FIRST releases Team Update #18

[Ianworld]

I think its a change not necesairly positive but it defenitly won't hurt. I think it makes this game even trickier to play defense in. The penalities at the loading stations and now the chance of being called as the descorer seems a little too much. I know my teams robot never ever descorces a tetra. Its breakaway, it floats upward and has nothing that can catch inside the tetra stack. There are lots of robots though, where i've seen tetra manipulators that defenitly get caught. If a robot tries to play defense on a robot with a tetra manipulator that catches easily, its going to be the defending robot that takes the penalty. This basically leaves the only safe area to defend being the area between the goals and the loading stations, a very small area and even shorter time frame.

To be fair, I didnt' see too many instances where a pushing robot caused a stacking robot to knock over tetras.

[Steve W]

Kudos on FIRST correcting the descoring rule.

As for the other changes I believe that it again leaves too much up in the air. 10 pt safety penalty and "maybe" a DQ. 10 points for suspending over the players station and maybe a shut down or DQ. What will the refs call from regional to regional. Now instead of just being shut down for breaking the plane there will be a 10 point penalty. Is the "breaking the plane" rule rescinded with the new update? We shall see.

As for the explanations of an offensive style game, they are again sending mixed messages. Watch the animated video that Dave made, that is shown once or twice every regional, and it says that pushing , shoving and defensive play is allowed (encouraged it seems by the video). It gives different strategies and warns robots about their possibility of tipping. Enough said before I too am attacked.