Re: Reasonable Guess of the Game...
 

Naw, I drove the old truck. I'm sure it was a denny's. It may have been a ways away I guess. The waiter told me that there was also a shipment of hinges (to make the fiberglass steps able to fit through doorways).

Re: Reasonable Guess of the Game...
 

American Standard: http://www.americanstandard-us.com/

Re: Reasonable Guess of the Game...
 

I'll alert the local LEGO League teams to expect stairs next year...


Wetzel

Any truth to the story?
 

Not that I doubt the truthfulness of your story :rolleyes: but why would FIRST receive a giant shipment of playing field objects? They only have to build one field for kickoff and they aren't handing out 5'x10' boxes to each team to take back home. Do you have any more details that will convince us that your story is true? I consider this post to be a rumor and nothing more.

I hope it ain't so...
 

When I have mixed feelings about this post when I saw it.

First, I want to thank you for your honesty and for sharing the info with everyone else so you are not the only one with the advantage of this new found hint of that game, if that is what you are trying to do. I am not sure everyone would do the same thing.

Having said that, I am not quite sure about publicizing such knowledge if it is indeed the truth. I would hate to see FIRST's surprise for everyone waiting nervously and eagerly for the new game ruined after so long of a wait. Kickoff is supposed to be all exciting, as we watch the live feed while the FIRST people tease us with little hints here and there (do you remember Blair popping out of no where with a soccer ball back at 2002?). The long wait and everyone being surprised at the exact same time is one of the best moment I've ever experienced.

Now, if it is a joke, or just a rumor, then it's all good fun. But your challenge to others to verify the info makes this sound more convincing than a joke or a rumor. So I don't know. I honestly hope we can preserve the moment FIRST prepared for us all year by thinking about this less, and not go any further beyond more speculation and guesses. But you are the one to choose the right thing to do, not me or other people.

Truth or joke? Time will tell.

Re: I hope it ain't so...
 

That's the point. Not to doubt the original poster's integrity, but you can't believe everything you read online. For all we know, he could be lying.

That said...it seems logical enough that the stairs would be for testing, say, the iBot wheelchair. And it seems like getting up stairs would be a nightmare for a lot of teams (with balance being the major issue). I don't think the field will involve stairs, but who knows?

Besides...someone on CD's going to be wrong eventually. Right now, our field is underwater with a fake ice surface, stairs, gigantic goals, and inflatable clowns... :D

Re: Reasonable Guess of the Game...
 

don't forget the pop bottles

Re: Reasonable Guess of the Game...
 

Re: Reasonable Guess of the Game...
 

Wow, this thread is going nowhere!!!

Back to its original intent:

My prediction:

-30-45 seconds of autonomous or an emphasis on semiautonomous functions.
-Dry ice and spa accessories are out of the question, FIRST would like every team to be able to build a practice field at thier school (so Home Depot and Wal-Mart materials exclusivly)
-A lengthening of the match time. If there is going to be more time for autonomous then this will definatley be nessacary (sorry for the spelling). 2:30 to 3:00 is my guess.
-Expect more ramps and obsticles (NOT Am-Sd Shower units).
-Obscure objects (like the containers from last year) will have to be manipulated, rather then balls.

As for a game, I have no clue.

Re: Reasonable Guess of the Game...
 

I would not expect match times to change, especially by becoming longer. As it is, there are regionals that can only accomodate 7 or 8 matches per team over the course of the 1.5 days of qualifying. Increasing the length of time of each match will decrease the number of matches per team to even more ridiculous levels.

Re: Reasonable Guess of the Game...
 

Some, like GLR, barely even fit in 6, let alone 7 or 8. I'd say longer match times are a no, unless more teams were to be playing.... 3v3, anyone? Muahahahaha.....

Re: Reasonable Guess of the Game...
 

I agree with time frames being the same. As for ice surfaces I am all for that but what about some of those warmer places. As for the game, look for about the same time in auto mode but maybe not at the beginning. You can bet that there will be something that adds that extra challenge to the game. How about different size balls scoring different points and maybe a suspended goal.

Bring on the hockey pucks. ;)

Re: Reasonable Guess of the Game...
 

Finally a great game.... 2 minutes to flush a toliet, and guess what everyone, the toilets will be filled with water(or a water substitue) so it will be a YOU GUESSED IT water game!!!!!!

*goes off to bathroom to flush the toliet*

Re: Reasonable Guess of the Game...
 

to go along with that. The good thing about not having autonomous in the beginning is it basically renders the "dead reckoning" method of programming uselss. By having it near the end or middle of a match, bots will have to rely more on sensors. 1) its more challenging 2) its more impressive 3) its more like how true autonomous robots operate (off sensors and input)

I think it would be fun, but then again I dont have to program these things.

Hockey pucks, kind of small dont you think? For bots the size of the ones in FIRST, hockey pucks are kind of small scoring objects, although that makes it more challenging, and fun.

Re: Reasonable Guess of the Game...
 

Stairs would simply be built from wood and cornered with steel angle. Fiberglass with these robots??

I have been saying that the auto mode will be at the end. imagine a zone where your robot scores points for being there. Put some reflective tape on the wall behind it and you can find it using previous sensors.
Choose to head there early and loose ability to manipulate scoring objects. Allow your robot to find its way there at the end and maximize points.

And we have used Pucks. It was 4 foot across in '99 :-) I would like to see that as the robot scoring area.