5th Gear Lunacy simulator at the FIRST Championship
 

After appearing at 13 different FRC regionals, the 3d FRC match simulator 5th Gear will be making a showing at the 2009 FIRST Championship. Using this simulation, 6 players use XBox 360 controllers to each drive a virtual robot.

So come collect Lunacy moon rocks, charge Lunacy super cells, and shoot or dump both into your opponents’ trailers! Take a turn just for fun, or compete in one of our tournaments to see if you will be one of the 2009 5th Gear virtual champions (and win prizes)!

The 5th Gear exhibit (sponsored by Lockheed Martin) will be located north of the FTC pit area, near the FRC Pits, on the north side of GWCC Hall C.

5th Gear – What is it?

• An analysis and training tool useful throughout your entire FRC season.
• Available to the students as a free download.
• Interactively learn and analyze each year’s FRC challenge.
• Test and refine your strategies before your robot is completed.
• Practice driving and coaching; analyze technique by watching replays.
• Convey FRC’s excitement and fun during recruiting.
• Reach a broad audience during community outreach.

A WPI project team will be there to collect feedback on how to better use the simulation in the future, including data on what tournament formats would be the best for a Virtual Competition. Come help us shape the future offerings 5th Gear!

For those that will not be able to attend the Championship this year, 5th Gear is available to download now. See below.

To see the flyer:
http://5thgearsim.googlegroups.com/w...1aABVJRO3P3wLQ

To see 5th Gear in action:
http://www.youtube.com/lachoneus21

To download 5th Gear:
http://thinktank.wpi.edu/article/141

To discuss 5th Gear:
http://forums.usfirst.org/forumdisplay.php?f=1091

Re: 5th Gear Lunacy simulator at the FIRST Championship
 

Awesome, that's sweet!

Re: 5th Gear Lunacy simulator at the FIRST Championship
 

From a 5th Gear developer:

• We could not have had better hosts and assistants than the Team 1002 Circuit Runners, and the Marietta, GA, Lockheed Martin volunteers who came out to make us successful in our first season at the Championships. Thank you all so much!

• We and FIRST could not have wished for better partners than the four WPI students collaborating with us and FIRST on their IQP project - We are looking forward to getting our copy of their report; and are exceedingly grateful to them for everything they did to make this first 5th Gear season a glowing success.

• Thank you Lockheed Martin for sharing our vision, and and our passion for launching the next generations into their careers.

• Thank you FIRST and the FIRST HQ staff - For everything!

• Thank you students, parents and other guests for the opportunity you gave us to share the Championship with you - As volunteers, and as Lockheed Martin employees, we take pride in never forgetting we are working for you.

See you again in 2010!
Blake Ross

Re: 5th Gear Lunacy simulator at the FIRST Championship
 

The results are in!

During the FIRST Championships, the 5th Gear exhibit held preliminary tournaments that culminated in the Virtual Championship saturday.

The following teams won preliminary tournaments of different formats:

1. Playoff tournament #1 - Team 585, the Cyberpenguins
2. Playoff tournament #2 - Team 1834, Evolution
3. FRC Style Tournament - Team 2638, Rebellion, with 1209, the Robohornets as runners up (A thourough tournament that required a lot of the participating teams)
4. Playoff tournament #3 - Team 585, the Cyberpenguins
5. Double elimination tournament - Team 585, the Cyberpenguins

Yes, that's right, the Cyberpenguins won 3 of the 5 preliminary tournaments. Also of note was team Talon (FRC 1598), and Elo is Awesome (FRC 578), who did well in one or more of the above tournaments.

The 6 teams listed above were invited back to play in the Virtual Championship, a double elimination tournament. The finalists were Jacob, Max, and Jeremy of team 585, the Cyberpenguins.

The 5th Gear Virtual Champions were Tim, Cody, and Jon of Team 1209, the Robohornets. The final match can be viewed here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fKzuBOyR5O0. Other videos from the 5th Gear exhibit, including a mascot match and a mobbing of Dean Kamen can be viewed here: http://www.youtube.com/lachoneus21

Thank you all for participating, and to those of you who gave us feedback on how to best spend our efforts to make 5th Gear into a great virtual simulation tool for future FRC seasons!