an idea

[archiver]

Posted by Kyle Huang.

Student on team #192, Gunn Robotics Team, from Gunn High School and Sun Microsystems, Nasa/Ames and Xerox PARC.

Posted on 9/12/2000 12:22 AM MST



i was at a toy store today, and i saw a big inflatable ball for sale - looked very much
like the balls from the '98 competition, but with one major difference. they were
multicolored. it got me thinking...

if there could be a way to make the balls change color in the middle of a match,
wouldn't that add a little bit of a challenge? say a computer changes the colors
randomly. not too frequently (maybe the there's a layer of LCD underneath a
translucent layer of rubber of plastic), and once a ball is picked up and/or
scored it can't change anymore, and while balls are at the human player
stations they can't change colors either...

some cons i can think of right now, are:
how to make the color change
balls would be expensive
what if they fail, or something goes wrong? half blue half red ball?
controlling the colors - how?

well, i dunno, it's just a crazy far fetched idea, but whaddya think? i think it'd be
a helluva fun game to watch, if possible!!

[archiver]

Posted by matt shanley.

Other from cornell university.

Posted on 9/12/2000 5:59 PM MST


In Reply to: an idea posted by Kyle Huang on 9/12/2000 12:22 AM MST:



of course that leads to the idea that it doesn't have to be the balls switching colors. imagine driving your robot around in the middle of a match, maybe helping out your alliance partners, when suddenly the blue light that was flashing on your robot goes off and the red one comes on. better make some new friends quick.





: i was at a toy store today, and i saw a big inflatable ball for sale - looked very much
: like the balls from the '98 competition, but with one major difference. they were
: multicolored. it got me thinking...

: if there could be a way to make the balls change color in the middle of a match,
: wouldn't that add a little bit of a challenge? say a computer changes the colors
: randomly. not too frequently (maybe the there's a layer of LCD underneath a
: translucent layer of rubber of plastic), and once a ball is picked up and/or
: scored it can't change anymore, and while balls are at the human player
: stations they can't change colors either...

: some cons i can think of right now, are:
: how to make the color change
: balls would be expensive
: what if they fail, or something goes wrong? half blue half red ball?
: controlling the colors - how?

: well, i dunno, it's just a crazy far fetched idea, but whaddya think? i think it'd be
: a helluva fun game to watch, if possible!!

[archiver]

Posted by Lora Knepper.

Other on team #419, Rambots, from UMass Boston / BC High and NASA, Mathsoft, Solidworks, Analog Devices.

Posted on 9/12/2000 7:15 PM MST


In Reply to: Re: an idea posted by matt shanley on 9/12/2000 5:59 PM MST:



: if there could be a way to make the balls change color in the middle of a match,
: wouldn't that add a little bit of a challenge?

: ...suddenly the blue light that was flashing on your robot goes off and the red one comes on. better make some new friends quick.

Now both of those are very interesting twists...kind of scary to think of, but intreguing at the same time. I'd like to see something like this tried out at a post-season event maybe...

Lora

[archiver]

Posted by colleen.   [PICTURE: SAME | NEW | HELP]


Coach on team #246, Blue Light Special, from John D. O'Byrant High School/Boston Latin Academy and NSTAR/Boston University/UTC/Raytheon/MassPEP.

Posted on 9/13/2000 7:01 PM MST


In Reply to: Re: an idea posted by matt shanley on 9/12/2000 5:59 PM MST:



Amy-

I think that would be sooooo coool! Imagine the strategies involved in that! If your partner say.. continually changed for the first minute of the match... and then for the final minute you knew your color and partner...

or maybe.. just maybe.. you could know your color, but the other robots on the field didn't... so you go and score (maybe would require that scoring was based on what was on the robot at the end of the match (like floppies)).. and you never know who your partner is.. it would somewhat accomplish the idea of last year (being nice to your opponents cause they effect your score) but you would have to somewhat play D as well.. imagine..


: : i was at a toy store today, and i saw a big inflatable ball for sale - looked very much
: : like the balls from the '98 competition, but with one major difference. they were
: : multicolored. it got me thinking...

: : if there could be a way to make the balls change color in the middle of a match,
: : wouldn't that add a little bit of a challenge? say a computer changes the colors
: : randomly. not too frequently (maybe the there's a layer of LCD underneath a
: : translucent layer of rubber of plastic), and once a ball is picked up and/or
: : scored it can't change anymore, and while balls are at the human player
: : stations they can't change colors either...

: : some cons i can think of right now, are:
: : how to make the color change
: : balls would be expensive
: : what if they fail, or something goes wrong? half blue half red ball?
: : controlling the colors - how?

: : well, i dunno, it's just a crazy far fetched idea, but whaddya think? i think it'd be
: : a helluva fun game to watch, if possible!!