new game
 

anybody got any idea what the game is gonna be like this year???????

Well, Elgin Clock explains his theory in this thread:

http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/sh...threadid=22406

and it's the only one that's been forwarded so far. Basically, he believes that 55 gallon drums will be involved, as well as moving smaller scoring objects around, possibly removing them from the drums.
I think he's probably got it.
We also do know that:
-Auto mode is back
-The field will remain the same size/shape
-It is 99% likely to remain 2v2 (the only suspicious thing about this is a few posts from Dave...but you never know what he's up to...:D )
-It's gonna be coool!
From all the little tips I keep picking up from here and there (FIRST people and non) It just sounds like they've cooked up something really cool that they don't want to give much info about (other than the suspected hint in Elgin's Post).
Thus I added my little line below the logo in my sig.
I'm getting pumped already!
Only 8 weeks 'til kickoff!

The one thing I am curious to know is this....does anyone know what the field in Alanta is going to be like? I remember my comp. team whining and moaning about how long the ramp was to go into the arena at Huston and I am curious to know if the set up is any better this year. Any ideas?

OOOO, monkeys!

would they have to do this autonomously?

Clowns. No joke.

thanks big mike for you awesome reply i am sure looking foward to monkey taking over my brain and robot not no dude this game is suppost to me so awesome this year

goooooooooo chiefs

If I remember correctly, way back when the venue was announced in August, this was discussed - no one liked the ramps very much. :)

I think I remember someone saying that the distance between the likely pit and competition areas was much shorter, and can be covered without any ramps.

no... the drivers will operate them via a holographic display system in the feild

Ok, this is totally secret, so dont tell anyone I told you

but I got it straight from DK

this years kits of parts will use nanotechnology

the playfield will be 1mm long and 0.5 mm wide

and we will have to build nanobots - max size: 24nM by 26nM by60nM

and the whole game will be played under an electron microscope!

[now remember, you didnt hear this from me - I was never here!]

Man, It's gonna be hard building a robot that small with a 6" x 7" x 0.9" Robot Controller!(http://innovationfirst.com/FIRSTRobotics/edu-rc.htm) :rolleyes:
j/k :D

Yes, you're right. Except, there are some ramps. I think it's just a simple like 14 feet ramp (if I rmemeber what they said correctly) though just to move up and down slightly, so it's nothing major (none of the 5000000000 ramps like Houston) so this shouldn't be a major problem, and the distance is like 1/5 the distance Houston was, so it's not a crazy walk.

i thought the ramps or anthing has'nt been unvailed yet so how do you guys know what the ramp are gonna be like

now i just have to figure out how to fix my school's electron microscope....

they are talking about the ramps between the pits and the playfield

I wasnt there, but apparently you had to pickup your bot and carry it to get over obsticals at the championship last year.

when they quit working, 95% of the time they are out of electrons

try filling the hopper

We're not talking about the game, we're talking about the walking distance to get back and forth between the pits and the competition at nationals.

basically, for those of you that weren't there. the pit area was set up in the astrodome. to get out of it, you had to take your robot along a series of 5 or 6 long semi-steep cement ramps. once outside of the building, you had to walk over the 500 ft or so to Reliant Stadium and then again, follow a series of 5 or 6 cement ramps down to the playing field. it was bothersome and difficult when you were with the robot, but as a person you could generally avoid them ;)

(sure glad i was robot-less...i think i only walked the ramps about 200 times during nationals)

Its not that simple im afraid, a pipe broke over the summer, and the entire room it is in was soaked, it needs major, major repair works.

and don't forget the GIANT RAMp from outside into the pits. It dropped about 1 ft down fro every 1.5 feet forward. With 10000 people cramming down this ramp on thursday morning, its safe to say that it wasnt fun. And the ramps were all terrible because they tried to use golf-carts to transport the robot the first day, but that ended up in a terrible hang-up. I heard a rumor thata couple robots fell off the golf-carts.....

basically, it was a good idea, but a poor set-up

The game will involve true human-robot interface - midgets as scoring devices! Drop the midget in the keg! Whoo!

Bagel Bytes
 

Kegs Full of bagels, Shoot the bagels straight up into the sky and and make thm go into the keg from atop YES!!! and isntant DQ if u hit the other robot umm im liking this game already

Re: new game
 

Chase people around the whole arena.... :D

Thats right, Walker cant tell us "ducks" anything about the game ;)

Re: new game
 

You lost all your electrons?- are you positive?

sorry if you get heated over this silly post but I couldn't resist

WC
:cool:

Re: new game
 

Isn't that an oxymoron?

