[MrJohnston]

I have to throw out some thoughts...

* The emphasis on "Change" with the recycling of the rule book suggests to me that there is going to be a structural change in the game.... Something fundamental to the structure.... FIRST does want to find ways to get more teams involved and give teams more games at each competition... The rectangular structure of the field being sold on AndyMark strongly suggests that we continue to have two teams, so.... Two teams of four robots? Slightly smaller robot dimensions so as to give eight robots more room to roam on the field?

* What about the game? If it is another game with balls... We haven't done anything with footballs, tennis balls or whiffle balls... I reject the idea of hockey pucks: they are too dangerous. We've shot a lot of things through holes/hoops/goals... Stacking? Perhaps in a tube like the FTC game? I don't see a direct copy happening.... Okay: whiffle balls put into holes at each end of the court, but the holes are small enough that throwing them from any distance would be unreasonable. Instead they have to be placed precisely? Some holes would be really high and small for lots of points. Others could be larger and low for fewer...

* There needs to be something in the middle of the field as an obstacle or structure... perhaps for additional points... A target for each team in the center... Points are given for all robots that finish the match inside the target? Of course it would be too small for more than a pair of robots to squeeze into comfortably... Perhaps a second "coopertition" target for which "competition" points are scored for both teams if robots from two teams are inside? (Similar to balancing robots in Rebound Rumble?)..... Oooh Here's a twist: the last 20 seconds (instead of first) of each match is the autonomous phase and robots can't enter the circle until teleop ends....

I am looking forward to Saturday..... I have robots on the brain already...