FIRST Rule Changes

[RRLedford]

Originally Posted by Kevin Sevcik

Let me get this straight. You think a strong mid-field bot is against the spirit of the game and unfair? The GDC said that returning balls from the midfield would be really important for the all the reasons you stated. Many teams realized this and decided to build strong midfield return bots. I saw 148/2016/1817 at Dallas, and 2016 was playing the pushy unstoppable midfield returner to a T. Opponents started with next to no balls and stayed that way for the match. None of the robots there could stop them from serving up returns to 148.

So how is this different from 469's role? They're clearly just a really strong midfield return bot. Not much different from a strong unpushable robot returning balls from midfield. The only difference I see is that they don't have to move that much while they're doing their job. So I have to assume that your real problem with them is that they don't move much while they're winning. Perhaps we should push for an amendment to rules to make it illegal for teams to remain stationary for more than 10 seconds at a time?

No, I don't "think a strong mid-field bot is against the spirit of the game and is unfair". I only think it is wrong for the rules to allow an offensive bot to have exclusive access to the key spot on the field, such that they are allowed to block 100% of their scored balls from EVER returning to the mid-field, contrary to how the GDC seems to have FAIRLY designed the game. If BOTH teams had equal access to balls from the moment they reached the end of the ramp - THEN IT WOULD BE FAIR! Since, under the rules as they stand, they don't have equal access to this key location, I will always consider loopers to be a game exploit of the weak rule disallowing expansion at opponents tower. That's my story and I'm stickin' to it!
-Dick Ledford