what did you think of the 2002 game

[Andy Baker]

Originally posted by Scorpion515
I didn't like this year's challenge very much. It seemed too simple, and didn't seem to promote much creativity (unlike last year).

I also thought that the game was too easy this year. It was very much a drive base design challenge, which is fun in itself, but not as creative as years past.

In being too easy, I mean that it was easy to put a ball into a goal which was 5 feet tall and easy to push around a goal. The only really hard thing about this year's game was the fact that we initially could only lift the goals by touching the pipe... that was a good design challenge. However, once FIRST implemented the "wedge" rule on goal contact, lifting the goals was easy.

If compared to previous years' games, other tasks were much more difficult. Placing inner-tubes or balls in a high spot was difficult in 97, 98, 00, and 01. Lifting floppies over 8 ft. was difficult in 99, hanging from the bar in 00 was kinda hard, and stealing objects from goals in 97, 98, 00 was somewhat difficult also.

This year, the major challenge was in traction and pulling force. While this was interesting to designers, it had its negative side effects to the game (boring to watch a tug-of-war, damage to carpet, etc.).

Another 2 cents,
Andy B.