2006 Official Game Hint Discussion

[Steve Horn]

Originally Posted by drew.fineberg

First off...lets just start by saying that last year triangles were used and in the year before that circles were used, so the only shape in their logo not used in succession is the square!!! Possibly the square will be used in this one?

Actually the square was used in 2003 (the plastic bins).

My guess on the 2006 game: a 2 vs. 3 match where one robot changes alliances during the middle of the match. Just my $.02.

[KTorak]

Originally Posted by Steve Horn

Actually the square was used in 2003 (the plastic bins).

My guess on the 2006 game: a 2 vs. 3 match where one robot changes alliances during the middle of the match. Just my $.02.

I know it would be cool to see a 2 vs. 3 thing, but that would just complicate things and reduce the amount of matches per team at an event if only 5 teams play in each match. With the increasing growth rate of FIRST, I don't think we'll go back to less than 3 teams. As for all of the other complicated game descriptions, going beyond KISS just complicates things greatly and is asking for multiple problems with malfunctioning equipment. As for the food pyramid post, I don't think a tetra shape will be used becuase teams already grasped how to control them, unless they throw some kinda of curve ball at us. Just my 2 cents...

[phrontist]

Originally Posted by KTorak

I know it would be cool to see a 2 vs. 3 thing, but that would just complicate things and reduce the amount of matches per team at an event if only 5 teams play in each match. With the increasing growth rate of FIRST, I don't think we'll go back to less than 3 teams. As for all of the other complicated game descriptions, going beyond KISS just complicates things greatly and is asking for multiple problems with malfunctioning equipment. As for the food pyramid post, I don't think a tetra shape will be used becuase teams already grasped how to control them, unless they throw some kinda of curve ball at us. Just my 2 cents...

We were actually refering to just the pasta portion of the food pyramid. It's got a trapezoidal cross section.

[MadEyeMechie]

I began to wonder, and after a bit of searching, as it turns out...
there is a band called The Shovels. So...given the strange hint of the picture
with the computer song timeline, .....it could just be possible that
"...a shovel's show" is a concert. They appear to play what is called alternative country or punk country (?), and are located in Canada, but I havent been able to find out much other info about them.
Then, Montana is on the Canadian border. Something about borders, crossings, heights?

What's it mean?
I haven't a clue.

[Nuttyman54]

maybe it refers to one of their songs...? (i've never heard of them, so i wouldn't know)

[b-rant]

Originally Posted by MadEyeMechie

I began to wonder, and after a bit of searching, as it turns out...
there is a band called The Shovels. So...given the strange hint of the picture
with the computer song timeline, .....it could just be possible that
"...a shovel's show" is a concert. They appear to play what is called alternative country or punk country (?), and are located in Canada, but I havent been able to find out much other info about them.
Then, Montana is on the Canadian border. Something about borders, crossings, heights?

What's it mean?
I haven't a clue.

there is also a band called 40 Watt Bulb that has an album called Shovels Lenth Short and in the article it describes the album as being relaxing after a long days work at a blue collar job....it's a little far out there but that would mean the robot could "relax" somewhere on the field and accumulate points after all the work.....

[Jonathan Norris]

Originally Posted by b-rant

there is also a band called 40 Watt Bulb that has an album called Shovels Lenth Short and in the article it describes the album as being relaxing after a long days work at a blue collar job....it's a little far out there but that would mean the robot could "relax" somewhere on the field and accumulate points after all the work.....

I am fairly sure that the FIRST Game Hint is not based on some obscure band's album's name. I think we are getting a little off track here . Yes this is a very difficult hint, but there is still a lot to decipher from it .

[amos229]

"Quote:
Originally Posted by b-rant
there is also a band called 40 Watt Bulb that has an album called Shovels Lenth Short and in the article it describes the album as being relaxing after a long days work at a blue collar job....it's a little far out there but that would mean the robot could "relax" somewhere on the field and accumulate points after all the work.....


I am fairly sure that the FIRST Game Hint is not based on some obscure band's album's name. I think we are getting a little off track here . Yes this is a very difficult hint, but there is still a lot to decipher from it "
/
/
/
he has a point though. anything is possible. and it sounds like something that could be a first game.

[Nuttyman54]

Originally Posted by b-rant

there is also a band called 40 Watt Bulb that has an album called Shovels Lenth Short and in the article it describes the album as being relaxing after a long days work at a blue collar job....it's a little far out there but that would mean the robot could "relax" somewhere on the field and accumulate points after all the work.....

while it's an interesting connection, i don't think that FIRST will do that...watching a robot sit somewhere isn't very exciting...

[amos229]

agreed, but it is still a cool connection

[Billfred]

Originally Posted by Nuttyman54

while it's an interesting connection, i don't think that FIRST will do that...watching a robot sit somewhere isn't very exciting...

I'm not so sure.

Imagine that next year's game is a glorified game of Capture The Flag. (This wouldn't happen, as the FPS gamers would all travel to Virginia to praise and thank and maybe even worship Dave for bringing CTF to FIRST, meaning we'd all really be up the creek for manpower.) Suppose further that whichever robot had the flag received a bonus for however long it could stay on a particular patch of field without being moved off or having the flag taken away by another robot. Granted, defending the aforementioned flag isn't particularly relaxing, but it'd still be sitting there.

[amos229]

billfred has a point. and how do we know what dave listens to. for all we know he has listened to the majority of music websites on those late nights rendering fake game animation to through us off. i just got thinking. is it me or is it that as we develop more and more of a game dave posts more pictures. to throw us off maybe?-=------------ does anyone have last years clue, i have an idea------ we haqve reached 22000 views either this is sad or dedication but i wonder if we can reach 40000 or even better 50000

[Joe J.]

Originally Posted by amos229

does anyone have last years clue, i have an idea

2005 Official 2005 Clue Thread

Looking Back: 2005 Game Hint

[Alan Anderson]

Originally Posted by drew.fineberg

a game piece - obvious, and strait forward

I was considering today how little attention this part of the clue is receiving. Why isn't anyone looking closely at it? A "game piece" could be many things -- a chess pawn, a die, a horseshoe, etc. If it's so obvious and straightforward, then tell us what it means.

[Eugenia Gabrielov]

Originally Posted by Billfred

I'm not so sure.

Imagine that next year's game is a glorified game of Capture The Flag. (This wouldn't happen, as the FPS gamers would all travel to Virginia to praise and thank and maybe even worship Dave for bringing CTF to FIRST, meaning we'd all really be up the creek for manpower.) Suppose further that whichever robot had the flag received a bonus for however long it could stay on a particular patch of field without being moved off or having the flag taken away by another robot. Granted, defending the aforementioned flag isn't particularly relaxing, but it'd still be sitting there.

I'd like to build on this a bit and connect it back to some other ideas.

Billfred makes some great points: think about CTF. It's a lot of teamwork. Each alliance would need a very good idea of their game plan, and assign individuals to protecting the flag, capturing the flag, and doing whatever other stuff needs to be done.

Personally, I don't believe that this is the only element of the game. However, I remember in 2003 you got more points for having the movable goal on your side, correct? So maybe they are bringing back something like this, except with more value.

In either case, this makes me think of swimming pool noodles. If it's a relatively large game piece, it would be easily visible by the audience. If anybody has other leads, add on! Woo for speculation! And only a few more days now!