Entry 10 - MLB Application Wrap-Up: Sabermetrics

 Description of Topic:
 In my first blog of this semester, I discussed the benefits of technologically advanced cameras that can interpret data from the playing field. To elaborate on this field, it's important to discuss how MLB teams are using this knowledge. Sabermetrics is defined as the in-depth study of every in-depth baseball statistic, some of which are given by these cameras. Sabermetrics uses advanced functions and calculus applications to combine many traditional and advanced metrics (like the ones provided by the camera) to determine a new statistic that will more accurately assign a value to a given player. In the early 2000s, the Oakland A's implemented this new player analysis format to great success. A low market team, they lost 3 of their top players to free agency and didn't have enough money to sign any other expensive free agents. So, they quickly revolutionized their player analysis. Using sabermetrics, they determined that it is most vital to look for players that have a high on-base percentage (in other words, they reach with a walk more frequently). Overlooking traditional scouting of players, which involves the "eye-test" and batting average, they signed players that fit their model for mere pennies compared to the contracts given to the players they lost. With the lowest payroll in baseball, they won over 100 games. Today, Sabermetrics are used by virtually every team, leading to new techniques such as the increased usage of the defensive "shift" and less usage of the sacrifice bunt and stolen base.

More and more data is becoming available to GMs as Sabermetric continues to develop

Relation to Computer Science:
Computer science has played a huge role for teams like the Athletics looking to gain a competitive edge. They used a program that told them how many games they would be projected to win with a given roster, which foreshadowed the implementation of WAR as an official statistic a few years later. If CS can project how well a certain team will do on the field, looking at traditional stats almost becomes useless. Today, a computer can even tell you how your team's ERA could change by signing a defensive wizard to play infield, because it knows all of his advanced defensive metrics, as well as those of the player he would be replacing. As the field of computer science continues to develop, more and more accurate ways of defining a player's worth will be realized, leading to more and more demand for the best possible programmers in MLB. Baseball is not the only avenue which should be in higher demand of them either, as companies world-wide have seen the benefits CS can bring, which leads to the whole issue of having too few CS majors for too many available jobs.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sabermetrics#Calculus_in_baseball
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moneyball

Entry 9 - PlayStation VR: A Breakthrough in Gaming

Description of Topic:
          PlayStation VR, recently developed for the Sony PlayStation 4 home console, represents a breakthrough in video-gaming technology. VR launched on October 13, 2016, and games supporting the new headset are finally starting to be developed and released with increased frequency. Working together with the PlayStation Move controllers and the PS camera, VR creates a new gaming experience highlighted by 3D capabilities, including visuals and sound. A key advantage to this headset is the feeling of really being "inside" your favorite game, which can lead to a much more fluid and in-depth experience. For example, in a plane "dog-fighting" simulator like Ace Combat 7, which is scheduled to be released as an exclusive for Sony later on in 2017, should dramatically improve the realism of the series' past games due to the advantages associated to its VR functionality. While it remains to be seen how lifelike this experience will end up being, the release of this new headset opens up several new avenues for the future of gaming, particularly in virtual reality. The goal of any game is to immerse you in the experience, and V.R. will undoubtedly take a step in the right direction, albeit a seemingly small one.

Relation to Computer Science:
We have really just scratched the surface on the concept of virtual reality, but a language has been implemented for designing/modeling. VRML - "Virtual Reality Modeling Language" - is a standard file format for representing 3-D vector graphics. Also, PS VR is only one example of virtual reality that is on the upswing; "Google Glass" is a kind of Heads Up Display, and can show you key information you want to know throughout your day. As computers get faster, developers should gain more capabilities and ability to implement our ideas. Now that the preliminary tech has reached the hands of the public, like PlayStation VR, there's a high likelihood that a virtual reality "boom" of new products could be headed for us in the not-so-distant future.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virtual_reality
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PlayStation_VR#/media/File:PlaystationVR_(29014205246).jpg
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PlayStation_VR

Entry 8 - Formula 1: Applying CS to the racetrack, Pt. 2

      
 Description of Topic:
        As I wrote a few weeks ago, the most popular form of motorsports here in the US, stock car racing, has embraced several facets of new technology (some provided through breakthroughs in computer science) in order to try and improve the product it delivers to its fans on a weekly basis. However, compared to other forms of racing, NASCAR is still towards the bottom in terms of technology. In Formula 1, technology has gained such a vital role that some are calling for increased restrictions on how much it is implemented in trying to find speed in the car; after all, it increases cost of operation and production for every team. The Drag Reduction System (DRS) is the subject of many of these complaints. DRS is a program implemented into the on board computer of every race car (another tech that NASCAR has outlawed) automatically adjusts the front and rear wing angle when following another car for increased downforce, creating a better chance for the pursuing car to pass the other. Some fans (and even drivers) have complained that this is unfair to a car that his built a lead over the field, and reduces the ability drivers have to control the outcome of the race. In recent years, NASCAR has moved to put more control in the hands of the drivers, by reducing downforce and bringing hard tire compounds to the track, making the cars much more difficult to drive. However, with the inclusion of systems like DRS, on board computers, and advanced traction control in F1 racing, it seems that the winning team might no longer have a great driver, but simply the best technology.

