Game Hint Video - Historic Robots/Matches

[Karthik]

So, I generally hate game hints, but this year's game hint video can be appreciated for the amount of all time great FIRST robots and historic matches that it features.

Here's the video for your reference: http://youtu.be/aAETANAiLw0

And here are some of the matches that it features:

I'm skipping the early years since I'm not really knowledgeable on this era. I'd love it if someone could fill in these blanks.

1997 - National Finals (the last year it was still a one nation event) between Team 71 and 47. (Note: They had different team numbers that year, team numbers didn't become permanent until 1998)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nf0j0ztIsOE

This was the first of Team 71's record 4 World Championships, and one of the many close calls for Team 47. Little things that stand out include Woodie MCing and starting the match while on the field, and the lack of barriers at the sides of the field. I'd love to see that happen today just for the pure conniption it would give our safety friends in the green shirts.

1998 - Championship Semi-Finals between 45 and 67

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GKcxG8tIXSY

45 would win this match and go on to win Champs, then appear as finalists the following year. The designs of these two robots ended up being historically significant as they served as the inspiration of many future designs, especially 45's (then) innovative use of a "roller claw".

2000 - Championship Elimination Match between 47/312 and 126/131

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_FJFbvHRyco

I talked about this one here: http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/sh...&postcount=448

2001 - Elimination Match at the Midwest Regional with 71, 111, 234, 269

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vsp2LjfJHsA

The highest scoring match of the 2001 season featuring the most dominant robot in FIRST history. In a game that was played 4 v 0, Team 71 was virtually unbeatable that season, with only a handful of robots even having the slight potential to beat them.

2002 - Championship Semi-Finals between 71/66 and 60/144

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lAmAnkYDUQM

This was the most hyped match of the season, the showdown between the two dominant robots of the season, 71 and 60. It was the matchup everyone had been waiting for and it definitely didn't disappoint. 60 took the upper hand early, but then 71 slowly reasserted their claim on the field, inching across while dragging hundreds of pounds of dead weight with them. This led to 71's 3rd World Championship, and they became the first team to win back to back titles.

2003 - Championship Semi-Finals between 111/469 and 175/341

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vnwl31zoAPI

This was the first year of autonomous mode and 111 was light years ahead of everyone with their positioning system. This match also features the high comedy of an alliance trying do score as few points as possible in an elimination match, because it was strategically advantageous based on the scoring system of the game. This was the first of 3 World Championships for 111, and 2 for 469.

2004 - Einstein Semi-Finals between 469/1218/868 and 67/1126/340

469 and 67 back on the main stage. (This is becoming bit of a trend) 67's robot was famous that year for being a "flop-bot" that started upright then fell to the ground once the match began to allow for a larger footprint on the field. 469 would win this round and go on to lose in the Championship Finals to 71.

2005 - Einstein Finals between 67/330/503 and 64/254/56 (edited to add in second alliance)

I can't tell if this was the Einstein Semis or Finals, but this was definitely a match featuring 67 on their way to their first World Championship. They'd also become the only team to win Champs and win the Championship Chairman's Award in the same year.

2007 - Einstein Finals between 177/190/987 and 71/233/179

71's shot at their 5th Championship victory goes down as part 177's run six straight trips to Einstein. Also featured Einstein regulars such as 987 and 233.

2008 - Einstein Finals between 1114/217/148 and 67/16/348

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NYNEAL_dK6I

The first to Einstein for 1114 and the first Einstein installment of the epic 1114 vs 67 match ups. Also the second Championship wins for 217 and 148. This was the best ever Robot we've built on 1114.

2010 - Einstein Finals between 469/1114/2041 and 294/67/177

469 came into Champs with one of the most dominant and game breaking robots of all time. But 294/67/177 played smart and executed perfectly. This was the infamous match where 2041 got stuck in a goal.

2011 - Einstein 111/254/973 and someone

Again, I can't tell which Einstein matchup this was. Arguably the strongest all around alliance of all time, with 973 inexplicably falling to the second last pick in their division. Barring weird penalties, no one was beating these guys. The 3rd Championship for 111, and amazingly the first ever Championship for 254 who had been plagued by terrible luck at the Championship for over a decade.

