No really, what do you think the game will be like?
 

We've had the silly threads, the jokes, the clowns, and dlavery, but now I'm serious. Dead serious. We have 5 days to go and now I'm really asking for your real opinions here, what do you think the game will be like? 2 vs 2? Balls, bins, floppies? Autonomous? Just list it out.

2 vs. 2
Autonomous at end
Oil Drums
Weights
Two small ramps where the robots start on.

Re: No really, what do you think the game will be like?
 

I'm thinking stairs and giant balls. We haven't had to pick up anything singularly massive recently, unless you count stacking the bins. Robots will not be touching the ground at the end of a match.

Re: No really, what do you think the game will be like?
 

one twist to the game I have been expecting for a while is

scoring during the game - teams will score points while the game is in action, instead of determine the score after its all over based on where everything is.

for example, something like robot soccer? one ball, goal posts...

Re: No really, what do you think the game will be like?
 

I agree with Ken, although I think that you will be awarded points for completing something quickly. For example, if the game lasts 2 minutes (120 seconds) then you will get points for [dropping an object into a bin] after a certain amount of time. If you droped it in 30 seconds into the game, you'd get 90 points (120 - time it took you in seconds). Although I think that it'll be more like constrcuting something rather then dropping a ball into a bin.

Stairs would be a really neat twist. It would require all teams to develop some kind of neat stair climber, since all of the previous games have been on flat planes that required conventional drivesystems. FIRST would factor that in and make the game easier.

Autonomous was a smash success, so it'll probobly be lengthened to 30 seconds+. Perhaps the robots will have to climb a stair case during autonomous.

Judging by previous years, FIRST will want a quick paced game, so obsticles like stairs and [many] oil drums probobly won't be in this year's game.

Re: No really, what do you think the game will be like?
 

I think we will get some task that will be worth more points if done in automode than if you do it in normal driver mode, such as drive over here, pick up object, drive over here and place object in container off the ground. That would give a nice challange to programmers, but wouldn't make a huge differance for younger teams if they can't do it in auto, unlike the huge disadvantage you got last year if you didn't make it over the ramp in auto.

I believe the game will be on the same size field, 2vs2 again, and hopefully with a lot of uniformly shapped objects. One feature I think will come back soon is something similar to the 99' puck. For those unfamiliar, it was a large ocotgon platform on casters, with 8 metal posts sticking up in each corner. You got points for having the puck in your end of the field when the match was over, and then for having your robot either on top of the puck or hanging from one of the posts not touching the ground. Whatever we get I'm sure if will be fun to design for as always.

Re: No really, what do you think the game will be like?
 

I agree that running scoring during the 2 minutes is appealing. I wonder how it will be practical electronically, however.
My vote is for a maze of some sort with points for making it through and across the back line during the autonomous period.
Another possibility is pre-loading the robot with one or more 'balls' then allowing for scoring a goal during the autonomous period.
Finally, don't overlook the obvious: points for where the machine winds up at the very end. (maybe some autonoumous time at the end?)

CA

Re: No really, what do you think the game will be like?
 

i think that there will be an autonomous .. and stairs ... and im not really sure what else to expect ... i like the idea about scoring through the game ... other than that ... i guess well find out on saturday !!!

Re: No really, what do you think the game will be like?
 

1. Goals with moveable castors.
2. Balls
3. Bins
4. Ramps
5. Railings
6. Carpeted field
7. Autonomous mode
8. Timers
9. Human players
10. Mesh wire and slippery plastic

My guess is a "game" similar to ice hockey. Played on a surface similar to the slippery surface at the top of the ramp last year. In this game the "autonobots" battle the human players for the giant puck. The humans are on small, wheeled carts similar to gym scooters (every school PE dept. has 2 dozen of these handy) and the 'bots scoot around using sensors. The humans are "steered" by commands generated over handheld devices (PalmPilot or Handspring). The "autonobots" see the pucks which are held in bins at the top of ramps. the idea is that within the 30 seconds the humans set out the bins, mount their scooters and whiz around the plastic suface dodging the bots and trying to stuff the scooters and the bins into the goals while the bots attempt to circumvent them. At the end the alliance with the greatest number of bins and scooters stashed in the goals wins. The remaining alliance must then play a winner-take-all match of either Chutes and Ladders or Yahtze to see who wins! That way there is always something going on for the crowd and your alliance is never out of contention.

Go Figure and see you Saturday!

Re: No really, what do you think the game will be like?
 

