2016 global brainstorm
 

We would like to try a different way of brainstorming during the 2016 kickoff... Here is a link to a form where you can register to a global brainstorm! Everybody will receive a link before the kickoff granting them access to our giant brainstorm... We think this will help rookie teams to get more ideas and older teams to get out of their usual patterns!

http://goo.gl/forms/zNAeAcKzA6

Re: 2016 global brainstorm
 

Interesting concept. I think that it's important to ensure that this doesn't become a huge trend, or ensure that the amount of collaboration is minimal. One of the best parts at competition is seeing all the unique robots, and I would hate for there to be a single, common bot, that most teams pursue based off of discussion with other teams. This would be better for discussing personal opinions on the game, season outcome predictions, and maybe the average amount of points per match.

Re: 2016 global brainstorm
 

Sounds a lot like what we do on CD. It's not going to be a forum where 1114 and 254 post their detailed strategies. I'd be willing to bet a lot of highly competitive teams opt out of this mass strategy session. It does seem like a great idea for raising the floor like Ri3D and Buildblitz have been doing for a number of years. There's going to be design convergence every year regardless of whether or not events like this occur. The smart teams will take what they learn from the forum and decide to compliment what the "average" team is doing or they'll improve upon it. I hope it's a massive success, but if I come up with a game breaking strategy you definitely won't be seeing me put it out there for all to see!

Re: 2016 global brainstorm
 

Brainstorming on a large scale right away can be a stupid idea. Work with your team first, don't tunnel vision yourself, then check out Youtube and Chief Delphi for other ideas that have been explored a bit more.

Overall, this is not something I would recommend.

Re: 2016 global brainstorm
 

Brainstorm what? Strategy? Robot functions?

If the first thing you're doing on kickoff is brainstorming what your robot will look like, you're setting yourself up for failure. See the several presentations by Karthik on strategic design.

Re: 2016 global brainstorm
 

This won't limit the vision of everybody... The goal here is to help teams get new ideas and point of views about every aspect of the 2016 challenge... Strategy, rules, mechanics, programming ect... It is not meant to be the principal way to gather ideas; it's much more about discussing, discovering and helping other teams...

If you don't want to be part of this, it's fine... But if you want to, it's open to everybody...

Re: 2016 global brainstorm
 

As someone else already mentioned this sounds a lot like, if not exactly what this forum is already for. If you think this brainstorm will serve some purpose beyond what already happens following kickoff on this forum can you explain?

Re: 2016 global brainstorm
 

It's true that this forum already serves that purpose... But it is also used for other things. I think that having a place where we only talk about the kickoff and where ideas and concepts are sorted (strategy, drivetrain... ect...) would be more effective. It is more focused about creating a large diversity of ideas then debating on what is the best thing to do. This way, everybody can get new ideas and explore them by themselves while forging their own opinion...

Re: 2016 global brainstorm
 

You'll find that these "large diveristy of ideas" can be formed from Ri3D teams. Some Ri3D teams also make videos about their game impressions and strategies (snow problem did that last year), but you can always contribute to that by expressing your thoughts about the game through this idea you have.

I like that your enthusiastic to work on this idea, but I don't know how useful this will be considering there will be so much discussion about everything you want this idea to cover. CD members contribute, debate, and talk about the game endlessly after it is released (with all of this, many teams can explore and develop opinions). You'll find that this may be redundant, but if your enthusiastic about doing it, go for it.

Maybe you want to make all these ideas more organized and accessible to the FRC community?

Re: 2016 global brainstorm
 

That's a big part of it... I think that Chief Delphi is a great tool but that it isn't very organised when a lot of people post their thoughts... If we can classify everything grant an easier access to everybody, the flow of information will be way more vivid and diversified in my opinion (by diversified I mean that if we can see what was posted on a subject before posting our idea, we can...).

Re: 2016 global brainstorm
 

Isn't there a whole section on CD dedicated to Kickoff just to address this? I think it's kinda pointless to start a new system that will take years to gain the popularity CD already has. Instead, you could just share the section on CD through the channels you would've shared this form on.
Also, our team doesn't even do design and mechanical stuff (except for drive train, maybe) until day three or four. We just analyze the rules and the game before we jump into things. Kickoff day is for us to just read rules and maybe start thinking of strategy.

Re: 2016 global brainstorm
 

Holy crap.
Let the guy have his idea.

This is why people are afraid to post things on chiefdelphi anymore. Instead of a conversation regarding cool features of his idea - which hurts NOBODY - it's people telling him his idea is stupid and he is stupid and his cat is ugly, and instead of growing and learning from the experience, he's having to defend his idea to bah-humbuggers.

There is such a thing as constructive criticism. This thread isn't it.



I think it's a fine idea. As Etienne said, it's a way for young, inexperienced, or undermentored teams to share ideas and strategies for the upcoming season. If two robots end up looking similar after this - if they both work, that's great. Better to have some sort of strategic design than another embarrassing BLT (no offense meant to Plowie). If you don't want to use this resource, it's not compulsory.

I'm signing up in your google form and I look forward to the discussions that happen in January. Good luck, and we'll see you at the competition.

Edit: I would sign up, but my computer blocks shortened URLs. Any way you could post the original?

Re: 2016 global brainstorm
 

Thank you for your support :) Here is the url : https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1lrV...?usp=send_form

Re: 2016 global brainstorm
 

I'm just saying that I doubt any good team will participate in idea generation or discussing strategy outside of CD or Ri3D/Build Blitz, they rarely even post on here actually. This means young teams just share ideas among themselves instead of actually learning anything important.

Taylor, not all constructive criticism is written as fluffy clouds and rainbows. Often times it is best to just tell someone they are pursuing something not worth their effort.

Re: 2016 global brainstorm
 

Then say that. No need to tell him his idea is stupid.
You're absolutely correct. * But I haven't seen much constructive criticism here - just criticism. Remember the person on the other side of the Internet is human too.

(what I typed after the * is an address to the world at large, not specifically Mike.)