Re: Anybody really dis-like the game?
 

at first i disliked the game but i believe it will bring an even playing field upon the regionals. like many have stated the "custom" or "special" wheels that teams with money have and their "universal drivetrains" will be of no use this year and it will be a total rebuild from the ground up (which is how i believe FRC should be played)

then again i come from a team where we have 1 engineer manager and 1 electrical guy from UL and they don't do much besides answer our questions. all is done by the students. looking at some of the other robots i've seen i really wonder how much is designed, manufactured, or assembled by the students.

i left my home team 1652 in Kenosha and when i came to school at UW-Platteville i noticed they had a team 171 but it seemed alot of the engineers (students and faculty) from the campus were involved with it and the university even payed for it. that doesn't seem like highschool stuff to me but then again i never went to any of their meetings so its all my speculation.

this year will be a big toss up taking away the advantages (wheels) that some (elite) teams had before and put everyone on an even (slick) playing surface which should definitely test who builds the strongest most durable robot which always seems to be a problem. i see lots of creativity coming out of this constraint filled competition

~jp

Re: Anybody really dis-like the game?
 

I won't know if I like or dislike this game until the first round of regionals is over.

My first impression is that this years game will be won or lost by the programmers. The constantly moving goals means that dead reckoning will only be useful as a defensive strategy for automode. And you better start moving when the auto mode begins or you're going to get scored on. Consistently scoring on the opponents goals will be extremely difficult for the drivers without some help from sensors and good programmers.

I like the low friction floor, it's a great distraction. I think the bigger challenge is deciding how to pull a 40 pound trailer efficiently. The ability to drive sideways would be nearly useless when you're attached to a trailer that can't move sideways with you.

After last year I'm thrilled that there will be far fewer penalties. It was so frustrating trying to figure out your last second strategy when you didn't know if you were ahead or behind.

<G14> socialist? You have to outscore the opposing team by 2x before you have to worry about this. This rule just prevents teams from destroying their opponents. If you're worried about your score being more than 2x your opponents, then pull your robot over to your human player and start scoring for the other team, you can both have high scores then, but you still get to win.

A box on wheels? Maybe, but it's what's in the box that matters. Most of the Aim High robots could be described as a box on wheels, but some designs were clearly better than others.

Re: Anybody really dis-like the game?
 

Your bare minimum may just be some other team's best effort. Everyone deserves to be rewarded when they work hard and do the best they can don't they?

Really? That sounds pretty elitist to me. I feel the opposite. FIRST is for everyone. You do the best you can with what you have and hopefully everyone leaves with more than they came with.

Easy for a Michigan team to say I suppose. Anytime you want to come on down to a small Mississippi town and bring some big corporate sponsors with deep pockets with you we would be happy to have you. We are known as the Hospitality State.;)

Because every student deserves the opportunity to experiance FIRST, not just the students that live in areas flush with big corporate sponsors.

You are kidding right? FIRST is all about teaching! Professional mentors teaching students how to solve a problem to the best of their collective ability given the tools available and within the constraints placed on the solution. It is not about who can build the shiniest, fanciest, most sophisticated robot using the most expensive CNC equipment they can find. If you have that resource great, if not that's fine as well. FIRST should be for everyone. I could have sworn that I had seen one or two of the hundreds of thousands of FIRST students over the last (almost) two decades learning something useful. I'm sorry you fell you weren't one of them. I suspect your corporate sponsors would be sorry to hear the money they invested in you must have been wasted as well because I'm pretty sure the whole reason corporations invest in FIRST is because they fell it better prepares their future work force by TEACHING students real world lessons.

Agreed but that is just one of many things that FIRST "is all about".

FIRST = For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology. Inspiration and Recognition comes in many forms and on many levels. If a team (rookie or vet) can only build a box on wheels but they learned even a little something along the way why is that a bad thing? At least they built SOMETHING. I have run across many people that couldn't figure out how to get themselves out of a hole in the ground if you gave them a pile of 2x4s, handsaw, hammer, and a box of nails.

As far as the main thread topic, I love the game and thank the GDC for leveling the playing field in such a elegant way. I also love the Moon theme and the tribute to the 40th anniversary of the FIRST lunar landing!

Re: Anybody really dis-like the game?
 

My vote is still really far out on this game. I like games that level the playing field so that rookies and lower budget teams can really easily compete with the big name teams. Also regardless of my opinion of the game at the start I seem to always warm up to it in the end. Although I have noticed that my opinion at the end is usually the opposite of that at the beginning (I didn't like 07's game at the start and love it now, and I really liked 06 at the start and its perhaps my least favorite now).

