Re: A simple and easy way to make RR the best game yet...
 

Will the weight rules change this at all? 120 pounds would get rather thin when distributed over that larger area, especially if the team decides to use bumpers.

Re: A simple and easy way to make RR the best game yet...
 

Yes, but can you say sending the baby out with the bathwater? FIRST loves to compare itself to pro sports. In Pro football, there's a lot of violence, and a fair amount of concussions and people are very vocal about it, but you don't see the NFL turning into a ledaerboard where every team just tries to score as many touchdowns as possible.

Re: A simple and easy way to make RR the best game yet...
 

...which is why the size change is so emphasized. FIRST seems completely okay with this. You're allowed to literally assemble your robot on the field (within reason) using power tools and alignment devices, two things that have been strictly prohibited in recent years.

Re: A simple and easy way to make RR the best game yet...
 

I have a really simple way, have there be a winner of each match, and work co-op points like 2012. The flexibility in dimensions and no defense is going to foster some crazy robots this year. But, matches still won't be exciting if you're not competing. Plus, you get things like the noddle agreement if you're not trying to beat the other alliance.

Re: A simple and easy way to make RR the best game yet...
 

It wasn't a vocal minority. At least half the people I talked to hated that game. They didn't like the idea that there was a single game piece that encouraged teams to pass idle moments away by playing defense and encouraged heavy referee intervention.

Re: A simple and easy way to make RR the best game yet...
 

Okay, so AA wasn't the best game that ever happened, but nobody could deny that Einstein (and most eliminations) were very exciting to watch.

I remember watching Archimedes and seeing 1114, 2056, and 4334 triple balancing against 67's alliance. The entire crowd watching the field went absolutely crazy. Because there's no winner/loser this year (up until the finals match), there simply won't be this excitement of not knowing who is going to win.

What is weird to me is that every team that isn't the event winner cannot say that they "won" any matches.

Re: A simple and easy way to make RR the best game yet...
 

FIRST Robotics Competition, now with less Competition.


I think this game would've been fine with the usual mode of organizing matches, maybe the same way as 2012? This game really isn't that bad, after looking over the strategy and game organization I kind of almost like it a lot actually. Not sure about the change in tournament structure though.

Re: A simple and easy way to make RR the best game yet...
 

I learned the hard way last year that when FIRST releases games they mean what they say. There won't be any fundamental reworking of this game, and we don't do ourselves a favor by imagining that we can convince them our ideas are better. Probably best to drop it.

I was thoroughly wrong about a lot of things this year, too. I thought that FIRST wanted FRC to be more like a sport, but Recycle Rush proves that I was way off base. I don't think the game will prove to be boring for either teams to build and play, or for audiences to watch, and I don't think the GDC are stupid, but this game is requiring a large shift in my expectations and way of thinking.

Regarding the sizes of robots, I am super curious as to what might happen. Will we see something of the caliber of 71 from 2002? Or 469 from 2010? I'd love to know what Magnets is predicting, but I doubt he will say yet.

Re: A simple and easy way to make RR the best game yet...
 

If nothing else this will be a reallyeasy game to fix come IRI.
Just have teams make their stacks on the other side of the field. You'll get all the interaction you can stand. But you'll also get a really good idea why people weren't so crazy about the 2003 and that's without the King of the Hill ramp element.

Re: A simple and easy way to make RR the best game yet...
 

Let's get this in motion. http://www.usfirst.org/contactform

Contact whoever you can, spread the word, contact other teams. This game will stunt the growth of FRC for next year, and it will make it nearly impossible for rookie teams to grow. If FIRST would like to be treated as a sport, then they must make challenges that are as exciting as sports. That includes defense between teams and also having a winner for each match.

Re: A simple and easy way to make RR the best game yet...
 

A small note to the people who are complaining about win/lose and match excitement, if you're not getting excited about building a robot to meet a challenge set in front of you- REGARDLESS of being better than others- then what are you doing?

The matches will be as exciting as people choose to make them. Design an exciting robot with a concept that will surprise others, and the matches are suddenly more exciting to watch.

Re: A simple and easy way to make RR the best game yet...
 

Many students (and mentors) are in FRC for reasons beyond just designing and building a robot. (I'm one of those.) The sports angle is intended to attract students who may not be immediately focused on design and build. Don't lose sight of that broader reach. FIRST has a truly unique model that makes project based learning exciting.

Re: A simple and easy way to make RR the best game yet...
 

Please please please let this happen. This game would be so much more interesting strategically if FIRST came to their senses and made some major changes before people had committed too much to a design and strategy.

Re: A simple and easy way to make RR the best game yet...
 

What this guy said. How about those of us who have very little role in build season, and who become major players on the team once the competitions start? This game is designed such that build season will be absolutely fascinating; unfortunately, it seems to me that competitions will be less exciting than they have in past years. There just isn't the same fast-paced action.

That said, I guess we may have to wait and see.

Re: A simple and easy way to make RR the best game yet...
 

This is true. Aside from the rulings last year, Aerial assist became my favorite game of my four years. It felt balanced, had close outcomes, and had good defense and offense.
This game I think is getting a lot of thumbs downs to the lack of defense. I was shocked yesterday, but am warming up to the game already. The best defense is a good offense. Only one thing will ensure placement at the end of quals. High scores.