2009 here we come!
 

man, this year was a blast. We would like to thank team 114 and 68 for the great time we had at the waterloo regional, again next time?

so, who else has a blown mind now due to the new controller?

Re: 2009 here we come!
 

Yeah the new controller is pretty cool, but keep in mind that the 2008 season is far from over. Championships are currently going on and IRI is in about 3 months, so in my mind, 2009 is taking a back seat to 2008.:)

Re: 2009 here we come!
 

Now that this years championships are done, we need to redefine our priorities. So the question we all should be asking is; when's kickoff?

Re: 2009 here we come!
 

Sorry, But im going to have to disagree with that.
Kickoff isnt for months, so that shouldnt be your priority at all.
personally, I think priorities are as follows, in no actual order of significance

1)recruit more members for the team next year
2)train people and work on various off season projects to promote learning and make ourselves better for next year
3)(and most importantly) what can our team do to promote Gracious Professionalism in our school, our community, and our world? what can we do to give engineering, science, and robotics more light in our area? how can we help those in need through our programs? and how can we spark a larger interest in our field in our school, community, and world?

Personally, I couldnt care for kick off next year. I couldnt care for off season projects that we're going to in a month or two months or whatever. I care most about now that we have a life again, what can we do to promote FIRST and its ideals, while helping others?

Re: 2009 here we come!
 

Life? What's a life? I mean, outside of FIRST, that is. But yes, I agree that our first priorities right now are Outreach, sponsors, recruitment and training. Doesn't mean I don't also excitedly await Cal Games and 2009 Kickoff, especially with the new control system!

Re: 2009 here we come!
 

I'm already plotting for a game to suggest. Bwahahahahaha!

And working on one or two other FIRST-related things.

Re: 2009 here we come!
 

I think we should have an ice game. :ahh: Since water game has already been beaten to death, ice-skating robots that push off the wall, arena features and other robots to move around would be really cool. An ice rink could be more practical and doesn't require water-proof electronics. The only problem I can see is the referees slipping on the ice, but that can be solved by practice... :D Also, since we've already had over-the-top-big game pieces that crash into things, the robot could need to handle really small, delicate game pieces! Breaking/denting a game piece cuts the points scored for that piece in half. Bumpers would be optional, and wedges would be allowed. HOWEVER, we would also need to climb up ramps to carefully place ice hockey pucks made of soft, bendable plastic on shelves hanging from the center of the arena accessible from both sides. Extra points for shooting a puck through these shelves and knocking off opponents' pucks, and a mad dash at the end of the game as more extra points are scored for being in the home zone! I think I liked 2006 a bit too much. And perhaps went a little into Overdrive with my game hopes. :rolleyes:

Re: 2009 here we come!
 

I really want to obtain one of those new controllers too!!! So that we can test it so that we know what were doing by the build season. We're crazy about it at Fondy Fire...

Ice type game...I think it would be fun, but skates are usually sharped, right? And do they have ice rinks in Brazil, Israel, or Mexico, or even better yet NEW ZEALAND?!?!? hehe ... Your going to have to think of a game that of which it is possible for everyone to join.

Re: 2009 here we come!
 

well, getinmg one is not a good idea cus they might change it a bit and taht would be a waste of the precious coinz

Re: 2009 here we come!
 

I have already started designing a couple of new things for next year. I cant wait to get my hands on the new control system it is going to be great. i am just wondering how to fit all that stuff on the bottom of the chase. That is going to be a big challenge this year for us. Any ways cant wait for off season MONTY Madness is in 10 days.

Matthew Simpson
Team 75 Driver

Re: 2009 here we come!
 

Has anyone seen the rollerball? I just saw it this weekend. Just imagine, robots running around the field, getting chased by other robots who are trying to break them, and having 2 motorcycles and a small steel ball as a game piece.......O wait, that probably wouldnt be very safe. I do think a field shaped like their field would be cool though. For those of you who havent seen it, its kind of like a skate bowl in the shape of a figure 8 with an overpass from the top to the bottom of the 8. I am waiting to have a game that is played on something other than just flat carpet. I think it will be pretty cool when it changes.
Joey

Re: 2009 here we come!
 

I think it would be cool to have a game where you would have to make a walking robot. Of course a biped would be kind of hard, but if you look at some quad/hex-apods out there, the legs rotate up and over (instead of lifting up and setting back down again) in a sequence similar to how 4-legged animals walk.

Like if there were big, immovable blocks/giant speed bumps on the playing field placed a half a foot away. Similar to the big blocks of concrete that (I think the British) put in fields to stop tanks in WWII. You couldn't drive a robot on wheels through them, so you'd have to make a robot that goes over them. It would be an interesting challenge.

Re: 2009 here we come!
 

I've suggested it before and I'll suggest it again. FIRST ought to offer a weight bonus for walkers - as in combat robotics.

