2013 Game Hint!

[DDSLoan96]

Just want to point something out. Never gonna give you up came out in 1987, 20 years after that the game Rack N' Roll was used.

[StevenB]

Originally Posted by apples000

The picture has GPS coordinates in its metadata.... It points near DEKA in New Hampshire, but not quite in the building.

Actually, it points to FIRST HQ.

The world has never seen a group of people who have taken such interest and delight in being rickrolled.

[dellagd]

Im more concerned with the fact that that he says that "we know the game, and were gonna play it"

In the recording off the "Behind the Game Design" videos FRC put out on their channel, he DOES say that they are not above replaying games, and that, as a backup to rebound rumble, they would have basically replayed Aim High.

Personally, I believe that would be really lame, since some teams have played that game before, others have not. It would really not help with leveling the playing field.


But, more then likely, I think were probably not supposed to pay attention to the video that much, as it IS used to troll people, and this isnt really an "Official" full blown hint as Libby Kamen said.

Things that probably are significant:

The pushpins:
If they had only put three pushpins on there, I would think that a red, yellow, and blue pin represent a new alliance, but the fact that they put a fourth red one on throws me off. If they really wanted to convey that idea, why not just leave out a pushpin? It doesnt make since to me, and has me wondering why there are two red...

The time of the screenshot:
3 minutes in? Probably a longer match, including a longer auton period. Why? Because they want the kinect to be more part of the game this year. A longer auton would mean utilizing your sensors correctly is even more important than before. Plus, if they lowered the match time for teleop, people would probably get mad, so they increased the game time.

Thats all for now

[SarahBeth]

The world has never seen a group of people who have taken such interest and delight in being rickrolled.

Bam! New signature!

Thanks, StevenB!

Also, this thread is so much fun, I have nothing useful to add, but I'm really enjoying reading it.

[F22Rapture]

Originally Posted by dellagd

The pushpins:
If they had only put three pushpins on there, I would think that a red, yellow, and blue pin represent a new alliance, but the fact that they put a fourth red one on throws me off. If they really wanted to convey that idea, why not just leave out a pushpin? It doesnt make since to me, and has me wondering why there are two red...

The time of the screenshot:
3 minutes in? Probably a longer match, including a longer auton period. Why? Because they want the kinect to be more part of the game this year. A longer auton would mean utilizing your sensors correctly is even more important than before. Plus, if they lowered the match time for teleop, people would probably get mad, so they increased the game time.

I think this is the most likely scenario.

I can't see 3 alliances happening. I think that's a false lead, and the 4th pushpin implies otherwise.

After thinking about it, I'm almost positive that your second point is correct. Currently matches are 2 minutes 15 seconds long, with a 15 second hybrid period. I wouldn't be surprised if the hybrid period was extended to 30 or 45 seconds, with a 2:30 or 2:15 teleop period, respectively.

Since it's easy to program a 15 second autonomous with an efficiency difficult to match with the Kinect, I see this as a fairly straightforward method of incentivising teams to use Kinect without introducing a potential imbalance if it were to be heavily weighted in the points.

[SteveGPage]

Some initial thoughts myself. Some seem to have been discussed in this thread, maybe some not. Catching up at 35K feet, crossing the Rookies, I may have bounced over something!

1. The picture, as best I can tell, according to the video I found online, is actually at almost 3:01. So not sure if the "3" exactly is what they were going for. At the moment of the screen cap, he is mouthing the word "Up" in the song. I think we are going to be seeing a lifting aspect of the game, both of game pieces and prob other robots - including opp alliance robots. Elements of Rack 'n Roll and Coopertition like last year's bridge, and maybe Overdrive.
2. The video, if the three minute mark isn't the primary driver of the screen cap, has several locations. In this segment, Rick is singing on an elevated stage, with two women next to him - so three participants. I'm guessing we're staying with the 3 v 3 standard, but perhaps need to finish with the alliance members on an elevated area. Elements of Aim High with the ramp.
3. The dining room where this is happening, has a number of empty tables, with chairs stacked on top of them. So I would lean towards a stacking game. Elements of Triple Play.
4. For the push pins, since I see parts of other games in this, let me go a different direction from the rest of the discussion. Taking the push pins in the order in which they are placed. Starting at 12 oclock and moving clockwise, perhaps they are indicative of the periods of the game. Yellow being AM or some kind of hybrid mode. Based on the outcome of that, let's say "Red" wins AM, "Blue" is now on offense first, while "Red" is on defense for the second period, or first period of TeleOp. Next, Red is on offense, while Blue is on defense. Lastly, because Red won AM, they get some benefit of being in control of the End Game. Elements of Aim High.
5. Since the hint, its self, is a picture. Expect a emphasis on cameras, and image capture capabilities, probably for AM, and for distant aiming. Certainly the push over the last several years.
6. Lastly, I'm not convinced we are driving on cork, or that cork has anything to do with playing pieces or surfaces. I can't see theme returning to something like Lunacy in terms of playing surfaces. So why the corkboard? I think it has to do with the function of a corkboard, a place where you share information with the public. As with Rack N' Roll (and to some degree Breakaway), and the lifting requirement, there was a need to share design ideas so there was some kind of standard designs for the lifter and the liftee. I expect that to be a greater push, forcing teams to come to some kind of design standard for those kind of activities.

