Questions on the gameplay
 

So, we're all waiting in anticipation of the beginning of the Rebound Rumble competition season. In the mean time, I've thought of a couple questions that I would like answered by people who will be going to a Week One regional. I might catch some of the webcasts, but with school and stuff, it certainly won't be the complete experience:

• How many balls start on the Coopertition Bridge, on average?
• Are the balls limiting to gameplay, or is it the robots?
• Do robots cross the field? If so, how many trips per match?
• What is the average score
• Are the bridges choke points? Is going over the barrier essential?
• What foul is given most often?
• How stable is the FMS?
• How is the G45/G28/G44 rule being called, especially in relation to the concept of a 'strategy to exploit'
• How big of an effect does the Coopertition bridge play upon seeding?
• Is the 30 second ball throwing endgame in any way important?
• (one for later on) How does the game change from qualifications to eliminations?
• How viable and prevalent is defense? If there is any, where on the field is it played?

Those are all off of the top of my head, I'm sure I'll come up with more later; I invite anyone else to as well. Hopefully, on Thursday and Friday, someone who is lucky enough to go to a week 1 will come by and answer these.

Finally, given the low number of week 1's, which is the one to watch via webcasts?

Re: Questions on the gameplay
 

-Which hoops are being scored in most often, and how does that change in eliminations?

-Which robot roles are used in eliminations?

-How effective is a human player who can throw through the slot and onto the other side? How rare is it to find one that can do so?

-How does the endgame change from qualifications to eliminations?

Re: Questions on the gameplay
 

I'm going to try and keep tabs on Alamo and Kettering. They are both solid regionals with teams such as 33, 51, 118, 148...and I'm pretty sure the Code Red Robotics that isn't 639 :)

Re: Questions on the gameplay
 

There's more than one Code Red, including 639 and 2771 (who will be at Gull Lake)

Re: Questions on the gameplay
 

That being the joke. Our team is friends with 639, so whenever we see "Code Red", we assume 639 until we realize it's 2771.

Re: Questions on the gameplay
 

Alamo for 148 and 118, I'm really keen on watching Greater Toronto East to see how 1114 1503 and 2056 change the nature of the game :P

I really want to know:

-is Defense even practical, let alone productive?

-Will we see a large number of ferry bots?

-Will Bridge bots (bots that only do the bridge) get high seeding?

-If they do high seeding, will this be one of the few years we see lots of upsets in elims? (besides at Championships)

Re: Questions on the gameplay
 

I am interested in much of those same things. I plan on keeping track of most Regionals Friday...but have to travel home Saturday.

I'm sure everybody here will give me an idea of how the game changes

I think the bridge will play a huge role in weaker matches. An alliance that can get 3 robots in elims will be extremely beneficial. I think it will happen more often than Carnack thinks

Re: Questions on the gameplay
 

1503 is only going to Pittsburgh and Waterloo, not GTREast.

I fully expect 1114 and 2056 to put on a show in Oshawa though. Hope we can tango, however big those shoes are to fill.

Re: Questions on the gameplay
 

I will be at Kettering but will have my FRC Spyder up seeing if 16 is gonna do as well as I think they are gonna do at KC. If I wasn't going to Kettering and had to choose a webcast, I would choose KC just for them.

(Not a Bombsquad fan boy...just really like their robot this year.)