this, Mr. N's idea had the most credibility of being the true meaning.

Not only have I read all 46 pages of this tread, but also all the other side treads as well :D I've had nothing to do, and this keeps my FIRST addiction in check ;)

Re: [FRC Blog] 2014 Game Hint
 

The general consensus is that the game hints are credible. However, they give us so little information that we hardly know anything before Kickoff than we would anyway. Besides, any correct theories are mixed in with so many others that it is very difficult at best to know what may be correct.


I have, as well as the other threads. :)

Re: [FRC Blog] 2014 Game Hint
 

I have read all 46

Re: [FRC Blog] 2014 Game Hint
 

I'd be inclined to disagree. I've read most of the posts and the only one that I find plausible is the one about weight limits, churches and security. It is very improbable that all three of those places were not intended by the GDC. It may not mean anything (and I'm disappointed by the relative lack of posts analyzing that hint), but it's probably what the GDC wanted us to find.

Almost every other is either not directly supported by the hint or the result of finding meaning in fairly arbitrary operations on the game hint numbers. (Yes, three points make a triangle)

Re: [FRC Blog] 2014 Game Hint
 

If you configure your settings, you only have to read 7 pages. :yikes:

Re: [FRC Blog] 2014 Game Hint
 

I was hunting through Frank's blog, and some other CD threads - in which I found the 'Who's on FIRST' post. I Googled it a short while about, and the major result that came up was an old Abbott & Costello comedy sketch - about a BASEBALL TEAM.
Could be coincidence, but I thought it was worth mentioning.

Re: [FRC Blog] 2014 Game Hint
 

That's why it's the suggestion. It's just such a perfect combination of history, baseball, and FIRST-pun that it's too good to pass up. If this year isn't somehow related to baseball, I wouldn't be surprised to see them use it for a future game.

Re: [FRC Blog] 2014 Game Hint
 

Seriously?!? Are you kidding? LOL thats the whole premise to the statement of Who's on FIRST is that is it a direct tie to that sketch. It saddens me to know what so many people do not know Abbot and Costello more..:(

Re: [FRC Blog] 2014 Game Hint
 

This needed to be addressed now for those sad few who do not know Abbot and Costello.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kTcRRaXV-fg

Re: [FRC Blog] 2014 Game Hint
 

Prolate spheroid = a football.
Throwing a football is not insignificant, and a distinct challenge.

Football game.

Re: [FRC Blog] 2014 Game Hint
 

Football or rugby ball, doesn't matter to me its an ellipsoid and I can buy it from amazon, I'm okay with this.

Re: [FRC Blog] 2014 Game Hint
 

Re: [FRC Blog] 2014 Game Hint
 

They said it isn't in this picture, and the picture is of people taking a picture. So maybe the clue isn't in the picture they're taking, maybe it's outside the green screen, where no picture was supposed to be taken.

Re: [FRC Blog] 2014 Game Hint
 

I mentioned how it says, no clues in this picture, or something like that. And that what they are saying is probably really true.
The picture is of people taking a picture.
So the clue isn't in the picture, it is probably outside the green screen where no picture will be taken.
I've spotted a few things, stuff that caught my eye, what do you think?
There's the waterbottles, the lights, and the hard to decipher numbers in the background.

Re: [FRC Blog] 2014 Game Hint
 

In fact maybe the picture has nothing to do with anything, maybe it is the numbers they mention on what kind of image it is and everything.

Re: [FRC Blog] 2014 Game Hint
 

If it has something to do with football, how would that relate to the other hints.

Re: [FRC Blog] 2014 Game Hint
 

I was merely offering a possible solution to the distinct and not insignificant challenge of throwing a football. You'll have to ask Steve about the relationship of the hints to football.

Re: [FRC Blog] 2014 Game Hint
 

HELLOOOooooooo :yikes:
YEP its the red lights !!!!!!!

GOOD LUCK TO ALL

oh yeah ???? OH YEAH !!!!!!!
MOE ::rtm::

Re: [FRC Blog] 2014 Game Hint
 

Mr. N's theory, I think, should hold quite a bit of weight. The numbers match up pretty well--scarily well, actually. Originally I was pretty sure that the hints pointed towards a baseball game, but now I'm split. The most solid clue we have, I believe, is the 25% weight reduction. The fact that, when the two other numbers were plugged into Google Maps, the numbers produced signs with "First" in the names is almost as if FIRST said, "Yes, you're on the right track."

To me, we now have 4 solid theories that all have decent "evidence" if something were to be proved:
1. 25% Weight Reduction
2. Baseball game
3. Stacking game, maybe? (Mr. N's Geometry work)
4. Tee-ball, although that's almost like baseball.