[FRC Blog] Kit Hints?

[Mr V]

To everyone that keeps saying that the 60" box contains either bumper fabric, or a bunch of balls stacked up I say no chance for that. A 3 x 3 x 60 box is going to be a big pain to ship since it can't lay flat on a standard pallet without hanging over. Having it hang over the pallet would increase the cost and the likelihood of damage to the items. As much as Frank likes to troll the CD community he is not going to have the KOP team box something in a manner that will make it more expensive to ship and increase the likelihood of it being damaged in shipment just to troll the members of the CD community.

So what every that item(s) is you can be pretty certain that it is close to that 60" length and that there is not a practical way to ship it in anything smaller.

So it is either a game piece, a field element that can't be easily/economically reproduced locally or some part that will need to be used on the robot in substantially the same configuration as shipped.

[peirvine]

Noooooo

Were you loony for LUNACY in 2009? #tbt #omgrobots @FRCTeams

Could they be hinting at another Lunacy type game again?

Source: FIRSTweets

[jman4747]

Originally Posted by Mr V

To everyone that keeps saying that the 60" box contains either bumper fabric, or a bunch of balls stacked up I say no chance for that. A 3 x 3 x 60 box is going to be a big pain to ship since it can't lay flat on a standard pallet without hanging over. Having it hang over the pallet would increase the cost and the likelihood of damage to the items. As much as Frank likes to troll the CD community he is not going to have the KOP team box something in a manner that will make it more expensive to ship and increase the likelihood of it being damaged in shipment just to troll the members of the CD community.

So what every that item(s) is you can be pretty certain that it is close to that 60" length and that there is not a practical way to ship it in anything smaller.

So it is either a game piece, a field element that can't be easily/economically reproduced locally or some part that will need to be used on the robot in substantially the same configuration as shipped.

Defiantly.

I think the hard part is what is in the larger tote (box C)? And it's not the control system. Why would you need a box larger than the main tote for just one set of the 2015 control system parts? Much like box D box C is very large and usually isn't there, thus whatever is in there needs to be. So either a game object or field element. I think it will be interesting to see which each of these boxes is. Maybe one is a field piece and one is a game object or both are field pieces and the game piece is inflatable or both are game objects.

[jman4747]

Originally Posted by peirvine

Noooooo



Could they be hinting at another Lunacy type game again?

Source: FIRSTweets

Okay THAT is trolloloollolool.... Not funny Manchester.

[Greg Needel]

While it is fun to guess that it has something to do with the game, the only thing I can think of is that it is raw building materials.

It is not that hard of a stretch to think that some sponsor donated a bunch of 1x1 or other profile aluminum to every team.


It would be a welcome addition to the kit, since many rookie teams put the drive base together and then say "now what"

[mman1506]

Originally Posted by Greg Needel

While it is fun to guess that it has something to do with the game, the only thing I can think of is that it is raw building materials.

It is not that hard of a stretch to think that some sponsor donated a bunch of 1x1 or other profile aluminum to every team.


It would be a welcome addition to the kit, since many rookie teams put the drive base together and then say "now what"

............

[jman4747]

Originally Posted by Greg Needel

While it is fun to guess that it has something to do with the game, the only thing I can think of is that it is raw building materials.

It is not that hard of a stretch to think that some sponsor donated a bunch of 1x1 or other profile aluminum to every team.


It would be a welcome addition to the kit, since many rookie teams put the drive base together and then say "now what"

I think this would be good and the size makes since but wouldn't a sponsor that big get some sort of recognition prior to kickoff? I do think however that if it isn't a game specific thing that raw materials is a likely option.

Edit: So I read your signature just now...

[Caleb Sykes]

Originally Posted by jvriezen

I computed density for the 22x22x29 and compared to density of a case of pool noodles shipping size and weight from amazon.

http://www.amazon.com/Tundra-TWLN36-...=1418226525796

Almost identical density. 64 29" noodles? Enough for two sets of bumpers for a competition and a practice bot times two. Not nearly as convinced about this. Seems like a lot noodles unless the mfgr makes them 58" and they cut the boxes in half.

