'02 or '03 Game

[Ryan Dognaux]

I liked this year's game a lot more than last year's. For one, the 2002 game was all about the power to control goals. Balls bots basically became worthless throughout that competition, but I guess Stackers did this year too. I really liked the field this year too, there was a lot more to it than just colored carpets, 3 goals, and balls. Even if the elimination round scoring was screwy this year's game was awesome

Personally I wouldn't mind seeing the 4 team alliance make a come back...

[Redhead Jokes]

Originally posted by AnimeRaul234
Personally I wouldn't mind seeing the 4 team alliance make a come back...

Me either. I like the variety.

[narenr]

The 2002 game was MUCH better than this year's. THe main thing I don't like about this year's game is that the autonomous portion is too important. Whichever team gets to the stacks almost always wins. In last year's, though, a team could zoom across the field at the last second and pull a goal to their zone while the other alliance was waiting for 10 points in their home zone. The potential for quick, exciting turnarounds in match momentum was much greater last year.

[Ryan Albright]

2002 game = dull compared to 2003 and 2001. IN the 2002 game all you had was a flat feild with 2 goals that you pushed around. This year you had to get on top of a slick surface and stay up there for the points. in 2001 you had to balnace on the ramp and clock out before 18 secs to get he multiplier. This year the AI was a nice change it put more work to the programmers and it was a nice twist. I hope to see more of that next year maybe make it so it has to do more in that 15 secs

[pbarrett03]

How is there any debate??? Stack Attack was my favorite game from the past 3 years. It was exciting, no match was the same, there were lots of different factors that could change a game there were so many different robots, so many different strategies. It was very exciting to watch. It turned my parents from casually asking about what was going on at robotics, to full time fans(even flying to nationals to watch!)

I can not explain enough how this game was much better than any I have seen before, however I got around 20 hours of sleep the 5 days I was in Houston, so I am going to call it here and go to sleep.

[Chris Nowak]

now if I would have to pick my favorite game, I would say 1999. That was my freshman year, and I wasnt very involved, but hanging from the bar was a sweet play mechanic which really added variety.

Out of the last two, 2003 definately takes it. My main gripe with 2002 was the fact that there could be a bot like 71. Nothing wrong with 71, mind you, they are geniuses for having dominated so totally. But the fact that one bot could dominate the main play mechanic was kind of boring and made the game one sided. This year, anyone can be beat by the correct alliance. I havent seen anyone with one dominating idea which is thouroughly unstoppable. We have variety, action, and a game which requires a new depth of strategy. I say bravo to FIRST for this years game.

Oh yeah,autonomous rocked.

[Teedoff101]

Both games were good in my opinion. They both had strengths and weaknesses that added to the exictement of the games. If i was a viewer, i would have to like this years game better because it had more complications in it, such as the ramp and the wall. If I was a competitor (which I am), I like last years better because the creativity factor was so much higher. Last year was my rookie year and we had a bot that was made mostly out of wood, and one very large steel plate that dominated most of the matches. This years game was too much alliance weighted. A #1 team in QP matches could lose if they were with a bad alliance partner. Last year, out team almost beat the #3 and #6 seeds single handedly after their bot died. The factor that your bot didnt have to be great was a drag this year. I know that ours wasnt (we blew our transmission 4 of the 6 rounds we competed in) but at the end of day 1 we were #13 out of 58. That was unbelieveable, although we did finish in 29 (we still took the crown of North Hollywood though). Last years game, while plain on the visual aspect, was a much better game if you were a competitor. So overall I give last years game an A- and this years game a C+. Thats my opinion. Hopefully next year there will be a three person alliance involved. That would make the game so much more exciting for spectators and fun for teams. My $0.02.

[Greg Young]

I much prefer this year's game over 2002.

Good things:

1) Autonomous mode is a great addition. It adds programming to the essential elements of robot design. I'd like to see autonomous function play a bigger part in future games.

2) This game makes teamwork necessary. It would be very hard for one robot to win the match alone, unlike last year where a robot could grab three goals and dominate the match. While your machine is being king of the hill, the other side has a two to one advantage among the boxes.

3) On-field strategy is very important. The best strategy changes in response to actions by the other team. This makes it essential that the rest of the field team help the driver respond to changes on the field.

4) Multiple field surfaces and the ramp make drive design more complex.

5) Visual appeal. I really enjoyed watching a whole wall of boxes crash down onto the ramp. The battles for the top of the hill were also fun to watch.

Bad things:

1) Visibility. It's hard to change strategies in response to something you can't see. I don't see how this could be avoided though.

2) Elimination scoring. The descoring matches were very dull to watch. Best two out of three would be better.

Greg

[UCGL_Guy]

ranked in order of appeal to me
2000 great game of both offense and defense Best that I have competed in.
2001 I liked the strategy of this game and the robots where not simply rolling boxes, required teamwork and communication. Remember all of the inflated abilities of some robots.
2002 Too many rolling boxes that do well do to good alliance partners
2003 Too many rolling boxes that do well do to good alliance partners
I want to see our robots have to perform a skill and get rewarded for good designs ie stacking in a protected area where you don't lose points.

[George1902]

of the 2, i liked '02 better.

my fav year had to be '99. it was *so* exciting. having to raise the floppies in the air was a cool challenge, and if anyone raised their floppies too soon or too late..... ooh... the tension!