2010 Game Hint #2

[Taylor]

Assuming both hints are showing field structures, I can draw four conclusions:

1. The yellow plastic plates guard the potential trip hazard. This insinuates that people must move along the length of the field quite a bit. There are two types of people who would do this: Referees and Human Players. Since 2006, the Human Players have been pretty much stationary; perhaps this year the HPs will have a more dynamic and active role in the game, moving up and down the field.

2. Hint #2 either shows (roughly) a third of the field, either in the middle or near one of the drivers' stations. There are no other field elements shown, and more importantly, no place for the Hint #1 contraption to connect. Therefore, the Hint #1 piece must be either smack dab in the middle of the field, perhaps running the length of the field, or near the drivers' stations. (I'm using the theory of a bowling-ball-return-style track here).

3. If Hint #2 shows an outer third of the field, the "chamfer" that has been on the corners the past couple years must be gone, and we're back to a rectangular field.

4. There are no boundary markings shown on Hint #2, so the entire field is shared by the alliances (unlike 2008 when it was in quadrants or 2006 when it was in halves) and there are no floor tracking markings (as in the white tape in 2004 leading to the bonus balls). Furthermore, the robot starting postions are not on the sides of the field, like they were in 2006 and 2009 - rather they will be near the drivers' stations or in the center of the field.

With the carpet (perhaps tile?) floor and wide-open field, this promises to be a fast-paced, highly interactive game with scoring largely on the periphery of the field, like 2006.
Perhaps the game pieces are stored at an elevated location along the opposite drivers' station wall; the robots must go the length of the field to gather the game objects. The goals at least begin near their respective alliance stations.

As a side note, it is easier to clean spilled Diet Coke, Krispy Kremes, Haagen-Dazs and Cracker Jacks off the yellow plastic sheets than carpet.