Quote:
Originally Posted by MooreteP
Here is a two page document that I made to explain this years game challenge to the uninitiated.
FIRST Stronghold Game Explanation
I hope we can use this to increase the enjoyment of our friends, families, and community members who may be attending our tremendous time vampire.
Please provide feedback on how it could be better. Keep in mind that the real estate is limited. |
I would suggest making it substantially simpler -- no need for 'periodic table' for instance. The key elements of the game for the uninitiated:
The FIRST Stronghold game is played with three robots on the red alliance vs three robots on the blue alliance on a 54 foot long field. Alliance colors are indicated by the color of robot bumpers which is the where the team's number is displayed. The game theme is a medieval castle 'capture' game.
To capture the opponents castle robots must overcome several obstacles (much like an 'obstacle course') The various obstacles the robots must drive over, under or through are called 'defenses.' Before the match, alliances choose three of the five defenses that will protect their own castle and tower. A fourth defense never changes, and the fifth defense is chosen at the beginning of each round by the audience and is the same on both sides.
Each alliance is attempting to weaken the opponent's defenses by crossing them and also attacking the opponent's tower by shooting boulders into the castle. Colored lights on the defenses and on the tower go out as each is weakened. A defense must be crossed twice to be be defeated, and eight boulders must be scored into a castle tower to defeat it.
In first first 15 seconds, robots are pre-programmed (with no human control) to start the attack, and successes earn bonus points if done at this time.
In the middle and end of the game, students control the robots with joysticks or game pads from behind their castle walls at the ends of the field. The castle they are attacking is at the opposite end of the field, adding to the difficulty.
Near the end of the game, robots can drive on the ramps at the base of the castle (called 'battters') or climb the castle wall-- both gain more points.
When selecting defense obstacles before the match starts, teams will consider several factors such as difficulty their opposition has shown crossing specific obstacles in past matches, visibility considerations (tall obstacle's obstruct both teams' view of the field.) They might also try to predict what obstacles they will face, and choose the opponent's defenses accordingly to minimize sight line obstructions.
There are lots of other rules that dictate where robots can and cannot go, how they can move and shoot boulders, when they can run into opposing team's robots, and so on. For example, an alliance may only use one robot to stay back and defend their own castle, and attacking robots must carry boulders across defense obstacles one at a time before using them to score.