2012 - Archimedes Finals between 2056/1114/4334 and 2826/67/4143

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GDGEkoLpDOw

In my opinion, the most dramatic match in FIRST history (I'm obviously biased). This match featured an all Canadian Alliance ("The Eh Team"), which included the pair of 1114 and 2056 who've combined on more regional wins as a pair than any other combo by a large margin. Our team's written about this match here:

http://www.simbotics.org/media/video...finals-match-3

This was the 4th time that 1114 and 67 have faced each other in the elimination rounds at Championship, with 5th coming on Einstein in 2014. I still can't get over the last second intensity of this match. Seriously, just watch the video.

2013 - Einstein Finals between 1241/1477/610 and 33/469/1519

Yet another appearance by 469 on this list in an epic final. The first time that a Championship winning alliance consisted of more than one Canadian team.

2014 - Einstein Finals between 254/469/2848 and 1678/1114/1640

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lH_POkstDrc

254's all time great robot wins their second World Championship, with 469 also winning their second. This matchup featured the autonomous chess battles between 254 and 1114.

There's about a thousand other fun facts I could have dropped into this post, but it's already long enough. Hope you enjoyed this fun little walk down memory lane, and kudos to whoever put together this hint video for managing to cram in so many of the historically great robots and matches in FRC history. It was a real treat.

Disclaimer: I might have messed up some of the dates and facts in this post. Sorry!

[AdamHeard]

Awesome post. 2005 was finals as you see 254 scoring a tetra.

[Karthik]

Originally Posted by AdamHeard

Awesome post. 2005 was finals as you see 254 scoring a tetra.

Thanks, I'll edit to add that in. I thought it might be them, but I definitely wasn't sure.

[saikiranra]

Originally Posted by Karthik

2008 - Einstein Finals between 1114/217/148 and 67/16/348

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vnwl31zoAPI

The first to Einstein for 1114 and the first Einstein installment of the epic 1114 vs 67 match ups. Also the second Championship wins for 217 and 148. This was the best ever Robot we've built on 1114.

I think you meant to link this.

Awesome write up!

[Cash4587]

I found all of the videos you missed... I THINK. Took me all of about 30 mins to find these, and it was worth my time because I got to learn more about FRC history.

2004: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L2PdVb0gP7A
2005: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CP6tf4OUvIc
2006: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k-m215ZxPS8
2007: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p5r4x6MN9Jk
2010: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y7F7sUmZaUk
2011: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TqY324xLU4s
2013: http://youtu.be/jArzaxRtlGI?t=19m50s

I am not even going to look for 2009.. Those matches are quite boring to watch in my opinion. (I see that you didn't even list it either soooo ) Some of these might be wrong, but I could be wrong..

[Christopher149]

Originally Posted by Cash4587

I am not even going to look for 2009.. Those matches are quite boring to watch in my opinion. (I see that you didn't even list it either soooo ) Some of these might be wrong, but I could be wrong..

Someone in another thread identified 2009 as coming from MSC (finals?), IIRC.

[Karthik]

Originally Posted by Christopher149

Someone in another thread identified 2009 as coming from MSC (finals?), IIRC.

It's MSC QF3-3

http://www.thebluealliance.com/match/2009gl_qf3m3

[brandon.cottrell]

Originally Posted by Christopher149

Someone in another thread identified 2009 as coming from MSC (finals?), IIRC.

I just looked at the team numbers and found "2188".

2188 only competed with 326 and 85 once in 2009. TBA saves the day again.

[Adam Freeman]

Great post as always Karthik.

To bad they didn't include a 2006 Einstein semifinal match featuring 217 playing 503 for the second year in a row. Or, a 2009 Einstein final match showing 67 and 217 each playing for the second year straight (third time in 5 years), both for their second Championship.

I love the historical aspect of FIRST, especially Einstein.

In our 6 trips to Einstein we have played:

1114 - 3x 2008, 2010, 2014
217 - 3x 2005, 2008, 2009
469 - 2x 2004, 2010
177 - 2x 2008, 2009 (and w/2010)

Gotta love playing with and against your friends on the biggest stage!

[Peter Matteson]

I'm pretty sure the 2011 match is Einstein finals 1 or 2 because I spotted out minibot launcher.

So the opponent is 177/781/2016

[Jared Russell]

It's been a while since I watched those late 90s videos...FRC sure has come a long way in terms of game design.

[Joseph1825]

I'm starting to understand how much people disliked lunacy, when they pretend that it literally never happened.