PNW 2006 -- The Pacific Northwest Regional in Portland

[Rick TYler]

Day 2 preliminary report.

Seven matches down, three to go. Top Gun is currently ranked 43rd out of 46 with a CP of 31 -- tied for highest in the regional. We are 1-6-0. We lost three matches by one point, one match by two points, and one match we actually won but a scoring error showed it as a 4 point loss (we had two robots completely on the top of the platform at the end -- the refs scored zero, we protested, and the refs added five points -- we later noticed that it was scored as only one bot on the platform and not two, but they said it was too late to change now, that we should have said something earlier, we said we did, they said, "too bad"). Our only big loss was to an alliance which included both the Cheesy Poofs and Team 948 -- which has a wicked accurate center-goal shooter. They beat us by 20 points. We also had the privelege of winning the highest total point total of the day at 64 to (IIRC) 60.

Today's random thoughts and notes:

1. The Scallywags (#1369) drove onto the other team's ramp at the end of a blow-out match. Ninety percent of the audience and the announcer ("Wow! They drove onto the wrong ramp, what a mistake!" <-- paraphrased) thought it was a mistake. We thought it was genius, and applauded as they walked out.

2. High goal shooters still are not the bomb. With a few exceptions, not many goals.

3. The Cheesy Poofs made big clouds of magic smoke in one match, and broke a shaft in another. When they worked, they were AMAZING. Team 753 took them out of one match with inspired, genius, outstanding defense. The Poofs still scored some low goals, but their awesome shooter was quiet.

4. Our robot could be better.

5. Good human players are now scoring 7-10 goals by hand into the low goals.

6. There is less indiscriminate ball-throwing than there used to be, but some HPs are still toss-happy, including throwing into dead goals.

This is a great game. They could run it again next year with no changes and it would still be a great game. I don't think there will be a "perfect machine" as there are so many different strategic decisions to make. All-dumping teams don't work. All-shooters don't work. Mixed teams work, and there is room, as always, for fast, smooth defense.

I want to play Aim High again!!!