Re: new game- this is it!
 

I just heard from a reliable source that works near the FIRST facilities and had an opportunity to spied on the game makers. He reported several large containers hidden in the back (see attached spy picture).
There were several of these contains, he said one was filled with empty 2-liter plastic Coke bottles only and the other was filled with empty 2-liter plastic Pepsi bottles. Some were crashed too.

So using our “gray” matters, we conjured up a 2004 game using the criteria of cheap and easy playing field using the items seen.

We think it’s 99% accurate.

The teams will not be red vs. blue but…. Coke vs. Pepsi. (Red is Coke and Blue is Pepsi; obvious!) On the field there will be four large 55-gallon drums (see, there are drums in the game). One drum for each robot, so it’s a 2 vs. 2 game.
One drum is filled with empty 2-lite Coke bottles and the other filled with empty Pepsi bottles. (keep up with me…think cheap playing field)

The point of the game is to empty your drums of 2-liter bottles and put them in the 4 green recycle containers in the middle of the field (the game has an environment theme).
You get one point for each Coke or Pepsi bottle in the recycle container.
See the advantages- not only is the playing field cheap to build but the game will create rivalry between Coke and Pepsi! More sponsorship?

That’s the 2004 Game!!!!!
(yes, I have a lot of time on my hand these days; thank god CD is back on line)

Re: new game- this is it!
 

I don't know. it seems a little to "dumb." But i did read some where else that the game may have 55-gallon drums and the field would be cheap to make. It could be a stepping stone with the new programming and all. We will see soon enough

Re: new game
 

That may only be part of the game. If there are cans involved, they'll probably just be mixed together or something, or have the labels erased. The only problem with soda cans is that if a robot runs over one... that could cause some major issues. First off, you'd be going through cans like mad. Second, those who use thin pneumatic wheels may (though I doubt it) risk a puncture running over a can. And, it would be hard for rookies. There needs to be a basic "pushing" scoring method, without using the cans. I dunno. Sounds more likely than anything else put forth though. And yes, Elgin Clock posted his theory that 55 gallon drums would be involved based on a FIRST Email blast. I think he was right. We'll just have to wait and see...

edit:
Ok, I just reread the previous post and I see he stated plastic 2-liter bottles. That is kinda likely... but you'd still go through them kinda quickly.

Re: new game- this is it!
 

Okay, so we've all recognized and moved past that the real reason one would find such things at FIRST headquarters is because, well, it'd be their garbage?

I just need to be sure, 'cause sometimes it's hard to tell what you folks are thinking ;)

Re: new game
 

the obvious solution is to use the large population of FIRSTers on hand at the competition to replinish the supply by donating their empty cans

Re: new game
 

LOL, I guess that's that then!
Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!
:D

Re: new game
 

Re: new game
 

cool pong is fun, can it be done autonomously like in the game

Re: new game
 

Sure! Just have the ball be completely retro-reflective. Then you can track it's position!

Re: new game
 

fantastic! and you probably wouldn't have to worry much about the weight limitations on the bot either.

::raises glass:: to pong! ::drinks::

Re: new game
 

Exactly. And we could have sensors on one side of the robot tracking the ball. and there could be more than one ball! Oooh... This is exciting!

Re: new game
 

Obviously, it will be played on turf.

How do I know this?

Dave moved to a house with a yard big enough for testing the playing field on this past summer.

The conclusion is obvious.


