OK, my turn to chime in... yay!
The point system is, at it's core, the same as the one used in MAR last year, with a few exceptions. Of course, I've got a little bit of stick-in-the-mud syndrome over a few of the changes and I really like some others:
Quote:
Elimination Round Performance
Teams on Alliances winning a particular playoff series
[e.g.: An Alliance winning a particular Quarter Final best two of three match series]
5 points for every match won in which a Team’s robot participated, only for the Alliance that wins the series
|
Having been in the role of a Backup team who was confused over the points awarded, this is a great clarification to how points are awarded when a backup team enters the fray. It could possibly be
phrased better, but that's just me.
Quote:
Team Age
10 points for Rookie Teams
5 points for second-year Teams
|
Basically, Rookies get an equivalent number of points to either two judged awards or becoming semifinalists. It's not a big boost, but it does add up. Looking at MAR for last year, by my calculations, the lowest point total team that participated in MAR CMP had either 42 or 39 points (not counting Chairman's & EI). Giving rookies 20 points (2 DE x 10 each) would have popped 4-5 more rookies into the MAR CMP. That's about 10% of the field being advanced up through the Rookie points alone (assuming no year two teams bump them). I like the points, but I think they may be too high.
Quote:
Regional Participation
District Teams do not earn points for their actions at any Regionals they may attend, but are still eligible for Team awards at those events, and any benefits that may go along with winning those awards, such as earning their way to the FIRST Championship. However, if a District Team does earn a slot at the FIRST Championship while attending a Regional event, that slot does count against the total Championship allocation the District is receiving for the season.
|
(emphasis mine)
Not a big fan. So, basically, teams going into MAR CMP will know it's a win-or-go-home event. Let's see... 6 point-bids in 2013, with an average of 2-3 going away because of District teams winning outside Regionals. It becomes just a Regional now, with both the winners and finalists going to World's. Other Districts with more teams might be different, but this one line really gives the shaft to the MAR CMP event. If this is the case, then I recommend that MAR expand by co-opting Maryland before they form a district with DC and northern VA.
To be honest, I think a better way to do this particular item would be to just ban teams from going to outside Regionals.