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[FRC Blog] Audience Displays and a Favor

Posted on the FRC Blog, 2/22/16: http://www.firstinspires.org/robotic...ys-and-a-favor

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Audience Displays and a Favor

Written by Danny Diaz, FIRST Robotics Competition Systems Engineer, 2016 FEB 22

We’re using today’s blog to give everyone a sneak peek at a few of the graphics you’ll be seeing up on the big screen at your events. This is for two reasons: first, we want you to be able to get the most out of the information we’re providing, and second we need you to do us a favor. First, let’s take a look at the screens. Please remember that team numbers/names/ranks/cards/defenses/events are all for illustrative purposes only and are not indicative of any actual or perceived clairvoyance or precognition. As far as you know.

Match Preview
Last year at many of the District Championships we introduced a new audience screen known as the “Match Preview” screen, this screen is used to introduce the teams that are playing in the upcoming match - props to the PNW District for inspiring this addition! FIRST STRONGHOLD now incorporates the “Match Preview” screen into its standard flow. In addition to the team introductions, this screen also includes the defense selections made by each alliance in the order in which the audience will see the defenses on the field. This will give the audience a peek at the defenses while the FIELD STEWARDS are changing out the defenses for the match. During playoffs this screen changes slightly to reflect alliance information as well as the series progress, e.g. “Red Leads Series.”

Real Time Scoring
Once the match is ready to begin, and while the match is running, the Real-Time scoring screen is displayed in the lower-20% of the live match video. You should recognize this screen from Figure 5-4 in the FRC 2016 Game Manual (Section 5). This screen provides information that reflects the current status on the game field, such as team information, Tower Strength, Defense Strength, Game Timer, Real-Time Score, and match/event information. You’ll notice that this year the Game Timer and match progress bar is shown right above the score banners and not in the tournament header section. Also the defenses are represented by Strength Bars, each bar represents a defense in the same field order as the Match Preview screen; the bar will be completely full of the alliance color when it’s at full strength (Strength=2), half-full when the defense is at half strength (Strength=1), and empty when the defense is DAMAGED. During Playoffs, a banner will appear under the team “pennants” to indicate which alliance the teams belong to. And finally the Head Referee has the ability to place the match “Under Review” at any point in the match this season, indicating that further referee review is required to finalize the match outcome, and this will be indicated on the screen between the match scores.

Match Results
Once the match details have been finalized by the Head Referee, the Match Results screen will be shown; this display is synchronized with the changing of the tower flags to indicate a successful capture. The Match Results display contains a wealth of information. During qualification matches each team is displayed with their team number, card(s) issued to them during the match, their new ranking, and how that rank changed versus their prior ranking; during playoffs this information is combined for the alliance. If a team receives a red card during the match or a yellow card with no prior card carry, the yellow or red card will be shown; if a team receives a yellow card during the match with a prior yellow card carried into the match, which promotes to a red card, a double-card graphic is shown to indicate this card promotion. Each alliance is also shown the progress of their match goals; the goal of the Red Alliance to capture the Blue Tower and breach the Blue Outer Works is shown (and the resultant RP or match points, depending on Qualification or Playoff level, respectively), and vice versa. Included is also the points breakdown for Tower Points (boulders scored in towers), Defense crossing points, penalty points from penalties committed by the opposing alliance, and points awarded for scaling or challenging the opposing alliance’s Tower. Also new this year is a “High Score” indicator when a new local tournament high score has been achieved and a “Victor” banner that indicates which alliance won the match (or “Tied” banner if the alliances tie the match).

Audience Defense Selection
The Audience Defense Selection screen is used to help the audience choose the Audience Defense for Qualification and Playoff matches. The first Audience Defense is selected during opening ceremonies, and after that the Audience Defense is selected three matches prior to the beginning of the next round; at smaller events where there are only four matches between rounds, the second round Audience Defense might be chosen immediately after the first match! The Audience Defense Selection screen shows the two defenses from the next defense category to select between, as well as the matches the defense will be used in. Once selected by the Audience, and verified by the Head Referee, the selected defense will be indicated.

