Re: How will the Balls Change once FIRST Paints them
 

But none of that affected how they handled compared to balls without the numbers...

Re: How will the Balls Change once FIRST Paints them
 

The problems that were in the past are in the past. I don't think we need to argue about what happened and what didn't. People that think nothing happen just don't know because it didn't effect them.

Whenever there is a problem FIRST goes out of their way to try to correct the problem with the teams, and that is why most others don't have a clue about it. The point I was trying to make was that this year we have a task that is going to take great precision and I want to reduce the variables as much as possible for all of us.

Everyone sees videos of teams shooting 10 balls in one second and they say that looks easy. Well put that device in a remote controlled robot being controlled by someone 30 feet away with many visual obstructions, other teams trying to stop them, on a not so flat arena floor, with batteries that are changing there state of charge, and more. This is going to be a really hard game to play good. I was trying to make everyone aware of another variable.

I still think there is a good chance the balls will be certain colors to help sort them between matches.

Re: How will the Balls Change once FIRST Paints them
 

our balls that we have been using with our first version(wood) shooting system.. has been ripping the balls coverings off and spitting the paint all over our bot... i hope that FIST has thought about the fact that these balls they use must be 'robo proof'

Re: How will the Balls Change once FIRST Paints them
 

Actually, FIRST Is hoping the reverse, that your bot will be "Ball damage proof" http://forums.usfirst.org/showthread.php?t=288

Re: How will the Balls Change once FIRST Paints them
 

What sorting? It will be far easier for reset crews to collect 8 groups of ten balls of any color, rather than trying to find specific balls for red and blue teams.

As to the tetra connectors being different, wasn't that because the gamepieces had to be more robust? You could order the "official" connectors, but at a higher price.

It's just like the home versions of the field being constructed of different support materials than the competition versions. The home versions don't have to be struck and moved multiple times, so they can be easily built more-or-less permanantly from wood. The competition versions will (primarily) have metal construction. There will no doubt be slight variations in how the official ramp flexes compared to your home version. But not enough to matter.

Re: How will the Balls Change once FIRST Paints them
 

In the past (2004's clovers for example) FIRST has pretty much taken on the theory we occasionally take at work when we change parts.

When applicable is is stated that "NO CHANGES AFFECT FORM, FIT, OR FUNCTION".

That's what FIRST has done in the past, and I don't see any reason that will change.

Re: How will the Balls Change once FIRST Paints them
 

FIRST is, first and foremost, a company. I would not be surprised if a company's product or services, if it benefitted FIRST in one way or another, had influence on a given year's Kit of Parts or on the game design itself (e.g. if Poof donated 10,000 poof balls, don't you think the Game Design Committee would find a way to use them?!?!).

-Danny

Re: How will the Balls Change once FIRST Paints them
 

FIRST is not a company, it is a non-profit organization. Regardless, you are correct that they would appreciate a generous donation from anyone.

Re: How will the Balls Change once FIRST Paints them
 

i think this question is a good one!!!
But who knows how far ahead in ordering balls first had thought!!!
Lets hope they ordered ALOT!!! LOL

Re: How will the Balls Change once FIRST Paints them
 

Well I don't know if we received any blue/red balls in our shipment, but I do know that we have some half-red and some half-blue so I am sure they are capable of making that color combination. I am hoping that FIRST was able to contract with the supplier to provide all half-blue/half-red for the competitions - just to make the events more aesthetically pleasing (at least until the covers wear off) ;)

Re: How will the Balls Change once FIRST Paints them
 

Oh. You're one of those people. All the very best teams just won't have anything other than the black-and-yellow balls. I suppose that we should be culturally sensitive and all that, but the red-and-blue ball people just aren't the right sort, are they?

Re: How will the Balls Change once FIRST Paints them
 

they definitely aren't painting the balls this year, because, as you may recall, every ball you score is given to the other team, so the balls are recycled. therefore, they can't have red and blue balls, because there is no assignment needed. In other words, no paint.

Re: How will the Balls Change once FIRST Paints them
 

What? :ahh:

you mean the balls are not ALL red & black :)


Ours are all red & black......to match our pit! :rolleyes:

I though all the balls were the same !!!! :p



--Mike

Re: How will the Balls Change once FIRST Paints them
 

Heh we ordered 48 balls. And there's atleast 3 different color schemes in the ones we got.