So what do you think of the new game?

[Petey]

AnonymousMan, I should add that I agree with you as well. I understand why FIRST wants to keep "the train slow"--I'm a graduating senior from a third year team, so I know what it's like to jump on.

But this game is alarmingly one dimensional. The only real variable comes from the strategic implementation of the tic-tac-toe board, and that is so haphazard that the winner may not be the best robot, strategy or team--simply who is lucky enough to have a tetra in their hand at the right time.

It certainly lacks the dynamism of last year's game.

--Petey

[Alavinus]

Before everybody gets all worked up over the "one-dimensional ism" of this years game, think of what happened last year after kickoff. Everybody hated the fact robots couldn't score and everybody was worried that FIRST would be taken over by basketball stars. Look at the end result. Last year FIRST created a very exciting game that in the end, kept many of us very entertained.

Also- I think this game is only narrow minded aspect: robustness. Other then that there are many different bot types that this game can create. Give it some time. Work on your design. I promise you that at your regional every bot will be different in some way.


~Andrew (Who can remember back to his rookie year in 2000 where the only way to score was to put balls in a trough or hang... And then a little known team came along who could hang and transfer balls from one side to the other...)

[n0cturnalxb]

It's not one-dimensional. At first, it does seem like it.. but it's not. If you give it some time and think about it a little, I'm sure you'll all come up with spectacular ideas.

Just think out of the box, find something that's not obvious at first glance.. and go with it. -shrug-

[Michael Leicht]

i don't have a feeling on the game yet i don't hate it or i don't like it.

i am just going to give this game time.

[Ken Loyd]

Give me a break! This game is not one dimensional. Will stacking robots also be placing robots? I feel confident that the two hanging tetras in the end zone will become a major factor. How do you get three robots in a space big enough for two robots? Can you be the last robot to stack the center goal and still get back to the end zone?

Cut the whining and start having fun!

Ken

[blueWarrior]

We aren't whining. This changes everything but It's just going to require a lot more brainpower! A couple more think-tank sessions and a plan should be brewing.

[tribotec_ca88]

My first impression of the game was not at all a good one...it just seemed strange and a bit dull, but looks can be misleading...
Now that I've taken the time to sit down and properly read the manual, my idea has changed completely. Just because the game may seem to be a bit simple doesn't mean that creativity is restricted. In fact I think the more simple, the better, because it really does encourage you to "think out of the box". I'm excited to see what other teams will come up with. OK so maybe a ball game is more spectator-friendly than tic-tac-toe, but who says it can't be exciting?!?!? There's more to tetra stacking, really.

Even though there's a few things here and there I don't agree with, I think we've got to the make the most out of what we've got...

Good luck to all....and thanks, FIRST, for yet another brilliant game.

[Billfred]

I share the view of one certain person I asked in Manchester...

Originally Posted by JVN

We'll play it.

[Tim Delles]

I think that this years game is very exciting. Everyone has to either stack tetras or defend against people stacking tetras. this could result in a very tough game for everyone to play, because it is going to be very physical. I like the way that first has done the scoring once again this year for the qualifying rounds, with the 2 points for a win, 1 for a tie, and 0 for a lose. This is good, because you can go out and play your game and not have the opponents score being a top priority, even though it is still a priority. I like the whole thing with the shape of the scoring objects, tetras, how much cooler could you get. WOW... i can't wait to see the amazing machines that come out of this years game, its all bound to be excellent. I hope this game grows on everyone as all of the games in the past have. FIRST has put alot of hours into the game, as Dave said 400 or 500 hours a piece, so lets not put anything down about the game. So my last comment is to thank all of the FIRST volunteers and workers that have put many hours again into a game that we are all bound to have fun and learn many things from. THANK YOU FIRST!!!!

[slickguy2007]

This is what I think is going to happen... a lot of robots will try to manipulate the tetras and some will be good at it while others are okay. The other robots will be pure defense and don't doubt that a large number of the teams will be defensive. The manipulators will be in matches with the defensive robots and they will either begin to realize they can't do much because of all the people pushing them around or they will be at a point where they are so broken they can't do anything but push. My prediction for finals at a regional is a lot of pushing... most of the robots out there on the field after qualifying matches will be those that can defend really well and those that have survived qualifying matches. Finals at the championship is something that scares me because it is much more competitive than at a regional and you can be sure that it will be much more brutal. This game is going to need a lot of team work and will result in a lot of tired people who were fixing the robot after every match!

[Petey]

Originally Posted by Billfred

I share the view of one certain person I asked in Manchester...

Oh certainly, we'll play.

--Petey

[tiffany34990]

Originally Posted by Billfred

I share the view of one certain person I asked in Manchester...

hee hee--most definitely we're gonna play like always and have some fun. i don't have an opinion of the game till i see it at the competition and it's hard because well right now it's only the 2nd day.

it will be interesting though not only because of the 3 bots on each side but also with the field tetras only are attached by Velcro-- who knows how many will be knocked around-- also the dimensions of the bots changed so we might be seeing some different designs to match the envelope like always


good luck to all teams and yet again FIRST has challenged our minds and now we get to work to solve the challenge and all the lil problems we encounter on the way

[phrontist]

This game is incredible. I can't imagine a better game. Robots can be built defensively or offensively, and can be played either way during either control period. The whole game will be scintillating, auto-mode espescially, as robots try to cap and prevent others from capping. I can't wait to see two robots grasp vision tetras, and start heading towards the center goal! One caps! But so does the other, gaining control of the center! I can't wait...

[shotgunking777]

well the whole concept of the game i think is great. cause you have to make an arm 5 feet tall but extend out then add an extra 3 in. so if its already caped you can cap it. i think its great. i can't wait for the comp. its going to be awsome.

jthm: darnit there was only one bullet left in the gun, and i waisted it on that darn clerk.

[Adam Y.]

because the game may seem to be a bit simple doesn't mean that creativity is restricted.

To be honest the one place where I am really confused is in autonomous mode. I can not think of any sensors that are really useful besides the cmu cam and dead reackoning sensors because the way field elements are set up. It's mostly empty space which is pretty annoying.

What would I have liked to see?

A) If we had more alliance partners, increase the field size! Go to a hex shaped field.

Psss... They did increase the field size.

I want to make a robot that is different from yours, better through uniqueness, not simply through a slightly different arm design. Some examples of this are: the team that could move left and right on the bar last year, the team that turned the Stack Attack ramp into a steeper ramp, the team that knocked over the entire wall of boxes within 2 secs with a giant arm in Stack Attack. Those are unique FIRST solutions, and some that are UNAVAILABLE this year.

Im sorry but you are wrong. There are enough unique eingineering solutions in designing a drivetrain. There are plenty of unique engineering solutions in building a control system. There are plenty of engineering solutions in building an arm.

This year, there is only solution. Each robot must have the same ability, to pick up Tetra's, and place them on cones. Every robot is the same, and the only thing that changes is a team's strategy per game: attack, defend, create rows, etc. That is BORING: no spectator wants to see the same thing over and over again; no self-respecting engineer wants to recreate something that is already been made.

Ummm... Isn't an engineer's job to recreate stuff that has all ready been made. It was probably one of the very first things I learned in college. Most sports also follow the same idea. Drive around in circles, hit the ball with bat run around in bases, and kick the ball into goal.