[FTC]: FTC Game Announced

[Chris is me]

I change my statement above. I want to play this game with a Vex robot!

[ttldomination]

See, I don't think VEX would have the advantage in this game. The powerful shooters will have the edge, and with this year, you have *8* DC motors allowed and the list of extra materials allowed is, in short, AMAZING.

Well, I've unofficially associated myself to a team...in Canada...over 3000 miles away from my location...You gotta love FIRST.

[Chris is me]

Well, I meant if everyone had Vex. I would like to play this if it were VRC, because I have little idea what I'm doing with the FTC kit, don't have one, am not in high school, etc.

Actually, this is my very first robotics team's last year in existence. I wonder if they'd like some help...

[Lowfategg]

Looks like you guys are going to have some fun this year.

It seems like just the game to regain some interest in the FTC platform. That being said, all the PVC pipe has me worried. Someone is going to take down the center goal.

[Andrew Schuetze]

Once you get a look at the field bill of materials, you will find an iron pipe hidden inside the center PVC which has an iron flange bolted to the center plywood platform. I do agree that there will be serious game play and lots of action again this year.

[Andrew Schuetze]

So I am interested in hearing from teams what they think of the design of this year's game. Scoring options, end game with shooting out of the field...

[ttldomination]

Originally Posted by Andrew Schuetze

So I am interested in hearing from teams what they think of the design of this year's game. Scoring options, end game with shooting out of the field...

I've talked with a team leader, and we put our heads together and came out with 100% proven design, that we've seen perform, and we can get it to perform even better, and it all happened in about 30 minutes.

One thing that I was thinking of during this "end game" was that teams will try to get ready and set, and then they will unload. The thing about launching balls is that it can be mest up easily. A defensive robot would simply have to ram the shooting robot and then that can easily mess up any shooting, especially if the other robot is sporting some omnis. Just a though.

Originally Posted by Lowfategg

Looks like you guys are going to have some fun this year.

It seems like just the game to regain some interest in the FTC platform. That being said, all the PVC pipe has me worried. Someone is going to take down the center goal, and it should be fun to watch.

Do you mean like..."literally" take it down or like ... score a lot of points? And the robots' extensions are limited this year, so I don't think any robot can wage too much damage to it.


TO EVERYONE, involved and not involved, READ THE RULES!!!! Compared to last year, the game is WAY different, and the robot rules are even more different.(Including the servo/motor numbers).

[Lowfategg]

Originally Posted by ttldomination

Do you mean like..."literally" take it down or like ... score a lot of points? And the robots' extensions are limited this year, so I don't think any robot can wage too much damage to it.

I meant literally until Andrew Schuetze informed us about the metal base and pole is rides on.

Should be awesome to watch.

[ttldomination]

This game will definitely be fun to watch.

[Akash Rastogi]

Not gonna lie. I can't wait for this game. I can see some highly competitive robots going down on the field but the ones who will be the clearcut winners will be those who can multitask at 100% efficiency on all fronts IMO.

Kudos to the GDC and FIRST

[blackiceskier]

this years game is cool and it will make the robots made interesting there is a down side to this years game thought. there are so many penalties and they deduct points for everything, a defnesive game is not really easy to do with out being penalized for it at every turn

[Chris is me]

Originally Posted by blackiceskier

this years game is cool and it will make the robots made interesting there is a down side to this years game thought. there are so many penalties and they deduct points for everything, a defnesive game is not really easy to do with out being penalized for it at every turn

That's the whole point of penalties, to discourage behavior that would make the game worse. So I would suggest starting to plan defensive strategy around the penalty book right away.

As for my design ideas... yet again I find myself thinking "perhaps I should just do exactly what 1625 did one year..."

[NalaTI]

Very cool game... and the allowed parts list is pretty intense!

One question though on the allowed parts list
<R5.b.7> Any NXT compatible sensor from HiTechnic, including the NXT Touch Sensor Multiplexer, NXT Sensor Multiplexer <snip>

Does this exist anywhere? It's not available from Hi Technic on their website?

[PhilBot]

This is a coooool game.

So many game options and strategies.... Plus the out-of-field goals and bonus balls are a freaky twist.

Some penalties will be hard to call... like goal blocking..... Sounds like the "Interferance" penalty in Overdrive.

We're a team that likes to show scoring prowess in Auto.

Touching the center goal's spin-bar is a 5 point penalty in auto, but I wouldn't put it past another team to hit it anyway to make scoring difficult for us in auto.

Seems like the penalty should be bigger... 5 point penalty vs 80 points in auto+regular play.