Wetzel
~~~~~~~~~~~~
1254 Sherwood Lane

Re: new game- this is it!
 

Oh...you have good point, the spy did said his full time job is a Sanitation Engineer.
:D ;)

PS- I vote for the "Pong" Game too! and everything will be in B&W to keep with tradition of a real "Pong" Game. (actually, I may still have one in the garage)
:o

Re: new game- this is it!
 

But what about good ol' green or amber & black? And how will we have black rotating *lights*? ;)

Re: new game
 

[quote=Sachiel7...Elgin Clock posted his theory that 55 gallon drums would be involved based on a FIRST Email blast. I think he was right. We'll just have to wait and see...QUOTE]


You know, I was wondering what would happen IF I was right?? Or if anybody's guess was dead on right for that matter..

Do you think they would change the game at this point if someone actually had a guess that was nearly there?

Re: new game
 

No, I doubt they'd change it. They probably just would try to deter the subject, or ignore the post.
I hope the drums do play a role though, It'd be a little bit different, depending on how they're used...
We'll just have to wait and see...
36 days to go...

Re: new game
 

Wow... 36 days... I never thought of it that way. Wo0t! I'm really excited now!

Re: new game
 

I've got it!

Combining three ideas:
-Elgin's theory with the drums
-Mike's game involving monkeys
-IST (Becca?)'s robotic Pong (remember: Pong is a video game)

and the only remaining option is...

DONKEY KONG!

I can see it now...

Re: new game
 

I would like to clear a few things up about next years games, for some of the predictions i have read thay are not going to happen, the biggest one I heard was a water compotition, :ahh: now come on that would be a cool game to do but 1: its to expensive for FIRST and where are u going to put a tank big enough for a compotition. 2: its to hard to build a water tight robot exspecialy for rookie teams so people please get the Water compotitions out of your head listen to me when I say this " IT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN"

Re: new game
 

Notice that this is rumor mill... it's more of a joking around thing then anything ;) It's all in good fun.

Re: new game
 

hey man maybe to you it joking around but it more then that it were you can get insite i new things and new game my friend :yikes:

Re: new game
 

True, but my 200+ lb scuba robot will only weight 20+ lbs in the water!
:D ;)

Re: new game
 

please, PLEASE don't turn this into yet another water game thread!!! :ahh:
No, the water's not going to happen for years to come.
Several things that I did want to point out:
-In the thread Elgin Clock created, dlavery (head of the game comitee) posted links ot all sorts of things. Everyone looked literally at what he was posting, but not what they all had in common : air. They were all inflatable, or used air to temporarily "inflate" them. Also, dlavery never denied or adressed Elgin's theory on the 55 gallon drums. If he got it right, don't you think that they would probably just ignore it, change the subject, or attempt a sidetrack? It seems that may have been what dlavery was up to. Or he just really enjoys inflatable tanks. who knows.
But for those guessing that the field will change shape/size, I wouldn't count on it. FIRST just put out some major $$$ a few years ago to get (22?) permanent fields made, and they're not about to scrap all that.
So, if it's the same size/shape, it would also be difficult to house more than 4 robots. That's NOT to say it will be 2v2 (though my guess is that that will stick).
Auto mode is back. This has been confirmed by loads of sources. When and where, we don't know. If you want a little proof, scan through the default edu code til you hit the autonomous mode variable. It's still there, and so is the pinouts for the OI, still containing an auto switch. Many people have expressed ideas of scattering auto mode around to different times within the match, or for different lengths. My guess is that since this os only the second year it's being implemented, it will remain at the beginning. If anything changes, they'll shorten the time to 10 seconds, but I wouldn't entirely count on it.
A KOTH "positioning" type scoring method has a good chance of getting back in too. We've had it for a few years now, and it gives those rookies who only have a driving bot an alternate scoring method. As for where the robots will be starting, that's a great question. Before, it has been right in front of the drivers. This past year, we had to work with it being across the ramp.
We'll just have to wait and see.

Re: new game
 

Random thought: what if the clown idea was combined with the drum idea?

Then we'd have inflatable clowns to put in drums! That sounds like fun...

Re: new game
 

Here is my annual post in support of footballs:

I support footballs. They're cool. Unpredictable. Require ingenuity. UMmm, I'm sure there's other reasons. I support footballs.

- Patrick

Re: new game
 

Notice that my yard is now covered in snow...

-dave

--------------------------------------------

26 days to go!!!!

Re: new game
 

Oh yeah...does this mean we will have a snow game??? Come on Dave, i just spent my whole past weekend removing too much snow from my home(s) in Albany, N.Y.!

~Mike

Re: new game
 

snow...Snow! You got snow! I got rain :(

Re: new game
 

umh..a CLUE! .... yard... field ...snow..... snowballs... shovels... sleds... skiis.... snowboards.

That's it robots on snowboards or skateboards! ;)

25 days to go! *scream*

Re: new game
 

25 days? That's til the 3rd, not the 10th. Did FIRST back up kickoff?!?!
Or am I just going crazy?

Re: new game
 

Oops! I'm just following Dave .....

(Looks like both Dave & I can't do simple math.)

25 days + 7 more = Jan. 10th 2004. (that looks more correct)
:o

Re: new game
 

Or maybe that wrong date given is a hint to this years game scoring curve for the winning alliance. Like last year he gave out a hint, ax^2+bx+c to confuse people. Maybe instead this year the loser gets thier score and the winner gets thier score + 20% of thier score. :D

Re: new game - The return of... / And some praise too!!
 

So does this mean the return of "plow" bots? ;) lol


BTW, dave I have to commend you.. If I was in your shoes (pretty big shoes to fill btw) I would be going mad looking at all these guesses and not being able to say a darn word!!

Let's hear it for self-control!!! :cool:

Re: new game
 

I saw this one coming. ::shakes head:: At least this one wasn't a hot dog joke.

Re: new game
 

Not FIRST, but Spirit!

And you call yourselves geeks.


Wetzel
~~~~~~~~~
Opportunity is next.

