2013 ACTUAL game hint!!!

[stewie2013]

ok so what i think is maybe tripple play again due to the recuring #3 the most repeted number in the hole hint is 3 so triple play ?and also in 2005 (tripple play year) the robots where smaller that explains the small kit frame and the hint was decoded to A ROSE, KISSED
SINGER GREAT
A DINNER, MISSED
HOLDING WEIGHT
the last line makes me think it is even more

[Bob Steele]

I am guessing that the robot sizes have decreased in order to fit in the sizing boxes with the bumpers on. A 30-31" robot frame with bumpers would fit in the old 38" box. It would then also seem likely that the width would do the same but that makes for a particularly narrow robot. 20"??

That does not seem likely unless the boxes were rebuilt square which would give the robot a 30 X 30 configuration...

plus bumpers giving something like the old 38 on all sides

just my 2 cents. I guess we will find out Jan 5th

See you all on the field!!

[cmrnpizzo14]

First off...
"This is one of the first puns/jokes/whatever that I've seen on CD that doesn't make me immediately facepalm.

Well done, good sir."
Thank you Libby.

Next, I think that we are digressing from the actual hint a bit to much. While Pi is relevant, I don't think that we really needed that post..... Also, I think that we are stretching this hint a bit too far. While the GDC hints are often vague, they usually have a fairly direct correlation, the trick is just finding it. With the exception of the "moonfish" in '09, I think that most of the hints haven't required so much stretching.

I also think that we are placing too much weight in interpreting the hint as a clue to the actual gameplay. I don't remember a hint that actually told us how the game would be played. Most of the time, the hints reference part of the game that is insignificant, such as the name (Logomotion) or the field elements (Breakaway & Rack and Roll).

Also, I don't think that some of these suggestions are even plausible. 2v2v2 games would be cool, but take one look at the elimination bracket and I think that all of us would rather stick with the traditional 3v3. Betting points on games? As fun as that may be, that quickly would end poorly too (See the 1114 comment). Most regionals do not have enough parity in the competition to enable such a system. Teams would see that their alliance was far superior than their opponents and immediately jump to betting all points. Barring a red card, those teams would jump up far too high in the standings. Also, imagine trying to keep track of how many points each team bets, that is just begging for a mistake.

I think that we are on the right track with the cryptogram approach. The seal references might or might not be intentional. We probably should accept that we might be on the entirely wrong track with this. We should probably try and use this hint to come up with some sort of game detail that is not actual gameplay.

If you want to determine how the game actually would be played, I recommend that you see the post referring to FIRST trends over the years.
2011 resembled 2007
2012 resembled 2006
2013 will resemble 2005?

It is true that FIRST seems to alternate between a sport and a concept game and between a ball and an object game. Seeing as last year was a sport game with a ball, it seems to show that this year will be a concept game with an object.

Also, FIRST has not used a large and unwieldy game piece in a while (Think trackballs from 2008). I think that we are due for something huge like that.

[Bill_B]

Anyone thinking, or hoping, that Seal will be at the kick-off? What does the star-tracker say about him or Will.iam on the 5th?

[DonRotolo]

Originally Posted by cmrnpizzo14

While Pi is relevant, I don't think that we really needed that post.....

Agreed

[RB73]

So i just read through a majority of this thread in one day, and I think I can provide a different perspective than those who are only reading the recent posts.....

I have an idea of what the game will be:

Going off of the "fish scale" theory (first reference here:

Originally Posted by SoftroniX

"A DINNER, MISSED" could be refering to a picture of the same caption on flikr (It's actually the first result if you google the phrase)
http://m.flickr.com/#/photos/81238501@N00/8073635501/

), we will have to hang objects (return of the tetras? References 2005) from hooks at either end of the field, these hooks will be attached to scales so as the read the weight on them. Alliances score is based off of the weight on it, rather than the game pieces, thus adding an end game bonus to robots hanging from them. The line "never gonna let you down" refers to not having the robot fall after hanging, which will obviously reduce your score. The hooks are arranged into a triangle (there's a 3). Bonus points are awarded if one of three (and another) large track balls are balanced on top of the hooks (seals balance balls on their noses)

Just my 2 cents, feel free to completely disagree

[skimoose]

Originally Posted by Shifter

A rose, kissed = Seal

Singer great = Seal

I think the second line may have been missed by all. If the clue is referring to the singer Seal, then a "Singer great" may be a reference to the "Great Seal" of which, there are two for the United States.



This is referred to as the Second Great Seal of the United States found on the one dollar bill. It clearly shows the pyramid: are we back to tetra shapes? The latin phrase is generally translated as the "new order of the world" which could be viewed as Dean's attempt to change society, or may be referring to a major change in FIRST's FRC game. The latter could be confirmation that robot dimensions are in fact changing. A smaller robot foot print would allow for more robots on the field. Many have pointed out that three alliances is not practical, but what if FIRST is making another leap forward and we are going to 4 vs. 4? Last year's asymmetrical driver's stations had one station smaller than the other two. Was this a test to see what impact it would have on teams? Few, if any teams complained about the reduced space for the drive team. So First could conceivably fit four driver stations in the end zone. I'm not sure what that would do to the Human Player position.

