[kmcclary]

Some "general concepts" I'd like to see considered for next year:

1) Qualification vs Final rounds should have the SAME rules. We had in essence two different games this year. Some teams said "to heck with QPs, let's show everyone we can simply CREAM opponents and get ourselves PICKED for the Finals". Example fix for this game: "FPs" could have been accumulated like QPs (starting from zero at the start of the Finals), and places awarded to the top scorers.

2) I'd like to see more teams involved in the Elimination Finals. SEED them with QPs, but let's get more involved in it.

3) A "Rock Paper Scissors" (A/B/C) game strategically where any team scoring with strategy A will beat those doing B, but are vulnerable and can lose to those doing C (etc. around the ring).

This year, "whomever owned the goals owned the game". The game should not be that "swampable". With an A/B/C game, AND alliances, if you are doing "A", then your alliance partner MUST do "B" *very well* to defend YOU against an opponent doing "C". No one solo strategy should be able to swamp the game. This forces more dependency on your partner(s).

4) Active devices or goals on the field. Examples: A goal with a rotating windmill shutter in front of it, or the opening swinging back and forth. You'll have to contend not only with the goal, but the time/phase as well. This might give opponents time to DO something about a machine ABOUT to score. Another: Make a scoring device that robots have to "toggle" to expose YOUR scoring hole.

5) Baskets or goals that COUNT and return the object(s) randomly to the playfield or the other team. This makes it more like many other sports like basketball, soccer, hockey etc. where total object possession time becomes important.

6) Make the need to (or reward) a hand off of an object between alliance partners. Machines often cooperate in industry and have to do object handoffs.

Example: AS LONG AS THERE ARE AT LEAST TWO ALLIANCE ROBOTS RUNNING: A robot that collects the object from the floor may NOT score with it. A robot that scores MUST have had the object handed to it by another robot. (Use at least three robots per alliance to minimize the chances of only one robot running per alliance.) If only one robot is active in an alliance, it may both collect and score. Objects may be handed, tossed, rolled, shot, etc. between robots, but if the object comes to rest on the arena floor before the receiving robot captures it, the receiving robot will have to hand it to another for scoring.

Comments?

- Keith