Re: new game
 

My math is absolutely correct. Are you sure about your assumptions? ;)

-dave

--------------------------

24 days to go!!!!

Re: new game
 

Dave does have the best math in the world.... remember last year's kickoff?

Re: new game
 

oh.....maybe.... in 24 days.... something will be announced by FIRST!
Like one of those brain teaser clues they drop on us to make us crazy.
:eek: :ahh:

Re: new game
 

Oh Shoot!!!
You're probably right!
They're going to blast something that'll have us writhing in our little daily lives for a whole week until kickoff!!!!
We'll catch ourselves playing Tic-Tac-Toe just to pass the time!
MAN!
I'm already going crazy enough, but this...this...this is just too much!!
Ahhhhhhhhhhhh!!!! :ahh:

EDIT:
Aw Shoot. Just as I suspected, Dave is feeding us more info related to other stuff than FIRST, and seeing how we run about like a bunch of hens. Cool though.
This should answer the big question:

http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/newsr...20031202a.html

January 3rd is the Day when the Spirit is Scheduled to land on Mars.

Re: new game
 

we will have to build life size ninjas to fight in an arena, oh but wait, thats not in the spirit of first....sooooooo, they'll have to "strategically disable" the other ninja

Re: new game
 

...and it maybe a clue. The Lego League theme is "Mission to Mars" and many times people have pointed out that FRC clues maybe found in the FLL game.
(and Dave keep referencing that date)
:eek:

Re: new game
 

Maybe rocks will be the next game piece...
or giant foam rocks...
And we'll have to put them into the "Research Storage" bin (55 gallon drum)
the rocks may be light, but each one is shaped a little differently...

Re: new game
 

There's no reason the game hs to be a KOTH. Our rookie year (2000) wasn't a KOTH match. KOTB (king of the bar) yes. The bar thing really made it a bit harder.

I hope to see something like the guesses from last year. NERF Footballs. Maybe hang from a goal post. Kick feild goals & run for TD's. OR. Kill the bot with the ball, 1v1v1v1v1. Every bot for itself. You get points for how long you can hold the nerf.

Or if you can put inflatable footballs into garbage cans with monkeys drinking pop underwater. Now THAT would be fun.

Re: new game
 

Hasn't the goal of the past few Mars missions been a search for water?

And what is snow but frozen water?

I know that a water game would be a huge challenge for everyone (especially us programmers...a third axis of motion would be awful :(), but that just might fit with Dave's hints...

Re: new game
 

My point was that I think Dave's countdown is just for the Mars Mission. Not anything FIRST related. But we'll see.
Yeah, they're searching for water, among other things.
And please, I beg of you, don't discuss water-game related ideas here, save that for the other 5 water game threads :o

Re: new game
 

I hope this years game is really and truly multi-faceted. I hope it involves a lot of make or break strategy and is involved. Don't get me wrong, the past two years games have been fun but clearly only involved one aspect, brute strength. Last year we had these boxes, but since the ramp was worth so many points it was almost no point in going for the boxes and just ended up as a pushing match on the ramp. That is fun for a while, but it does not involve tons of strategery. I would have liked to see the king of the hill ramp being worth less points thus there would be lots of ideas and innovation on manipulators and arms and grabbing mechanisms and the game would be more fun and intense and strategy related. this year, i hope there is a highly strategic game maybe reverting back to some past games with putting some sort of object in a trough or high goal or somehting. something that involves some manipulation and points that are equally distributed.

