FRC 2009 Game Manual?

[xanarchyx]

anyone know when they release it. I heard it is released before kickoff and its encrypted? is this true? Like i dont want to believe the person who told me that because it seems kind stupid to give the game manual out to people. I know its encrypted but cant people like somehow get around that?

[Joe G.]

They usually release the sections that do not pertain to the game well ahead of time, non-encrypted. The rest are released, in encrypted form, a few days before kickoff. The encryption is, shall we say, secure, and I would hope that no one in FIRST makes any serious effort to get around it. Its to prevent the entire FIRST community from overloading FIRST's servers in the minutes following kickoff.

[MrForbes]

The past couple of years we've gone to our regional kickoff, with the downloaded, encrypted manual on a couple laptops ready to be viewed as soon as they release the key. Hint: if you do this, bring a digital camera so you can snap a picture of the key on the webcast screen, then you can look at your camera and type in the key. Being able to read the manual on the 200 mile ride home is helpful for the first rolling brainstorming session.

[AdamHeard]

Originally Posted by squirrel

The past couple of years we've gone to our regional kickoff, with the downloaded, encrypted manual on a couple laptops ready to be viewed as soon as they release the key. Hint: if you do this, bring a digital camera so you can snap a picture of the key on the webcast screen, then you can look at your camera and type in the key. Being able to read the manual on the 200 mile ride home is helpful for the first rolling brainstorming session.

Why not watch the webcast and save yourself the 200 mile trip?

[ttldomination]

Ah, so there is a webcast of the regional?

My team has had the luxury of Motorola over the past few years, but this year we are moving to the school so we wanted to make sure that we could watch it somewhere else. But cool!!!.

[Cory]

Originally Posted by ttldomination

Ah, so there is a webcast of the regional?

My team has had the luxury of Motorola over the past few years, but this year we are moving to the school so we wanted to make sure that we could watch it somewhere else. But cool!!!.

NASA webcasts and broadcasts the kickoff on NASATV. Details will be released in the near future I would imagine. The webcast is normally located at robotics.nasa.gov.

[MrForbes]

Originally Posted by AdamHeard

Why not watch the webcast and save yourself the 200 mile trip?

We get to pick up the KOP too...and it's a good excuse for a road trip! plus we get to visit our FIRST friends in Phoenix.

[ShotgunNinja]

Originally Posted by rocketperson44

They usually release the sections that do not pertain to the game well ahead of time, non-encrypted. The rest are released, in encrypted form, a few days before kickoff. The encryption is, shall we say, secure, and I would hope that no one in FIRST makes any serious effort to get around it. Its to prevent the entire FIRST community from overloading FIRST's servers in the minutes following kickoff.

Just because you said that, people WILL try to break it. It's the Internet, dude.

[EricH]

Originally Posted by ShotgunNinja

Just because you said that, people WILL try to break it. It's the Internet, dude.

This is FIRST. We teach Gracious Professionalism. Neither part of GP supports hacking the encryption. Unless, of course, you're a CIA decrypter and are trying to break a terrorist's code or something like that.

[Joe G.]

Originally Posted by ShotgunNinja

Just because you said that, people WILL try to break it. It's the Internet, dude.

Its also FIRST. And as we're constantly reminded, this is not about robots, but people.

Hiding in your basement, working to decrypt something a few days early, missing out on sleep more than is typical in FIRST, and missing out on people, only to gain information that might help build a superior robot helps the robot, not people. Engaging in a collective thought of "Oh..My..God..DAVE, WE'RE SUPPOSED TO DO WHAT AGAIN" with your team, and FIRSTers around the world, while on the same build schedule as everyone else helps people.

And it wouldn't make any grandmother I know proud.

Originally Posted by dlavery

Of course, it could be possible that the 2009 encryption key has already been released.

-dave




.

Can't we just ban him or something this time of year?

[Branden Ghena]

Originally Posted by rocketperson44

Can't we just ban him or something this time of year?

Where's the fun in that?

[ttldomination]

True...true...excuse me while i scour the FIRST site and their information and try to find something.

[ATannahill]

How did we not see dave's post coming?

[Daniel_LaFleur]

Originally Posted by xanarchyx

anyone know when they release it. I heard it is released before kickoff and its encrypted? is this true? Like i dont want to believe the person who told me that because it seems kind stupid to give the game manual out to people. I know its encrypted but cant people like somehow get around that?

While they do give the manual out a few days before the kickoff, it is strongly encrypted.

And as far as someone getting around it ... Yes, it is possible that someone could hack it, however, consider the consequences for someone who did and got caught. Most likely they, and their team, would be barred from playing that year. Is that worth a day or 2 advantage? I don't think so, personally.

[Cory]

a friendly reminder from the CD moderator crew: please refrain from any form of discussion of cracking the manual on these forums.