Event Predictions

[Ken Streeter]

Originally Posted by PVCpirate

And Dean Kamen: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OnE0j69_gYk.

As soon as I started reading this thread, I suspected somebody would post that video. Not one of 1519's prouder moments -- we're just glad Dean Kamen wasn't badly hurt. We really did expect the kick to head downfield, but 48's defense hindered our intended aim for downfield, instead resulting in the errant shot right into Dean's face.

Also, this is one of the times that I'm glad our team has a pair of drive coaches who switch off between matches. I honestly can't remember whether I was the drive coach for the above match, or whether my co-coach was behind the lexan for that match!

However, even with the netting at the side of the field, I think the hardness of the frisbees and the relatively smaller size of their leading edge (as compared to a soccer ball, foam basketball, or poofball) makes them a bit more of a hazard from some of the higher-velocity frisbee shooters. We've pretty much enclosed our spinning wheel, but a frisbee to the face at 15' range would pack quite a punch indeed! Care and discretion are warranted by all.

That said, a place to tune frisbee shooters (other than 1 robot at a time on a small practice field) at official events would help a lot. It wouldnt' take much at most events -- kind of like a "driving range" for teams -- one could even picture multiple teams being able to simultaneously make use of an area set up like a golf driving range.

[Koko Ed]

I just came to the realization that the que lines at FLR are st up directly behind the drivers stations along with the DJ so the Team Que, the drives teams themselves and the DJ are going to get constantly bombarded all weekend. There is now no doubt in my mind someone is going to get hurt.

[coalhot]

Prediction: FIRST will install netting above the goal area for at least champs. To make sure not to kill anyone.

Edit: Being queing at HH is going to be interesting. I expect to be ducking everywhere all weekend. Also, I have a feeling that field reset will be a pain. We shall see...

[Andrew Schreiber]

Originally Posted by JVN

We used to think we were cool.

-John

14 out of 36 teams who showed their robot during the Top25 reveal... Yes, I counted.

[Racer26]

Originally Posted by Andrew Schreiber

14 out of 36 teams who showed their robot during the Top25 reveal... Yes, I counted.

Did that include the teams that dont have underglow, but have some other kind of auxiliary lighting? 772, I'm looking at you...

[Alpha Beta]

Originally Posted by Andrew Schreiber

14 out of 36 teams who showed their robot during the Top25 reveal... Yes, I counted.

I guess we could add some.

[Andrew Schreiber]

Originally Posted by 1075guy

Did that include the teams that dont have underglow, but have some other kind of auxiliary lighting? 772, I'm looking at you...

It is non camera related LEDs on their robot as decorations.

[PayneTrain]

I've actually had a casual interest in FRC (I wasn't in FLL either) before I joined a team in 2008. I recall (can't cite the rule, that part of the game manual is lost in the FIRST website) there being a rule where the poof balls, the second most nonviolent game piece in the modern era (behind moon rocks) had a set velocity limit.

Working with strategy and design for this game, I was shocked there was no velocity limit. Not only is a full court capability in range for a lot of teams, but this game piece is as rigid, if not more rigid, than the tetras, and we are allowed to whir these pieces 10 feet high and 50+ feet across. In testing videos for both 422 and 2614, you can see the frisbees being shot from at least 10 yards a way and still audibly banging into the back wall. As someone who spends a lot of their time behind the glass or at least in the field area, I'm not thrilled. As an attendee of regionals where there is about 2 feet between the stands and the field barriers, I hope they block off some rows.

It's all fun and games until we get blood spilt on the field or in the stands by a game piece. Seriously. It would not be fun after that. FIRST would quickly become not fun.

[Koko Ed]

Originally Posted by PayneTrain

I've actually had a casual interest in FRC (I wasn't in FLL either) before I joined a team in 2008. I recall (can't cite the rule, that part of the game manual is lost in the FIRST website) there being a rule where the poof balls, the second most nonviolent game piece in the modern era (behind moon rocks) had a set velocity limit.

