Why does everyone hate this game so much?

[Kevin Sheridan]

When you're opponent can break 200, then you need 3-assist cycles. Watch SVR Final 1-1 and watch us rapidly close the gap on 971/254/1662, just missing catching them after missing an auto shot.

Here is a link to the match:
http://www.thebluealliance.com/match/2014casj_f1m1

1678/368/4171 played excellent defense and forced our alliance to drop points on our cycles throughout the match. On the first cycle we lose out on 20 points when 4171 blocks 1662 from inbounding. On the second cycle we lost out on 10 points because 1678 and 368 played excellent defense on 971 and prevented them from trussing. For the third cycle, the stellar counter defense from 1678 dragged both 254 and 971 into a corner to try to stop 368, causing us to miss another 20 point assist. The most amazing thing is that 1678/368/4171 remained patient and continued to gather 3 assist cycles while playing defense, allowing them to catch up over the course of the whole match. There were amazing plays from the blue alliance in this close match. The fluid transitions from offense to defense and back from both 1678 and 368 were a scary sight to see.

[bduddy]

After our 2nd event where we were easily one of the top 5 offensive-style robots, I'm mixed about this game. If your partners are bad - literally won't push the ball right in front of their robot - your match is toast. The main offensive robot will get double-teamed by defenders, effectively making the match won or lost by autonomous & defense.I wonder if FIRST is trying to gently(?) nudge the "powerhouse" teams towards improving the general level of play, which really is shockingly low at a lot of regionals. 254 got the Gracious Professionalism award at SVR largely for, according to the speech, spending a great deal of time in the pits helping other teams. While I'm not questioning their motives, this probably helped them as well, given that they had a very good robot and could then expect better partners in their matches. Obviously improving the overall level of FRC by a significant amount takes a lot longer than a weekend, but....

[Citrus Dad]

I wonder if FIRST is trying to gently(?) nudge the "powerhouse" teams towards improving the general level of play, which really is shockingly low at a lot of regionals. 254 got the Gracious Professionalism award at SVR largely for, according to the speech, spending a great deal of time in the pits helping other teams. While I'm not questioning their motives, this probably helped them as well, given that they had a very good robot and could then expect better partners in their matches. Obviously improving the overall level of FRC by a significant amount takes a lot longer than a weekend, but....

I posted earlier on this thread that I thought this was the intent of FIRST, but that they could have implemented it more smoothly so as not to catch the more experienced teams off guard. With a little forethought, the play level could have been lifted prior to the build season, instead of trying to catch up after the first Saturday in January.

[Citrus Dad]

Here is a link to the match:
http://www.thebluealliance.com/match/2014casj_f1m1

1678/368/4171 played excellent defense and forced our alliance to drop points on our cycles throughout the match. On the first cycle we lose out on 20 points when 4171 blocks 1662 from inbounding. On the second cycle we lost out on 10 points because 1678 and 368 played excellent defense on 971 and prevented them from trussing. For the third cycle, the stellar counter defense from 1678 dragged both 254 and 971 into a corner to try to stop 368, causing us to miss another 20 point assist. The most amazing thing is that 1678/368/4171 remained patient and continued to gather 3 assist cycles while playing defense, allowing them to catch up over the course of the whole match. There were amazing plays from the blue alliance in this close match. The fluid transitions from offense to defense and back from both 1678 and 368 were a scary sight to see.

Thanks much for the complement. In the end of course, it still wasn't enough. Congrats on a great regional.

[dgsav24]

I originally did not like the game because it was so much different from all the other games. Here, teamwork is required for points, not just recommended. Before, each robot could operate individually scoring points on their own to add to a team score. This year, robots have to pass to each other to get the most amount of points possible.

Lots of teams who usually create really good "lone wolf" robots did not like this game because they had to rely on their teammates to win. They no longer could have all the glory to themselves.

Strategy and alliance selections are even more important this year because robots need to work well together. An in-bounder, trusser, and scorer are all needed to have the most reliable and highest scoring alliance. Because of this strategy, this is my new favorite game.

This year there is no endgame either. Last year there was the pyramid climb, and the year before the bridge balance. This year: nothing. While this is not a huge issue, it is still a downside.

One more after-the-fact problem is that too many robots look the same. It is hard to go to an event and see a unique robot.

[Niezrecki]

I have to admit that this game can be a little bit less interesting then other games, but I don't think that it is bad. It's a little bit more difficult to show off to sponsors and non invested FIRST members because it is a little bit less comprehensive than other games.

I also entirely understand the G27 updated, but I saw it being called quite often at different events. It just seems annoying that so many deciding factors in games were fouls. Most of the time the fouls were in my favor, but it took away from the overall importance of offensive action and cycling.

[scooty199]

One more after-the-fact problem is that too many robots look the same. It is hard to go to an event and see a unique robot.

I guess part of that can be attributed to the Build Blitz/ RI3D things, but I don't necessarily think that's bad.

Obviously with the rules design convergence isn't as major a thing in FIRST as it is with platforms like VEX and FTC, but teams do adapt.

If FIRST wants to not so lightly encourage (read: "mandate") teams to assist other teams so that the floor at regionals isn't as bad as it is as times, I think it needs to be done better than this.

I fully believe FIRST can make those improvements for whatever game they do next year. And I don't think the floor at Championships will be entirely awful.

I do miss that feeling of being able to work solo and still do somewhat well, however.

[pfreivald]

I wonder if FIRST is trying to gently(?) nudge the "powerhouse" teams towards improving the general level of play, which really is shockingly low at a lot of regionals. 254 got the Gracious Professionalism award at SVR largely for, according to the speech, spending a great deal of time in the pits helping other teams. While I'm not questioning their motives, this probably helped them as well, given that they had a very good robot and could then expect better partners in their matches. Obviously improving the overall level of FRC by a significant amount takes a lot longer than a weekend, but....

We (1551) got the Gracious Professionalism Award at FLR largely for spending a great deal of time in the pits helping other teams--several of which later kicked our asses on the field.

We didn't try to earn an award, we just did what we assume every other team would do, and what many teams have done for us when we needed help. I'm certain--CERTAIN--that the Poofs were not trying to win an award, and were not trying to increase their own chances of winning.

You know what's awesome? When teams who sink so much time, effort, and energy into the game can at least compete on the field. You know what sucks? When they can't. So when you have the opportunity to help them compete, you do it, because it's the right thing to do. It has nothing whatsoever to do with this metagame or anything else.