2015 HINT DISCUSSION

[Orthofort]

This is more speculation by me, but it would kinda fit if there were dynamic alliances as someone previously mentioned. This would not only explain the odd change from "Elimination matches" to "Playoff matches", because it would require a different format for these matches. It also fits in with the theory that the 3x3x60 object is a team indicator. This also would explain the replacement of the '99 game footage, sort of symbolizing a replacing of alliances, which were first in '99.

This is completely different from that theory, but I think the game piece will be some sort of inner tube, since the '97 game and '99 game both used that shape.

[dellagd]

Originally Posted by pabeekm

The whole emphasis on recycling and the use of past video made me go hunting through the video of last year's championships on the FRC teams global youtube page... What's with the video from galileo SF 1 - 2? It has a short clip at the start.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RzoN...YQ9&ind ex=63

I expect it was part of one of the sponsor ads they had playing on loop. They went on display when nothing else needed to be shown, so the video guy was probably just snoozing.

[Abhishek R]

This has been posted before by someone else on my team, but I wanted to bring it up again since there seems to be a lot of hype around the "increased alliances" theories...

From the administrative manual (Section 5.1.2 I believe) which has been released for 2015 already:

The manual talks about Bag and Tag, so they are keeping that. It also talks about how Practice Matches are assigned to teams and how it must be divisible by 6 before giving free practice matches, which basically confirms 6 robots on the field.

Obviously, FIRST could have made a mistake in the manual or be hiding things only to give us an updated version later. I don't really know how solidified these administrative manuals are.

[Twins Inc.]

Originally Posted by pabeekm

The whole emphasis on recycling and the use of past video made me go hunting through the video of last year's championships on the FRC teams global youtube page... What's with the video from galileo SF 1 - 2? It has a short clip at the start.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RzoN...YQ9&ind ex=63

This is a dead end. Here is the link to the image seach
Google Image Search

And here is the video, which is actually kinda funny.
Family Safety Discussion Youtube

this probably had more to do with the video that it orginally was with. I'm guessing that when FIRST found the video off another user, when they copied the video they also copied a bit of the ad before it! This was fin to find though, and a good find on your part!!

[Mr V]

Originally Posted by JimWright949

I'm hoping for Tetras again. After 2005 I thought to myself, 'these things are nifty, FIRST will use them again.' So I have a corner of my garage full of them.

-Jim
P.S. 2005 was ten years ago, and ten is such a well rounded number.

That sounds like the Jim I know.

[Justin Montois]

Here's what I think the thought process was from FIRST HQ regarding the game hint....

-Release a video as a game hint but try to sneak through the fact that we purposely not including footage from the 1999 game
(Knowing we would eventually figure that out)
- Look up the omitted game
- The only mention of the 1999 game on the FIRST website is a short description (Here) which specifically mentions "pucks"

Rubber pucks being too hard, foam pucks are the solution...

http://thestore.gameops.com/category_s/46.htm

Already sold in Red and Blue and at 2 7/8" in diameter, they would fit nicely in a long tube which is being given to teams because the minimum order of 100 is a little high for many teams so FIRST bought a bunch and is helping teams out. A 3" x 3" x 60" tube should do nicely.

Oh, and the "changes" refers to "line changes"

Hockey Game confirmed.

Let's get some sleep before kickoff, good work gang.

[Trevor4004]

Originally Posted by Justin Montois

Already sold in Red and Blue and at 2 7/8" in diameter, they would fit nicely in a long tube which is being given to teams because the minimum order of 100 is a little high for many teams so FIRST bought a bunch and is helping teams out. A 3" x 3" x 60" tube should do nicely.

I'm not trying to discredit anything you said there (personally I love the hockey game idea and I was actually hoping that last year's game would be hockey), but there might be some problems with the math involved.

Firstly, actual hockey pucks are made to be an inch thick. Of course, this could be different for the foam pucks (the website only gives a diameter, not a thickness), but I feel that, if anything, you could actually compress the foam pucks down to less than an inch thick. Which means that if you believe that the 3" x 3" x 60" object from the KOP is a tube for holding the foam pucks, then each team will be receiving around 60 pucks in their tube. Now the website for the foam pucks says that they each weigh approximately 2 oz. If we take 60 pucks multiplied by 2 oz. each, then we end up with 120 oz. or 7.5 Lb. However, the KOP list states that the 3" x 3" x 60" object weighs only 6 pounds. While it's not a huge difference by any means, but it is significant (a difference of 12 foam pucks).

But that doesn't necessarily shut down that idea. The easiest solution is that both the foam puck website and the KOP list state that the measurements are only approximate. A little change in the weight of each puck (as small as 0.4 oz.) could make up for the difference. Additionally, the tube does not need to be jammed as full as possible with pucks. There can easily be 12 inches of empty space or packaging in each tube to made up for the 12 pucks worth of weigh. And that just seems to make more sense to me because I don't see the need for every team to receive 60 pucks. 60 just seems a tad bit excessive (unless if you plan to go to a hockey game soon and throw them onto the rink).

So really, while there may have been some minor math problems with your idea (clearly someone forget that we always assume that we are working in a frictionless vacuum with spherical cows), they can all be easily justified. So in reality, this post should have made your claim just a little bit stronger. Which is great because now I can say:
HOCKEY GAME CONFIRMED!

[Michael Hill]

Why would pucks be shipped Ina tube rather than just thrown in a box? That makes no sense.

