Aim High Dodgeball!
 

Well this year we've got an open field, line right down the center, poofballs, and thousands of teens itching for some competition. Everything you need for...

Aim High Dodge-Ball!

Everything is there for an awesome dodgeball tournament, all that we need is about an hour of field time. It's very similar to normal dodgeball, except that teams start off on the ramps, you've got a two-minute time limit, and you can revive players by shooting goals. Here are the rules I'm thinking of...

Winning
The winning alliance is the one that has the most players on the field at the end of the match.

Game Length:
Exactly two minutes, signaled and timed by the referee.

Players:
Two alliances, each alliance with 4 representatives from 3 teams, for a total of 12 players on each alliance. Alliance/Team makeup is random and permanent, lasting for the entire tournament.

Gameplay:
At the beginning of a match, each alliance will start with their players on their alliance ramp/platform. At the start signal, each alliance will rush to 12 poofballs lined up on the dividing line, and try to chuck the poof balls at opponents. On being hit by a poofball thrown by an opponent, the player is ejected, and must leave the field. Balls that have bounced, or have been caught by the player do not count. Players must stay behind the dividing line, or be ejected.

If a player successfully scores a goal in a far corner goal, or in the far center while standing on their alliance ramp/platform, an ejected player from that alliance may return to the field.

Tournament Structure:
Single Elimination Tournament. Eg for a regional of 48 teams, there would be a max of 16 alliances, and up to 15 matches. 8 - 4 - 2 - 1 = 15 Matches

Assuming each match takes 4 minutes, with 2 minutes for play, and 2 minutes for setup, the entire tournament could take only an hour. Perhaps the final match could be delayed and played just before the FRC final match?

Prizes:
The regional alliance champions will receive 3 Golden (spray-painted) Poofballs, one for each team.


So anyways. What do you guys think? Would your team be willing to participate? Suggestions for rules? Post away!

Re: Aim High Dodgeball!
 

We have already started some spontaneous games of "Aim High Dodgeball"...mentors weren't real pleased about this... :yikes:

If you can convince FIRST to do this, then I'd be willing to play!

You need to put a spin on it, though. Not sure what yet...too fried to think about it.

Just my 2 cents
JBotAlan

Re: Aim High Dodgeball!
 

I thought the two-minute time limit and reviving players by scoring goals was a pretty cool spin...

Re: Aim High Dodgeball!
 

Ha, this would be great for the team social. I really think this is great. Your team, or a couple, could play against other teams. Or even better, mix people up so that we get to meet other people!

Re: Aim High Dodgeball!
 

Our team would definately be willing to play, the only thing is convincing FIRST is going to be really, really difficult!!! However, I agree that it would be an awesome team social. Maybe they would let us do it on the last day, after competition.

Re: Aim High Dodgeball!
 

Put this in the same category as Chariot Races, Drag Races and King of the Hill battles.
FIRST doesn't endorse them but they probably won't discourage it so long as no one gets hurt.

Re: Aim High Dodgeball!
 

:D ROFL I love this idea! :D

Re: Aim High Dodgeball!
 

We've done this one already,
Saturday when we first open the kit, while most of the students were in the shop brainstorming. 2 college mentors started tossing it at each other. I continuing checking the kit, suddenly it hits a nearby wall really fast
Mike: "YOU DUCKED?!?!?!"
Allen: "IT'S DODGE BALL!!"
:D :D :D

Re: Aim High Dodgeball!
 

While this may be true, FIRST most certainly will not allow this to take place on the field. Competitions run far enough behind schedule to start with. The last thing we need is to delay them even more.

Furthermore, it's probably safe to say that FIRST doesn't want to be liable for a bunch of kids throwing things at each other as hard as they can.

So while this sounds like it may be fun, I would suggest that if you plan on actually doing it, you think about holding it offsite, or perhaps not even during a competition, but in the offseason or something with local teams.

Re: Aim High Dodgeball!
 

how awesome would that be... great idea
I hope we will be able to get them to do that
a tournament would be perfect during lunch times

Re: Aim High Dodgeball!
 