The increased robots per matched has been tied to longer game times as well. Could increasing the match to 3:00 minutes be one of the changes recommended by the Einstein report? If a robot or radio were to disconnect from the field, a longer match would possibly allow that machine to reconnect before the match ended thus reducing the impact of a dead robot. Also with four robots per alliance, one dead robot still leaves an alliance functioning at 75% capacity as opposed to 66% capacity for a three robot alliance.

Also, the pyramid is topped by the all seeing eye. Is camera vision playing a major part in this year's game?

Then there is the Great Seal of the United States:



Start with the latin phrase "e pluribus unum" which translates to "out of many, one", many robots one alliance.

Next is the radiant disk above the American bald eagle’s head the stars of the original 13 states are composed to form a Solomon’s Seal symbolic of the union of soul and body, spirit and matter, or the combination of the alchemical signs for fire and water. Each of the interlaced equilateral triangles, one upward turned, the other downward, is a Pythagorean Tetractys, or ‘perfect triangle of fourness,’ of nine points, four to a side, enclosing a tenth representing the generative center. The alchemical meaning is representative of the combination of opposites and transmutation. Which could be point to a change in robot dimensions again. The tetractys also is a figure composed of ten points in four rows:

The Tetractys represented the organization of space:

the first row represented zero-dimensions (a point)
the second row represented one-dimension (a line of two points)
the third row represented two-dimensions (a plane defined by a triangle of three points)
the fourth row represented three-dimensions (a tetrahedron defined by four points)

So a tetrahedron game piece is a possibility.

Lastly, the pyramid also symbolizes a triangle or delta, which is the mathematical symbol for change.

Anyone else want to go down the Great Seal road?

[mrmummert]

We'll i don't know about you all...but i'll wait for the fourth hint that comes out January 5th before i speculate on this.

[rhinobot]

In my opinion the first hint said it all. We are all being rick rolled by the FRC community and best bet is to wait until the 5th.

[Brandon Zalinsky]

There's a margin for error, but I'm pretty sure there's a 747 leaving Heathrow tomorrow at 6:30 in the evening for Baltimore. Apparently, it's carrying the field. Not sure how that can be true, but I've only been on the case for 8 seconds.

-best TV show ever.

[Gregor]

Originally Posted by Flak-Bait

There's a margin for error, but I'm pretty sure there's a 747 leaving Heathrow tomorrow at 6:30 in the evening for Baltimore. Apparently, it's carrying the field. Not sure how that can be true, but I've only been on the case for 8 seconds.

-best TV show ever.

What?

[Brandon Zalinsky]

Originally Posted by Gregor

What?

It's a scene from Sherlock in which Sherlock Holmes looks at a string of seemingly random numbers, and finds out, in 8 seconds, that it's referring to a plane flight that terrorists are targeting.

[rocknthehawk]

Originally Posted by billbo911

Remember, the first half of the clue seems to points to "Seal". And what are Seals well known for? Balancing. Balancing objects on their nose, or balancing themselves on their flippers.

"A DINNER MISSED, HOLDING WEIGHT"
Quite often dinner is the largest meal of the day. Missing it may mean loosing out on the biggest caloric intake of the day. In the past couple years, the End Game has been a HUGE determining factor in the outcome of a match.
I'm guessing that the End Game this year may not be any different.

To put the clue into play here:

The End Game will have a Balance Platform/Scale in the middle. The End Game is won by the Alliance that places, or stacks, the most weight on their side, thus tipping the scale in their favor. If you're caught "HOLDING WEIGHT", you miss "DINNER", or, the bonus points.

I never really involve myself too much in game hints, but, looking at this train of thought could relate to "raising the bar"....Robots were left "holding weight" (suspending from the bar in the center of the field), and aside from 190, it often meant the possibility of missing out on capping a goal. All the points have been made. Mobile goals, large balls or bonuses, timed release of game pieces.

That said, I wouldn't mind some rework of 2004 or 2005, both were great to play and watch.

[DonRotolo]

Originally Posted by mrmummert

We'll i don't know about you all...but i'll wait for the fourth hint that comes out January 5th before i speculate on this.

Wait, what ?
I thought Frank said the next clue is coming out 1/6?

[Robo Hamsters]

Originally Posted by skimoose

Also, the pyramid is topped by the all seeing eye. Is camera vision playing a major part in this year's game?

This is very possible. When I asked RoboRealm for a copy for us to use to test the Kinect's IR vision capabilities, they gave me some interesting feedback.

RoboRealm is in the KOP for this years competition! Since you will
already have the link you can ignore the card coupon that will be in
your 'kit of parts'.

I do recommend that you have a look at the new Network Tables module
that allows for much easier communication to the CRio. Its the same
technology that SmartDashboard uses to communicate back to the driver
station. You will need Network Tables 2.0 (an upgrade from last year)
running on the CRio in order for that to work.

Look out for new tutorials specific to the 2013 just after kickoff.
There will be another new module launched to make your life easier for
the competition.