The 2008 Beantown Blitz (Hosted by team #125)

[Brandon Holley]

Originally Posted by Heretic121

hey brandon... you lied to us... you said "today" yesterday... we want to know now!!! =P

I know i know...they WILL be posted today for sure, as soon as I get home from work.... just beware of golden trackballs

[andrew348]

Originally Posted by Brandon Holley

I know i know...they WILL be posted today for sure, as soon as I get home from work.... just beware of golden trackballs

When will the rules be posted?

[Koko Ed]

Some questions:
Where is there to park on the Northeasten campus?
Is there a parking fee?
What train lines run nearby?

[Adam Y.]

Originally Posted by Koko Ed

Some questions:
Where is there to park on the Northeasten campus?
Is there a parking fee?
What train lines run nearby?

I believe there is a parking lot right nearby Mathew's Arena and yes there is a parking fee. I don't remember what it is unfortunatly. Orange line and Green E line are the two main train lines. Ruggles and Northeastern University are the two main stops. Ruggles is the Orange line stop and Northeastern University is the Green E line stop. Massachusetts Avenue might also be close to Mathew's arena which is on the orange line.

[andrew348]

Use the trip planner at

http://www.mbta.com/

that should help alot

[kibbs425]

There is very limited free parking if you can find a spot on the street. There are meter spots, 15 min is $0.25 or you can park at renessaince garage on campus. It is $6 for the day on the weekends at Renessaince. Renessaince Garage is probably the best option if you are going to drive in. There is also a garage right by the arena, Gaisnborough garage, but that will cost about $20 or more for the day because they usually charge a flat event parking fee! Yay Boston Parking!

Directions and a campus map can be found here: http://www.neu.edu/campusmap/

By T:
In order to get to Mathews arena you can take the orange line to Mass ave or the Green line E train to Symphony. Mathews arena is located on the corner of Mass Ave and St. Boltoph St. Parking at T-stations is about $3 usually but you'd have to check with the one you want to park at. Riverside T stop is right off of 90 but its a long T ride in to get to NU because you have to transfer lines.

If you have any more questions about parking feel free to get in contact with me via email or PM.

[Heretic121]

someone want to get a hold of brandon and you know give him some incentive "wink wink hint hint" to getting to post this perferably this week =P

[Brandon Holley]

Originally Posted by Heretic121

someone want to get a hold of brandon and you know give him some incentive "wink wink hint hint" to getting to post this perferably this week =P

DOH!

Ok folks I know i've said it before, but the rules will be posted by 5 pm today. 5 pm, beware of golden trackballs.

[Brandon Holley]

Despite my hardest attempts to be as lazy as possible with this, the golden trackball details have arrived....below is the list of rule changes for the 2008 Beantown Blitz. Comments are of course always welcome, and I'd be glad to answer any questions.


General Rules:

1. The “freeze frame” method of scoring is gone at the beantown blitz. The robots and balls will be scored when they come to REST, not when the buzzer sounds. Yes this applies for hybrid mode too.
2. A <G22> modification will be made for the lane dividers only (not the start/finish lines). A robot must completely cross back over a lane divider to be penalized, as opposed to the current rule of any part crossing back over to be penalized.

Golden Ball Rules:

3. Two Golden Balls will be perched above each alliance station (1 over red, 1 over blue). They will be on a ramp and locked in such a way that only 1 can be released in any given match (which one that is released is dependent upon hybrid mode, see below). The golden ball is the same size and weight as the regular trackballs, but just gold in color.
a. The golden ball will be awarded to the team that scores the most in Hybrid mode.
b. That hybrid winning alliance will have the ability to release the ball into the field of play at their discretion.
c. The Golden ball can be possessed by any team (and scored by any team for that matter)
d. It can be scored like any other trackball, with a few exceptions. There are 2 additional points awarded when scoring the Golden ball.
i. 4 points for a herd
ii. 10 points for a hurdle
iii. NO POINTS for capping the golden ball at the end of regulation!!***


See everyone at the blitz, where there are even more surprises in store!

