Update 12
 

10th Defense? Is this true or false

Re: Update 12
 

For those unaware, Team Update 12: https://firstfrc.blob.core.windows.n...Updates/12.pdf

If you followed the directions written in the update, you would've seen this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xF0rj-FXcEI.

Re: Update 12
 

Why put that in a Team Update? Obviously all it is going to do is confuse people. Like the game manual and updates aren't confusing enough as it is.

This was a poor attempt at being funny at a terribly stressful time in the season. Please don't ever do something like this in the official rules documents again.

Re: Update 12
 

I've been hunting for it also. Maybe it's because I'm on my phone at school (during lunchtime, not class, I promise!) but I can't find anything about this 10th defense other than the mention that it's supposedly been added in Update 12. The FIRST app doesn't seem to include any mention of it in the manual, nor the FIRST website - Section 2 of the Game Manual was last updated on the 16th. Can any other CD users with an actual computer verify that I'm not going crazy?

EDIT: Nevermind. We got memed hard. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xF0rj-FXcEI

Re: Update 12
 

Go into the team updates manual in the FIRST app and click the picture.


(But honestly I didn't need this in a team update)

Re: Update 12
 

I don't understand why it was a part of the update if it was a spoof.

Re: Update 12
 

The video is only in the team update pdf itself because it's a joke.

Re: Update 12
 

"You know what would really enhance our official documentation? Bad memes!"

-people that clearly hate me

Re: Update 12
 

It's a ruse! We've been duped! Hoodwinked! Bamboozled! We've been smeckledorfed!

Re: Update 12
 

I just looked on the FIRST app; unless actual dragon fire as shown by team 2526 is going to be used in a match, this is just some kind of joke. It seems weird that they would put this in an actual team update, but I guess....

Re: Update 12
 

I know they are playing on the previous expectation of an end game being added in 2014 (which obviously never happened), but I think this is in poor taste. Nothing against the team that made this vid, but FIRST shouldn't do this to us rather stressed individuals.

Updates and the Manual are no place for jokes and goofing around.

Re: Update 12
 

This is very true. If there goal was to freak us out, they have succeeded.

Re: Update 12
 

Agreed... the 10th defense video in the Team Update was unnecessarily nerve-wracking. :(

Has anyone else tried to get the driverstation update? It does not appear to be posted on the NI website yet... :(

Re: Update 12
 

Going to have to agree with you. Teams shouldn't be using places that are highly referenced for jokes. I imagine the fallout of this is going to be a bunch of blow back on the Q&A going...
"Real?"
Which I in all honesty considered doing upon seeing it in the manual, except with more colorful language.

Re: Update 12
 

Got me.

Re: Update 12
 

That's not even a word and I agree with ya!

Re: Update 12
 

Update 13: Low bar is now 2" shorter. Design accordingly. :)

Re: Update 12
 

lol, that was a pretty good troll. Now we can say we are more like Battlebots because have fire too!

Re: Update 12
 

Personally I see this as a harmless joke. I like that FIRST is putting the work of FRC teams out there for all to see. I'd really like to see more of it. Was this the best avenue for FIRST to show off this video? Absolutely not, it should have been in a blog, but I still appreciate the direction that FIRST is headed.

Re: Update 12
 

They Got me for a second then I realized it was a joke. Would of be cool to have a dragon somewhere on the field since is a medieval theme only thing missing was a dragon

Re: Update 12
 

Came here to say this.

Blog post? Amusing, fine. In an official rules update? Childish.

I expected better from the normally community-friendly, on message - and yes, sometimes funny - FRC folks.

Re: Update 12
 

The GDC is welcome to take over the threads that will result from this.

Re: Update 12
 

While I think I'd prefer that FIRST have shared the amusing 10th Defense video via a blog post (or something a little less official), I hardly think it's worth all the negative sentiments...

FIRST intentionally just linked to the video, rather than making an attempt that seemed "legit" and would give people more than a moment of panic. If you didn't actually find it funny, then just make it a lesson learned that FIRST HQ does have a sense of humor (in case you missed the 2016 game announcement).

Re: Update 12
 

If the GDC intended for us to deal with dragons why was one not provided in the KoP?

Not all teams have room full of gold and priceless gems for a dragon to inhabit.

Also, what will the dragons be fed? I would assume this factors into the temperature of the breath. And from an event management perspective - will it be the responsibility of the person managing the defenses to wrangle the dragon? How big a dragon are we dealing with? This is important for districts who may not have the space to store a dragon.


(See GDC, if you can be stupid I can be stupider!) [1]



[1] If this doesn't show up in spotlight at some point I'm almost going to be sad.

