2002 Game Brainstorming

[Elgin Clock]

Originally posted by Tom Schindler


I don't think many people would have a problem with this in florida, especially how late it is this year... its gonna be hot.

Tom Remember this year at regionals in Hartford, and the wet carpet under the tents outside?

It's a little different temperature in Hartford than in Fl.


Anyways,

Last years big introduction was a seesaw which accumulated a lot of points by balancing on it. Reminiscent of the Ibot's features to balance.

So this years game might incorporate the physics behind one of Dean's new projects, maybe IT?? Whatever IT is we might get a sneak peak of the fundamental ideas behind what or why IT is, in this year's game. Also if I'm not mistaken the newest addition to the kit in 2001 was a gyro also part of the Ibot. So whatever the newest part(s) in this years kit, if any, might shed some light into the world of Dean's newest invention(s).

There's my two cents.

[Patrick Wang]

It occured to me that if we so happen to "guess" the game, and FIRST saw that post? Would they change the game? So perhaps whatever we guess won't show up because if we do guess right, then it won't be the same?

One can also argue, that because it is purely speculation on the board, that there is no reason to change the game should it be guessed.

*shrug*

Just a thought.

[Elgin Clock]

Since FIRST has been around since "89" and alot of people have come and gone on various teams isn't it time that FIRST allowed thier "community" to give a little back?

What I mean is holding a after season competition for teams to make the next years game. If FIRST sent out a call to all teams to come up with the new game then it could also tie into who is eligible that year.

Say team X comes up with a new game idea that would work and has not been done before and then Team Z comes up with a similar idea, Both team's would still not know what the final game would be but since they were the two teams that inputted ideas into the completed game they would be automatically eligable in that years game and also maybe be given a special prize or recognition at the end of Nationals.

I don't know how it would all work in the end, ie: if there is enough time to get input from all teams in time to come up with a new game within a year, or what kind of recognition or prize the team's that inputed ideas would get, but hopefully there will be a chance in the future when FIRST's comunity of teams would have a more active part in game design - not total design but a nudge in the direction that the community would like to see!

[Matt Leese]

Originally posted by Elgin Clock

<snip>
Also if I'm not mistaken the newest addition to the kit in 2001 was a gyro also part of the Ibot. So whatever the newest part(s) in this years kit, if any, might shed some light into the world of Dean's newest invention(s).

There's my two cents.

The gyro chip was around in 2000. Its addition had nothing to do with the game. I believe it was more along the lines that FIRST got them donated.

Matt

[Elgin Clock]

Originally posted by Matt Leese

The gyro chip was around in 2000. Its addition had nothing to do with the game. I believe it was more along the lines that FIRST got them donated.

Matt

Ok so if it was around in 2000 then that proves my point even further. Wasn't the Ibot released in 2000??? Also how can you say that the gyro had nothing to do with the game??? In 2000's game probaly not but in 2001 the purpose of the gyro was to help teams balance on the bridge wasn't it? I know of a few teams that actually got theirs to work very well for this purpose. We tried the gyro but it was not a major part of the overall design from the begining so we scraped it after some testing time.

[Joe Ross]

The Gyro was part of the Kit in '99. The Ibot was first shown on Dateline on June 30th of '99. It was obviously in development long before the game for '99 was even conceived.

I would think that the bigger coincidence was that in '99 teams had to climb 6 inches to get on the puck. The Ibot climbs stairs.

I agree with Matt that the inclusion of the Gyro had nothing to do with the Ibot, but it's anyone's guess about the puck.

Originally posted by Joe Ross
The Gyro was part of the Kit in '99. The Ibot was first shown on Dateline on June 30th of '99. It was obviously in development long before the game for '99 was even conceived.

I would think that the bigger coincidence was that in '99 teams had to climb 6 inches to get on the puck. The Ibot climbs stairs.

I agree with Matt that the inclusion of the Gyro had nothing to do with the Ibot, but it's anyone's guess about the puck.

Doesn't the Ibot use a lot of gyro's in it's design? Also as a side note what was the newest part of this years kit then if the gyro was around for a while? I think there was a proximity sensor in this years kit?? Was that around before?

