[magnets]

This is very cool.

Robots with 6 cim two speed drives, which now can be bought, are very, very fast this year, and high speed collisions between robots going 16 fps are destructive, especially if a ball pickup device is involved. Back before districts, some teams would play between 16 - 19 matches at one event to qualify for the championship. Now, teams who will end up at CMP will have played over 20 rounds (not included replays) at each of at least two district events, plus matches at the district chamionship. Reliability is a great feature for this year.

EDIT: There's one thing I disagree with. As a spectator game, 2003 was better. Autonomous was exciting, with lots of robots going quickly, smashing through bins, getting air off the ramp, and smashing into other robots, and teleop just turned into battlebots.