2010 5th Gear FRC Match Simulator

[artdutra04]

Awesome job on the Breakaway version of 5th Gear! I love the Pacman easter egg.

[boomergeek]

I tried it solo.

It's an amazing feat of physics simulation of the game.

I was able to drive into a goal but not out of it. Will the real goals act as Venus fly traps to teams that try to snow plow a ball into the goal?

Do you think the GDC designed the slippery floor in the goal with chains and embracing foam with the capture of small bots in mind?

Would shoving another bot into a venus fly trap while trying to push a ball in there be considered overly aggressive? Or to use an American football analogy, would it be considered like a fullback running through a cornerback near the goal line in order to score a touchdown?

The goals could be sort of become like the fire pits on Battlebots...

The only thing I noticed that I did not like about the physics of the game was that if you hit the wall while running almost parallel with it, it stopped you immediately instead of just slowing you down and allowing you to turn the rest of the way parallel to the wall.

[joek]

i'm sure that if you have enough power in your drive train, you could get out

[Chris is me]

If you drive into a goal, you should warp back on the field.

http://vimeo.com/9111662 - Video of a 17 point run I did. Working for 20.

[gblake]

Originally Posted by Chris is me

http://vimeo.com/9111662 - Video of a 17 point run I did. Working for 20.

I see this when I follow the link I see "Do you have permission to watch this video? If you do please first log in to Vimeo to watch this video." Can you turn off the privacy?

Originally Posted by boomergeek

It's an amazing feat of physics simulation of the game.

Thanks so much! But save a few adjectives for when we are able to improve the physics - We are still climbing that learning curve and things should get better.

Originally Posted by boomergeek

I was able to drive into a goal but not out of it. Will the real goals act as Venus fly traps to teams that try to snow plow a ball into the goal?
Do you think the GDC designed the slippery floor in the goal with chains and embracing foam with the capture of small bots in mind?
Would shoving another bot into a venus fly trap while trying to push a ball in there be considered overly aggressive? Or to use an American football analogy, would it be considered like a fullback running through a cornerback near the goal line in order to score a touchdown?

I think that both driving into a goal on purpose and pushing someone else into one will certainly be frowned upon (read up on the penalties in the rules).

However, I very much like the questions. They show me that someone used the simulator for a short while and already started discovering gameplay situations that they hadn't given much thought previously, and that they (you) started planning/revising corresponding strategies.

Among other uses, we hope that the simulation becomes a strategy and driver training tool that all teams can use before their first matches. If we can make it good enough, even teams that operate on a shoestring in the boonies can come to their first regional practice matches almost as well prepared as teams that have practice fields and nearby opponents to spar with before shipping their bots.

We aren't there yet, but as my wife tells me, it's good to have goals.

Originally Posted by boomergeek

The only thing I noticed that I did not like about the physics of the game was that if you hit the wall while running almost parallel with it, it stopped you immediately instead of just slowing you down and allowing you to turn the rest of the way parallel to the wall.

We will investigate - Also, see above, we still have plenty of room to refine our use of PhysX.

Originally Posted by artdutra04

Awesome job on the Breakaway version of 5th Gear! I love the Pacman easter egg.

Pacman Easter egg? - Maybe one of my colleagues slipped that in - I haven't found it yet. Give me a hint.

Blake

[Chris is me]

Fixed privacy settings.

I too am wondering about Pac Man.

[gblake]

Originally Posted by Chris is me

Fixed privacy settings.

I too am wondering about Pac Man.

That was well played - You might have gotten 18 if one of your shots on goal hadn't hit another ball.

I'm thinking that we might need to make it a little harder to grab the balls, and a little easier to lose control of them when you are turning.

Thoughts? We don't want to train players to expect benefits that won't exist in the real world.

Also - You mentioned a ball return glitch - Can you describe it for us?

Blake

[Chris is me]

Originally Posted by gblake

That was well played - You might have gotten 18 if one of your shots on goal hadn't hit another ball.

I'm thinking that we might need to make it a little harder to grab the balls, and a little easier to lose control of them when you are turning.

Thoughts? We don't want to train players to expect benefits that won't exist in the real world.

I think different amounts of control between the different possessing robots (if one of them could hang it would be an interesting tradeoff) would be cool. Maybe a little less possessiveness, but those ball handlers are surprisingly good in real life if well designed.

Or let me hit 20 before you change it

You mentioned a ball return glitch - Can you describe it for us?

I can do one better. 18 point run - http://vimeo.com/9114707

Until it goes live, just rapidly hit Shift when 2 or more balls are in queue and watch what happens to the balls.

[fordchrist675]

I'm just totally stoked to actually get to play it.

[Chris is me]

I finally made 20 points: http://vimeo.com/9115291

Last video for now. I think this is sufficient proof I have no life.

[gblake]

Originally Posted by Chris is me

I think this is sufficient proof I have no life.

LOL - Glad we could help

[ttldomination]

I'm sorry if this is an extremely easily answered question, but I honestly have no idea how to get this thing to work. When I open up fifth gear, I start my server, and then when I show up, I see no robots. I read the document on installation instructions and stuff, but it still doesn't say how to actually go about picking a robot/playing around...

[fordchrist675]

I also have that problem, also whats a server people are on?

[Chris is me]

Originally Posted by ttldomination

I'm sorry if this is an extremely easily answered question, but I honestly have no idea how to get this thing to work. When I open up fifth gear, I start my server, and then when I show up, I see no robots. I read the document on installation instructions and stuff, but it still doesn't say how to actually go about picking a robot/playing around...

You need to open 2 instances of 5th Gear to play 1v0. One server, one client.

Originally Posted by fordchrist675

I also have that problem, also whats a server people are on?

It's a LAN game, for now. Not online

[fordchrist675]

Alright thanks very much