Team social- These usually occur after the first day, at night, with the exception of picking up the balls, it doesn't impede the competition. However, First is pretty picky. Maybe we'll have to wear safety glasses?

Re: Aim High Dodgeball!
 

This is a great idea. However, I find it unlikely that it will be done during an official competition. However, this seems like a perfect idea for an off season competition :)

Re: Aim High Dodgeball!
 

How about Robot's vs Teams Dodgeball. Somehow. I dont know.

Re: Aim High Dodgeball!
 

I'd beat the heck out of our robot. Unless we have a 12m/s second rule too...

Re: Aim High Dodgeball!
 

i would love to have a aim high dodge ball game. BOOM HEAD SHOT!!!!

Re: Aim High Dodgeball!
 

What if we do it right after the Macarena (or during, but that's too close to blasphemy)? FIRST always allows teams onto the field then...

Re: Aim High Dodgeball!
 

That's kinda dangerous, don't you think? All the more reason for FIRST to shoot this idea down.

Re: Aim High Dodgeball!
 

Yes, but not to throw balls at each other and generally go crazy.

The Macarena/YMCA/other songs are ~5 minute songs that are carefully placed to give the teams in the finals cool down time for their robots. You couldn't run a dodgeball tournament in the place of them, and you certainly cannot extend the length of the competition by increasing the filler material between matches.

Re: Aim High Dodgeball!
 

golden poof ball as prize? niice. i want one. =]

Re: Aim High Dodgeball!
 

I like how our natural inclination when we have a projectile in our hands is to try to impale each other with it :p

Re: Aim High Dodgeball!
 

I dont see it happening at regionals but in off season it is feasible. Perhapse it will replace last years human player challange at Battle Cry. Many off season competitions look for something to keep teams busy while volunteers eat lunch, If a team were to volunteer to organize and officiate an event like this then it would give the organizers a much appreciated break.

Re: Aim High Dodgeball!
 

I don't care if FIRST sponsors it or not. I have been wanting to play dodgeball since day 1.

Re: Aim High Dodgeball!
 

Alright, just a bit of clarification...

Bots vs. humans = BAD IDEA! This would be a team socialish competion, not an invitation for lawsuits :)

Game Length is restricted to exactly 2 minutes, in addition you'd add 2-3 minutes for set-up/clearence. With 3 teams on each alliance, at most regionals, with single elimination, an entire tournament can finish in under an hour. Which means that this would work very well as a lunchtime competition.

You could save the very final game for a timeout during finals or one of the "cool down" periods. The full set-up/playing time is < 5 minutes. The only problem I see with this is that the players who will likely represent their team in the dodgeball final might be instrumental to their teams, and would probibly be using that time to fix the robot, or prepare for the coming match. To fix this you'd make it clear that even though alliances are set in stone once chosen, team representitives are not. They can switch out players in between matches as much as they'd like, which should help alliviate that issue.


I'll be submitting a proposal to the ColoradoFIRST Regional in a few days. Wish me luck.

Meanwhile do any of you have any specific game related concerns or ideas?

Re: Aim High Dodgeball!
 

we have started the smack the principal at 20 f/s leage!
foot is 5 points!
chest is 10 points!
hand is -3 points!
head is 1,000,000 points!
and i wont go further then that!

but seriously, sounds like one of those great ideas that may never happen. i would like to see this tho :)
(btw our principal VOLUNTEERED to be shot at... no mischeiviousness...)

Re: Aim High Dodgeball!
 

that sounds like a wicked idea! Let's do it! lol...So should we set a date and location? *starts making invites* :)

<3Britt!

Re: Aim High Dodgeball!
 

EXTREME DODGEBALL. Yes very much fun. If this passes it could be a cool thing to do during lunch because lunch there is nothin going on and the could delay the competition till an hour or and hour and a half has passed. It would also give the judges a chance to have fun they might want in on it. Sounds like something that might be going on throughtout the regional. I mean if you did do it over lunch then yyou could do it over all three days and still have plenty of time.

Re: Aim High Dodgeball!
 

Well cross your fingers, I just sent off an e-mail to ColoradoFIRST, here's hoping they like it...