anyone have any ideas about next years game?

[dag0620]

Originally Posted by progal

It'd be cool to involve human sports into robot sports

Whatever a human can do, a robot can do. Am I right?

And sometimes the other way,

Like at WIWI this year, were going to do a mini competion at lunch where Instead of Robots playing breakaway, we have humans on all fours.

[progal]

Originally Posted by dag0620

And sometimes the other way,

Like at WIWI this year, were going to do a mini competion at lunch where Instead of Robots playing breakaway, we have humans on all fours.

Haha, I'm already imagining it. Seems very interesting

[Bjenks548]

Originally Posted by dag0620

And sometimes the other way,

Like at WIWI this year, were going to do a mini competion at lunch where Instead of Robots playing breakaway, we have humans on all fours.

For strategy purposes, team 548's drivers, coaches, human players, and other members went to pier frog durring build season. There we played full 2:15 matches against 503 on their full field for strategy purposes. We had tons of fun and found some crazy strategies. Including the deflecter idea when one of the frog force guys who must have been around 6 foot 6 was playing against our coach who is around 5 foot 5. It was really fun to play with breakaway with people and we got some good strategies out of it.

[davidthefat]

Originally Posted by biojae

I don't think that 18 rc servos would move a 120 lb robot very far.

But, if you were to use cims (or FPs) in a closed loop positioning control, then you would have much more powerful servos.

(And it would be a reason to allow us more more motors on the bot (and drain the battery really fast))

Forgot about the weight... CIMs cost more though

[electron]

I was able to talk to Steve Cremer, a regional director for FIRST this weekend at MIT, and he said "I think I am authorized to tell you this, but Bill told us all this week that the game for next year would include water elements of some kind."
(not totally a direct quote, but its as accurate as I can remember it)
Now, I don't think he was authorized to tell me this, but still.. a water game!!

(and no, I am not joking, and I do not think Mr. Cremer was either.)

[apalrd]

I don't think as many motors as you think (18) are necessary.

I see it being done with as few as 4:

You have 3 points of contact with the ground at all times. 6 legs.

You would raise 3 legs, move them forward, drop them, raise the other three, and while moving them forward, move the 3 down back.

2 joints per leg, but there are really 2 sets of 3 that move together, so at least 4 joints that are independently controlled.

I don't see you being able to turn with only 4, so I propose 6 + pneumatics:
Raise/lower with pneumatics. Move each with a motor (CIM or FP). The legs are either up or down, but you can vary the forward movement of each leg to turn in an arc.

[davidthefat]

Originally Posted by apalrd

I don't think as many motors as you think (18) are necessary.

I see it being done with as few as 4:

You have 3 points of contact with the ground at all times. 6 legs.

You would raise 3 legs, move them forward, drop them, raise the other three, and while moving them forward, move the 3 down back.

2 joints per leg, but there are really 2 sets of 3 that move together, so at least 4 joints that are independently controlled.

I don't see you being able to turn with only 4, so I propose 6 + pneumatics:
Raise/lower with pneumatics. Move each with a motor (CIM or FP). The legs are either up or down, but you can vary the forward movement of each leg to turn in an arc.

1 leg is the bare minimum, but you need MIT status skills to pull that off, well the easiest is the 6 legged, then 4 then 3, then 2 then 1, thats what I would assume the order is

[EricH]

Originally Posted by electron

I was able to talk to Steve Cremer, a regional director for FIRST this weekend at MIT, and he said "I think I am authorized to tell you this, but Bill told us all this week that the game for next year would include water elements of some kind."
(not totally a direct quote, but its as accurate as I can remember it)
Now, I don't think he was authorized to tell me this, but still.. a water game!!

(and no, I am not joking, and I do not think Mr. Cremer was either.)

If anybody knows something, they aren't telling. If they are telling, they don't know anything (or if they do, they shortly will not). Not only that, but "water game" is the oldest joke in the book. If you really think that they're not joking, then you've been fooled pretty badly.

[electron]

Originally Posted by EricH

If anybody knows something, they aren't telling. If they are telling, they don't know anything (or if they do, they shortly will not). Not only that, but "water game" is the oldest joke in the book. If you really think that they're not joking, then you've been fooled pretty badly.

I'm not saying that isn't a possibility, just saying what he told me.

[davidthefat]

Originally Posted by EricH

If anybody knows something, they aren't telling. If they are telling, they don't know anything (or if they do, they shortly will not). Not only that, but "water game" is the oldest joke in the book. If you really think that they're not joking, then you've been fooled pretty badly.

Watch, one day it will be a water game and YOU will be punked... but seriously I doubt its ever going to be a water game, that would force every team to water proof the robot, which will hinder the inspection, and they will never do that. and there are potential safely issues with a pool and electricity, unless they are using distilled water every game...

[electron]

Originally Posted by davidthefat

and there are potential safely issues with a pool and electricity, unless they are using distilled water every game...

actually, he specifically said that it would be in a pool, but would more be like "shoot water into this goal, or fill this container, etc"

[EricH]

Either way, not gonna be a water game. See the 101 other threads on water games for a reason. (And there's a very good reason not to in that there are already a couple...)

[hedgehoglover]

I think that a game like capture the flag would be a really neat idea. Maybe the alliances could choose the location and set up predetermined obstacles. This would require a lot more strategy and be much more interactive.

[davidthefat]

Originally Posted by hedgehoglover

I think that a game like capture the flag would be a really neat idea. Maybe the alliances could choose the location and set up predetermined obstacles. This would require a lot more strategy and be much more interactive.

or a super duper crazy AI... You see my reference there? but how would you "capture" the flag? Literally grab it? then how would teh other team regain the said flag?

[apalrd]

You could literally grab it, and have a pushing battle back to score it, or something like that. I can see extreme speed and extreme pushing power being key, to push through the defenders and then race to score it.

You could have multiple flags, on each side, with each team having a zone, and the more flags you get the better. There would be defense to prevent flags from being achieved, offense to get the flags, and maybe even a little stealing already scored flags and bringing them back where they belong.

What would the flags be? How about a ring made of small-diameter PVC and 4 elbows, spiked onto a post. You could even have different ones of different values, the toughest and largest prizes there are fewest of (and are the hardest, most guarded).

Field and play:
"your flag" means the flags you are guarding and they are trying to score.
"their flag" means the flags they are guarding and you are trying to score.
standard size field. Alliance wall has box, 18" tall by 24" deep across the entire width of the field. On the top there are pegs where the flags you are guarding and the opposing alliance is trying to get are. On the wall there are pegs for you to score. 9' out there is a line. There are 12 flags and 12 flag holders. No more then 2 of their flags scored per peg. There be no more than two of your robots (defense on your flags or scoring their flags) and one of their robots (attempting to capture your flags) in that zone 9' from the end of the field. Anyone can be in the middle zone. At the start of the match, each robot starts touching the box in their home zone. At the center of the field, there is a dividing line where one bonus flag exists. It is a different color. It starts exactly in the center of the field. It is owned by nobody at the start.