[EricH]

Originally Posted by Beta Version

Maybe they want to see us try and drive up/on a slick surface?

No!!! Not HDPE again!!! Two years in a row was enough!!

As for the time thing: I doubt it will not have an element from a previous game. They all have had at least one element. A refresher course: 2003 had a ramp (back to 2000/2001). 2004 had a platform (back to 1999 and the "puck"), HDPE (2003), and a hanging bar (2000 again). 2005 had multiples of three (all games before 1999) and humans loading the robots (all games before 1999 that I remember). And of course, it will come in a new way that we don't expect and leave us groaning as we try to build the field and a robot.

Let's see, what do we have reasonably nailed down here? 1) game objects will likely be batons or balls (or both ) and 2) there will likely be something in the middle of the field that is different from the rest of the surface, and 3) the game objects might be released by the robots during the match. This based on 1) Dave's hint about batons, combined with the FIRST trend and Dave's "fox in the henhouse" hint, 2) Dave's 'English Channel' hint, and 3) Dave's "fox in the henhouse" hint.
Plus the fact that it will likely have at least one element from a previous year, I'd personally say that this game will be most similar to 2004 or 2003. (as a guess)