2012 Game?

[purpleandplasma]

i doubt it'll happen, but my friend and i talked to Bill at the LV regional, and we suggested basketball, which would be crazy hard, but super fun! most kids on my team think that there will be another Mini-bot.

[princessnatalie]

Has anyone considered a golf based game?
Maybe they had us make mini-bots so we could get used to working with smaller materials.

[brndn]

Similar to golf, I was actually thinking of a billiards type of game, with 6 goals. In one of Bill's blogs he emphasized "pool." Of course that triggers thoughts about a water game, but I think the closest FIRST will come to a water game is ice. I definitely think there will be minibots involved though, considering this year's success.

[PAR_WIG1350]

I find it strange how Bill mentioned knowing enough about the game too remind everybody to buy pool noodles. Does this mean that in the future they might not use bumpers? Different bumpers? Or maybe this year we are using MORE POOL NOODLES . If it is the latter, is the game going to be more aggressive (thus requiring more bumpers) or are pool noodles the game pieces? Or maybe they are adding a third alliance and teams will need to make a third set of bumpers...

[Micah Chetrit]

Originally Posted by PAR_WIG1350

...Or maybe they are adding a third alliance and teams will need to make a third set of bumpers...

Three alliances would be awesome!

[avanboekel]

Originally Posted by PAR_WIG1350

I find it strange how Bill mentioned knowing enough about the game too remind everybody to buy pool noodles. Does this mean that in the future they might not use bumpers? Different bumpers? Or maybe this year we are using MORE POOL NOODLES . If it is the latter, is the game going to be more aggressive (thus requiring more bumpers) or are pool noodles the game pieces? Or maybe they are adding a third alliance and teams will need to make a third set of bumpers...

Pool noodles because we are going to need to float, duh! On a seriousish note, my guess is that he is referring to a high contact game (wide open field?), or a 3rd alliance. I'm hoping the first of the 2. Making 2 sets of bumpers is already enough of a pain!

[mickey d's 71]

i am going with end of the world theme mayan architecture game would be you and alliance build mayan pyramid in middle of field to make it interesting only one pyramid can be made between the two alliances and each block will be either blue or red and whoever has the top tier of the pyramid in there color gets an extra bonus
another would be a pyramid is in the center of the field and u have to climb it and bring down scoring bins kinda and take it to your side fill it up and empty it on opposing alliance side for points

[DSM33]

Originally Posted by mickey d's 71

i am going with end of the world theme mayan architecture game would be you and alliance build mayan pyramid in middle of field to make it interesting only one pyramid can be made between the two alliances and each block will be either blue or red and whoever has the top tier of the pyramid in there color gets an extra bonus
another would be a pyramid is in the center of the field and u have to climb it and bring down scoring bins kinda and take it to your side fill it up and empty it on opposing alliance side for points

That sounds a lot like the 2003 game Stack Attack and would most likely involve the death-spins and destruction that resulted in 2003

[BigDaddyKane527]

I believe that the 2012 FRC Game is going to be based on Hockey. This would introduce a new game piece and would bring back the field from Lunacy.

[mesamb1]

Originally Posted by BigDaddyKane527

and would bring back the field from Lunacy.

I can hear everyone at every regional kick off collectively groan now.

Originally Posted by mickey d's 71

build mayan pyramid in middle of field

those pyramids have a lot of stairs. I think I heard of some one interested in robots that climb stairs....
iBot Stairs
Segway Stairs
Maybe your onto something

[stevenest]

This illustration is quite fuuny actually but quite apt to the situation.

[DSM33]

if FIRST really wants to grow into the "sport of the mind" like Dean keeps saying I think that the GDC needs to design a game thats loosely based on a sport more than a game designed without that in mind. Simplicity is key. Breakaway I think is a great example of this. The scoring system was simple (no logos to create double multipliers or ubertubes), the game was easy to follow and to keep track (no trailers filled with unidentifiable amounts of moon rocks), and the games were very exciting whether the score was 5-3 or 21-20. If FIRST is too succeed as a sport it needs to be simple so that casual fans can just pick up watching it and understand pretty quickly what's going on (the puck goes in the net, the ball needs to get through the hoop). Hopefully this years game will be along those lines.

Originally Posted by DSM33

if FIRST really wants to grow into the "sport of the mind" like Dean keeps saying I think that the GDC needs to design a game thats loosely based on a sport more than a game designed without that in mind. Simplicity is key. Breakaway I think is a great example of this. The scoring system was simple (no logos to create double multipliers or ubertubes), the game was easy to follow and to keep track (no trailers filled with unidentifiable amounts of moon rocks), and the games were very exciting whether the score was 5-3 or 21-20. If FIRST is too succeed as a sport it needs to be simple so that casual fans can just pick up watching it and understand pretty quickly what's going on (the puck goes in the net, the ball needs to get through the hoop). Hopefully this years game will be along those lines.

I hope that the FRC 2012 game is EXACTLY how you described it. Breakaway was my all-time favorite game, and I loved how it was easy for not only robotics members, but also people watching it to understand what's going on. Plus.....the possible sponsors loved it!

[TJ92]

I'm going to go out throw out something completely crazy.

We all know that the Olympics are coming next year, and many people have speculated a tie in. It wouldn't be much in the spirit of things to base an Olympics game off of just one sport. After all, the Olympics is judged by which Country (alliance if you will) competes the best overall in several completely different games. So, rather than having one game where the best robots do essentially the exact same thing, you instead have three completely separate, and fully fleshed out, ways of scoring. To win the match, your alliance must outscore the opposing alliance in 2 of the 3 games.

Each robot can participate in as many of the separate parts of the game as they choose or as few. Teams will experience the build season challenge of trying to be really good at just one of the games, or building a robot than can do it all. A greater level of parity will be created by incorporating several games because even the best robots will have to choose between spreading their offense out (risk losing all three) or concentrating on one individual game (only guarantee 1). Autonomous will be played game-by-game, as well as endgame. Unlike this year, robots should have the opportunity to better utilize defensive bots.

I cannot say for sure what each of these three games should be, but I can suggest symbolism. One game should incorporate FIRST's past, Maize Craze, to show how far FIRST has come. One should incorporate FIRST's present, the Olympic tie in, to show FIRST's impact now. One should incorporate the future, no idea how, to show what FIRST still wants to achieve.

Would this game create a challenge for even the oldest FRC teams? Yes
Would this game be chaotic and fun to watch? hopefully
Would this game be a nightmare to scout? Absolutely!
Would this game present endless strategic possibility, while maintain simplistic outcomes? Yes!!!!!
Would this game make alliance selections absoultly vital to succeed? Yes

This idea of mine seemed better and better the more I thought of it. I hope you enjoyed reading it. I know I enjoyed writing it.

P.S. If a game like this is ever created, I hope FIRST would allow the use of interchangeable robot parts that exceed the 120 lb limit.

This has absolutely nothing with what's been said, but my team thought it would be interesting to recreate Overdrive, but make it more like a MarioKart game. Though we got into wild ideas such as throwing bananas, and pressure plates that would increase your speed, I think it would be at least an interesting idea. There was also a suggestion of making the track something other than an oval. Maybe a few more turns, or something of the sort.