I think more emphasis needs to be placed on the recycling bin, rather than the red herring that another game will be recycled. I can imagine a game where things must be sorted into different bins (I.e. Compost, recycle, garbage). Of course we won't be actually sorting out real garbage, just a representation. The clips from previous years, I think, just are what they represent themselves to be; examples of drastic changes from previous years.

Of course I could be way off base.

[Kevin Thorp]

Originally Posted by Michael Hill

I think more emphasis needs to be placed on the recycling bin, rather than the red herring that another game will be recycled. I can imagine a game where things must be sorted into different bins (I.e. Compost, recycle, garbage). Of course we won't be actually sorting out real garbage, just a representation. The clips from previous years, I think, just are what they represent themselves to be; examples of drastic changes from previous years.

I'm just going to leave this here: Recycle Robot

[Romano2630]

Originally Posted by Orthofort

This is more speculation by me, but it would kinda fit if there were dynamic alliances as someone previously mentioned. This would not only explain the odd change from "Elimination matches" to "Playoff matches", because it would require a different format for these matches. It also fits in with the theory that the 3x3x60 object is a team indicator. This also would explain the replacement of the '99 game footage, sort of symbolizing a replacing of alliances, which were first in '99.

This is completely different from that theory, but I think the game piece will be some sort of inner tube, since the '97 game and '99 game both used that shape.

Check this out:

3 allainces with 2 robots each, a game like 1997. Item D in the kickoff-kit contains allainces flags, representing your allaince. Each team will discover its allaince only in the begining of the match. A fair competition will be - that your teammate is always on the other side of the field. Item C is tubing!.

How's that?
1999 is the first year with allainces. In the frc game hint video FIRST replaced 99' footage with a 97' game. Somebody mentioned it in frank's blog post, and frank replied - "whoops." - which means it was not by mistake.
99' was the first year of the allainces 2vs2, but we already have a 3vs3 and a total of 6 teams on each match - which might be changed to 2vs2vs2. Somebody mentioned here that FIRST changed the name of the elimination matches to 'playoffs' - which supports the idea. By replacing its footage in the game hint video they tell us 99' is somehow connected to 97' and both somehow connected to 2015.
Both 99' and 97' game objects are tubes, which may tell us that this year game object will be, as well, tubes!.

I bet the name of 2015 game will include the word "change".

[Kevin Thorp]

Originally Posted by Romano2630

Check this out:
I bet the name of 2015 game will include the word "change".

A Change of Pace

Change Over

Ring the Changes

Sea Change (here come the water game comments)

[MooreteP]

FIRST things FIRST.

Wonderful to see all of the posts from new CD members.

Those who admitted to not reading all of the posts = good.
Those who expected others to correct their laziness = bad.
Netiquette, people!

I really should be wrapping gifts right now.

If Justin is close, and I think he is, then I would credit:

Originally Posted by SGK

HOCKEY RELATED GAME

1. Some thinks its hockey related due to size of one of the kit of parts box dimensions
2. When I heard recycle, I googled hockey and recycle --> http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=706747 --> “NHL Green first launched the "Recycle the Game" program with non-profit Restore Hockey in 2012”.
3. http://www.nhl.com/ice/blogpost.htm?id=18744 -- “As part of the League’s ongoing initiative with Restore Hockey, NHL Green asks all fans attending the 2013 NHL Draft to help us recycle the game!”
4. Hockey teams change sides after each period -- NEW TO FIRST GAMES

Not "NEW TO FIRST GAMES". Aim High (2006) used the Offense/Defense periods, so we may see a return to that. That may be the "change" mentioned in the clue.
They have Hockey in New Hampshire, don't they?

Supplying teams with enough game pieces in the KoP (the long tube) would also eliminate past complaints about obtaining said game pieces.

I think the "Whoops" was indeed sarcastic. FIRST ain't stoopid.

While I think the recycle bin might be important, (It also has the triangle, delta = change), I am not sure how it would work. It may be a second game piece that multiplies your score if you can stack them. A recycle of Stack Attack (2003).
In that game, teams were rewarded for stacking the "bins", but in the end, they were so easy to tip over that the endgame of "King of the Hill" on top of the ramps trumped the stacking of the bins.

Having two different game pieces would require two different manipulator systems.
This would challenge teams on a decision-making level about resource choices.

I need to find the wrapping paper, tape, and a good pair of scissors.

One problem with pucks, like Ultimate Ascent, is the Real Time scoring model.
Like professional sports, this aspect is important in creating a game with tension for the players and spectators.
The game will likely need to incorporate this.
So, how would the pucks be "counted"?
(Stacking recycle bins would be obvious to a spectator and the scorers.)

You know, gift bags are easier than wrapping paper.

Also, going along with the sports model, will the rules address Robot Concussions?

#GameHintHijack
#AnEngagingWasteofTime
#EnjoyYourFamilies

[The_ShamWOW88]

Originally Posted by Romano2630

Both 99' and 97' game objects are tubes, which may tell us that this year game

99 was played with floppies (round fabric filled with what feels like packing peanuts) but I agree that it might have something to do with placing a game piece in some fashion in both 97 and 99 which involved having their respective game pieces a certain height to score bonus points.

[dradel]

What if we are "recycling " 2 games??? 4 two team alliances ! One set playing one game the other playing the other!! Massive loss of points if the teams reuse their previous mechanisms.

[billylo]

99 - Wayne Gretzky

(any teams from Brantford, ON?)