Okay, my $0.02 (or 0.0154 Euros)

Forgive any typos - balancing laptop on a small tray, bouncing my way East!

Steve

[Gregor]

Originally Posted by SteveGPage

...Rack 'n Roll...Coopertition like last year's bridge...Overdrive...Aim High...Triple Play...Aim High...Lunacy...Rack N' Roll...Breakaway

So a Rack 'n Roll, Rebound Rumble, Overdrive, Aim High, Triple Play, Lunacy, Breakaway fusion mix, with an emphasis on Rack 'n Roll and Aim High?

[SteveGPage]

Originally Posted by Gregor

So a Rack 'n Roll, Rebound Rumble, Overdrive, Aim High, Triple Play, Lunacy, Breakaway fusion mix, with an emphasis on Rack 'n Roll and Aim High?

Exactly, except I forgot to add perhaps pushing objects up a ramp, too ... so elements of FTC Bowled Over!

[Gregor]

Originally Posted by SteveGPage

Exactly, except I forgot to add perhaps pushing objects up a ramp, too ... so elements of FTC Bowled Over!

Or Stack Attack

[dellagd]

5. Since the hint, its self, is a picture. Expect a emphasis on cameras, and image capture capabilities, probably for AM, and for distant aiming. Certainly the push over the last several years.

Yes! The GDC emphsiased (sorry, on a cell phone) their want to continue with the kinect and use it more. I never thought about that, it is a picture OF a picture.

Once again, in those GDC design videos (watch them! Theyre very interesting!), they emphsiased their want to use the vision systems in general more.

[B-rant4474]

Well I know this is stupid and it will most likely not be a water game. However, I just have to mention that cork floats on water.

Maybe there could be a pool in the center where the game elements are floating on water. I don't know where 3 would fit in though. Also this is a huge stretch.

[nathannfm]

Since posting this is clearly saying they will troll us I think there will be a sealed container of water somewhere on the field that serves no practical purpose whatsoever except for them to say they finally did a water game.

[CLandrum3081]

One picture, a lot to digest.

I definitely wasn't expecting a hint this early.

I'll have to wait for the next one to actually formulate some good guesses.

For some reason, I had the idea in my head that there would be some sort of target shaped like the Bohr model of the atom since it's its 100-year anniversary in 2013. But that's coming from a chemistry nerd who remembers everything she sees in her textbook.

VERY excited for kickoff and anxiously awaiting next hint.

As for the one we have right now, I'm very much with the 3:00 match length. I would look at the three colors as three alliances but that red pushpin throws me off. Maybe the yellow tack has something to do with autonomous? I'd think if there was a third alliance its bumpers would be white, but I don't know... Sometimes I feel like a rookie *facepalm*

[CrazyHorse]

Originally Posted by B-rant4474

I just have to mention that cork floats on water. I don't know where 3 would fit in though.

3 Feet of water

But in all seriousness, I'm not entirely sure this is a hint. Read the 5th or 6th post talking about a member or the GDC. Plus, it didn't really have the fanfare of a hint. I wouldn't take anything from this except the concept of 3. And that the GDC loves to troll and everyone on this thread is unhealthily addicted to FIRST. Myself included Hooray for FIRST Fever! "Official" hints are given in December right?

[HumblePie]

FWIW, I did go outside yesterday and the grass is now shorter.

Haven't seen a lot of discussion re: the background in the photo, and FIRSTers are nothing if not subtle. I agree with others here that we're about due for a stacking game. Does anyone else think the background is reminiscent of a milk crate? Or, could "desert you" refer to ice cream (cones)? Just havin' fun....