2013 ACTUAL game hint!!!

[Chris is me]

Originally Posted by CalTran

I wasn't on a team that year but 4 lunacy wheels were provided in the kit, right?

Yes. What he's saying though is that it's not uncommon for FIRST to punish teams who pre-purchase materials expecting to use them in the upcoming season.

As for the hint, I have no idea. 31 is the max IV in Pokemon. Must be a Pokemon game.

[runneals]

Originally Posted by MetalJacket

The fact that thhis is labeled hint #number three seems to suggest both thee Rick Astley photo and the post about this hint were actual hints. Anyone else have any thoughts on this?

And there was a 3 day difference b/w the post about this hint and this hint...

[Kevin Thorp]

In the past have there been problems with the size & weight of the robots? They've grown over the years, when you add the bumper and battery weight. Maybe FIRST has serious concerns about safety and transportation issues so they've "downsized" for 2013.

This parallels the downsizing of American cars to help meet the new more stringent CAFE standards and lower carbon footprint. Automotive companies and suppliers are a big part of FRC.

This move would also reduce the veteran team advantage of pulling an old chassis design off the shelf & reusing it in the new game.

[billbo911]

Originally Posted by CalTran

I wasn't on a team that year but 4 lunacy wheels were provided in the kit, right?

Yes they were, and fortunately, they were available for purchase from AndyMark. Because, if you dropped one onto a concrete floor, you quickly found out how easy it was to crack one.

[Sean Raia]

So we have "Seal", and then tightening your belt. Which has turned into a discussion about belt drives, which turned into a discussion about lunacy wheels.

It might just be me, but I think this thread took a wrong turn somewhere.

[Walter Deitzler]

Originally Posted by Chris is me

As for the hint, I have no idea. 31 is the max IV in Pokemon. Must be a Pokemon game.

And then alliance selections would be like "Team xxxx, I choose you!"

[coalhot]

Originally Posted by LedLover96

And then alliance selections would be like "Team xxxx, I choose you!"

This would be awesome. I vote for this to be the hint!

[dellagd]

This move would also reduce the veteran team advantage of pulling an old chassis design off the shelf & reusing it in the new game.

+1 for that

Still, I hope they keep the same size, though with the drive base kit, that is seeming pretty impossible right now...

[yarden.saa]

Originally Posted by billbo911

Note the "30"" max dimension on the KOP drive base. Typo or legit? Smaller drive bases possibly? I know I'm not the first to mention this.

Frank's earliest blog post about the evolution of the KoP cause me to think it is a typo

If your team decides to receive the 2013 KOP Drive System, you will receive an AndyMark C-Base chassis system similar to the last few years. It will again be a six wheel drive robot, with similar wheels to 2012, and with enough material to drive all six wheels. The 2013 gearbox is a ToughBox Mini with 10.71:1 reduction. The estimated final drive speed is about 10 feet per second.

Thanks to our partnership with AndyMark and with a donation from Gates, we are switching from chains to belts to drive the wheels. The KOP Drive System has been designed to be set up as either a six wheel drive “long” robot, or a four wheel drive “wide” robot.

We believe this is a positive change for a number of reasons. The belt system is between 1.5 and 2 pounds lighter than a chain drive system. Belts have also been shown through FRC-specific testing to be a more efficient system than chain drives. The assembly time for the KOP Drive System should also be reduced, since you no longer have to break chain or assemble master links. Chain may provide greater flexibility in design, but we believe, for the stated overall goal for the KOP Drive System, a belt system comes out on top.

He described the drivebase very specifcly so, I can assume there is no change in the dimensions because, this drive base can be wide or long as in previous years...

[Walter Deitzler]

Originally Posted by yarden.saa

Frank's earliest blog post about the evolution of the KoP cause me to think it is a typo



He described the drivebase very specifcly so I can assume there is no change in the dimensions because we this drive base can be wide or long as in previous years...

I would agree that it probably won't be 28x28, as he states that it can be either long or wide, but he does not mention dimensions staying the same. it could be a 30x20.

[dellagd]

If your team decides to receive the 2013 KOP Drive System, you will receive an AndyMark C-Base chassis system similar to the last few years. It will again be a six wheel drive robot, with similar wheels to 2012, and with enough material to drive all six wheels. The 2013 gearbox is a ToughBox Mini with 10.71:1 reduction. The estimated final drive speed is about 10 feet per second.

Thanks to our partnership with AndyMark and with a donation from Gates, we are switching from chains to belts to drive the wheels. The KOP Drive System has been designed to be set up as either a six wheel drive “long” robot, or a four wheel drive “wide” robot.

We believe this is a positive change for a number of reasons. The belt system is between 1.5 and 2 pounds lighter than a chain drive system. Belts have also been shown through FRC-specific testing to be a more efficient system than chain drives. The assembly time for the KOP Drive System should also be reduced, since you no longer have to break chain or assemble master links. Chain may provide greater flexibility in design, but we believe, for the stated overall goal for the KOP Drive System, a belt system comes out on top.

Actually, this makes me think the opposite.

He dances around saying the dimensions, using "similar" and then emphasizing how the wheels are the same. Makes me think he was trying not to give it away.

[yarden.saa]

Originally Posted by LedLover96

I would agree that it probably won't be 28x28, as he states that it can be either long or wide, but he does not mention dimensions staying the same. it could be a 30x20.

The difference between FRC and FTC is the size of the robots, 20*30 is almost FTC robot

[jvriezen]

The game will involve lowering something (a minibot of sorts ?) in a manner similar to the lowering of Curiosity to the surface. The 4"x1"x1" item is some spool of high strength tether for lowering that didn't make it in time to get packaged in KOP box.

Either that, or I'm wrong.

[dellagd]

Originally Posted by yarden.saa

The difference between FRC and FTC is the size of the robots, 20*30 is almost FTC robot

Right. It just wouldnt feel the same to me. One of the coolest parts of FRC is the robots are pretty life size.

[apples000]

I think that the part about dinner missed may have to do with the list of names. After the list of names in the blog post, it says "I think they have a larger purpose."