The 2010 Curve Ball

[ChuckDickerson]

In 2009 the GDC threw us a curve ball with the Regolith and rover wheels. With Kickoff is just days away, what do you predict the 2010 curve ball will be? What will be the one change that will shake things up more than any other? The one change that will nullify countless off-season prototypes? The one change that will force everyone to rethink everything?

It can be anything. Let’s see who gets to say I told you so after Kickoff!

My prediction: The good ‘ole CIMs will be a thing of the past and will be replaced with some new motor in some new legal quantity other than 4.

[EricH]

Non-flat surfaces, in a fairly large proportion.

Back in the days between 1999 and 2004, there was some form of structure to climb on every year (save 2002). These structures could easily block midfield, which many of them did, or make staying off of them and staying competitive very tricky. Since 2004, we have not really had that midfield barrier. Sure, we've had to go around triangles (2005), go up ramps at the end of the field (2006), and dodge large structures (2007), but none of them have had that same "I'm in your way, climb on/over me" feel that those older ones had.

A number of prototypes that are out there seem to assume a fairly flat floor with primarily carpet covering. But let's not forget, the GDC has been known to use as many as three different surfaces in one game, notably in 2003's ramp and 2006's ramps.

I don't think the CIMs will entirely disappear. However, let's see what happens when we can only use the BIG CIM's from the 2006-2007 era. More weight, less power, and how on earth do you get the pulley and tensioner off this darn motor without breaking it? That's going to be a sight to see... (And yes, that would be a dirty trick. The only things in the KOP's those years that weighed more than the big CIM were the compressor and the batteries.)

[Jon Jack]

My prediction....





We'll find out in 5 days....

[MiniNerd24]

Well, assuming that we're gonna be dealing with more space themed objects this year (like the remote control from Overdrive relating to controling space probes or the regolith being like the surface of the moon) I think we'll either be stuck with less traction/less mobility or we'll be using an entirely new method of control as an option (e.g. IR remote). And as for the field that would be an interesting idea for a field and I'm not gonna say the GDC will count that out, so yes morphed surfaces would make it challenging.
Also if what I've heard is true they found water on the moon so ice may be within the means of terrain and what best represents ice but the regolith from last year?

[Steve Compton]

Not being able to see the objects we've got to manipulate...unless we've got a camera on the manipulator and a netbook on the driver's station.

[Stuart]

personal I'm hoping for active field elements. put some motors out there, have the robots communicate with each other and the field to get bonuses. having the field be the 7th robot would be a cool twist IMO.


PS I very much liked this years BEST game even if the scoring was a little confusing

[artdutra04]

2010: Placebo Odyssey Two

[jsasaki]

No wheels hahaha

[Tetraman]

Originally Posted by jsasaki

No wheels hahaha

It's actually a great idea. Force us to use different means of transport.

[Daniel_LaFleur]

Stairs.

[johnr]

Back to carpet but with different size sledding disks placed upside down under it.

[DUCKIE]

Assuming the "Coopertition Bonus Points" mentioned in Manual section 5 are not earned solely on chips like the safety award has been....

My guess is that the 2010 game will not be a "traditional" 3 vs. 3 game.

Perhaps a flashback to the 2001 4 vs. the clock game or the alliances can work together on a shared task like the FLL cross-table elements along with scoring points independently.

[MrForbes]

I still want to know how many legs our robots will need.

[Nate Smith]

Originally Posted by Daniel_LaFleur

Stairs.

Possibly, but people have been predicting stairs ever since Dean's wheelchair first made an appearance...

[dtengineering]

Please let it be a larger playing field.

This allows room for all the mid-field obstacles from earlier four robot games that really became kind of impractical with six machines crammed on to the field.

But, sigh... I do know space is limited in some of the smaller FRC venues, so we're not likely to see that.

Perhaps, however, we might have strict limits on energy consumption... efficiency is always a good thing. Maybe each robot will be fitted with an ammeter to measure total current flow, and it will report back to the field control system how much power each robot is drawing. Alliances will then have "power consumption points" deducted from their final score.

Or maybe the combined total power consumed by all three robots in on an alliance will be monitored... so if robot one is in a pushing match and needs to pour on the juice, robots two and three need to dial back their consumption a bit. THAT would be a real challenge for drivers!

Jason