Otherwise there is a lot of air in that box.

Originally Posted by mrnoble

By far the most reasonable explanation is a roll with two or more colors of fabric. Spooling fabric is the quickest, safest and most practicable way to package and ship large amounts of material. Six pounds, including the center roll and the box, is totally within reason.

It's been clear to me for a while that bumpers are an area of the competition where two problems are developing for FRC. One is the constant frustration and occasional danger that is caused by teams that come to competition with incomplete or insufficient bumpers. It is often the last thing that young teams consider in build season, and with the goal being to get all teams to pass inspection, I've seen questionable bumpers okayed for play. The other is teams that are using bumpers to gain advantage through materials and construction that augment the original purpose (protection). See this year's sailcloth experiments.

All that is to say I would not be at all surprised if bumpers were standardized, and even increased in size. Three pool noodle height, perhaps? That would also increase protection, as well as the visibility of the (larger) team numbers, both of which would be highly desirable. I'll bet that the light 29" box is also bumper material.

Hmm...
Large amounts of fabric plus large amounts of pool noodles can only mean one thing: GIANT BUMPERS, every robot must be completely covered by bumpers. If we get an arm game like some teams have been predicting, it will probably play out something like this.

[Mr V]

Originally Posted by Greg Needel

While it is fun to guess that it has something to do with the game, the only thing I can think of is that it is raw building materials.

It is not that hard of a stretch to think that some sponsor donated a bunch of 1x1 or other profile aluminum to every team.


It would be a welcome addition to the kit, since many rookie teams put the drive base together and then say "now what"

Hmmm, this said by the Co-founder a company that sells extrusions???

I agree that raw building materials would be welcomed, particularly for rookie teams. At the partner conferences a couple of years ago I did talk with a member of the KOP team and they were looking into trying to include a voucher for Metal Supermarkets. I responded Pleeeease, Pleeeease, Pleeeeeeease!!!! Primarily because of those rookie teams that don't know what to do after the kit bot is assembled and many have spent all or the vast majority of their budget on the registration fee.

[Aren Siekmeier]

Originally Posted by mman1506

............

Glad I wasn't the only one thinking that....

[Arpan]

Originally Posted by Greg Needel

While it is fun to guess that it has something to do with the game, the only thing I can think of is that it is raw building materials.

It is not that hard of a stretch to think that some sponsor donated a bunch of 1x1 or other profile aluminum to every team.


It would be a welcome addition to the kit, since many rookie teams put the drive base together and then say "now what"

"some sponsor"

[pfreivald]

Full swing = monkey bars.
Vespas are wasps, who rarely touch the floor.

Inescapable, iron-clad conclusion: The 60" box is a sample of the monkey bars that all robots will have to swing on as they "pack up" things and "take [them] back" to score points. You don't need a Vespa because you're not allowed to touch the floor.

[dellagd]

Originally Posted by nukemknight

This thread is full of "what if." What is actually practical? Just because it is possible doesn't make it practical. FRC has come a long way since two team alliances were last seen in 2004. Going back to two team alliances would be exactly that, moving backwards. We just barely moved to four team alliances at the Championship, stepping back is not the direction this program is moving.

Agreed. FIRST is all about cooperating with your alliance, why would they make it impossible to even talk to them during a match?

[daltore]

I kind of like the idea of ring toss. The box D has two, three, or four scoring pegs, and box C contains some large plastic donuts as well as standardized bases for the pegs.

My other thought was the game will be Pacman, and box D contains a segment of the barrier (which you can drive over but will get a penalty), and box C contains all the cheese. Robot-to-robot contact will be illegal across alliances with the exception of scoring cherries on the other robot.

[notmattlythgoe]

100 years ago the US Coast Guard was established.
50 years ago the first nuclear air craft carrier was launched.
40 years ago the Monitor National Marine Sanctuary was established as the first national marine sanctuary in the US.

Obviously the 3"x3"x60" box is a tube of sample water for the water game...