I really like the idea of low traction. I have never been a fan of defense, especially playing it in a very pushy way. I love seeing a team stretch to be something amazing and felt that this strategy caused teams to play it too safe and not reach for the stars. This year even if a team is playing defense they're going to have to be really creative. Plus I'm a little gratified that FIRST has been discouraging this type of defense the last couple of years.

The main reason that I dislike the game however is currently winning in my mind. one of the things that I love about FIRST is getting to run around the pits and look at all the solutions that teams have provided for the game. All the different solutions to building the drive train and the manipulator. How the machines expand and work and do everything that they do. This year with the rule limiting the use of different wheels and the rules limiting the size of the robot during the entire game I'm worried about the diversity of the machines.

I'm confident and hoping that my concerns won't be realized but that's why they call them worries isn't it...

Re: Anybody really dis-like the game?
 

07 was great, the end game was so much better than 08, 06, or 05, robots lifting each other up, a spoiler going up at the last second, 2007 was my second favorite game for as long as i've been in FIRST (04 tops the list, you can't beat bots hanging from a bar.... or 61 trying to block bots hanging while hanging themselves...)

excelent points

im not sure how i feel about the game, im teamless right now (well, semi-945ish but thats a 2-hr bus ride for me :( ) I think i'll have to wait until week one of the regionals to decide if truly do like this game (scrimmages are on valentines day if im correct and i might be busy that day...)

P.S. DeepWater, what are these "deep pockets" you speak of, last time i checked, some companies from MI were in DC asking for some $$$ ?

Re: Anybody really dis-like the game?
 

Sigh, I really stirred up a hornet nest with my comments. Oh well, open discussion is always a good thing. I apologize to the person who started this thread for thread jacking.

First off, I suggest reading http://www.huskiebrigade.com/DEKA1998.html which is a speech from Dean himself. Thank you to the Huskie Brigade for making that available. If the goals of FIRST have changed in that time then so be it but I feel he very adequately describes them there.

If a team does their best that is great, teams should always do their best and not get discouraged when they lose.

I admit my comment about FIRST not being the right place for some teams does sound elitist but frankly I don't feel that FIRST is for everyone. There are other competitions out there for groups with fewer technical resources. Vex is an excellent example of one. If a person decides FIRST is for them, then they bring what they can to the table and hopefully get something out. Im not saying that we should raise the price of FIRST so that small teams die out, in fact FIRST in Michigan is about trying to lower the costs so that teams without major monetary sponsors can compete. I believe and support FiM but feel that the teams complaining about the "elite" teams need to stop, these teams started as rookies just like everyone else.

About Michigan being "flush with big corporate sponsors" I apologize but if we are so flush with corporate sponsors why is our unemployment rate so high? In fact Michigan posted the highest jobless rate in the nation in November. I still stand by my statement that FIRST is about partnering with industry to inspire kids though.

Your argument about how every kid deserves FIRST makes sense, honestly it does, but there is one problem. Every student deserves an education too. Does that mean that teachers have to start testing so that even the worst students can pass? In a class room if I get 28% on a test and you get 90% what do you want the teacher to do, adjust my score so that is a 90% too? Because, you know, every student deserves to graduate. And you know what, while we are at it, everyone deserves a Mercedes Benz, and paid vacation, and a million dollar home right? You know why people can buy those things? You know why teams pay Michael Jordan millions of dollars to throw a ball in a hoop? Because he worked his butt off. If you want to score that 90% on the test you better study. If you want to build that winning robot you better be willing to put in the time it takes. 217 can build a stellar robot every year, you know why? Because they have dedicated students and mentors. I would be willing to bet you that if you told 217 that they could only spend $800 on a robot this year they would STILL put out a stunning machine. How do I know that? I know the team, I know that their quality doesn't come from money, it comes from their passion for FIRST, their desire to win. How do you think RUSH won its Regional Chairman's award? Do you think they bribed the judges? Do you think that the judges thought, "Oh hey, this is RUSH they deserve to win because they have a long history"? No, they won out of sheer determination, they won because students and mentors on that team dedicated 6 solid weeks of their lives to that presentation, they won because a decade of people like me dedicated ourselves. The teams that win don't win because they build complex robots or because they spend thousands of dollars, they win because they have dedicated people involved.

