EVERY
FIRST FRC GAME is BIG! (And it takes all of you to always make
FIRST EVEN BIGGER!)
Frank's
FIRST FRC Blog post from Wednesday Oct. 1, 2014 is loaded with hints. (And each says nothing except "Something New!" and CHANGES are on the way...A new change or a series of changes. Nothing new there.
Something New – The 2015 FRC Game
Wait. Isn’t the new game always, well, new? Yes, but that’s the point of this note. Every year we try to do a little something different. Sometimes a lot of something different. No one should look at any rules from prior years and think “They would never change that”, because we may. Number of teams on an alliance, number of alliances in a match, match length, bumper rules, field surfaces, robot size, every element from prior year games is carefully considered anew every year. You should make no assumptions. This is all we can say, and all we plan to say on this. All will be revealed on January 3, 2015!*
Frank
*Looking at this, if I were a team, and knew nothing about the 2015 game, I might be nervous. Knowing the game, though, I think there’s nothing to be nervous about. OK, almost nothing.
Ok,
http://www.andymark.com/Field-p/am-2800.htm shows the basic field perimeter...
"Product Overview:
This is a new version of the FRC Field Perimeter used in the past years' FRC games.
FIRST® has determined that this Field Perimeter has the ‘fit and function’ necessary for use in the 2015 FRC. Any changes required for use in subsequent years will be the responsibility of the purchaser. AndyMark, not
FIRST, is responsible for product quality, warranty, safety, and all other issues related to this product.
The intent of offering this perimeter is to provide hardware for FRC District and Regional events, FRC teams and communities to have a high quality FRC field for competition, expo, practice, and demonstration purposes.
This perimeter includes side rails, gates, alliance stations, and four (4) shipping crates. The perimeter does not include field carpet, electronics nor the game specific items for each year....."
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And, though "not including Game Specific Items," still says a ton if you look really close enough.
Three alliance stations on each end, still. I will take a stab in the dark here and see if it matches after the game reveal Jan 3rd....3 Alliances of 2 (3 Alliance colors of Red, Blue & White), operating as Alliance Station 1 to 1 across the field end to end, (2/2, and 3/3). Still 6 robots on the field at all times. No ideas on the game piece(s), or the game itself.
The biggest hints are ("You should make no assumptions. This is all we can say, and all we plan to say on this)."
Prediction: There will be NO OFFICIAL GAME HINTS this year concerning the actual game. And that is something sort of NEW! (Locomotion was pretty spot on to the Game Title).
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They could really change things up (Stand everything from prior years right on it's head), and form 3 alliances from all teams in the competition field, not just on the field at any 1 time (6 single teams competing in each round of the game), with 2 Alliance members of a huge 1/3rd of the the total field of the competing teams (2 red, 2 blue, 2 white, 2 on each end)...And all of the alliance scores are added together, at the end of each round,...Nah, Never Mind...."They would never change that!" LOL.
I just hope the changes of more room in the Dome at St Louis in April, means actually more FRC teams qualifying for Championships & attending...And, that all of the civil unrest locally is finished with in the area, so Championship week is fun (and VERY SAFE), for the students & others attending. Pray for Peace soon.
January 3rd. is exactly 4 weeks away.....It's Almost TIIIIIIIIIIME! (Now.. Fighting out of the Blue Alliance.......Standing At 3'-8" in height, 135 massive lbs, with a reach of 42.8" ...A mass of carefully selected and crafted battery, wires, aluminium, and silicone, it's brand new RoboRio brain at the ready, & wearing the blue bumpers, with a record of 8 wins, 1 loss, and zero ties.....).