Re: new game
 

:confused: :yikes: dude there is know doubt in my mined that this years game wont be good i mean you know that dean wont let some cheesy game come near the first program the question we got to ask is are we ready for whats about to come :ahh:

Re: new game
 

Oh yeah, we are totally ready. Bring on the challenge! :] :D

Re: new game
 

dude i like the way you said that it the on way to be :cool:

Info from inside source!! Really! :)
 

I have information from a very reliable source that this year will be a good game. I don't want to reveal my source, but he is working for FIRST, of course he wouldnt tell me any details, but I was able to get this much out of him:

WernerNYK: hmm
WernerNYK: so does that mean that you know this year's game already?
BillyBob: yup
WernerNYK: really.
BillyBob: uh huh
WernerNYK: @$@% you
WernerNYK: i know you cant say anything about it tho
BillyBob: hehe you guys are gonna like it
BillyBob: well-- you will like it, i can say that
WernerNYK: heh, yea i was just gonna ask if it was good
BillyBob: i think it is, i would like it
WernerNYK: i'm praying that it's less speed and power of driveline and more finesse and articulation
BillyBob: hehe
WernerNYK: cause that's all the past 2 years have been
WernerNYK: mostly
BillyBob: hrm

Re: new game
 

I'll take his word for it. I've only been picking up bits and peices of it, and I'm already liking it :)

Re: new game
 

Personally I can see this being based on a MARS Mission

I can see some type of gate or ramp structure again this year... probably not as large as Stack Attack but some sort of Ramp.

I think we are probably going to see some kind of "goals" as well (Most likely red to go along with the mars theme); it would be interesting if they are so huge that only the robots with the most power could move them.

It would be interesting if there was some type of varied terrain to move over, maybe like recycled D-Cell batteries.... something similar to that size.

Re: new game
 

You start off on one level, and must survive the transistion 20 feet down to the next level!

We will of course have bigger compressor for airbags AND pnumatic motors.
Also, we will have to buff the floor removing any treadmarks and other layers of stuff to uncover possible multpliers that could be anywhere beneath the playing surface.


Wetzel

Re: new game
 

Anyone know the coefficient of friction between Brecoflex and Battery Acid? :ahh:

Re: new game
 

heh I was thinking the same thing when I wrote it.... it could get a bit dangerous

Re: new game
 

As far as going through items, I remember going through boxes on top of boxes last year. FIRST may decide to use something similar in shape, but more sturdy, or maybe even re-expandable (think balloons). What could be used as a similar size as a 2-liter bottle or soda can, I'm not exactly sure. If they DO go with lots of cans and/or bottles, I'm sure they'll have many many many.

Re: new game
 

I know this may be kinda off topic to what you all are talking about but last night I had a Dream that the field will be exactly like a hockey rink except the ice will be fake ice. A surface very similar to HDPE (it was on Viva La Bam's Christmas Special). We will only be aloud to use hockey-skate-blades to move instead of wheels, treads, etc.You may laugh now but you watch. In my "out of body experience" I was at the Kickoff and was asleep. I then woke up saw the game field and whent down to examine it closely.. That is how I am pretty sure what I have described for you is correct. ;)

Re: new game
 

an all HDPE field would sure be interesting.reminds me of the thread Dave L. posted asking for suggestions on the 2003 game. Someone mentioned using an ice field, with hovercraft like goals and what not.

wait a minute.
Daves been posting all this stuf about air and inflatable things right?????
Well say Henry222 is on to something.
An all HDPE field with some sort of hovercraft element to it.

yeah, right, it'd be fun though

its amazing what the human brain can come up with when it has nothing else better to do late at night.

Re: new game
 

Yeah I guese I have ADD in my sleep along with the Bradley's in the day. It is a disorder made by me after someone given to FIRST 'ers that can't keep their hands off of things especial mechanical, electrical and robotics
so naturally I have some time to think about a lot of stuff.

Re: new game
 

clowns in drums..... sounds like the makings of a good ol rodeo! :D

This year's game is also going to double its fun because it will lower the cost of using the facilities at regionals. The field will be standard size, and will be half carpet, half wood. There will be some office furniture made of plywood, carpeting, and strengthening 2x4s. There will also be two roll around office chairs for the referees! Dirt and various messes will be put on the floor and the robot will try to get the most dirt and clean up the most messes, and then polish the wood floor. After each day is over, teams will volunteer their robot to clean the facilities, thus taking away the need for the facility to bring in a bunch of extra janitors.

After the regionals and nationals, teams could sell their robots to big companies where the robots would autonomously assist the janitors.