And no, I am not kidding about FIRST not being about teaching students. FIRST is often compared to the Super Bowl, does the Super Bowl teach you how to play football? No, it is a high profile event that gets kids hooked. FIRST is the same way, it is not our job to teach the students how to program some advanced algorithms or to use a 5-axis cnc mill. We are here to say, "Look, you have other options other than working at Pop's used car dealership for the rest of your life." You said it yourself, For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology. Nowhere is the word education mentioned. We are here to inspire these kids, make them recognize that Science and Technology are options for them, we need to show them their lives can be better than, "Would you like fries with that"

In response to the impression that I learned nothing in FIRST, well, actually, I'm not sure how to reply to that. FIRST gave me everything I am today, it is the reason I am at the college I am at. It is the reason I am majoring in Computer Science. It is the reason I actively mentor a team in inner city Flint. No, FIRST is a wonderful program but it isn't what taught me about engineering, it taught me about following my passions. It showed me a path I may not have considered. Why else would I give the time I do trying to give other kids the same chances I had? And about 397, we are by no means an elite team. We build out of our shop in our school, we have between 6 and 15 students, most of whom have never touched a mill in their life prior to FRC. We have a handful of college mentors and some Delphi engineers. We receive very little money from Delphi and community fundraising is hard because we are based in Flint, MI.

If I come across as elitist or a jerk I apologize, that is not my intent. I merely have a problem with some very specific rules that I believe are punishing "elite" teams for doing well.

Sorry for the somewhat disjointed post, I was trying to respond point by point as best as I could. I also apologize for the novel I just wrote.

Re: Anybody really dis-like the game?
 

I agree that for the most part, a lot of robots this year will just be mediocre '06 robots. True the powerhouse teams will have some amazing bots, but for the most part, it will be disappointing to watch compared to games of the past (a pure spectator point of view). For my team, I think this is the year we try some amazing new techniques, because in the end, it may not give you a big advantage or disadvantage on the field but more importantly shoot for some of the other awards offered by judges.

Re: Anybody really dis-like the game?
 

Let's be honest with ourselves here. The FIRST competition was never an accurate representation of real life engineering. It always placed emphasis on the mechanical aspect. Without some fancy doodad mechanical widget you were really never going to score a lot of points.The problem is that in real life engineering designs are always more rounded. The fancy mechanical widget might receive less emphasis than the programing, electronics, or even the control system. I like it because I always thought that it was odd that the fancy mechanical widget was getting so much emphasis when in actuality there are five other engineering disciplines that should be introduced to kids.
Ooo for crying out loud. This is FIRST. My fondest memory was asking questions about Spirit and Opportunity to a NASA scientist while dressed up in a lion suit.

Re: Anybody really dis-like the game?
 

But you must also consider that while you enjoy dressing up in a lion suit it is still viewed as informal and unprofessional. My problem with the theme of the game is that it comes off as a child's game when presenting to companies or describing it to any one and the names of the game pieces are somewhat difficult to associate with the objects. Which would you rather say to a CEO of a company who is considering donating money? Which is he more likely to understand. "The payload specialist throws the moon rocks into the crater" or "The human player throws the orbit balls onto the field?"

Re: Anybody really dis-like the game?
 

I disagree with you. It's about partnerships. I've always mentioned the education/industry, teams/communities, and mentor/student partnerships in my FIRST "elevator speech". I might start listing the human/robot partnership as well.

I liked 2004's game a lot -- where all the scoring of balls in goals was done by the Human Player, and robots were prohibited from doing it.

Re: Anybody really dis-like the game?
 

You made me think of the work that is being done on the International Space Station.

Re: Anybody really dis-like the game?
 

Yes but which would you rather have a robot that goes and gets your beverage out of the refrigerator without bringing it to you and you have to go get it? or one that brings it to you? Partnerships are overrated I'd rather have the robot do it all :p

Re: Anybody really dis-like the game?
 

Agreed. This is a bit of a departure from what I feel the past few years have done. The game rules are confusing enough every year, why try to force a theme into it and apply these silly names?

Indeed. This is much similar to what a real world scenario is. Who sees robots accomplishing complex tasks all on their own in 5 years? Who sees robots working in conjunction with humans to ease complex tasks in 5 years? I believe the latter is the more plausible scenario.

Re: Anybody really dis-like the game?
 

I like it for all of the reasons already stated.

It really levels the playing field , Team s with already engineered drive trains are like rookies, that is good for all. Teams that have already engineered arms are also like rookies.

Its like we are ALL rookies.

And I like that.

Re: Anybody really dis-like the game?
 

I fail to see why everyone being like rookies is a good thing. Eric I noticed you are a teacher, I will assume you have a decade of experience teaching (could be more or less either way). If I were to apply the same idea to your pay as you are applying to the veteran teams you would be paid the same as a new teacher, is that fair? These teams started somewhere didn't they? They had to start as rookies too. This groaning about successful teams has to stop. I could care less if Dave Lavery, Dean Kamen, and Woodie Flowers all approve of it. If we are not rewarded for doing great, if everyone gets the exact same, why would anyone ever push the envelope?

Again, I digress from the thread topic. This game is growing on me, I like the surface, and the constraints are interesting. The only rule I have a deep seated disagreement with is <G14>.