2015 HINT DISCUSSION

[Wyatt Jordan]

And remember that the 2014 hint included professional players in the sports of Soccer, Basketball, and Hockey. And the hockey player with the most assists in last year's hint was also Wayne Gretzky!

Last year I totally thought the game would be a hockey game because we already had a basketball and soccer game. Since the GDC has games made several years in advance do you think last year's hint could partially point to this year's game?

Also beware if it is a hockey game they might try to bring back the lunacy surface to simulate ice

[mrnoble]

Last year's game took elements of hockey (and soccer, and basketball, and volleyball) and transformed it into something that could be called Robot Ball. It had elements of sport, transformed. With more development and time, it could become a great thing. I don't think the GDC is looking for shadows of human games anymore.

[Paul Richardson]

Originally Posted by Wyatt Jordan

Also beware if it is a hockey game they might try to bring back the lunacy surface to simulate ice

I don't think that a slippery driving surface is necessary. If you look at hockey players they aren't slipping and sliding around, they have pretty good control. In fact, the way they skate is pretty similar to how a typical FRC robot moves on carpet (forward and backward, sweeping turns, and pivots).

[kcy0511]

I also agree that a hockey game does not automatically mean the use of white plastic.
Roller Hockey anyone???

[Wyatt Jordan]

Originally Posted by mrnoble

Last year's game took elements of hockey (and soccer, and basketball, and volleyball) and transformed it into something that could be called Robot Ball. It had elements of sport, transformed. With more development and time, it could become a great thing. I don't think the GDC is looking for shadows of human games anymore.

where were the elements of hockey? yeah I guess catching something over a raised bar (like the 2014 truss) is like volleyball and there's some soccer since you are shooting into a goal, and maybe basketball with the 1 point goal, but when I think of hockey I think of shooting something into a goal on the ground by sliding a game object across the surface of the field and no FRC game has done that. Breakaway was the closest to that but the bumps in the field made it so that robots were often kicking balls above the field surface, not sliding them across it

[dradel]

The whole concept of last year and the sports mentioned is the assist

[seamushroom]

Two Options:
Option 1) Since FLL is focusing on recycling too next year it has to either be Lego themed, or Entirely built of LEGOs

Option 2) Recycling is good for the earth, and the earth is mostly water, so it has to be a water game!

[Canon reeves]

With all of this talk about hockey I was questioning what they replace the carpet with, but then I realized that to play hockey, it doesn't have to be a puck. They could keep the same carpet and use small foam balls, which could be manipulated outside of the frame perimeter?

[Jacob Bendicksen]

Originally Posted by Canon reeves

With all of this talk about hockey I was questioning what they replace the carpet with, but then I realized that to play hockey, it doesn't have to be a puck. They could keep the same carpet and use small foam balls, which could be manipulated outside of the frame perimeter?

It's also possible that they keep the carpet, but do something to make robots a little more 'slippery' on the field...mandatory Omni wheels or something like that. I'm not saying I like the idea (I happen to dislike it), but if the GDC wanted to make the game a little icier, it's possible. As far as game pieces go, I think a hockey game would be more likely to have lacrosse balls or something similar - they're a lot more durable.

[XenObliv]

Well if the game was indeed a rendition of Hockey I would like to see FIRST reuse the regolith surface from 2009 Lunacy.

[EricH]

Originally Posted by XenObliv

Well if the game was indeed a rendition of Hockey I would like to see FIRST reuse the regolith surface from 2009 Lunacy.

No you wouldn't. No way. You weren't around, so I'll just tell you the characteristics (or rather, where to find a piece so you can figure it out).

1) slick, with FRC wheels.
2) Degraded over time (so the floor could get stickier through the event)
3) Became a Van de Graff generator of fried electronics
4) Difficult to transport
5) robots slid all over the place
6) Can be found in many a public restroom: on the walls

[XenObliv]

Originally Posted by EricH

No you wouldn't. No way. You weren't around, so I'll just tell you the characteristics (or rather, where to find a piece so you can figure it out).

1) slick, with FRC wheels.
2) Degraded over time (so the floor could get stickier through the event)
3) Became a Van de Graff generator of fried electronics
4) Difficult to transport
5) robots slid all over the place
6) Can be found in many a public restroom: on the walls

Yet hockey isn't hockey without ice or something similar. Lunacy was exciting to watch due the large variable of the field. In the past it challenged every team not just rookies. Personally I would like to see a game that is so different from the past games that it sets a high bar for the games to come. Because "Change is coming."

[cgmv123]

Originally Posted by XenObliv

Yet hockey isn't hockey without ice or something similar.

The ISBHF would like to have word with you.

[PVCpirate]

Originally Posted by Jacob Bendicksen

It's also possible that they keep the carpet, but do something to make robots a little more 'slippery' on the field...mandatory Omni wheels or something like that. I'm not saying I like the idea (I happen to dislike it), but if the GDC wanted to make the game a little icier, it's possible. As far as game pieces go, I think a hockey game would be more likely to have lacrosse balls or something similar - they're a lot more durable.

IMO a game with lacrosse balls would be very unsafe for spectators and volunteers unless there were extensive restrictions to keep them on the ground or we bring back the big nets from 2013. Anyway, FRC has never used a game piece that small, unless you count Maize Craze, so I don't see it happening.

[Mr V]

Originally Posted by EricH

1) slick, with FRC wheels.

No any of the wheels normally used in FRC would have reasonable traction on that surface, the requirement was to use hard plastic wheels specifically to prevent good traction.