2007's game

[fastabetta]

Here's another hint.....
http://team195.com/members/files/Fun...-2006Robot.pdf

[EStokely]

OK I was in NH a few weeks ago. I looked in the back.
You can quote me here.
I saw a LOT of cardboard boxes. Why did they need so many? Game pieces.

Pressure from FedEx has a game based on the boxing of items on the field for shipment. Items like...fish...bananas...water bottles....pictures....

see it all fits if you wait late enough at night and then anything makes sense

[raymaniac]

Originally Posted by EStokely

Items like...fish...bananas...water bottles....pictures....

...other team's robots...

[rurouni_MOE]

I was told "think frisbees"

[Arkorobotics]

I am going to attempt more confusion...

What about some fun names for the game (i.e. - Triple Play, Aim High):

Criss Cross AppleSauce

Schodinger's Cat

Newtons Cradle

Everest's Hike

Spring Madness!

[b-rant]

Originally Posted by rurouni_MOE

I was told "think frisbees"

what about boomerangs?

[Mike Schroeder]

Originally Posted by Dakota Snow

It has been a while since I have loged. kick off season is not to far away has anyone heard of what this years game is going to be like.

Well, I just got back from "breaking into" FIRST HQ. The game looks pretty cool, gotta love the electrified field border, watch out for defense, the pneumatic cannon that launches bananas all over the field, which isn't underwater like most think but, reminiscent of 1992,the field is coated with red blue and white rubber fish, thus making stopping really interesting. the scoring objects are quite interesting, who would have thought, nuts and bolts could be so much fun.... especially when they fall underneath the rubber fishes....

i think 2007 will be the best year yet





remember kids, never listen to Big Mike when he is bored

[Schnabel]

Originally Posted by Big Mike

Well, I just got back from "breaking into" FIRST HQ. The game looks pretty cool, gotta love the electrified field border, watch out for defense, the pneumatic cannon that launches bananas all over the field, which isn't underwater like most think but, reminiscent of 1992,the field is coated with red blue and white rubber fish, thus making stopping really interesting. the scoring objects are quite interesting, who would have thought, nuts and bolts could be so much fun.... especially when they fall underneath the rubber fishes....

i think 2007 will be the best year yet

(Ignoring the last line) Wow! I knew it, we are going to have a 1970's themed underwater battle for peace at the disco!

[Imprudent]

From a programming aspect, I believe I have heard that this will be the most tedious year yet. As well, the robot will be required to distinguish between three colours of lights, instead of one. Again, this is just what I have heard. .don't listen to me for sure. My guess is as good as anyones

[EricH]

Originally Posted by Big Mike

Well, I just got back from "breaking into" FIRST HQ. The game looks pretty cool, gotta love the electrified field border, watch out for defense, the pneumatic cannon that launches bananas all over the field, which isn't underwater like most think but, reminiscent of 1992,the field is coated with red blue and white rubber fish, thus making stopping really interesting. the scoring objects are quite interesting, who would have thought, nuts and bolts could be so much fun.... especially when they fall underneath the rubber fishes....

i think 2007 will be the best year yet

I think that the mailboxes seen last winter will be used...

Acutally, I highly doubt some of those things will be used. Water in, say, a Victor or RC is not going to be good.

[Jeremiah H]

Originally Posted by Big Mike

Well, I just got back from "breaking into" FIRST HQ...who would have thought, nuts and bolts could be so much fun.... especially when they fall underneath the rubber fishes....

i think 2007 will be the best year yet

Time to start building that DC electromagnet

(I can only imagine how much fun the GDC gets from these discussions. Should we send them a copy?)

[StephLee]

Originally Posted by Jeremiah H

Time to start building that DC electromagnet

(I can only imagine how much fun the GDC gets from these discussions. Should we send them a copy?)

I'm sure they check it. We know Dave does, so I'm sure he passes all this craziness on to the rest of them.

[Josh Goodman]

I heard we may not be using robots......

[Jimmy Cao]

Originally Posted by JGjedi10

I heard we may not be using robots......

that could turn out to be a small problem for most teams... hm....

my guess is that the water will not actually be part of the playing field, because it would be too dangerous for those $1000 controllers and $200 victors. Maybe they will just surround the field, so that the drivers have a terribly hard time seeing what's going on.

Just my 2 cents

[Joel J]

All this water talk..

For all those who like to think about a water based game:

I remember reading somewhere that in 1993 FIRST used water filled balls as a game piece. True?

If the GDC really wanted to, then they would probably be able to find a reasonable way to use water.

Whatever this game is, I hope its BIG. By that I mean: not simple (like 2005 and 2006), not complex (2003 was simple, but stacking boxes was not), not overly flashy (I have yet to see this, 2004 was pretty good, visually), not plain (2001 and 2002), but elegant, and engaging enough for the audience to say, "I don't even care that I can't keep score, this is so exciting." Of course, I think everyone has that wish.

I missed the boat on game suggestion this year.. whatever.

IMO:

2004 was the best year for HPs (they were responsible for a good chunk of the scoring).
2006 was one of the better years for programmers (autonomous mattered, camera alignment with the goal).
The coaches and drivers have been pretty busy in the last few years, so they are probably all set (2005 and 2001 were both better than average for coaches, and arguably 2006, 2000, and, heh, 2003, were the best games for drivers).

So I'm hoping for a game in which the human player does 50% of the direct scoring, the results of autonomous have a weighty impact on the proceedings of the game, the coaches have to be "on their game," to know how to best direct the drivers and human players to score, and the drivers have an interesting time getting objects to score with, or getting the human players time to score. Like, the opponents could have some significant incentive to block another alliance's robot from scoring, or being able to score, but also have a good incentive to try to score themselves. That way, instead of having defensive and offensive periods, you have only one period, and competing teams naturally align themselves for defense or offense. I'm also hoping for a shared end-zone (like 2003), that robots have to fight over. Make it like musical chairs: you have six robots on the field, but only enough space for 4 or 5 robots. With many things mashed together to have all members of a field crew occupied, point distributions become key, eh? Like, the points awarded for completion of each game task would have to be weighted optimally across the board, to prevent teams from becoming overly biased to one strategy over another. For example (this is kinda weak), 1pt scoring was almost a moot point last year. Other than perhaps 322 and a few others, most one point scorers only survived if they were good at defense. In 2004, hanging could win you the match. If a hanging robot was worth 25 points, instead of 50, things may have been a bit more interesting (just speculating).

I dunno. I think this post got so off-topic, that it probably should be moved to another thread. eh..