2004 Game, and LEGO similarities...

Ok, I don’t intend for this to be the typical “What this years Game???” thread, but if it becomes that, that’s cool.
I just wanted to talk about some things I’m not sure other teams have noticed.
The main thing is the similarity between FLL Games, and the FRC game, that seems tho happen each year.
For example, in the FLL 2001 game, the majority of tasks involved moving small objects, and sometimes putting them inside other things. That was very similar to the Zone Zeal game, putting balls in goals and moving them around. Last year, the 2002 FLL game featured a large ramp, and tasks included putting objects on top of things, moving upward (not directly stacking but similar enough) and putting things into certain areas, and we saw the ramp, stacking bins, and the scoring areas in the 2003 FRC game.
Several other local teams pointed this out to me, and when I look back at it, I noticed the similarities. I know it doesn’t sound to similar, but I’m not sure how many of you witnessed th actual competing at FLL, but I guess in-game it looked similar to things that happened in the FRC game.
I’m waiting for the 2003 FLL kickoff tomorrow… It sounds like they are playing a game where you have to open gates, and possibly a basketball - type game…
I’ll post more here w/ some 2004 predictions after tomorrow.

*Originally posted by Sachiel7 *
**
I’m waiting for the 2003 FLL kickoff tomorrow… It sounds like they are playing a game where you have to open gates, and possibly a basketball - type game…
I’ll post more here w/ some 2004 predictions after tomorrow. **

Have you seen the FLL 2003 field yet? We’ve had ours for a couple of weeks and I’m not sure where you got the basketball thing from. Are you talking about the launching mechanism?

I’m waiting for the 2003 FLL kickoff tomorrow… It sounds like they are playing a game where you have to open gates, and possibly a basketball - type game…

That is odd. I read it was about Mars and outer space. The article also went on about how this is one of the most complicated challenges for FLL and that there will be a regional somewhere.

*Originally posted by Adam Y. *
**That is odd. I read it was about Mars and outer space. The article also went on about how this is one of the most complicated challenges for FLL and that there will be a regional somewhere. **

The 2003 FLL theme is “Mars Exploration.”
The actual game or the challenge set will be officially announced on Monday Sept 15 at 12 noon.

I don’t believe anyone has the field for the Mars game because the challenge set will not be ship for another 2-3 weeks. Sometime in early Oct. If you have a challenge set which includes the playing field components, it would be unusual. I can’t even get one set for a FLL kickoff party.
:frowning:

*Originally posted by Rich Wong *
**
I don’t believe anyone has the field for the Mars game because the challenge set will not be ship for another 2-3 weeks. Sometime in early Oct. If you have a challenge set which includes the playing field components, it would be unusual. I can’t even get one set for a FLL kickoff party.
:frowning: **

Umm… we got ours about 2-3 weeks ago. We registered really early so maybe thats why :confused:? All I know is we have it… unless I just imagined staying up till 4AM building that Tetrahedron Base and MAV launcher.

Don’t you let the kids build the field? It’s important to let the kids do almost all of the work in FLL. It helps them keep interested and excited if they can do it all with you just putting in a helping hand to keep things running smoothly. It’s also important that they build the set pieces so they know exactly how they work for when the robot has to interact with the pieces.

*Originally posted by rlowerr_1 *
**Don’t you let the kids build the field? It’s important to let the kids do almost all of the work in FLL. It helps them keep interested and excited if they can do it all with you just putting in a helping hand to keep things running smoothly. It’s also important that they build the set pieces so they know exactly how they work for when the robot has to interact with the pieces. **

I built everything first to make sure we had all the pieces and that the instructions were clear enough, also that way I know any tricky parts before they happen. Thats why I was up until 4AM, I needed to make sure there was time to disassemble before the meeting.

About the Basketball thing:
I hadn’t seen anything to regard with the field but the Tetra Base, and my brother (on the FLL team) told me that they had a ball and what he though was a hoop. I said in my post that it was just a Guess.
But, Opening the Tetra Base may be a Similarity in the upcoming FIRST game…
It’d be interesting to have a… ooooohhhhhhhh!.. light bulb!
A new KOTH! Like, an area (the hill, not necessarily upraised) surrounded by a wall or fence, with gates. For the KOTH part of the game, you have to try and enter the hill. You can either try and open the gates, or climb the fence, or have something go over the wall and touch the ground. If you were in the hill you could try to hold the gates shut, or block things coming over the gate. OHH that would be SWEET!
A game with just that would be great fun, just think what else would be included!
I would also wonder if AUTO mode is randomly triggered in the middle of a match, maybe by a robot hitting a button/pressure pad. All the bots would have to gather data about the field as the game progresses so that when auto is triggered they have an idea of their layout and try to do what they think is best to improve their score. That’s be hard though, but I doubt first will do auto at the start/finish of a match again.
Hmm… the habitat units look suspicious…and the crater wall as well… maybe a speed-bump in FRC this year?
We’ll have to wait until FIRST gives their yearly hint to find out.
Keep hunting that hint down guys!