 Applications to CS:
Despite whether these new programs implemented in F1 are good for the sport or a hindrance, the technology behind them is truly a marvel. With the inclusion of the on board computer in modern day open wheeled racers produced my teams like Ferrari, Red Bull, and Williams, it is much easier/faster to determine the optimal setup for the car on a given race weekend. Nobody can argue that the amount of on track action has increased; there are more late passes for the lead, faster lap times, and closer racing have all improved with tech like DRS. The debate on whether these benefit the sport can be applied to many other areas if you simplify the question to "how much CS is needed." While most would say they enjoy these benefits, it's also important for a good driver to be able to overcome and win the race. Nobody wants to see an average driver dominate simply because his team spent millions on developing these programs to gain speed. Going forward, it will be important for Formula 1 to recognize advances in computer science, and carefully decide which of these advances would improve the sport of F1, focusing on safety of drivers and fans, and creating better racing WITHOUT operational costs going through the roof, just like NASCAR has done.

Links:
https://www.google.com/search?q=drag+reduction+system&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwinxZfHvIHTAhXMOCYKHZ0wB2sQ_AUICigD&biw=1280&bih=636#imgrc=4EUdYPWOBLkNEM:
https://www.formula1.com/en/championship/inside-f1/rules-regs/Drag_Reduction_System.html

CMSC 150 - Spring 2017 - Applications in MLB, Part 3

        
 Description of Topic:
            So far, I've discussed how CS has influenced statistics and player evaluation for real life ball clubs as well as helping create a virtual baseball experience that is very realistic for the average baseball fan. However, a baseball simulator like MLB: The Show is not the only way a fan can enjoy the sport outside of simply watching the games. For the last several decades, many fans have started playing a mini-game called Fantasy Baseball, which uses real life players and their stats. At the beginning of the season, each member of a fantasy league chooses their roster in a draft format, where players take turns selecting their favorite stars of the real world to play on their team. Once the season begins, teams face off, trying to win more scoring categories than their opponent. These can be Total Bases, Stolen Bases, strikeouts, walks, home runs, etc. The server calculates the scoring automatically, so if Buster Posey goes 2-3 with a single, double, and stolen base, it will give you the total number of points scored for the day (1 for the single and stolen base, 2 for the double = 4 pts). The mini game also determines automatically who qualifies for the playoffs and manages the free agency and trades that happen within the league.

Users take turns selecting their favorite stars, which in turn earn them "fantasy points" during the real life season

Relation to CS:
           The program of the website that manages the league takes care of all the intangibles, to allow the user to focus solely on figuring out which players they feel will help their team the most. ESPN's fantasy site provides each player with each the average point total per game of each player, their position eligibility, among other useful tid bits. A site such as this incorporates many aspects from any normal website, such as Facebook or foxsports.com. Usually though, it takes to box score of every MLB game to determine the point totals for each individual player, whose points are given to the team owner that has that specific player on their team. Computer science has contributed so many different ways for a baseball fan to follow their favorite sport, and this pattern should only go more and more in depth moving forward.

CMSC 150 - Spring 2017 - First Mario, Now Sports

Description of Topic:
             Sony America's franchise MLB: The Show has been one of the most popular sports game franchises for over a decade. Known for its graphical innovations, realistic experience, and A.I. behavioral breakthroughs, The Show is by far the most realistic baseball simulator available on the market. While it's primary focus is it's in-game play, it also provides portrayals of the managerial and business sides of the game, accurately representing player development, budget management, scouting, player morale, just to name a few. The game allows the player to take control of a real MLB team, and requires the player to think just like an actual general manager, manager, and player all at the same time. At any given moment in the experience you might be focusing on finding a hidden gem in the MLB Draft, formulating a lineup to get the best results off of a left-handed pitcher with a great curveball, or maybe even taking control of your players yourself to find a way to beat that pitcher. In a game, The Show requires to you think just like you do when playing the actual game. Gone are the baseball sims where you simply swing at every pitch, or easily dominate the opponent by throwing the same pitch to every hitter. Games now require real life strategy, decision making, and skill.

The "batter" must decide the type of swing, location of swing, and timing of the swing

Relation to Computer Science:
       At first glance, the makeup of a game such as this one can seem incredibly complex and hard to program. So many different variables are in play at any given time, and the eventual outcome (a win or a loss) is dependent on all of them. However, when you break it down, it becomes much simpler. For example, lets look at a sample at bat, where the player is the pitcher. First, the computer will access the player ratings for both the pitcher (fastball velocity, change-up control, etc) and the hitter (plate vision, power, contact, speed, etc.) and apply them. The player selects a pitch and a location, and tries to get the pitch meter as accurate as possible. The location, velocity, and break are determined by the players input and the pitcher's ratings. After this is determined, the player in control of the hitter is now in control. The result of the play (a home run, ground out, swing and miss) is determined by the time they swing, location of their swing, and batter ratings. After looking at an example like this, it is clear what the programmer must do to create a realistic game. After knowing what end result you want (an accurate representation of baseball), you must think about how a computer thinks and how it can help you achieve this goal. The programmer can tackle one aspect at once, and eventually can make it all come together in the end. And who knows, with the emergence of VR gaming, maybe one day we will actually experience what Mike Trout does every time he takes the field in Los Angeles




