New Game Progress

[GBIT]

If the current trend holds true it will be Squares of some kind

2008 - Trackball (Ball)
2007 - Ringer (Circle)
2006 - poof (Ball)
2005 - Tetra (Triangle)
2004 - Kick Ball (Ball)
2003 - Stackables (Square)
2002 - Soccer Ball (Ball)

So that is what it will be......

[EricH]

Originally Posted by GBIT

If the current trend holds true it will be Squares of some kind

2008 - Trackball (Ball)
2007 - Ringer (Circle)
2006 - poof (Ball)
2005 - Tetra (Triangle)
2004 - Kick Ball (Ball)
2003 - Stackables (Square)
2002 - Soccer Ball (Ball)

So that is what it will be......

The old "FIRST Logo Trend" has long been debunked. Odd object, likely. Square of some kind, not so much. Look before 2002. The previous non-ball game element was a circle, and there wasn't one before that.

I'm still holding out for a traffic cone, and I'm sure some people still want footballs.

[gorrilla]

playing football would be so much fun

[DarkFlame145]

I think it's too early for football cause the bots would have launchers like the ones in 06. So i think it will be a couple more years till we will have a chance to see a football. I'm guessing squares or triangles this year. I dont see how they could do something new with a ball/circle this year, that hasn't been done in the past 3 years. But we wont know till Jan.

[gorrilla]

yeah but footballs would have to be lunched differently i think having to lift other robots would be cool!

[DarkFlame145]

Originally Posted by gorrilla

yeah but footballs would have to be lunched differently i think having to lift other robots would be cool!

I have seen football launchers (not the loading system) where it's just 2 wheels that shoot the ball out, like a baseball pitcher, but on it's side.

[gorrilla]

we should do something with fire like having to put out or start a fire like one alliance has to put it out and the other alliance has to start it or something

[Wetzel]

Originally Posted by gorrilla

yeah but footballs would have to be lunched differently i think having to lift other robots would be cool!

Lifting other robots has been done, in 2007. I'm still waiting for rugby balls. Has wobble, but not the problematic laces of a football.

Wetzel

[Nate Smith]

Originally Posted by Jonathan Norris

I think i remember them saying we are going to use 802.11 N which has far more channels. But just like every year, wireless networks will most likely not be allowed in the pits or stands.

With the FIRST forums still being down, I can't verify this(any of the beta teams are welcome to add in the info though), but I do remember someone involved with the testing(someone from FIRST, I believe) saying that they could successfully run multiple machines on a single channel without any problems.

Something I wonder is if the wireless hardware the beta teams received was still in the original boxes, or in a "white box" that may mean FIRST had tweaked the settings on the system - possible settings I see as helping with the new system's security are some form of WEP/WPA, as well as turning on "n-only" mode(I don't know if such a thing exists, but I know that my 11g router lets me choose between "mixed-mode (b+g)" or "g-only".) There's still a lot of hardware that doesn't come with 11n support, since it still hasn't been officially ratified as a standard. Letting the hardware only talk to 11n devices could greatly limit the potential devices that could interfere.

[NickE]

Originally Posted by Nate Smith

Something I wonder is if the wireless hardware the beta teams received was still in the original boxes, or in a "white box" that may mean FIRST had tweaked the settings on the system.

The wireless network equipment was in its original boxes. However, it was neccesary to use a computer to configure the devices to connect to each other.

[Team2339]

Perhaps a soccer/Basketball combo with at least two balls. Teams have to pass before scoring. Scoring could be low for a few points, high for more points. Autonomous could require capturing and scoring with the right colored ball.

Of course, if we are using cubes, maybe we build a platform out of the correct color cubes, then climb up on it to score more. The higher, the more points. Autonomous would be putting the right cubes in the right areas.

We should look for a game piece with a low cost per piece. We will need a lot of them.

[ttldomination]

Well, here's what I think.

In the past years, the FTC game and the FRC game are closely linked. Not *exactly* the same but in the overall concept, the two games are very similar.

So, going along those concepts, I expect to see some terrain on the field. Possibly some ramps and platforms as well.

As far as gaming element is concerned, I'm not that worried about what the gaming element will be. But I doubt that it will be anything "new". Unless it's the fish that Dave posted.

[Daniel_LaFleur]

Originally Posted by Jonathan Norris

I think i remember them saying we are going to use 802.11 N which has far more channels. But just like every year, wireless networks will most likely not be allowed in the pits or stands.

Originally Posted by gorrilla

whats the difference between 802.11 and 802.11n?

anyways its going to be a good suprise plan on using the new control system to its full potential

802.11 is the overall specification. 802.11n is a specific specification within the 802.11 specification family of requirements.

and 802.11n has 11 channels, just like 802.11 B/G. It just includes some specific requirements. 3 channels are non-overlapping.

All the robots and the field should be able to run on a single channel, shareing the bandwidth.

[Wayne C.]

Originally Posted by ttldomination

Well, here's what I think.

In the past years, the FTC game and the FRC game are closely linked. Not *exactly* the same but in the overall concept, the two games are very similar.

So since this year's FTC game is played with hockey pucks ("Face Off" ) do you suggest a hockey type game will be the theme? Will checking be allowed?

..... well supposedly there are lots of Hockey Moms around these days.

WC

[lingomaniac88]

I think we may have to use one of the techniques demonstrated at Atlanta this past April when revealing the cRIO. I remember them showing text recognition, and I think you could do color recognition as well... Uno, anyone?