[FrankJ]

The issues I see:
1. The game requires more interaction between alliance partners to successful. That is a stated goal of the GDC. It certainly meets that goal. Personally I few this as a positive.
2. The field hardware (pedestal lights in particular) & MMI design have big issues. This really should be a major focus going forward since it very fixable.
3. The penalty point values are out of line with scoring. This is especially painful since teams often don’t know why the penalty was assigned even after the match. So it is hard for teams to modify their match play. This is much like the minibots in Logomotion.
4. A very hard game to referee. I don’t think the referee training is up to snuff. The referees have the hardest job at the competition. They are required to make judgments in real time with little chance of correction. Not a job I would want. Thanks to the volunteers that take it on. Many game rules are kinda sorta the same year to year, but change enough that you can’t make calls on last year’s rules. (I know that is a Duh, but it happens) Case in point is robot interaction with contact inside the frame perimeter. That changed even during the season.
I think this is a good game that should be a great game. Fortunately the management at First sees the same issues. I am looking forward to next year’s game.
5th week teams should fill out that were emailed to the teams contact. It closes today.

The answer to the too few seeding matches to get an accurate rank is scouting. It is one of the things that separate the good teams from the great teams.