I've always thought that real time scoring like you said would be a really neat idea, but that doesn't nececarrily mean that they will have it. I think that the administration likes how, at the end of a match, they can take as much time as they want to argue about the score.

Also, I think it's not very likely that human players will be on the field directly battling robots. They've always been on the sidelines.

Re: No really, what do you think the game will be like?
 

i believe that there will be stairs, but not all teams will be required to use them. instead, the stairs would be more of a bonus. two years ago we had a "home" zone, where if you were there at the end of the match, extra points were awarded. this year i believe that you will be awarded extra pts if you are at the top of the stairs at the end of the match (maybe autonomous).

i would also like to see more of a role given to human players. in previous years, the human player element leveled out the playing field a little more. a good human player meant more points, and the unfortunate teams who couldnt move, or had trouble still had a way to score points. i like the idea of the human player shooting balls at goals.

other probables for this years game:
1) autonomous will remain
2) 2 vs 2
3) elimination matches will go back to best of 3
4) bigger human player impact
5) there will be a need for robots to be able to reach higher. (maybe to get things from high shelves, score balls in a tall goal, maybe to grab onto a bar and hang). in previous years, robots had to be able to go vertical, the the past two years FIRST has gotten away from that.

-just my thoughts-

Re: No really, what do you think the game will be like?
 

Here is my official prediction for the 2004 game:

Scoring object: Footballs, worth 1 point each
Main Method of Scoring: Throw or lift footballs into your alliance's goal: an 8' elevated net of yet unknown diameter
Hazards: Along the middle of the field there will be car tires, possibly bolted to the ground, centers 3 feet apart. There will be an opening in the middle that is 5' to allow robots the possibility of passing through if they cannot climb over the tires. Robots must get to other side of field to access their goal (unless they throw the footballs)
Multipliers: There will be no multipliers in this year's game :ahh:
Other:

• There will be two black footballs, each worth 5 points.
• Robots who finish the game without touching the ground (either by climbing on the tires, or hanging from an apparatus above the tires) will receive 5 extra points for the alliance.
• Robots will be able to remove balls from the enemy goal by pushing up on the net from underneath.
• Autonomous mode will be 15 seconds, followed by 2 minutes of normal play. Goals can be located from anywhere on the field via retroreflective tape.
• Elimination matches will return to the best-of-3 format

Hope to see some of you at Manchester kickoff on Saturday!

Good luck
- Patrick

Re: No really, what do you think the game will be like?
 

I'm really thinking that autonomous will be back just because it really added a twist to last years game. Autonomous meant a great deal last year, if you were able to get all the stacks on your side then, you had a much easier job throughout the match. I've heard a lot about this idea of stairs and it seems as if it would be neat. I'm thinking that stairs will be optional, and as a bonus come the end of the match if your bot manages to climb to the top, kind of like being on the HDPE was this year. The game itself will be 2v2 and the floor still of carpet. As many of you said, the idea the last few years hasn't been to go high but just speed and strength. Possibly stationary goals of some sort while the robots can score points in another fashion. I also think that the game this year won't be so dependant on having a certain type of drive train, although a really nice drive train always helps ;). Yeah, who knows? I might be completely wrong but it is really just a guess. :rolleyes:

Re: No really, what do you think the game will be like?
 

I agree with the fact that they're probably going to throw a major curve ball in the game this year. I'm guessing that since autonomous was a big hit, it'll involve autonomous. As somebody said with stairs, I think that would be a great idea, I would really like to see something like this actually... the strategy behind it would be really nice, and it would force teams to redesign drive systems if they wanted a great score. I think we would see some very interesting ideas, and since this could be a "Bonus" I think something like this could be implemented, since it still allows the rookie teams who just build boxes with wheels to still be able to compete and if they work well, have a chance at winning.

Re: No really, what do you think the game will be like?
 

i would like to see somethign like stairs. |Autonomous mode will most likely be back but i see them liek throwign a curve and putting it in like the middle of the match or at the end. IF there are multipliers this year i dont think it will be as bad as last year like 25 points per robot. I think we will have to deal with some kind of surface i odnt know how but we will. mm now that i think i woudl really like to see stairs

Re: No really, what do you think the game will be like?
 

I think that FIRST will keep the 2v2 and im almost sertain that Autonomous will be in this years games and maybe another ramp like game. I dont think that stairs will be in this years game because I think it might be a little to diffecult for the rookie teams. remember what dean said at last years kick off
"We want to make the game to be somewhat easy for the rookie teams but also suffistacaded for the other teams"
so the stair thing might be a little to diffecult. But I would like to see that.