Sources:
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/04/130408142638.htm
http://blog.us.playstation.com/2017/03/14/mlb-the-show-17-goes-full-rpg-with-road-to-the-show/
https://www.google.com/search?q=mlb+the+show&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwia77vJrdvSAhXJOyYKHYO4Ah8Q_AUICygE&biw=1280&bih=636#imgrc=KSCyo_yEbZsLnM:

Entry 5 - Nintendo 64: The Birth of 3D Gaming

Description of Topic:       
            In the mid-90s, the formula expected from most popular video games was simple. Most well- regarded games were 2D, usually side scrolling adventures. The two dominant developers of the era were Nintendo, who experienced massive success with the NES and SNES, as well as Sega, who developed the Genesis/Mega Drive and the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise in order to try to compete with Nintendo's Super Mario. Both developers knew that in order to gain supremacy, they needed to try something new. So Nintendo developed the N64, a pioneer in video gaming history. It introduced a 3D Mario game, Super Mario 64, which captivated Nintendo owners and became one of the best selling games of all time. Not long after that followed the first 3D Zelda adventure, Ocarina of Time, regarded by many as the greatest video game ever created. Several of these 3D titles created the foundations of what gaming would become in the future, and influenced games such as Super Mario Galaxy. Sega, meanwhile, released the Dreamcast during this era, and it performed poorly in sales. It introduced Sonic Adventure, bringing Sonic into a third dimension, but other than that they fell way behind Nintendo, and Sony's PlayStation arose as a serious threat to Nintendo's rule.

Super Mario 64 introduced groundbreaking new Mario experience

 Relation to Computer Science:  
      As with every new generation of console, Nintendo knew that programming software for the N64 would be increasingly complex compared to the Super Nintendo. Each console has unique challenges to overcome, but especially the 64 due to limitations in computing and 3D technology. The Economist describe the N64's programming requirements as "ridiculously complex." Graphics and audio were designed with a technique known as microcode, which creates another "layer' in the whole process altogether. Later in the console's lifetime, more experienced programmers were finally able to take full advantage of N64's capabilities, and overcoming the problems the earlier programmers had experienced. As a result, the full potential of the console was realized, leading to games that will be remembered in gaming history as establishing the basis of the 3D generation.

Sources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nintendo_64_programming_characteristics
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nintendo_64
http://1u88jj3r4db2x4txp44yqfj1.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/supermario64.png
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dreamcast

Entry 4 - Lockheed Martin's F-35 Lightning II

Description of Topic:
           Lockheed Martin's latest technological marvel is unquestionably the most advanced combat aircraft ever created. Essentially a versatile, cheaper, and exportable version of the groundbreaking F-22 Raptor, which was the first fighter aircraft developed in the fifth generation, the F-35 was determined ready for duty in 2016. While it doesn't quite have the abilities of the Raptor in air-to-air "dogfighting," the Lightning excels in areas such as ground-to-air missile defense and overall flexibility. The F-35 will allow the US and its allies to have to most potent weapon in any Air Force worldwide, boasting the latest technology developed for combat. This includes low-maintenance stealth technology that will hold up and stay effective even after extended use of the aircraft, advanced sensors and a helmet display in front of the pilot that give him/her complete awareness of the aircraft's surroundings complete with a panoramic touchscreen display and cockpit speech recognition system (basically a super powerful version of "Siri"). All of this allows the pilot to engage multiple targets at once, whether in close range combat or from a distance. The United States plans to purchase several hundred of the aircraft from Lockheed Martin while production of the F-22 will cease due to incredibly high costs, despite it having some advantages over its "younger brother".

The F-35 Lightning II is the latest aircraft purchased by the US military

Relation to Computer Science:
           The software included in the F-35 lightning was written in C or C++, due to access to a multitude of programmers that use those languages. Some of the coding was reused from the F-22 Raptor, but the new code that had to be developed is absolutely mind-boggling in complexity. One program contains about 8.6 million lines of code! Needless to say, the most knowledgeable programmers at their disposal were assigned to develop software for the plane which is to become the face of the US Air Force. Some of the most useful software that has been developed includes a program that is capable of jamming the radar of the enemy's aircraft, even potentially an F-22's radar. Computer science plays a huge role in the technology used by the military in general, not just aircraft. Our ability to stay ahead in the latest developments in computing is directly tied to our ability to field the best possible military technology. A major goal is to make the most advanced weaponry as cheap as possible, something that can be aided by computer science. For now though, despite high costs, all of the development in the F-35 has paid off; The US has a air-superiority fighter which is more capable in combat than any aircraft on the planet, expect for the even more expensive F-22.


Sources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lockheed_Martin_F-35_Lightning_II#Design

http://foundrymag.com/site-files/foundrymag.com/files/gallery_images/F-35-Lightning-II.jpg?1412356929