2006 Official Game Hint Discussion

[Alex Burman]

Originally Posted by Ryan F.

People seem to be glossing over the possibility of 1v.1v.1v.1v.1 (Every bot for itself). There are definetly some advantages to this configuaration.

Strange clue.

first is all about team work so they wouldn't get rid of the teams

the competitions can't run 2v2 again with the number of teams that participate, it would require less playing time, less matches, or a longer competition. It seems we have overpopulated FRC to a point where we can't to 2v2

[Ian Curtis]

Even though I love 3v3 from a strategical standpoint, I think that 2v2 could be done, in fact it almost has to be done if a 2004-esqeu platform or 2001 style barrier makes a return with the same size field we have now. The matches don't need to be shorter either. Much of the time on the field is taken up with resetting the field. It takes a long time, so if the field is easily reset, or maybe even doesn't need to be reset, then 2v2 can happen.

And now for something totally different:

I was thinking, can someone match up the ideas brought up in the stickies in this forum? Historically some things asked for are included in the game (vision camera is one example).

[Joe J.]

After thinking about this and reading this thread all the way through here are my opinions/ideas:

I think the fun noodles are a definite possibility as the game piece or maybe a multiplier (like the 30" balls in 2004)

I don't know about the five part most of the options have been discussed already so I won't repeat them, I'll just state my opinions on some of the ones I've read, 5 v. 0 I hope not doesn't seem like it would be as much fun., It seems like 3 v. 3 worked well last year I would like to see it again., I like the idea of a FIRST "house" bot in 2 v. 2 game but it isn't practical when it comes to teams building practice fields.

The shovel clue might mean the robots have to pick up small game pieces (tennis ball, mini basket or soccer balls) and score them or deliver them to the human player for them to score with (that seems to close to 2004 though). Maybe the human player has a shovel like scoop to load small game pieces onto the robot.

I think the heights means the robots will either have to be doing something up high, maybe thats where the goal is or something (like the bar in 2004, goals in 2005), or there is some kind of platform or high part of the field (ramp and platform in 2003)



as for seeing and green parts: I hope this means the CMU Cam is back again, personally I think it was a good part of the game but they didn't make it worth the effort to use it.

Can't wait till Kickoff!!

[Jon Jack]

Originally Posted by Ryan F.

People seem to be glossing over the possibility of 1v.1v.1v.1v.1 (Every bot for itself). There are definetly some advantages to this configuaration.

Strange clue.

The good thing about alliances is it forces teams to work together. With alliances if you don't help another team, they could be allied with you in a future match, and if they aren't performing well your alliance isn't going to be as strong. So Alliances force teams to work together. If it is 1v1v1v1v1 then a team could just go battle bots on an opposing team and none of us would want that, right?

[Arkorobotics]

Don't Panic, I made this on an animation software called Bryce 5. This is my vision or estimate of what the game will be. Feel free to mess around with the rules.

[Alex Burman]

Originally Posted by Arkorobotics

Don't Panic, I made this on an animation software called Bryce 5. This is my vision or estimate of what the game will be. Feel free to mess around with the rules.

where can we find this software?
to make our own designs

[Arkorobotics]

http://bryce.daz3d.com/55index.php

It's made for terrian, but like to use it for these kinds of things. Plus it's only $99

[Beth Sweet]

Originally Posted by jjack

The good thing about alliances is it forces teams to work together. With alliances if you don't help another team, they could be allied with you in a future match, and if they aren't performing well your alliance isn't going to be as strong. So Alliances force teams to work together. If it is 1v1v1v1v1 then a team could just go battle bots on an opposing team and none of us would want that, right?

You know, this post brings to mind another post Dave made last January....

[Alex Burman]

Originally Posted by Beth Sweet

You know, this post brings to mind another post Dave made last January....

OOH SNAP!
that would change everything in the eliminations but what about the qualifiers?

[Adam Richards]

Originally Posted by Beth Sweet

You know, this post brings to mind another post Dave made last January....

They wouldn't dare.

[Dan Richardson]

Originally Posted by Beth Sweet

You know, this post brings to mind another post Dave made last January....

that is very interesting, and maybe possible, I would be more worried qualifiers than elimination as well.

In elimination all alliances could just pick 4 teams, but in qualifiers what happens when a robot is broken and doesn't show up on the handicap team.

3v1 heh not exactly fair, however that did happen a lot last year anyways. Maybe the handicap team gets a point multiplier or something.

[Jack Jones]

Ever hear of a shovel pass?

Here's what I'm thinking - pure speculation of course:

The rate of growth in FIRST teams has been in decline for the past five years. From 38 percent/year to less than 15 percent. Fifteen percent would not be too bad if it leveled off there, but the trend doesn't look good.

A number of us, Dr. Joe comes to mind, have argued that meaningful growth can not be expected without a TV friendly game. One that any couch potato can understand. One where a TV camera can focus on a single point of action, rather than a game like triple play with six robots, dozens of tetras, and nine goals. Not that Triple Play wasn't a great game to play. It was. But spectators want to be entertained, rather than watching others entertain themselves. And they don't like missing something that happened off-camera.

Most of us at the grass roots level who are trying to grow the game find it a very hard sell. Few potential sponsors know a thing about FIRST On the other hand, they know about NASCAR. Why? Because it's on TV - complete with sponsor logos plastered everywhere - and what is there to know, other than go fast - turn left?

So I hope these clues mean that we're going to play pool noodle football - with AstroTurfish carpet, yard lines, shovel passes, forward passes, flea flickers, and so on. Something that if/when put on TV the average Joe will understand well enough to keep him entertained, and prevent him from clicking the remote.

[TheDrWho22]

Okay, here is my initial take on this, but a more in depth analysis will come later on.

5 bots

Well, basically, I think that there will be a pentagonal field with 5 robots starting on each point (there have been hexagonal fields in the past). You can't have an even alliance with an odd number, so I don't know how that will work.... which then puts the idea in my head that it won't be just 5 robots OR there won't be alliances OR there won't be even alliances and there could be a 2 VS 3 dealy.

With the pasta

I don't think this is in reference to the game piece, but very questionable. The next two lines deal with the game piece. I think this will either mean the robots are tethered down by something and have limited movement OR are tethered like as in not wireless controlled (the latter don't think to much about. I think that it constricts the movement though, because tangling restricts one movements.

A lot of people on the chief delphi forums are neglecting the fact that it says "AND" in regard to the Montana thing. Meaning that both lines are in reference to the game piece. Meaning that the first line isn't. Now what I think of it is, is that you will have to scoop something up like a shovel would and place it in a goal or equivalent thing on a raised platform in the middle of the field.

I think the GREEN heights mean that you it is with the CMU cam like the vision tetras. Which could also hint at a longer autonomous mode or the shoveling and putting in the goal is something that must be done during autonomous mode. I am going to give it another day or so to think and look at it more so and read the chief delphi forums to get some ideas.

[petek]

Originally Posted by Grayswandir-75

OOH SNAP!
that would change everything in the eliminations but what about the qualifiers?

2v2v1 would give the alliances the option of forming a super alliance of 2+2 vs 1, a strong alliance of 2+1 vs 2 or everyone for themselves. If we had winners get loser's score for QP, there would be little incentive to go with the super alliance unless the single robot was a really dominant one.

Or, FIRST could make it really complicated and award QPs as an inverse function of the number of robots on the winning alliance...

[Dan Richardson]

with the shovel pass post does that make the extra robot, all time qb?

Going back to our Joe Montana Reference?