[FRC Blog] 2014 Game Hint

[theCADguy]

If there is going to be a 90 lbs weight limit, we may be required to build robots that have a smaller frame perimeter.

[Jonathan Lister]

I like the weight interpretation. It seems like the most reasonable (least random) one to me.
As for the photo, I found a couple of things that I'm not sure if anyone has addressed yet (I was asleep last night, and I did not bother to check every single reply made while I was out). I'm especially curious about the thing in the background because I don't know what it is.

[ivers123]

Originally Posted by Rangel(kf7fdb)

On Febuary 26th, 1963, the 57th day of 1963, it seems their is a space related event that occured.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/February_1963

Maybe the debris is hinting at debris on the game field or structures that can be moved but have no other purpose than to get in the way of the robots. It would certainly be an interesting game if much of the strategy depended on maintaining control of the debris and using it to block the opposing robots from scoring.

[theCADguy]

Originally Posted by Rangel(kf7fdb)

On Febuary 26th, 1963, the 57th day of 1963, it seems their is a space related event that occured.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/February_1963

The spacecraft was headed towards Mars...
The game may have something to do with Mars or space exploration in general.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/February_1963
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mars_2MV-4_No.1

[Joseph1825]

Originally Posted by yarden.saa

I searched the numbers in google earth with my brother.
The second numer refers to a sign "FIRST Security"
The third number refers to the "FIRST Baptist church"
The first number is very intresting, there is a strange sign that I couldn't read it all: "Weight limit reduced 25%"

It means that the robot weight limit is going to be 90 pound.

Something you have to remember is the reversibility of the hints. Basiclly, if FIRST had been trying to point us to that sign they would have no way to find what search terms would point to that sign.

[Flimsor]

Originally Posted by Jonathan Lister

I like the weight interpretation. It seems like the most reasonable (least random) one to me.
As for the photo, I found a couple of things that I'm not sure if anyone has addressed yet (I was asleep last night, and I did not bother to check every single reply made while I was out). I'm especially curious about the thing in the background because I don't know what it is.

It seems that the things on the floor are two phones on a piece of paper. Not sure if that's some sort of metaphor. As for the thing in the background, I'm not sure.

[Orion.DeYoe]

So I had a thought that the slashes might not mean division, but instead that they're alternatives. I noticed that there are THREE sets of numbers separated by commas. Which means that if these were points then they would be points in 3d space (not 2D like the triangles that have been floating around on this thread). So I found a tool to plot points in 3d space (http://hotmath.com/learning_activiti.../3dplotter.swf) and assumed that the slashes meant that the coordinate could be either number. That process would give us 8 possible points in a box pattern.
I can't figure out how to insert it into my post so I included the screenshot as an attachment.
(NOTE: I plotted the points at 1:1000 scale to make them fit on the graph better, according to geometry this will not affect the shape at all.)

[Pratik Kunapuli]

I highly doubt FIRST is going to use a large number of small game pieces (baseballs, wiffle-balls, foam footballs), purely because of the fact that the reset becomes exponentially harder to round up and count all of the game pieces.

[MooreteP]

Originally Posted by Hallry

Not to offend anyone, but for all the people who are suggesting 3v3v3 or something of the sort: Have you ever been to a DISTRICT event? Space is already extremely limited as it is. It would be impossible to have 3v3v3, unless they drastically reduce the size of the playing field. Even queing areas would be a nightmare. I don't foresee 3v3v3 or anything similar coming for a very very long time. And if that change ever does come, half (probably more) of the high school gyms that are currently utilized for districts wouldn't be big enough to use anymore (Let alone offseason events...)

Not offended at all. I agree with you about the logistical nightmare.
I just can't get the theme of threes out of my head.
Hat trick comment from the AndyMark FIRST choice debacle posts, as well as others.
Reminds me of the Triple Play hints.

Gotta finish wrapping presents.......

[dellagd]

Originally Posted by Orion.DeYoe

So I had a thought that the slashes might not mean division, but instead that they're alternatives. I noticed that there are THREE sets of numbers separated by commas. Which means that if these were points then they would be points in 3d space (not 2D like the triangles that have been floating around on this thread). So I found a tool to plot points in 3d space (http://hotmath.com/learning_activiti.../3dplotter.swf) and assumed that the slashes meant that the coordinate could be either number. That process would give us 8 possible points in a box pattern.
I can't figure out how to insert it into my post so I included the screenshot as an attachment.
(NOTE: I plotted the points at 1:1000 scale to make them fit on the graph better, according to geometry this will not affect the shape at all.)

This seems significant. Is it a perfect box? I cant see from the photo. Even if it being a box isnt the actual point does it hint at some mathematical relationship?

[yarden.saa]

the complete sign by Yehuda Eitam:
https://maps.google.com/maps?ll=40.94281%2C-81.311998&cbp=%2C32.62%2C%2C3%2C15.080002&layer=c& panoid=VNSRfLx4QNO3teEqfg3kxg&spn=0.18000000000000 152%2C0.30000000000000676&output=classic&cbll=40.9 4281%2C-81.311998

[Hallry]

Originally Posted by yarden.saa

the complete sign by Yehuda Eitam:
https://maps.google.com/maps?ll=40.94281%2C-81.311998&cbp=%2C32.62%2C%2C3%2C15.080002&layer=c& panoid=VNSRfLx4QNO3teEqfg3kxg&spn=0.18000000000000 152%2C0.30000000000000676&output=classic&cbll=40.9 4281%2C-81.311998

Ironic that it's only effective from Jan. 1st to May 1st, spanning just barely the entire build and official competition season.

But phew, at least we'll be able to tack on an extra 30 pounds for IRI!

[theCADguy]

Originally Posted by yarden.saa

the complete sign by Yehuda Eitam:
https://maps.google.com/maps?ll=40.94281%2C-81.311998&cbp=%2C32.62%2C%2C3%2C15.080002&layer=c& panoid=VNSRfLx4QNO3teEqfg3kxg&spn=0.18000000000000 152%2C0.30000000000000676&output=classic&cbll=40.9 4281%2C-81.311998

The fact that the sign says 'effective Jan 1 to May 1' is interesting. This is goes from just before kickoff (Jan 4), until right after world champs(April 26).

[billbo911]

Originally Posted by yarden.saa

the complete sign by Yehuda Eitam:
https://maps.google.com/maps?ll=40.94281%2C-81.311998&cbp=%2C32.62%2C%2C3%2C15.080002&layer=c& panoid=VNSRfLx4QNO3teEqfg3kxg&spn=0.18000000000000 152%2C0.30000000000000676&output=classic&cbll=40.9 4281%2C-81.311998

"WEIGHT LIMITS REDUCED 25% EFFECTIVE JAN. 1 to MAY 1"
Sounds very much like an FRC season.

[Orion.DeYoe]

Originally Posted by dellagd

This seems significant. Is it a perfect box? I cant see from the photo. Even if it being a box isnt the actual point does it hint at some mathematical relationship?

The dimensions of the box (at full scale) are 8177 (in the X axis), 59163 (in the Y axis), and 46520 (in the Z axis). Essentially it's nearly square on the YZ plane and very thin in the x direction. It's not a perfect cube or square in any direction.