It would definitely help spur drive-train creativity ;)

Re: 2009 here we come!
 

so what your saying essentially is we take the wheels form a iBot and use it to make a robot walk

Re: 2009 here we come!
 

Post above reported as spam.

Re: 2009 here we come!
 

truly, honestly, there is no way to guess what the game is going to be. After Rack n' Roll, Overdrive was something completely random. No one on our team was even thinking relatively close.

So, we can guess all we want, but i doubt that we will be able to guess it.

As far as I can guess, the field will remain the same, i doubt FIRST will dip into ice, the maintence of an Ice field, not to men a zamboni. :D .

My thought, next years game is going to be where teams have to carry items/objects and place them in various areas, the harder the area, the more points you get.

I dunno, my guess. :D.

Re: 2009 here we come!
 

Just a little food for thought.
Random is a popular word that is used often and in lots of different ways.

In this description though, think about one of the definitions of random:

'lacking a definite plan, purpose, or pattern' - from Webster's.

Random can stress a lack of definite aim, fixed goal, or set purpose.
That is my take/interpretation when the word, random, is used.

What I'd like you to think about is that the GDC is made up of/comprised of brilliant members of the FIRST community who have clear objectives/goals in mind when they create the game challenge. I don't think we ever know fully what their objectives/goals are and that's ok, they probably enjoy watching us collectively scratch our heads at times. Overdrive surprised a lot of us in that it was a race and required some different ways of thinking in how to work within the rules, deal with offense/defense, score, and compete well/successfully. I don't think it was random at all, I think it was purposefully created to make folks, including our valued engineers, problem solve a little differently. There certainly were a lot of lively discussions here in CD after the challenge was revealed.

I do agree that Overdrive's surprise will make anticipation for 2009 all the more exciting. (I really don't want to get caught up/pulled into Dave's clues. They make me crazy.)

Re: 2009 here we come!
 

By random, i mean to the community. No one was expecting it. This is a good random.

:D

Re: 2009 here we come!
 

Yup, I hear you. There were some pretty priceless expressions at Kick Off. I didn't have the heart to take any photos of jaws dropping but I will always remember.

Re: 2009 here we come!
 

What about a robot rally race around a venue? Using the new WI-FI control system you could have a camera hooked up to the control board to help you navigate around obstacles.

Re: 2009 here we come!
 

But now I wonder if they'll give us an easier (mechanical wise) game because of the new control system. That thing is supposed to heavy...

Re: 2009 here we come!
 

It will be a total surprise what next year's competition will be, part to the new control system.

Re: 2009 here we come!
 

I'm expecting the pattern to hold true.

2002- Soccer Balls
2003- Bins
2004- Kick Balls and Multiplier balls
2005- Tetras
2006- Poof Balls
2007- Ringers
2008- Trackballs

I'm expecting the 2009 game to be an odd object. But I've been wrong before.

Re: 2009 here we come!
 

It's probably going to be underwater :p

Re: 2009 here we come!
 

I heard that they are combining the desperate need for a water game with a space theme (due to the support from the aerospace community). The obvious combination of the two leads to a game based on NASA's "Water On Mars" exploration theme.

Unfortunately, it seems that someone has already solved that problem....



-dave



.

Re: 2009 here we come!
 

Could it be that the gamepiece will actually be water that in the 'space' environment will form balls? :eek:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zZgYUEJNjuU

Re: 2009 here we come!
 

I wouldn't even start on that topic... [:<

Yes, a water game would be fun...and as we should always expect the unexpected, it could be a possibility in say, 5 or 6 years? I doubt this year will have anything to do with water, especially with a fancy new controls system. :(

Re: 2009 here we come!
 

Haha. Nothing they give us will ever be easier. Its all a matter of if you can manage to find the most effective way to score or whatever you choose to do. Anyway, the new control system actually doesn't add that much weight because electronics like breakers and stuff will be removed.

Re: 2009 here we come!
 

OMG You win at Chief Delphi. :D

Re: 2009 here we come!
 

Peter, Welcome to CD.
And welcome to the humor of Dave Lavery who is also a member of the GDC - the Game Design Committee of FRC. I think if you do a search for 2008 game hint or 2007 game hint, you will come up with some threads that have provided CD with hours of guessing and Dave with hours of gleeful enjoyment and entertainment.

Glad to see folks posting from New Zealand - woo!

Re: 2009 here we come!
 

Hey, Dave... How about taking a look at Joe Ross's idea instead of dropping "hints" everywhere?

Peter, if you are really in the mood for some fun, you could just find all of Dave's posts and read them. Some of them are... well... hilarious!

Re: 2009 here we come!
 

are you saying that for? almost every one has 1 already!

Re: 2009 here we come!
 

SIMULATE an ice game:
(0) Carpeted arena stays. . . no falling refs ! !
(1) No drivetrain
(2) Use omni wheels or casters
(3) Push off the walls (or other bots) with arms or pistons
(4) The rest is up to the community. . . .