The Favor
Finally, we need all teams to do us a quick favor. In order to get the most out of the Match Preview screen we ask for all teams to have their Primary Team Contact verify/update their team information in TIMS – specifically the “Team Nickname” field within the “Team Information” page, as this is what will be shown on the Match Preview screen (to edit, use the “Edit Details” button at the bottom of the “Team Information” page). If your team nickname is too long, however, it will be truncated to fit the allowed area on the screen with ellipses indicating the truncation. The font used for the Team Nickname in the Match Preview screen is the variable-width font “Tahoma” at a 28pt font size using a Bold weight, and team nicknames greater than 420px long using that font will be truncated. You can test your team nickname in Microsoft Word (or comparable software) by using the specified font and keeping the total text length to four (4) inches or less using the horizontal document ruler as a reference.

Have a GREAT tournament season!

Re: [FRC Blog] Audience Displays and a Favor

Love all of the information FIRST is giving us on matches.

Though I have to point out, how could the regional high score be broken with a high score of 190 in eliminations when two alliances scored 192 in qualifications. Continuity error! :P

Re: [FRC Blog] Audience Displays and a Favor

I enjoy that FIRST tried to pick some medieval themed teams for the graphics. I'm happy to know that my team is ranked 21st at an event we aren't attending :).

Re: [FRC Blog] Audience Displays and a Favor

We already got a red card and we haven't even gotten onto the field yet! :eek:

But I'm excited for this new display system!

Re: [FRC Blog] Audience Displays and a Favor

That looks so cool, nice job FIRST.

Re: [FRC Blog] Audience Displays and a Favor

Losing in the quarters? We'll see about that. ;)

Re: [FRC Blog] Audience Displays and a Favor

Been seeing our team number and name in a lot of stuff FIRST posts. I like it.

I also like the design of the screens.

Re: [FRC Blog] Audience Displays and a Favor

I have been disappointed before with how little information the audience receives after matches, but I have absolutely nothing to complain about this year on that front. In some respects, this even begins to seem like overkill, but I think displaying information, no matter how trivial, is almost always better than just endlessly playing the sponsor reel.

I am a particularly large fan of the match preview screens. This will greatly help the crowd to have a better understanding of what is to come. The yellow/red card indicators and "under review" signs are also nice to keep the audience informed about what is going on.

Re: [FRC Blog] Audience Displays and a Favor

I'm thinking that at many venues the audience display resolution is going to be too low to identify some of those icons. Heck, at some regionals it's nearly impossible to read the "remaining teams" list during Alliance selections. I'll be happy to be wrong about this...

Re: [FRC Blog] Audience Displays and a Favor

I really like what FIRST is doing here... the screens are good, and particularly the pre-match screen helps give a little anticipation before the match for those that don't know the robots as well.

I would like to see two improvements though:

1. Make the alliance score BIGGER!! It's totally reasonable on a computer screen, but on the projector at many events it'll be very difficult to read... and it's the one thing that should be legible by someone with 20/20 eyesight anywhere in the venue. Even at the NH Week Zero (which was in a small venue) it was difficult for me to read the score!

2. Post the broken-out scores (Auto, Defenses, Tower, Challenge/Scale, Foul) on the FIRST results page for each match. FIRST seems to finally be understanding their part of the "Make It Loud" concept... As with any competitive sport (student or professional), teams can have a lot of "fans" when there is the opportunity to actually follow the teams (at events, online, and through webcasts). Providing more results info and better webcasts to teams, parents, friends, sponsors, and die-hard FIRSTers will always promote Making It Loud.

Re: [FRC Blog] Audience Displays and a Favor

Here's another observation, and this might just be me.

As I'm watching the Palmetto webcast, I'm inclined to read the blue bars (and the blue tower #) as "This is what the blue alliance has accomplished so far", since it's on the same side of the screen as the blue team numbers.

However, now that I've watched matches for a bit, I understand that the blue bars mean "strength of blue Outer Works, as done by the red alliance" - same with the tower.

