[Alex.Norton]

My vote is still really far out on this game. I like games that level the playing field so that rookies and lower budget teams can really easily compete with the big name teams. Also regardless of my opinion of the game at the start I seem to always warm up to it in the end. Although I have noticed that my opinion at the end is usually the opposite of that at the beginning (I didn't like 07's game at the start and love it now, and I really liked 06 at the start and its perhaps my least favorite now).

I really like the idea of low traction. I have never been a fan of defense, especially playing it in a very pushy way. I love seeing a team stretch to be something amazing and felt that this strategy caused teams to play it too safe and not reach for the stars. This year even if a team is playing defense they're going to have to be really creative. Plus I'm a little gratified that FIRST has been discouraging this type of defense the last couple of years.

The main reason that I dislike the game however is currently winning in my mind. one of the things that I love about FIRST is getting to run around the pits and look at all the solutions that teams have provided for the game. All the different solutions to building the drive train and the manipulator. How the machines expand and work and do everything that they do. This year with the rule limiting the use of different wheels and the rules limiting the size of the robot during the entire game I'm worried about the diversity of the machines.

I'm confident and hoping that my concerns won't be realized but that's why they call them worries isn't it...