First Official 2012 Game Hint

[Zstack836]

This was just posted on Bill's Blog:

Good Morning Teams,

Rockwell Automation has again agreed to generously donate components we need for the 2012 FRC season. Check it out. You may find it very interesting.



Taken From -
http://frcdirector.blogspot.com/2011...me-hint-1.html

Thoughts?

[iblis432]

I can see a lot of that is stuff that is always on the field. Would anyone who knows the field in detail be kind enough to separate the new from the old?

[thefro526]

For those of you stuck behind firewalls:

Originally Posted by Bill's Blog

Good Morning Teams,

Rockwell Automation has again agreed to generously donate components we need for the 2012 FRC season. Check it out. You may find it very interesting.



36 days until Kickoff
See you then!

[Jared Russell]

Very High Speed Counter, you say?

I think I like where this is going.

[thefro526]

Originally Posted by Jared341

Very High Speed Counter, you say?

I think I like where this is going.

252 of them, at that.

Would equate to 10-12 per field, depending on how many spares kept on hand.

Brings back memories of the good 'ol days of jamming goals with balls...

[skimoose]

Originally Posted by thefro526

252 of them, at that.

Would equate to 10-12 per field, depending on how many spares kept on hand.

Brings back memories of the good 'ol days of jamming goals with balls...

My first thoughts too. Another rapid fire Aim High style game with more goals!

[johnr]

It's not the parts, it's the thought that counts. You will "generously donate" your game pieces into your opponent's goal.

[pandamonium]

Originally Posted by skimoose

My first thoughts too. Another rapid fire Aim High style game with more goals!

<- This. I am going to make an educated guess as this is the 20th game... We started with Tennis balls and I think this may be the year of their glorious return...

[Josh Drake]

Originally Posted by pandamonium

<- This. I am going to make an educated guess as this is the 20th game... We started with Tennis balls and I think this may be the year of their glorious return...

My thoughts too, somebody on our team brought that up earlier. Maybe she has ESP?

[Steve Howland]

Originally Posted by pandamonium

<- This. I am going to make an educated guess as this is the 20th game... We started with Tennis balls and I think this may be the year of their glorious return...

That could explain the heavy field. If we are firing something dangerous like tennis balls, perhaps the field will be enclosed with plexiglass to prevent them from injuring referees/spectators/human players.

Though I would worry about team injuries throughout the season with such a challenge.

[thefro526]

I highly doubt we'll ever see regular sized tennis balls used as an FRC game piece again. They're far too small for FRC sized bots, and they'd make field reset take forever.

[Chuck Glick]

Originally Posted by thefro526

I highly doubt we'll ever see regular sized tennis balls used as an FRC game piece again. They're far too small for FRC sized bots, and they'd make field reset take forever.

Not necessarily true. If they were to be done by volume (i.e. a 50gal trash can filled to the brim) they accuracy in terms of numbers isn't as important. As long as roughly the same volume is on the field at all times you are good to go.

As for the "field reset would take forever" arguer... I present to you the solution for fast resetting of a field covered in tennis balls: http://tinyurl.com/7x5l8bs

Hand that to a team of re-setters and you are off to the races.

[thefro526]

Originally Posted by Chuck Glick

Not necessarily true. If they were to be done by volume (i.e. a 50gal trash can filled to the brim) they accuracy in terms of numbers isn't as important. As long as roughly the same volume is on the field at all times you are good to go.

As for the "field reset would take forever" arguer... I present to you the solution for fast resetting of a field covered in tennis balls: http://tinyurl.com/7x5l8bs

Hand that to a team of re-setters and you are off to the races.

I'm still not convinced Chuck.

Imagine an FRC field with 100 tennis balls on it and teams attempting to drive around competently... (Running over tennis balls, getting them stuck in drives, high centering on a ball)

Would be worse than Lunacy, IMO.

[Justin Montois]

The very high speed counter is interesting.

Here are the specs for it:
http://samplecode.rockwellautomation...n011_-en-e.pdf

Maybe someone with a more electronics background can learn more by looking at that.

Looks like an "Aim High" style game, but this is page 3 of the Game Hint thread... when we get to page 9 is when we start figuring things out for reals.

[pandamonium]

Why does the size of the ball exclude it as an option? I think it is the perfect size. Several people thought Track Balls were too big. The function the balls will be used for and the quantity also play a factor. Also small ball games seem to tend to have challenging field structures such as regolith, stares, ramps, platforms, tunnels... been a while since stairs...

That's my guess Tennis balls and stairs