2013 Game?

[EricH]

Originally Posted by lorem3k

It would be pretty interesting to do a field with a non-uniform surface like sand or gravel...

I'd say no comment... but to say "interesting" is a massive understatment.

Trust me on this--my senior design project is competing on regolith simulant at the end of the month. And I don't mean the FRP from 2009, I mean BP-1 lunar regolith simulant.

For motion, wheels with paddles attached. We've used treads in the past.

[jon-s]

Originally Posted by lorem3k

It would be pretty interesting to do a field with a non-uniform surface like sand or gravel... or water

How about a surface with lots of bumps (may be too hard to implement) or obstacles (like the minibot pole bases)?

[sebflippers]

As a programmer I would love to see more autonomous time next game. Maybe 30 seconds?

[JonathanZur1836]

I have a strong feeling about stacking, it hasn't been done in a while and it has been rather successful in past years. I don't think that its going to be that similar to Triple Play (2005), because first has been trying to make the games easier to watch and understand, this year being probably the easiest. Tetras on the other hand, especially the tic tac toe type element of scoring, was kind of confusing. I think that its going to be kind of like 2003, where points were awarded for the highest stack, and not for the sequence in which the pieces were stacked. I do NOT think that its going to be ball or tube related (anything rounded and squishy really), as that has been very popular lately. I think its going to be a 3D polygon of sorts, but the shape itself is anybody's guess. As for the clues that may crop up in speeches, articles, pictures, etc, I wouldn't worry about them that much. Most are not even intended as clues, and the ones that are are so subtle that you have to analyze every phrase released by first for any kind of reference to something game related.

[JRTaylord]

If next year's game is centered around stacking it could be some sort of derivative of jenga.

[Gregor]

Originally Posted by JRTaylord

If next year's game is centered around stacking it could be some sort of derivative of jenga.

Oh now that might be fun

[PAR_WIG1350]

Originally Posted by TimSchley

Next year it'll start during build season.

I thought the 2012 thread did start during the 2011 build season. Does anybody want to check?

[DampRobot]

Although many are looking to past FRC games in order to guess at next years game, I would suggest looking to past FTC games.

The trend started (as close as I can tell) in 2011. It was stated that the minibots were added to encourage cooperation and communication between FRC and FTC teams. We were supposed to use Tetrix components, although many teams ended up just machining their own components. In 2012, the middle of the field was remarkably similar to the FTC "Get Over It!" field (bridges, barrier). I would love to see something similar to the height bonus for the crates in FTC this year. It was the perfect combination of a crowd-pleasing spectacle and a challenge that required technical innovation.

For the main game peice, I'm hoping for Tetras like some other mentioned. The 2011-2007,2012-2006,2013-2005 trend might hold like some others are predicting. Stacks would be cool too. Although I doubt this will happen because we just had a throwing game, Frisbees and footballs would be cool game pieces.

[bduddy]

I think that we're very likely to (again) see a game that takes significant elements from previous FRC games. Last year took tube hanging directly from 2007, and this year was Aim High's shooting + the mandatory bi-yearly sports theme + the field from 2001. The GDC keeps talking about bringing older games back, partially or wholly, and I don't see them going away from that... Tetras have been oft-discussed, but how about those tube goals that were used in many older games?

EDIT: As EricH says, the field was from 2001, not 2002.

[StAxis]

The idea around the game could be something like FIRSTageddon, since we will have just lived through (hopefully) the "end of the world" just a few weeks before. Or it might be something with bad luck since it's 2013, how interesting would that be, a game designed around cards, with different kinds of game pieces like spades, clubs, diamonds, and hearts. Perhaps red alliance vs black alliance and if you were the clack alliance you could only use the spades and clubs and visa versa? That would be reaalllly fun, I WANT TO SEE THIS HAPPEN NOW

[EricH]

Originally Posted by DampRobot

In 2012, the middle of the field was remarkably similar to the FTC "Get Over It!" field (bridges, barrier).

I would like to point you towards an even more similar field obstacle. Not, as one poster thinks, from 2002, which had no barriers on the field. From 2001, Diabolical Dynamics.

That barrier had, in essence, the floor barrier from 2012 with a rail some bit higher (I want to say about a foot and a half), with a single bridge in the middle. Unlike in 2012, however, the bridge did not self-level, though it could be balanced. The 4v0 game was to load small balls into goals, throw a couple large balls on top if you could, balance the goals on the bridge, and stick as many robots on the far end of the field as you could. And do it all as fast as possible. The faster you did it, the more your points were multiplied by.

Stacking items and height bonuses: I refer you to 2003 and 1999, respectively. You'll have to look at the FRC games; FTC hadn't been invented yet and the EDUBot was still in its infancy in 2003.

FTC is following FRC, not the other way around.

[iPenguin]

Originally Posted by DampRobot

I would love to see something similar to the height bonus for the crates in FTC this year. It was the perfect combination of a crowd-pleasing spectacle and a challenge that required technical innovation.

Please see my earlier post. Main issue: safety

[Kit-kat2936]

I think it could have something that has to do with this years FTC game. Last years FTC had balancing, and this year had balancing.

[iPenguin]

Originally Posted by Kit-kat2936

I think it could have something that has to do with this years FTC game. Last years FTC had balancing, and this year had balancing.

Safety issue. I personally do NOT want to see giant, 120 pound robots that rise 20 feet or more into the air and have the potential to fall outside the field, potentially causing harm to the drivers/volunteers/spectators. As an FTAA on Franklin this year, I had to dodge two robots while trying to figure out why another one wasn't moving.

I like the more open field idea as well as the stacking red bots on blue bots and vice versa for co-op points idea. I'd like to see them take a page out of FLL, make it somewhat biology themed, and have Double Helix game pieces.

[Anupam Goli]

Let's get back to the basics.

Playground balls. mobile goals. large balls to cap goals. Stationary goals. End game bonus of placing all mobile goals into the home zone. Mash up of 2004 and 2002, and something no one has seen in a while.