Working with strategy and design for this game, I was shocked there was no velocity limit. Not only is a full court capability in range for a lot of teams, but this game piece is as rigid, if not more rigid, than the tetras, and we are allowed to whir these pieces 10 feet high and 50+ feet across. In testing videos for both 422 and 2614, you can see the frisbees being shot from at least 10 yards a way and still audibly banging into the back wall. As someone who spends a lot of their time behind the glass or at least in the field area, I'm not thrilled. As an attendee of regionals where there is about 2 feet between the stands and the field barriers, I hope they block off some rows.

It's all fun and games until we get blood spilt on the field or in the stands by a game piece. Seriously. It would not be fun after that. FIRST would quickly become not fun.

If FIRST hits the wrong person at the wrong time they could find themselves on the business end of a lawsuit.

[Mk.32]

After watching kick off I honestly didn't believe were were getting a real Frisbee. And well when I opened the KOP... holy cow. Having played some ultimate, I have seen/felt what a flying Frisbee will do to one's head and it %@#$ hurts.

Last year we didn't really have a problem with anyone testing shooters in their pits at sdr however the practice field is always a mess. At our per-ship event we had some close calls of different teams on the field practice shooting and people trying to get across it. Also I believe that human players should NOT be allowed to practice any kind of throwing on the practice fields unless it is 100% devoid of robots/people (which is never). At SDR the practice field is always just a free for all, there needs to be some clear indications/no walk zones to make sure one gets hurt.

Maybe having the area around the fields be a NO GO zone for anyone outside the teams playing/crew would be a good idea. And give the VIPs/etc a viewing spots up the stands that is a lot safer then sanding near the field.

[PayneTrain]

Originally Posted by Koko Ed

If FIRST hits the wrong person at the wrong time they could find themselves on the business end of a lawsuit.

That was the more direct definition of things becoming "not fun".

[Racer26]

Originally Posted by PayneTrain

That was the more direct definition of things becoming "not fun".

Well, more so because the ensuing restrictions on what we can and can't do becomes so restrictive as to make things boring than the lawsuit itself not being fun.

Really, just net the alliance station walls too. Problem solved. You dont need ceiling access to the venue, just build the alliance walls so that the end uprights have a 10+ft vertical extension to hold a net across.

[thefro526]

Originally Posted by PayneTrain

I've actually had a casual interest in FRC (I wasn't in FLL either) before I joined a team in 2008. I recall (can't cite the rule, that part of the game manual is lost in the FIRST website) there being a rule where the poof balls, the second most nonviolent game piece in the modern era (behind moon rocks) had a set velocity limit.

You're right, there was a velocity limit in 2006, but I can't remember exactly what it was. IIRC, it was phrased as both a speed (XX distance/time) and a real world spot checking value (Shot at X trajectory should not go further than Y reference point), which made it pretty useful.

That being said, with the way that game is designed, having a set maximum velocity would change things immensely in terms of game play (long range shooting becomes much more difficult) but would make things much, much safer.

[Lil' Lavery]

Originally Posted by thefro526

You're right, there was a velocity limit in 2006, but I can't remember exactly what it was. IIRC, it was phrased as both a speed (XX distance/time) and a real world spot checking value (Shot at X trajectory should not go further than Y reference point), which made it pretty useful.

It didn't limit the range of the shot explicitly, only the muzzle velocity (12 meters/second). That implicitly created a max range, but it wasn't explicitly stated. That max range did have strategic impact, namely that you couldn't shoot full court.

e; It seems there was a mention of range in the rule, bad memory. Though it would have been the equivalent to a "blue box" portion of the rules these days.

[pyroslev]

I predict with a 3rd level climbing robot with non-automated climbing, things will be interesting.

A less seasoned driver is focusing on the climb. A hard impact on the wall makes them jump, overreact, etc. and they lose focus on the climb at a critical step and the robot takes a dive.

That leads to my prediction of the possibility of fire. Saw 2-3 motors smoke out in a epic match last year so the fire risk is my mind.

And I've taken a Frisbee to the head down. They hurt but as long as you don't catch one in the throat within the first 10 feet or so, I don't think we'll see decapitations.