Cresendo Game Design Tweaks

Competition FRC Game Design
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After watching the week zero event, I have a couple comments about the event that I think will work better for this season. I don’t know where to post this, as it’s not really QA style questions.

  1. The QR codes on the match results didn’t really work (at least on my iPhone). The text is correct to go to the match details, but it doesn’t come up as a URL, just as text to search the web instead.
    1a) I think the QR codes are a cool idea, but they cycled through the score details too quickly so it didn’t really help. Also, at most venues, it will probably be too small to work anyways because teams are far away from the screens, and on the stream you would have to hold your camera up. I like the concept of the QR code details, but I don’t see how useful it will be at competitions. Maybe a second screen that people can see the QR code until the next match.

  2. The scorebug graphic showing team number stuff was really bland at Week 0, but checking the blog post the graphics seem reasonable. Stuff like notes to RP and amplification time is necessary. It just didn’t seem ready for week 0.
    2a) For match results, the match result video was fine, but the second screen just showing red/blue and the total score seemed pointless. Just go to the screen 3 of match details and skip that second screen.

  3. You couldn’t see amplification on the stream. Yes, the scoring graphics were not the competition ones. But even the announcers struggled with it, and it was hard to see the countdown on the subwoofer. It REALLY needed a sound effect when active, like the 2018 power up sounds. EDIT: It’s also hard for the alliance to see it too, as the timer is on the subwoofer facing away from the alliance. You can see the flashing light on the amp, or look at the score boards instead.

  4. I was really excited for the new team number signs! But I’m disappointed that the live match score is only on the match timer. Especially with one driver station on the other side of the speaker. Is there a way to get all the data on all the panels? (per section 5.6.2, the driver stations have RP status, Amp time, and Match Time, and the time clock has Match time and Match scores)

  5. Will there be a 3 second window between auto and teleop this year? It seems the robots started basically immediately at the week 0, which make running to the controllers frantic. Section 6.4 hints at a 3 second delay “There is a 3-second delay between AUTO and TELEOP for scoring purposes as described in Section 6.5 Scoring.” This is a “rule” I feel should be evergreen.

  6. I’m going to steal @Connor_McBride 's comment about this game, amplification should run for 11 seconds. It just makes sense. (maybe this is a rule change for worlds as the competition is cranked up to 11, maybe we can score 5 notes in amplification too with the extra second)

  7. I do like the rules changes for G423 (safe zones), if one robot has bumpers in the safe zone, and there is contact, then it’s a penalty. I think it’s a cleaner wording.

I’m sure I have more feedback for this game and the game design committee, but this post is long enough. I am looking forward to this year’s game, I think it looks really cool!

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Is there any logic to this other than just giving teams more time to score? It seems to me like if a team can’t shoot a note off in 10 seconds they’re unlikely to get it in 11 as well.

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It’s more a running joke or saying, when you want to go to the max or work as hard as you can, you crank it up to 11, as usually 10 is the max for most settings or volume knobs (maybe I’m dating myself…)

No real implications for scoring more (although I don’t like how team update 1 limited to 4 notes per amplification). I think filling the amp is the limiting factor more than how much you can put in during the 10 sec amplification.

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You didn’t hear the big guitar riff when it fired up?

Yes, per Section 6.4.

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While yes I understand the joke of it, I was just curious if a reference to spinal tap was the only reason for suggesting it.

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The guitar rift is the 20 second sound at end of match. It has NOTHING to do with amplification.

Watch this match, and tell me that there was a 3 second gap between auto and teleop (I even have it starting right at the end of auto). https://youtu.be/_pWfobgnzbA?si=sw0mAAZ5NWIYAX3m&t=19

EDIT: Here is a match where blue amplified. There is no sound effect. (Right around 2:03 left match time) https://youtu.be/pOrsqVl46mo?si=gXSlh_11C7-6ZBHk&t=34

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6.4 MATCH Phases
The first phase of each MATCH is 15 seconds long and called the Autonomous Period (AUTO). During AUTO, ROBOTS operate without any DRIVE TEAM control or input. ROBOTS attempt to score NOTES, exit their ROBOT STARTING ZONE, and retrieve additional NOTES. There is a 3-second delay between AUTO and TELEOP for scoring purposes as described in Section 6.5 Scoring.

Thus saith the Game Manual. If you further want to discuss, I will refer you AGAIN to the Game Manual.

I don’t know if you noticed, but F1 and F2 were run as Test Matches. To me, this says there are some major bugs in the system still. The delay is probably one of them, and if I’m not mistaken is relatively easy to adjust. (i.e. “change one number in the code and tell the FTAs to update” sort of deal.)

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You direct quoted the rule I put in the post. I agree there should be a 3 second delay, it just wasn’t played at Week 0. Also, I think it’s a setting they can change on the FMS config. At an offseason event we went to this summer, they accidentally ran a 15 minute qual match before field faulting it… (they set it high so some guests could practice loading robots over lunch and forgot to change it back)

Also, I acknowledge there was major bugs, like the graphics didn’t match the blog post yet… If you want a MAJOR bug, watch qual matches 1-3 again. The end score of match 1 was the starting score for match 2, and final 2 started match 3…

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And why not?

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