Orbit balls breaking

[Greg Needel]

We went to our local walmart and bought 6 orbits balls. After about 5-10 mins of trowing them over our mock player station into the trashcan 4 out of 6 were significantly "looser" Upon inspection it seemed like the plastic connectors on each part of the ball break the glue joint damaging the plastic. We opened the balls and put tape on the joints but the balls are not the same.

We were wondering if anyone else was experiencing the balls breaking or getting loose. Under the abuse of a game match how much damage will these see, and what will be the policy on replacing game objects in between matches?

[cbudrecki]

what would a FIRST competition be without game pieces that didn't fall apart?!?

[amos229]

Leave it to Greg to be the first to break this years game piece. Hopefully these will hold up better than the tubes

[Tetraman]

Yay....Field Reset gets even more fun!

[JYang]

Our team has also been playing with the orbit balls and they have been looser.
I will assume that at the competition, there will be many replacements, many more than usual.

[Greg Marra]

Originally Posted by Greg Needel

After about 5-10 mins of trowing them over our mock player station into the trashcan 4 out of 6 were significantly "looser" Upon inspection it seemed like the plastic connectors on each part of the ball break the glue joint damaging the plastic.

I handled a ball at Kickoff that had broken similarly to how you describe. The plastic joint had broken, and the acute angle formed by it managed to rip through the fabric covering, exposing the pointy plastic ex-joint.

[Tetraman]

Yea, I'm very sure that there will be many many of these orbit balls to use and replace.

But, as one who had to field reset Rack and Roll, we were allowed to use busted tubes during the qualifying matches in order to allow enough perfect tubes to use during elimination. Any busted tube during elimination, no matter how easy the fix, was not allowed to be put back on the field...so I'm going to guess that any noticeably loose Orbit ball will have to be removed during elims as well.

[Devon27]

We called Walmart before we went to see how many orbit balls they had and they said 12, we got there and there were only 8 that were in good shape so it is concerning to see that they can be so easily broken just in a store.

[Swerting]

My team was only able to get two of the three orbit balls at Walmart since one had been loosened and torn as well. I expect Blip Toys will be making a handsome sum of money off of the game this year.

[Tetraman]

Originally Posted by Swerting

I expect Blip Toys will be making a handsome sum of money off of the game this year.

I'm going to start a company that makes objects perfect for a FIRST game. And I will be rich.

[Tanner]

I haven't noticed our included kit ball to be broken, but I have bought eight other balls from Walmart, noticed that one I was playing with seemed to be broken quite easily and its not really apparent unless you look at the ball closely.

Will be interesting to see how this will affect designs and competition.

-Tanner

[Alex Cormier]

Originally Posted by Tetraman

Yea, I'm very sure that there will be many many of these orbit balls to use and replace.

But, as one who had to field reset Rack and Roll, we were allowed to use busted tubes during the qualifying matches in order to allow enough perfect tubes to use during elimination. Any busted tube during elimination, no matter how easy the fix, was not allowed to be put back on the field...so I'm going to guess that any noticeably loose Orbit ball will have to be removed during elims as well.

Makes you wonder how much storage 200+ Orbit balls will take up for one competition and the field travels to multiple, so there has to be about 800+ in the crates for week 1. wow.

[Tanner]

Originally Posted by Alex Cormier

Makes you wonder how much storage 200+ Orbit balls will take up for one competition and the field travels to multiple, so there has to be about 800+ in the crates for week 1. wow.

Odd thought to think somebody who probably hasn't a background than most of our mentors is making more than what one of them makes in a lifetime in only six weeks.

-Tanner

[Lodyev]

Originally Posted by Swerting

My team was only able to get two of the three orbit balls at Walmart since one had been loosened and torn as well. I expect Blip Toys will be making a handsome sum of money off of the game this year.

I heard blip isn't selling them anymore.
Wal mart isn't getting any more.
No clue where FIRST is getting tens of thousands of them

[Alex Cormier]

Originally Posted by Lodyev

I heard blip isn't selling them anymore.
Wal mart isn't getting any more.
No clue where FIRST is getting tens of thousands of them

Possibly FIRST has them already?