Re: Security Breach at Kickoff Filming
 

Re: Security Breach at Kickoff Filming
 

Anybody else see that light that he fixates on? There was definitely a motive behind looking up there. It looks like a cylinder of light or something - not a standard gym light bulb. I think that might have something to do with it because he leaves the standard shot that he had been running the whole rest of the video just to take that shot of the light for a few sec. What do you guys think?

Re: Security Breach at Kickoff Filming
 

I would like to point out some things that may have been missed.

The first, there is a ladder in the back behind Jake when he's giving his little intro... Not sure you necessarily need a ladder to set up an FRC game field, unless it's for the lights above, or perhaps something else.

Second, they really seem to be focusing on the words "fabrication" and "building". This may not mean anything but the phrase
seems like it could have been worded better. The word fabrication at the end could have easily been replaced with another word that makes much more sense.

Now, I'm probably blowing all of this out of proportion, and it probably means nothing, but I just figured I would point it out.

Re: Security Breach at Kickoff Filming
 

Every FRC field has a ladder with it. Lights, "high" wiring, and tall objects all need it. 2015 didn't need it except for maybe the player station lights; 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, and 2010 needed it for access to "high places" of various stripes. 2009 didn't need it except for the player station equipment. 2008, 2007, and 2006 all needed it.

Also, there's nothing indicating that it wasn't being used by the production folks who would be doing the actual filming. Odds of needing a ladder during that sort of thing? Pretty high.

Re: Security Breach at Kickoff Filming
 

Some crazy speculation based on the background sounds in the security breach video and the blueprint:

at 0:04 of the video - sound of camera focusing = using autonomous (dead-reckoning/vision) or semi-autonomous (Holo Lens), robots gather pieces of large scoring objects (red/blue "cannonballs") from the field and deposit them for their human players to use during the following fabrication phase.

from 0:05 to 0:13 - sound of fabrication = human players assemble cannonballs and introduce them along the overhead (2010-like) track to mid-field where they proceed across a a semi-circular trough and fall into a common/central/castle-looking stack. The alliance with the top colored scoring piece in the stack at the end of the match gets points for capturing the stack. Meanwhile, alliance robots use items pre-staged on the field to enhance a stronghold at their end of the field in preparation for the protection of their small scoring objects and movable goals.

from 0:13 to 0:16 - sound of dozens of squeaky seagull toys (Visigoths descending on Rome) from Frank's September 3rd blog = offensive phase where an alliance's offensive-minded robots move to the opposite end of the field and attempt to collect small scoring objects. Defensive robots may stay behind to protect their own stronghold.

from 0:16 to 0:25 - reversing = robots reverse and head back to their own end of the field to deposit and score the stolen small scoring objects into their goals. Bonus points if all robots on an alliance fit within their stronghold.

Possibilities:

• match winner is the alliance with the most small scoring objects scored in their own goals at the end of the match
• tie-breaker is the difference between the winning score and the losing score in all qualification matches, a lower number ranks higher
• no projectiles as these would make the team standards a safety concern (although SECURITYBREACH almost = SCARY TREBUCHET)
• the goals are the ball reset cylinders from the 2014 game (shown illuminated at 0:16 of the video)
  

Re: Security Breach at Kickoff Filming
 

High, ladder, very funny. :)

Re: Security Breach at Kickoff Filming
 

A recent thought that I had about the blog post was that the blog post itself might be a hint. After all, Frank explicitly stated that the video contained no game hints. The title of the post seems a hint enough to me: "Security Breach". The idea of surpassing security fits well with the Stronghold game since a stronghold is meant to keep opponents out, and a security breach is one of the ways for said opponent to get in (or, rather, security breach is the term used once someone has passed the stronghold's defenses). If anything, this blog post is further evidence that the goal of the game is to beat the defenses (i.e. get to a point on the field that is being defended). This works well with the "Capture the Flag" theory. It is becoming clear, however, that offensive play (such as shooting "cannonballs" into a goal), if such play exists, will only be secondary in purpose to the main play (breaching the Stronghold's security).

Re: Security Breach at Kickoff Filming
 

It could be that you need to shoot X numbers of cannon balls into a target before a drawbridge is lowered, and your robot can cross (breach) the other team's defenses.

Re: Security Breach at Kickoff Filming
 

Wow, that is quite a theory :D :D

Re: Security Breach at Kickoff Filming
 

Fixed that for you. ;->

Re: Security Breach at Kickoff Filming
 

Not sure what all of the fuss is - The Stronghold Boardgame is something those who enjoy Euro-style boardgames have known about for a while, and it really looks like 2016's game will be very similar. I've only played it once, and it was a whirlwind. I just hope our 'infinite legion' isn't a bucket of squawking ducks ...

It'll be interesting to see if strategies are similar, though like with most things I don't know if the board game strategies will project properly into a live moving 'thing'.

Re: Security Breach at Kickoff Filming
 

That sounds like an extremely fun game.

Re: Security Breach at Kickoff Filming
 

Has anybody noticed how towards the end he looks up and says "and this thing looks like a real challenge." I think he is talking about an field object rather than Stronghold in a whole. It is almost suggesting something similar to the 2013 pyramids (maybe the tower in the teaser video?).

Re: Security Breach at Kickoff Filming
 

Water....

Re: Security Breach at Kickoff Filming
 

Is that the 20 sec/30 sec warning before the end of the match?