Did anyone else get the same confusion at first, or am I just really bad at reading the display?

Re: [FRC Blog] Audience Displays and a Favor

Libby, I thought the same thing until match 8. I was really confused...

Re: [FRC Blog] Audience Displays and a Favor

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Originally Posted by Libby K (Post 1547443)

Here's another observation, and this might just be me.

I had the same backwards issue for a few matches. I only noticed the difference b/c 179 outscored the people they were playing.

You are not alone. (My personal preference would be to have them switched. But now that I understand what the display is showing it isn't so bad.)

Re: [FRC Blog] Audience Displays and a Favor

Quote:

Originally Posted by Libby K (Post 1547443)

Did anyone else get the same confusion at first, or am I just really bad at reading the display?

This really confused me during week 0 and still think it seems backwards. I think it would make more sense if teams received bonus points for maintaining their tower and defenses, but they don't so it makes little sense to have that information on their side of the scoreboard.

Re: [FRC Blog] Audience Displays and a Favor

If you think of it like a hand to hand video game like street fighter, the display makes more sense to me. On your half, you have your score and your remaining health.

Re: [FRC Blog] Audience Displays and a Favor

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Originally Posted by Libby K (Post 1547443)

Here's another observation, and this might just be me.

I super agree, rather than filling in with white, filling in with the other Alliance's color might make it more intuitive.

However, the new Audience Display is makes watching Webcasts much easier! I kind of wish there was a flash to get my attention when something subtle changed, but hey I like it.

Re: [FRC Blog] Audience Displays and a Favor

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Originally Posted by engunneer (Post 1547459)

If you think of it like a hand to hand video game like street fighter, the display makes more sense to me. On your half, you have your score and your remaining health.

Yeah but losing health doesn't effect your points. It would be different if everyone started with x points and teams lost points when their defenses and towers are attacked.

Re: [FRC Blog] Audience Displays and a Favor

Quote:

Originally Posted by engunneer (Post 1547459)

If you think of it like a hand to hand video game like street fighter, the display makes more sense to me. On your half, you have your score and your remaining health.

Yeah, the visuals and gameplay of this game are heavily influenced by video games. This way of doing it makes sense to me, even if it's a but different than what you'd expect based on previous years.

Re: [FRC Blog] Audience Displays and a Favor

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Originally Posted by Rangel(kf7fdb) (Post 1547463)

Yeah but losing health doesn't effect your points. It would be different if everyone started with x points and teams lost points when their defenses and towers are attacked.

^This. Unlike in video games, you don't really care about your remaining health. It is not like you lose if you reach 0.

I find it weird that when blue scores, something happens on Red's side of the screen that doesn't affect Red.

Re: [FRC Blog] Audience Displays and a Favor

Quote:

Originally Posted by engunneer (Post 1547459)

If you think of it like a hand to hand video game like street fighter, the display makes more sense to me. On your half, you have your score and your remaining health.

That does help when *I* think about it, and after fully understanding the scoreboard... but what about my mom in the audience who's never played Street Fighter?

Just because a lot of this community plays video games doesn't mean it's intuitive to the folks from 'outside the tent' FIRST has been trying to bring in this season...

Edit: Beat me to it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by XaulZan11 (Post 1547469)

Re: [FRC Blog] Audience Displays and a Favor

Quote:

Originally Posted by Libby K (Post 1547443)

This definitely threw me at first. I can understand the logic behind the layout, but I think it might be a little more intuitive if the center section was flipped. That would align an Alliance's score and team numbers with the end of the field where they are scoring, and presumably spending most of the match.

Re: [FRC Blog] Audience Displays and a Favor

Quote:

Originally Posted by Libby K (Post 1547443)

Here's another observation, and this might just be me.

Im having to readjust my thinking every like minute during matches to account for this. Its really annoying.

Re: [FRC Blog] Audience Displays and a Favor

Quote:

Originally Posted by dodar (Post 1547477)

Im having to readjust my thinking every like minute during matches to account for this. Its really annoying.

Same here. Watching the LED displays on the defenses and towers helps for me to get it right.

