[archiver]

Posted by Lora Knepper at 03/11/2001 7:28 PM EST


Other on team #177, Bobcat Robotics - Adoptee, from South Windsor High School and International Fuel Cells.


In Reply to: Re: 2001 Not a Great Spectator Sport?
Posted by Steve Alaniz on 03/11/2001 3:29 PM EST:



: OK, there is ONE thing about this game that is good
: but adds to the idea it's boring...the co-operation.
: In the past, you could watch to see if that robot who
: rammed, belted, twisted or otherwise distroyed YOUR
: robot would get their comeuppance...consider this game
: the "moral" highground...


Steve,

I have to admit, I was intregued at the thought of a 4 team alliance at the beginning. I absolutely LOVED the development of alliances in 1999 - and think it's one of the best steps FIRST has ever taken. And I still like the idea of working with more and more teams to succeed (any who know me know that at least 99% of my friends are on other teams, and if not for alliances I would not have met many of them) but something about the 4 bots v. the game makes it a tedious viewing.

And I'm not just speaking as someone within FIRST - this was my first year on the sidelines after 3 years of driving a bot - but also as someone looking at the game in a different light. If we were all not in FIRST right now, and didn't understand the whole cooperation goal -- the people who watch Battlebots on tv and have never heard of FIRST -- would we prefer to watch an alliance of 2 bots in '99 fighting to the wire, or a 4 bot alliance playing against a game that's so hard to score from the floor most people don't even try?

Personally, though I hate seeing my bot get chewed up in a competition - the action of bot v. bot is more interesting that bot v. game from the outside. From in FIRST, I think the game was a good try, but definately needs a few "tweaks" to up the excitement. And I don't mean they need to up the carnage ;o)

As Jess B. posted not long ago, the silence after a match is heartbreaking. The qualifying scores just don't mean as much - the atmosphere is one of two and a half days of practice rounds before 20 teams move up and actually get to play the "real" game (aka the elims). Sure...the alliance my team was on took the gold at NE..and that was exciting....for the 10 teams left in last final round, only 5 of us ever cheering at a time. It seemed so *quiet*, and my mind can't help but wander to days past when the crowd's roar rivaled the music in volume....

~ lora (I really need to make smaller posts!)