[daltore]

5th Gear FRC Match Simulator is a 3D simulator of the "most common" robot types for that year's competition as determined by the developers. It has the advantage of seeing the basic dynamics of the game, not really for designing a robot (as it is released half-way through build season). It will give you a rough idea of how the game might play out, as well as how much you can accomplish in 2 minutes and 15 seconds.

To use 5th Gear, you set up a SERVER and up to 6 CLIENTS. Servers and clients can be run on the same computer, as long as you have the hardware resources to support it (requires a fast enough processor, enough RAM, and a fairly good graphics card). Basically, the server plays the role of the Field Control System, and the clients play the roles of the individual robots. The viewpoint of each screen can be adjusted for different angles and perspectives, and I think the buttons you use to drive can also be reconfigured, and you might be able to control it by joysticks, I don't remember.

5th Gear is a fairly basic representation of an FRC match, but it can be a valuable tool when training drivers. If you don't have the luxury of having a drive train to practice on between ship day and competition, this is probably one of the best ways to get people used to the competition before they compete, and I highly recommend it.