Re: [FRC Blog] Audience Displays and a Favor

Quote:

Originally Posted by Caleb Sykes (Post 1547489)

Same here. Watching the LED displays on the defenses and towers helps for me to get it right.

Same, though the far low bar in the webcast can sometimes look lit when it is actually damaged

Re: [FRC Blog] Audience Displays and a Favor

Whats going to be even more annoying is when the webcam is on the opposite side of the field and the sides of the score don't line up with the side of the field.

Re: [FRC Blog] Audience Displays and a Favor

Quote:

Originally Posted by Libby K (Post 1547443)

Here's another observation, and this might just be me.

Now it makes sense. I was wondering how Blue had so few points after crossing so many defenses, and red had so many after just one. I thought they were just putting up dummy scores and graphics.

I can read it now, but the other way is more intuitive to me.

Re: [FRC Blog] Audience Displays and a Favor

Quote:

Originally Posted by Conor Ryan (Post 1547460)

I super agree, rather than filling in with white, filling in with the other Alliance's color might make it more intuitive.

Good idea, I second.

Re: [FRC Blog] Audience Displays and a Favor

Quote:

Originally Posted by Boe (Post 1547520)

Whats going to be even more annoying is when the webcam is on the opposite side of the field and the sides of the score don't line up with the side of the field.

This is always really confusing. Seems easy to fix though!

Re: [FRC Blog] Audience Displays and a Favor

I'd also like to point out that the little arrows indicating whether a team has moved up or down in the rankings are almost irrelevant this year. The rankings this year are based on metrics that can only go up, rather than averages that can rise and fall. That means that the only way a robot can possibly move down in ranking during a match this year is if a robot on their opposing alliance overtakes them. This seems to be pretty rare, and most (if not all?) matches that I've seen have ended with all the robots on both alliances rising in ranking.

Re: [FRC Blog] Audience Displays and a Favor

Quote:

Originally Posted by sdangelo (Post 1547611)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Conor Ryan (Post 1547460)

I super agree, rather than filling in with white, filling in with the other Alliance's color might make it more intuitive.

Good idea, I second.

Filling in with the opposing alliance's color has the potential to be even more confusing when the bars are half red/half blue. Or if all the defenses have been damaged, it could be misinterpreted as all of them at full health. I like how the white is a clear indicator of which defenses have been weakened/damage. My only critique would be for the white to fill in from the right side of the bar for the red alliance (to better align with arcade fighter/video game health bar conventions).

After watching a few matches, understanding the display is pretty intuitive. Good job, FIRST!

Re: [FRC Blog] Audience Displays and a Favor

Quote:

Originally Posted by Libby K (Post 1547443)

Here's another observation, and this might just be me.

I just wished the team numbers and scores were flipped. I keep getting confused why the blue side defenses are so low but the score is so low.

Also dashes in the defense bars to divide them in to two.

Oh and I think there could be room for team names or at least short versions of them.

Finally just personally I wished the tower power was shown more graphically instead of just a number. Like an 8 dashed circle around the icon or the icon empties as it's damaged.

Re: [FRC Blog] Audience Displays and a Favor

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kristian Calhoun (Post 1547620)

My only critique would be for the white to fill in from the right side of the bar for the red alliance (to better align with arcade fighter/video game health bar conventions).

Looks like they fixed that - the red and blue now fill opposite from each other. Either you've got ESP or someone must be listening! :p

This layout seems to me more appropriate for offseasons where you might not have the defense lights - you can look up and see the state of the field, you don't have to derive the state of each defense because it's clearly shown. Sure, it's a bit confusing because the robots primarily spend their time on the opposite side of the field as the drivers (and you get points for doing stuff on the opposite side of the field).

Damned if you do, damned if you don't.

-G

Re: [FRC Blog] Audience Displays and a Favor

After seeing (or not seeing, rather) this screen for the first time, I have to say, I wasn't able to see it. A lot of space is wasted on the blocks and trees, and the text is far too small. They need to ditxh the theme and full screen the important stuff. The blue being a darker shade would help too.