[FRC Blog] 2014 Game Hint

[Rebka]

If there is a third alliance there is NO way it can be GREEN. The two alliances are always BLUE and RED which are part of the tricolour scheme FIRST employs. The only possible colour for an additional alliance would be WHITE.

[Hallry]

Again, anyone suggesting three alliances, I invite you to attend to a district event, and please tell me where this third alliance station will be placed, along with the new queuing as well.

[RoundTabler]

White might not work as a bumper color because the bumper rules indicate that the numbers MUST be WHITE, NO color other than WHITE, and may not be anything other than WHITE. White on white doesn't work too well. The bumper numbers may be outlined in another color, but that wouldn't show up too well even then.

My 2cents

[valeriemoore]

While I love the idea of 3 Alliances (3 teams of 2), and its implications on game play and strategy, I think that logistically it will be difficult. Three alliances would mean 3 sets of bumpers. If you have been down near the field during a regional (and I imagine district events too) you can tell see how much stuff is done to keep everything running smoothly, three alliances would complicate that. Keeping just red and blue strait for queuing takes effort. Scoring for 3 alliances would also be more complicated. While I love the idea, I don't think it's logistically probable. Although I do agree, if there are three alliances it is going to be red, white and blue.

I Also think we have over analysed that photo, there is a green screen because they wanted to add in backgrounds post production, there were three water-bottles because there were three people being filmed. I'm pretty sure that there were red and blue lights because that is how you set up lighting, but i'm not sure about that one.

Originally Posted by Rebka

If there is a third alliance there is NO way it can be GREEN. The two alliances are always BLUE and RED which are part of the tricolour scheme FIRST employs. The only possible colour for an additional alliance would be WHITE.

[Calvin Hartley]

Originally Posted by RoundTabler

White might not work as a bumper color because the bumper rules indicate that the numbers MUST be WHITE, NO color other than WHITE, and may not be anything other than WHITE. White on white doesn't work too well. The bumper numbers may be outlined in another color, but that wouldn't show up too well even then.

My 2cents

How did you get a look at the 2014 manual??

Never count on any rules staying the same from year to year. Anything from last year could change.

[roboryan]

Originally Posted by RoundTabler

White might not work as a bumper color because the bumper rules indicate that the numbers MUST be WHITE, NO color other than WHITE, and may not be anything other than WHITE. White on white doesn't work too well. The bumper numbers may be outlined in another color, but that wouldn't show up too well even then.

Originally Posted by Hallry

Again, anyone suggesting three alliances, I invite you to attend to a district event, and please tell me where this third alliance station will be placed, along with the new queuing as well.

FIRST could change both of these rules to accommodate a new game maybe just for white bumper black lettering and for three alliances a smaller differently shaped field (other than rectangular 54x27 foot field)
You guys are acting like FIRST couldn't change their own rules

[Boe]

What are people inputting into wolfram alpha to get the sphere?

[EricH]

Originally Posted by Rebka

If there is a third alliance there is NO way it can be GREEN. The two alliances are always BLUE and RED which are part of the tricolour scheme FIRST employs. The only possible colour for an additional alliance would be WHITE.

Originally Posted by RoundTabler

White might not work as a bumper color because the bumper rules indicate that the numbers MUST be WHITE, NO color other than WHITE, and may not be anything other than WHITE. White on white doesn't work too well. The bumper numbers may be outlined in another color, but that wouldn't show up too well even then.

My 2cents

I'd go into why 3 alliances will NOT work, but I've done that too many times in the last couple months.

I will leave you with this: The last time they did 1v1v1, the colors were red, blue, and white, with white removed for eliminations. White numbers on white bumpers would be easily solved by requiring a black border on all numbers.

The last time they did more than 3 separate scoring opportunities for robots, in 2001, the 4 colors were red, blue, green, and yellow.

[Hallry]

Originally Posted by roboryan

FIRST could change both of these rules to accommodate a new game maybe just for white bumper black lettering and for three alliances a smaller differently shaped field (other than rectangular 54x27 foot field)
You guys are acting like FIRST couldn't change their own rules

If they did change the shape of the field, they would have to decrease the size of it, in order to still fit it in a high school gym. A rectangle is the optimal size for a gym. And having more robots on a smaller field wouldn't exactly be fun.

[valeriemoore]

I think that we have exhausted the discussion about 2 vs 3 alliances. Could we move onto another part of the FRC game hint?

[escime]

My crazy prediction. The game will be called FIRST Base

[Bryce Paputa]

Originally Posted by Boe

What are people inputting into wolfram alpha to get the sphere?

Any three noncolinear points define a sphere, however I'm not sure how they got the nine numbers necessary (x1, y1, z1, ... z3). It probably doesn't mean anything.

[engawesome]

The mentor for my team found some of this information:

"OK.... I'll play the guessing game as well.
On Amazon, there is a product with the number 8234/57. It's a picture with a lot of different box sizes.
(http://www.amazon.com/iCanvasART-Pic.../dp/B00D99PYKK)

On You-tube, there is a video of a plane in Rockford, IL (area code 61126) from 1963
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DtkQ6wA9rYY)

Last hint: (http://farm.ewg.org/top_recips.php?f...corn&page=790), Wiber T Johnson. If you look at Wibert Johnson, you'll see he was a boxer.

So a block sorting game with robots that can't touch the ground...."

The plane could also relate to what others have been saying about making lighter-weight robots

[Orion.DeYoe]

Originally Posted by SteveGPage

I took the hint in a completely different direction. Perhaps my thoughts can take this discussion into different areas.
The three sets of numbers represent the three phases of the game: AM, Teleop, End game. The first number describes the action, the second in the set describes a rule or limitation.
To briefly take you down the path of my thoughts, I initially noticed that the larger numbers were fairly close to the total number minutes for the build season. From there, I wanted to see if any event was taking place in the 2014 Olympics in that minute - starting the clock at midnight, January 1st and counting from there.
This is what comes up:

1823 - converts to 2:17:14 - which I then converted to 2/17/14. The main event that day is the Free Dance competition. Sounds like AM to me.
57 represents the length of the field. Including the driver's station area - so thought it indicates that there is no limit how you far you can go in AM.

61126 converts to 2/12/14 at 10:45 - the beginning of the pairs free skate in figure skating. Sounds like two alliances.
1963 is the area of a circle with a radius of 25 inches. Perhaps the max size the bot can be.

62326 coverts to 2/13/14 at 6:45 - just before the beginning of the short track speed skating. While it isn't the exact minute, perhaps the use of a palindrome here represents having to go back and forth. This would be the end game.
Still trying to figure out what the last number, 15806 would represent in this case.

Just some different thoughts on this hint.

Have fun - Geekmas is almost here!

Hmmm, that's a very interesting interpretation. You might have something here...

[Kevin Thorp]

Originally Posted by engawesome

On You-tube, there is a video of a plane in Rockford, IL (area code 61126) from 1963
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DtkQ6wA9rYY)

That's Duane Cole, one of the most famous aerobatic pilots in the 1960s. Two facts might be relevant: His simple Taylorcraft was much lighter than a typical aerobatic aircraft. And he flew inverted so much he had his name painted on the plane upside down.

Makes you wonder...