Also here's my theory on game design and how it ties in with Dean's inventions:

Ibot introduced in 1999.
It's main feature to climb stairs.
It's main technological advantage, a bunch of gyro's.
So we have now,
Game in 1999. Main part of game to climb a 6" puck equivelent to the rise of modern stairs.
Ibot and Game had same purpose

Game in 2000: Main factor to balance on bridge
Ibot and some robot's used the technology of the gyro very sucessfully
Ibot and game had same technology behind it.

Now: IT will be introduced in 2002
My guess is that This years game will incorporate the basic idea of IT into it.
And then in 2003 we will get down to having the same technology as IT in the kit and actually being able to have a "real life" application for that technology.

Just my guess.
I thought I was wrong once, but I was mistaken!

[Carolyn Duncan]

I think some of you may have missed something on the water. What if the water was not in the enire field? Suppose it was contained in something like a kiddie pool in part of the field. Maybe have it set up to be sunk into a platform that has to be climbed onto. This would be there for some purpose in the game, maybe if we have a scavenger hunt we'll have to fish something out. Or maybe we'd be carrying around buckets of water to fill something up which sets off some sort of chain reaction which has to be built by one of the robots. There are many possibilities. I wouldn't rule it out. Last year wasn't "diabolical" for no reason...

[Patrick Wang]

Wet Carpets....

Ugghh.... they are the worst thing ever.

I remember last year one of the storage sheds we were using sprung a leak, and during the rainy winter, it got flooded.

Carpeting was soaked.

Just a thought about carpets and water.

3 years ago a member of my team who isnt with us anymore came up with an interesting idea for a game. Dont make the game in water, but ontop of the water, kind of like a floating Barge. When too many bots get on one side the raft tips to one end. Its kind of like a floating Barge....i dunno..i thought he was crazy at the time, but now i think it just might work.

What do you guys think?

[Jessica Boucher]

Originally posted by Patrick Wang
Wet Carpets....

Ugghh.... they are the worst thing ever.

I remember last year one of the storage sheds we were using sprung a leak, and during the rainy winter, it got flooded.

Carpeting was soaked.

Just a thought about carpets and water.

I think just about anyone that went to UTC and was on a team around & over #200 (aka, was in what I like to call "Florida" because of the tents that were used....though now looking back foreshadowed Florida in actuality) can attest to the fact that wet carpet is not fun at all.

Random comment.....don't we talk about water every year?

I have been involved with FIRST for 3 years now...and yes I think "water in the game" is brought up every year...

[Leo M]

I had totally discounted the idea of water and robotics - up until now!

If anyone wants to check out a highly interesting application of the Basic Stamp to a water/robotics theme, give this one a try:

http://www.remo.net/spiders/

Now, if that isn't a great idea, I don't know what is. I still don't see how it could be worked into the FIRST competitions, but it sure would put an interesting twist on things now, wouldn't it?

[Anthony S.]

I think we're wasting our time talking about water(even though we have nothing better to talk about until January). But just look at the pro's and con's of water. Water would be a very big problem, especially with the Innovation First control box, all of the wires and everything just wouldn't mix.

I may be the only person who feels this way, but I really liked last year's game.(even though it was my first year) Sure it was a little complicated scoring, but it was a wonderful challenge and it was so much to do, I LOVED it!! But I'm going to trust tha Dean, Woody, and the rest of the FIRST staff will come up with something really spectacular.

From reading the National Team Forum notes, I think we will return to 2vs2. But remember, Gracious Professionalism, so it may not be too competitive. But I guess we'll just have to wait until January 5th. I CAN WAIT!!!!!

[Jon Lawton]

Originally posted by Anthony S.
...
I may be the only person who feels this way, but I really liked last year's game.(even though it was my first year) Sure it was a little complicated scoring, but it was a wonderful challenge and it was so much to do, I LOVED it!! But I'm going to trust tha Dean, Woody, and the rest of the FIRST staff will come up with something really spectacular.
...

Hey, I'm with you! My team was a rookie last year, and I really liked last year's game too. I don't see what all the fuss over the game is about, but oh well (trying not to start a flame war).