Re: Update 12
 

Sense of humors don't belong in already complex and confusing documents.

Re: Update 12
 

It is also possible to have a sense of humor that doesn't compromise trust between a jester and the crowd.

Re: Update 12
 

That's my problem with this. You can say "Oh, it's just a joke", but everything in the team update is law at the competition. Could we say "Oh, GXX was just a joke from the GDC, you don't need to follow that rule?" Where do you draw the line?

If it is part of the official rules, keep it serious and clear.

Re: Update 12
 

Some of you folks are upset about this? really?

I saw the video earlier in the season...I guess it wasn't a surprise to me because of that. But yeah, the GDC has a sense of humor (which is showing through very well this season!) and this is the time of build season when we all need a good laugh.

No stress today...we just have to do 12 hours of work in 3 hours, load up the robot, and head up north for our scrimmage! Oh...did I mention we need to figure out who's driving the robot?

Re: Update 12
 

Yeah I think we are agreeing.
Hold on I'm going to change up strategy so we can demand Defense 10 per Update 12.
All this did was cause confusion and stress in a year where they already had an update where they had to address a defenses dimensions due to inconsistencies which a lot of teams were not happy about. This was playing with fire.

Re: Update 12
 

Yep. Blog post is OK, but (I believe anyway, that) the rules should be pure rules.

And here I was hoping that the new defence would be completely flat and alliances given a coopertition point for helping the other alliance invade.

Re: Update 12
 

Can someone post a direct link to the new Driver Station version (16.0.2)? I can't find it on the ni.com/frc website.

Re: Update 12
 

That would have been really cool. I originally thought it was a real defense created by FIRST as a twist. In the end it is a harmless joke, but was taken seriously due to its timing

Re: Update 12
 

You need to ask this in the official Q&A!

Re: Update 12
 

Re: Update 12
 

Smeckledorfed is now and I'm going to use it every chance I get. :rolleyes:

I'm on the fence about the announcement. I know they know that there are teams that are on the wrong side of meltdown so I think it was meant as a fun thing.

Maybe not in a team update. A Frank Friday post would have been perfect. OTOH it's a good lesson on "can you follow directions?" Teams that do will have a sigh of relief, those that can't will panic."

Re: Update 12
 

The GDC has put a joke in a team update. It is obviously a joke, and has no implications for the rest of build season or for competition season. Sure, maybe if these jokes happened all the time it would get pretty annoying. However, I think we should all put down our pitchforks.

We're all having a stressful end of build season. However, getting more stressed out because of this is irrational. :)

Re: Update 12
 

Wil Payne, you are my favorite troll.

Re: Update 12
 

I'm not going to let blatant self-promotion like this stand on these boards.

EDIT: i got hacked(?) nailed it

Re: Update 12
 

ChiefDelphi, you are slipping. The two most important questions still haven't been asked:

How much does that Dragon weigh?

How are they going to mount bumpers to it?

Re: Update 12
 

The dragon gets to use the new 5 inch bumper rules so that's a good start

Re: Update 12
 

My APCS kids (a fair percentage of which are on 811) came in from lunch all in a panic because of the Team Update ... texts went far and wide to other members (some in other schools) ... more kids (not in APCS) came in to get the details ... and when we found the video we all had a good laugh.


(I _think_ they told all the other kids it was a hoax ... :yikes: )

Re: Update 12
 

Re: Update 12
 

Given the height of our robot, it is easier for us to go under a flying dragon than the low bar.

I am going to demand Defense 10 during the practice rounds and show them team update 12 as proof of its existence. ;)

Does the update say how to defeat the dragon?

Re: Update 12
 

/sigh, I though this was common knowledge, you feed the Dragon corn dogs and they fly away.

Re: Update 12
 

Re: Update 12
 

You know what, usually I'm not pro frivolous Q&A but in this case since it's a question regarding an actual update... someone with Q&A access SHOULD post this.

Re: Update 12
 

You didn't see it?

Re: Update 12
 

Re: Update 12
 

If your robot catches dragon fire, you've been tortuga'd.

Re: Update 12
 

When I first saw the update, I was a little confused on to why they would include this video.

However, I think they used it as a way to get teams to actually read the updates. Many teams don't take the time to stay up to date on the rules past the first week of the season.

This update in particular is important because it talks about a required update to the driver station. In the past, I have gone to tournaments where rookie and fairly new teams initially fail inspection because they do not have the current software packages. I feel that the video was a fun way to remind teams to stay up to date with the robot rules.

Re: Update 12
 

If they don't read them in the first place, why would adding a joke video inside of the update make them read it? They'd have to read it to know it is even there.

Re: Update 12
 

Up from the shadow of bag day....
From the depths of the Stronghold....

