[AllenGregoryIV]

OK here is my idea after reading all of this thread. A lot of this is completely conjecture but it would be a fun game anyway.

The 2011 FIRST game will be called Locomotion. It is the 20th anniversary so I expect some recycled game dynamics.

- Played on the standard sized field. (too expensive to change that now, too many regionals, and too many teams have practice fields setup)

- Scoring objects are big and little balls. (i.e. 1996, 2001, 2004 and etc). The large balls can be used to cap the goals, to gain more points or as a multiplier and defensively to stop the other team from scoring in a goal.

- There will be 5-8 movable towers similar in dimension to the 2001 game (10 year anniversary). The towers may have some sort of device that allows for them to be linked together, possibly magnets, so you are able to build a train of the goals. Either way you will be able to hold multiple towers and drive around like a train. possibly using your alliance partners to assist in making it longer. The number of goals that are in the train will be a multiplier for the points in the goals at the end of the match.

- There will be 2 stationary scoring goals (made of steal pipe) that robots can score balls into and also can climb at the end of the match. These goals will be shorter and wider than the mobile goals so robots can shoot into them. The goals will be located on raised platforms that robots must climb to reach the goal. Points will be awarded for being on the platform and not touching the ground and more points will be awarded for being in the air hanging on to the scoring goal. Potentially even more points for a certain height above the platform.

- Vision targets of some kind will be on each goal

- Human players will be able shoot the balls into the goals.

- This makes the field easy and cheap to build. A couple of the mobile goals and one of the stationary goal platforms is all a team would need to practice.

- Line tracking is going to be useful in autonomous (just throwing that out there on a complete guess but it is an easier challenge for teams that don't want to try vision)

The biggest problem with this is that it is the old style game where there is a limited number of scoring objects and balls must be counted at the end of the match. I am trying to figure out a way to eliminate the problem but so far not much luck. Perhaps the stationary gaols will be built with a funnel and hose that feeds the balls out after they are digitally counted.