[Spider-Man]

Originally Posted by Brandon Holley

Despite my hardest attempts to be as lazy as possible with this, the golden trackball details have arrived....below is the list of rule changes for the 2008 Beantown Blitz. Comments are of course always welcome, and I'd be glad to answer any questions.


General Rules:

1. The “freeze frame” method of scoring is gone at the beantown blitz. The robots and balls will be scored when they come to REST, not when the buzzer sounds. Yes this applies for hybrid mode too.
2. A <G22> modification will be made for the lane dividers only (not the start/finish lines). A robot must completely cross back over a lane divider to be penalized, as opposed to the current rule of any part crossing back over to be penalized.

Golden Ball Rules:

3. Two Golden Balls will be perched above each alliance station (1 over red, 1 over blue). They will be on a ramp and locked in such a way that only 1 can be released in any given match (which one that is released is dependent upon hybrid mode, see below). The golden ball is the same size and weight as the regular trackballs, but just gold in color.
a. The golden ball will be awarded to the team that scores the most in Hybrid mode.
b. That hybrid winning alliance will have the ability to release the ball into the field of play at their discretion.
c. The Golden ball can be possessed by any team (and scored by any team for that matter)
d. It can be scored like any other trackball, with a few exceptions. There are 2 additional points awarded when scoring the Golden ball.
i. 4 points for a herd
ii. 10 points for a hurdle
iii. NO POINTS for capping the golden ball at the end of regulation!!***


See everyone at the blitz, where there are even more surprises in store!

FIRST rules state that points go to the alliance with the same color as the trackball. As you state the rules, wouldn't the trackball score 4 points for each alliance as it passed around the track, i.e. redabot scores 10 points for a hurdle while giving up 4 points to the blue alliance as the ball is taken over the blue finish line?

[Brandon Holley]

Originally Posted by Spider-Man

FIRST rules state that points go to the alliance with the same color as the trackball. As you state the rules, wouldn't the trackball score 4 points for each alliance as it passed around the track, i.e. redabot scores 10 points for a hurdle while giving up 4 points to the blue alliance as the ball is taken over the blue finish line?

For a ball to be herded (not hurdled) and count for 4 points, it must not be in contact with a robot (as the rules are currently). The same thing is true for the golden ball (if a robot is escorting a ball across a finish line, the ball will not score for either alliance). I hope this is clear.

[Spider-Man]

Originally Posted by Brandon Holley

For a ball to be herded (not hurdled) and count for 4 points, it must not be in contact with a robot (as the rules are currently). The same thing is true for the golden ball (if a robot is escorting a ball across a finish line, the ball will not score for either alliance). I hope this is clear.

That's what I was wondering. The official rules state that if an opposing robot is in contact with a robot, the points count. As you have clarified, any robot touching the golden ball as it crosses the line underneath the overpass, no points are scored.

[whytheheckme]

Originally Posted by Brandon Holley

c. The Golden ball can be possessed by any team (and scored by any team for that matter)

I'm a bit confused. Are the points awarded to the alliance that performed the scoring action (herding, hurdling), or are the points awarded always to the alliance that won the trackball in hybrid (i.e. either alliance could herd/hurdle the ball, but only RED alliance gets the points for it.)

-Jacob

[Brandon Holley]

Originally Posted by whytheheckme

I'm a bit confused. Are the points awarded to the alliance that performed the scoring action (herding, hurdling), or are the points awarded always to the alliance that won the trackball in hybrid (i.e. either alliance could herd/hurdle the ball, but only RED alliance gets the points for it.)

-Jacob

If the golden ball goes over the red overpass its 10 points for red, if it goes over the blue, its 10 points for blue...across the red finish line (on its own power) 4 points for red, across the blue finish line (on its own power) 4 points for blue.

[acdcfan259]

That's going to be crazy weird to officiate