Ok, so YOU design the 2003 game...

[Karthik]

My thoughts on designing a new game are all over the place and way too incoherent. So instead of putting an entire game together here's my outline on some specific things that need to be addressed.

Ready for TV
I think this should be FIRST's number one priority. FIRST's goal is to get their message across to as many people as possible. If they really want to change the culture of America they need their product to reach more people. Television is the natural medium for this.

I was watching CNN the other day, and they were showing a story on a FIRST team. It was a great piece, but they never explained this year's game, saying that it was too complicated. This is not good.

Now here's the challenge, designing a game that is simple enough for a TV audience to figure out in 30 seconds, but strategically complicated enough to challenge all the teams. I mean, if FIRST made next year's game a race it'd be easy to understand, but most strategy would be taken out of the game.

What I would like to see is game similar in nature to that of 1999, back when we had the puck and the floppies. From most people I've talked to, it seems that was the game that was easiest for a non-FIRST person to understand. The "king of the hill" idea is simple and very visual.

The Playing Field

After two years of flat fields I think it's time that we change things up a bit. I loved the ramp in 2000, and the puck in '99. I think that it'd be really exciting and challenging if then field had various types of obstacles (such as ramps and ditches). There's been talk about using dirt or water for the playing field. I know this idea sounds exciting, but I don't think it's very feasible. Try getting a rookie team to build a swimming pool to practice in. =)

The Playing Pieces

I think it's time to take a break from balls. Don't remove them from the game completely, rather make them the "easy" pieces. For example make balls worth 1 point, and another piece, say a donut worth 5 pts.

The Scoring System

This goes back to the TV point. The scoring system must be made simple and clear. It would be great if we could finally have a real time scoring system. People just have a hard time adjusting to FIRST's end game scoring system. It goes against what they're used to.

Also, I think it's neccessary to provide more uniformity between qualifying and elimination matches. In both 2000 and 2002, the qualifying and elimnation matches have been two totally different games. This is a result of the "three times your opponents score" rule. Personally, I like this rule. I think it keeps things exciting. Unfortunately it's hard to the two rounds in synch while using it. Seeding the teams based on winning percentage may alleviate this problem. This way you're rewarded in the prelims on what your rewarded for in the elims, winning. All ties would be broken by QP's. Since their would be many teams with the same record, QP's would still be very important.

The Final Picture

OK, here's what I've come up with. I hope it makes sense. The diagram I tossed in should help.

There are two types of scoring pieces in the game. 1 pt. balls (size undetermined) and 10 pt. donuts. The balls are scored by placing them in the 6 ft. high baskets at the corners of the field, while the donuts are scored by placing them over the 6ft. high poles. Each alliance has their own basket and pole which is on the opposite side of the field from their starting position (not mentioned on the diagram).

The donuts are found in a 1 ft. deep ditch in the field.

At the centre of the field there is a 2ft. ramp leading up to a platform. The platform has room for one robot. If a robot finishes the match on top of the platform the alliance's score is tripled. If a robot finishes the match on the ramp, then alliance's score is doubled.

This game is not as simple to understand as I planned. I guess I just completely contradicted by whole simple for TV speech. Whoops. This game has a bunch of problems, mainly the centre platform being to dangerous (i.e. robots falling off), and the ditch being too hard to construct.

Oh well, it's a start.

Comments, Suggestions, Flames... Send them my way.

- Karthik