Humor raises its reptilian head from the GDC...

It has my overwhelming approval...

Tension Breaker.... had to be done...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OgmsMMkoCac

Re: Update 12
 

I feel like this is appropriate...

Re: Update 12
 

I would agree with you there. Maybe they hope that word will get out that "a new defense" is being added to the game and more teams will rush to read the update?

Re: Update 12
 

Disney animatronic dragon, this is happening

Re: Update 12
 

I have some high temp insulation panels in my shop. The team can refit the robot with them pretty quickly. I say, bring on the dragon. We can deal with it.

Re: Update 12
 

HQ hopes for a lot of things that will never happen so I can accept this.

mfw the gdc tries to outmeme me

Re: Update 12
 

And is it exempt from R9-F?

R9: ROBOT parts shall not be made from hazardous materials, be unsafe, cause an unsafe condition, or interfere with the operation of other ROBOTS.
-F: Any device intended to produce flames or pyrotechnics

Re: Update 12
 

I'm laughing at the corollary that there would be, in fact, teams with a room full of gold and priceless gems.

Re: Update 12
 

Serious question: What if the GDC really did introduce new defense towards the end of build season? I think it would add a realistic twist (How often do you get specifications and requirements that never change in the real world?) that would challenge the top teams and keep things exciting. The game would not inherently change (no robot or design would be significantly negatively affected) but most teams would have a little extra to do if they wanted to tackle the new defense.

Re: Update 12
 

Re: Update 12
 

Anyone know if CO2 bottles are legal this year? Might need one for that defense.

Re: Update 12
 

Don't prank me bro!

Re: Update 12
 

That was awesome, and well timed.

Re: Update 12
 

African or European?

Re: Update 12
 

Hungarian Horntail, Chinese Fireball or Common Welsh Green?

Re: Update 12
 

Alcohol of course. That's how most circus stunts pull this off.
Alcohol + fire + children + public venue......

Somehow the need for the big red extinguisher in the field kits just became more clear.

(I know some of you might get - hot under the collar about this - so let me head you off I posted this on my own NOT on behalf FRC11&193. If you gotta problem, I am a dragon on the Chinese zodiac, take it up over at my cave. Look for the pile of skeletons.)

Re: Update 12
 

Sorry, those aren't options. The only options are Cargo and Crew.



[/joke]
Sorry, couldn't resist.

Re: Update 12
 

That's not a defense...THAT's a defense (Crocodile Dundee voice).

Re: Update 12
 

As if the update wasn't bad enough, I was just talking to all my bulk suppliers of regolith. And you would not believe that everyone is out of stock due to a last minute massive order from some robotics group.
Worst day ever...

Re: Update 12
 

Everyone thinks the tenth defense is a joke.

But what if that's what the GDC wants you to think?;)
*Illuminati theme starts playing*

Well, it is on the official rules update after all.

Re: Update 12
 

Yeah this had us scrambling for a few minutes trying to figure out what was going on. How did they get permission to put that in an official update document?

Re: Update 12
 

I think it's hilarious and it has given our team a much-needed moment of levity in the middle of a desperation packed weekend.

Thanks for keeping your sense of humor GDC. We appreciate it.

Re: Update 12
 

It is easier to ask for forgiveness than to ask for permission.

Re: Update 12
 

Permission or forgiveness from whom? The CD Hoard?

Re: Update 12
 

does anyone know what the 10th defense actually is? It would be nice to know

Re: Update 12
 

It's a joke.

Re: Update 12
 

After experiencing Merrimack Week Zero, the true 10th defense are the boulders. Some robots just can't drive over them. And they are everywhere. Every. Where!

Re: Update 12
 

This just wasn't needed at this time in the build season. Wow First good job at panicking every FRC team in the world.

Re: Update 12
 

Yes... I saw more than one bot having issues at the Oxford MI Week Zero event. We even pinched one in the drivetrain... and we required a boulder-ectimy.

Re: Update 12
 

Our team had a little trouble when our makeshift 'net' of one belt let the ball get past it and wedge itself in the frame of the robot, out of reach of the arm. We were still able to drive around, but it still was a little annoying and let us know that we were correct about needing to add more of a net to the arm.

Re: Update 12
 

As someone who, on occasion, spits fire I can safely say how terrible an idea this is. That being said I do dislike our 2015 robot...

Re: Update 12
 

You are right this should come with a disclaimer and much training by GDC :D

"Most people who are taught fire breathing and eating skills are seasoned performers in their own right and are taught under the condition that the skills are not passed on until they become a recognised fire performer."

Re: Update 12
 

I would have to say it definitely worked...

Re: Update 12
 

I like your pun there :]