2017 Game Speculation

[bobbysq]

Originally Posted by The_Oracle

the plastic ball with holes will have a key role in the 2017 game.

AM would be pretty excited to free up some space if that were the case...

[ClayTownR]

Alrighty, here's my final prediction for the game:

One of the game pieces will be a foam football designed like and known as a blimp.
In the end of the game, something will "take flight." As to what, I'm not sure Perhaps we will have to raise the "blimp" pieces up very high or launch them, or maybe the robot would have to do a chin-up or climb something.

[Alex2614]

Originally Posted by dilley

I can add a bit to this hype mill.

1. Honestly what I think is the coolest STEAM in STEAMWORKS referring to
Science Technology Engineering Art and Math. This year I think first is going to start implementing heaving judging and emphasis on team design and the ARTistic side; Branding, Merch, and Image etc. After champs last year with the Disney rep and Will I AM i'm personally hoping for a design/art related award that gets you to champs. Because we currently have one for every "Section" of a team except for the visual. Chairman's for professional outreach, Comp winning for build, EI for first related outreach, but nothing for design or art

I will say though that it is hard for a team to win Chairman's (or Engineering Inspiration and Rookie All-Star for that matter) without having emphasis on marketing/branding/image, etc. It's actually a large part of the Chairman's Award, even if it isn't specifically mentioned, because the visuals are going to influence those decisions. And, in many ways, I argue that it's hard for a team to be successful on the field as well without being skilled in these areas, because "image" is what makes teams recognizable to both judges and teams. Image and branding also greatly affects a team's ability to gain sponsorships and build community relationships, which aids in success on and off the field.

So, although there is not a specific award, like the Imagery Award, that directly sends teams to championship, the "arts" side of FRC teams greatly influences their success. And to prove this, I challenge anyone to show me one team that is either a HoF team or a regular Einstein contender that does NOT place an emphasis on, or is at least skilled in the arts/image/branding of their team.

[ctt956]

All right, here is my final prediction for the 2017 FIRST Robotics Competition Game, FIRST STEAMworks!

The field will have a tight space, maybe(probably) a tunnel or two.
There will be a similarity to 2010, likely the tunnel/tight space.
At least one game piece will be cube-shaped. I'm thinking there's a chance that large plastic dice will fill this role.
There may, and probably will, be another game piece. As others have said, inflatables and/or gears seem likely.
As previously mentioned by others, there may be racks/pegs for placing said gears.
2017 is the 25th FIRST competition season. I think there will be a similarity to 1992, probably goals at the sides of the field.
There will be ramps on the field, similarly to 1995.
As for minibots, I see a chance for them or flying objects. If the minibots are trains, then there may also be flying objects.
Rocket Copters seem like a possible flying object.
For the blimp on a zipline/cable train of thought(pun intended), maybe it will be propelled by a balloon or even a Rocket Balloon. During the endgame, robots will use their compressors to inflate the balloons, and then release them.
Drones, RC blimps, helicopters, and/or planes could be used in place of minibots.
The primary field surface will be carpet, maybe a slight chance of diamond plate or Dri-Dek.
Stairs may be somewhere on the field.

We'll see soon enough, I guess!

End of final prediction.

[GeeTwo]

4n+1 = Bizarro. I expect the unexpected. With steampunk graphics.