2015 HINT DISCUSSION

[owenli10]

Originally Posted by arizonafoxx

Yes it has been noted. Personally I think this is one of the biggest clues. .

In 1999 (Double Trouble), alliances scored points by positioning "pucks" on the playing field.

Hockey game anyone?

[Poseidon5817]

I think you guys are overthinking it. It's obviously a game where you score points by dropping copies of the 2014 game manual into recycling bins.

But seriously, except for the 1997-1999 thing, I think all the hint is saying is that there will be some rule changes for 2015.

[JB987]

For those who think auto will move to the end of matches try to remember how many robots are unable to operate under autonomous conditions. Given the goal of the GDC to create games with consistent/increasing action and excitement for spectators I think it's highly unlikely they would move autonomous to the end so we can watch some of the robots just sit idle as the clock winds down.

[Henrique Schmit]

I wouldn't be surprised to see that super expensive and rather unused truss be recycled for 2015 somehow...

[Jarren Harkema]

People seem to be using the word "recycle" incorrectly, or interpreting it to mean what it may not.

When I "recycle" a plastic bottle, it goes through a process by which it can be turned into pretty much anything else, it may be a similar bottle, but it could also become a chair.

When I "reuse" a plastic bottle, I can usually taste what was left of the coke that I had in it the first time. Ew.

Frank said "change is coming", as well as dumping last years game in the recycling bin. These two things must be in agreement with each other.

[Samwaldo]

I would be money that this hint had very little** to do with the actual game itself. I think the hint has to do with the format of how we play. The 3 vs 3 will remain, but elimination format might be changed, or maybe time duration, or maybe another period in addition to auton. and telop.

Note: You could tell in the background that he was on the field, and that IF it was the 2015 field, the sides looked identical to all other years (even looked like an andymark one).

**MAYBE their was a game hint in it, concerning what the game was about. If their was a game hint, i think the bin had something to do with it

[AK Koaster]

Does anyone who was in for Lunacy remember how the field material samples were packaged? If they were rolled up, it's feasible that that could be our mysterious 3x3x60 package.

I also think the swapping of the 97-99 footage is an important clue, but I'm not sure what to make of it.

[EricH]

Originally Posted by AK Koaster

Does anyone who was in for Lunacy remember how the field material samples were packaged? If they were rolled up, it's feasible that that could be our mysterious 3x3x60 package.

No way you COULD roll them that tight. The field stuff was tough to roll into anything smaller than the OD of the carpet rolls. No way, no how on it being Glasliner FRP.

As I recall, the field samples were tiles, not rolls. Most teams going for practice areas got tiles.

[Mr V]

Originally Posted by Henrique Schmit

I wouldn't be surprised to see that super expensive and rather unused truss be recycled for 2015 somehow...

The trusses were rented and they have long since been returned to the rental company. We took the ones used in the PNW district to CMP to give them back to FIRST so they could return them. We asked if we could keep them for use in the off-season events and they said no.

[Willem Bohrer]

[quote=Anthony4004;1416073]3-3-2-2-4-4?
Also, Frank was on the 2nd page which (as someone pointed out) is the page about assist and cycling. What if this points back to this cycle? Which would be now

3-3-2-2-4-4-2

If you take these numbers as sets of two (3.3,2.2,4.4,2) and look at those sections in the 2014 game manual you will be at these sections:

Revision History
The ARENA
Fabrication Schedule
The Arena

Maybe the "change is coming" to these sections?

[Mr V]

Originally Posted by Samwaldo

I would be money that this hint had very little** to do with the actual game itself. I think the hint has to do with the format of how we play. The 3 vs 3 will remain, but elimination format might be changed, or maybe time duration, or maybe another period in addition to auton. and telop.

Note: You could tell in the background that he was on the field, and that IF it was the 2015 field, the sides looked identical to all other years (even looked like an andymark one).

**MAYBE their was a game hint in it, concerning what the game was about. If their was a game hint, i think the bin had something to do with it

Definitely not an AM field as you can see zip ties holding the polycarb to the round top rails. On the AM field those panels are permanently attached to the square top rails with rivets.

[Michelle692]

Originally Posted by EricH

No way you COULD roll them that tight. The field stuff was tough to roll into anything smaller than the OD of the carpet rolls. No way, no how on it being Glasliner FRP.

As I recall, the field samples were tiles, not rolls. Most teams going for practice areas got tiles.

Yes, field sample was a tile. You could buy it in 4'x8' sheets from hardware stores, and they did not roll.

[JB987]

Originally Posted by Henrique Schmit

I wouldn't be surprised to see that super expensive and rather unused truss be recycled for 2015 somehow...

See my post #128
They can always be rented out again by FIRST and support posts raised to elevate it even more.

[marcusbernstein]

He's not wearing safety goggles on what looks to be the field. I guess the change will be that we don't have to. Also, that rail looks suspiciously high which should mean big game pieces.

[thatnameistaken]

Well. This hint is... interesting, perhaps because its focus is on how the game relates to FRC as a whole instead of the theme of the game itself (presumably). But as for recycling the 2014 game - an idea that's been bounced around for a while now - it's certainly plausible at this point.

Reasons why:
-Frank literally recycled the 2014 game
-Not changing the core game is, ironically, a major change to FRC in and of itself
-Bit of a stretch, but the Double Trouble footage "mistake" could be viewed as repeating a game.

Now, to counter the 2 biggest counterarguments I've seen:

1. Veterans have too big of an advantage
Why? Rookie teams can easily view last year's competition for strategy, and no one said the game piece had to be the same, or that the goals had to be the same size/location. I'm fairly confident changing the exercise balls to some sort of rigid, 5 foot long object would throw a wrench in the majority of last year's mechanisms
(Oh, you could also add an endgame. Would require major redesigns.)

2. FIRST would never do that/It's an unprecedented change
Precisely. Change is coming.

Think about it. Not only could this explain the mystery KOP box, but that would change a lot of how the basic robot-to-robot interaction is accomplished. Intake devices would have to be much more precise, which requires more precise passing by alliance members; a game piece coming 3 inches high off the ground doesn't even get over your bumpers (probably). No rolling it into their intakes, if it even can roll. Or into the low goals, for that matter, unless they're specifically redesigned for this purpose; they're both too wide to fit longways and over twice as high as the piece itself. Catching could also be easier/more valuable, depending on the specifics of the game piece and/or rules.

As a driver, I, for one, would be down for it. Aerial Assist was a VERY fun, strategic game to play.

Of course, this will probably sound crazy to me after I get some sleep. Oh well.