Rule change suggestions for MARC 2010

[mwtidd]

One thing I found in this game is that is awfully difficult to follow for spectators. Its like watching a doubles tennis match with two balls.

Thus I would propose only using 6 balls on the field rather than 12.

Also make two balls worth 2 points if scored, it gives the audience something to focus on.

There was just simply too much going on in this game, it was almost unwatchable as a general spectator. It is interesting too because there was only one way to score during the main part of the match. (2004 had 3 ways and was much more watchable)

[ttldomination]

Originally Posted by lineskier

Thus I would propose only using 6 balls on the field rather than 12.

Also make two balls worth 2 points if scored, it gives the audience something to focus on.

Well, as already said, I feel like changing the number of points something is worth or even making any major game play changes the intent of the original game.

And I don't get why 2 points would be any different than one point. If it makes you feel better, multiply the scores by 2 at the end of the round. Unless you're trying to lessen the value of hanging to have the equality of one goals, in which case, the importance of hanging has been downgraded and you arrive back to my first statement.

[BrendanB]

Anther addition to game play that isn't necessarily a rule, but definitely made matches more interesting at BattleCry11. Teams were allowed to trade 1-3 of their balls in the zone before autonomous for a 8 or 10 inch disk to place on one of the ball starting positions (max 3 per alliance). Robots touching or partially covering the dot at the end of auto received one bonus point, and robots fully covering dots at the end of the match also received bonus points. Balls removed before the match were placed back in mid-field at the start of teleop. It was a cool way for teams to earn a bonus even if they had no hanger or kicker as well as increasing match scores and increased match strategy with sometimes 4 dots on the field.

Also, what if at the start of the match a "special" ball was placed on each tower and worth 2 points each time it was scored?

Additional items like these make the game more exciting and add a new dimension to match strategy!

[Tito H.]

Originally Posted by BrendanB

Anther addition to game play that isn't necessarily a rule, but definitely made matches more interesting at BattleCry11. Teams were allowed to trade 1-3 of their balls in the zone before autonomous for a 8 or 10 inch disk to place on one of the ball starting positions (max 3 per alliance). Robots touching or partially covering the dot at the end of auto received one bonus point, and robots fully covering dots at the end of the match also received bonus points. Balls removed before the match were placed back in mid-field at the start of teleop. It was a cool way for teams to earn a bonus even if they had no hanger or kicker as well as increasing match scores and increased match strategy with sometimes 4 dots on the field.

I really like this idea!

With all the interest in increasing the hanging points, I think this will be a good addition to a hanging point increase.

Autonomous
Robot touching, partially covering or completely covering a disc at the end of autonomous = 1pt

Endgame
Hanging = 4pts
Suspension = 6pts
Robot touching or partially covering a disk = 1pt
Robot completely covering a disk = 2pts

The autonomous bonus is something that all teams could benefit from, and the endgame bonus has a nice balance to it. It doesn’t directly give hangers the advantage over the non-hangers or vice versa.

None-the-less I think this game plays pretty well as is.

My $.02

[mwtidd]

Originally Posted by ttldomination

And I don't get why 2 points would be any different than one point.

Sorry for not clarifying...

I was saying that if 2 out of the 6 balls were worth more, it would draw the attention to those two balls by both the teams and the audience.

2004 had something like this with the 10pt balls and the capping balls. It drew the attention away from the 5pt balls making the game much more watchable

My goal is not to alter the game for those competing, but rather for those watching.
FIRST has made movements to try to go spectator friends by teaming up with organizations
such as Cirque, my goal was simply to reduce the points of interests for spectators.

But you're right, it may change the game too drastically.

[XaulZan11]

I think a lot of these suggestions are trying to fix something that isn't broken. I thought Breakaway was a great game, so why change it? Yes, adding special balls may make it more exciting. But it could make an already exciting game worse. With the quality of teams attending (a brief look at the team lists revealed 10 event winners), I don't think MARC will lack excitment or suspense. I would hate to see what should be a great event, get ruined by a rule change that makes Breakaway unbalanced and less exciting.

[dag0620]

Even though I am not going to MARC,

I know that my our Invitational, Rule changes for us are the little technical ones that annoy us, such as loosing parts counting as a penalty, as well as some alterations to the DOGMA penalties due to lack of equipment. Other then that, the rules stay the same, and we keep rarely ever touch the main rules of the game.

Keep that in mind....

[BrendanB]

Originally Posted by XaulZan11

I think a lot of these suggestions are trying to fix something that isn't broken. I thought Breakaway was a great game, so why change it? Yes, adding special balls may make it more exciting. But it could make an already exciting game worse. With the quality of teams attending (a brief look at the team lists revealed 10 event winners), I don't think MARC will lack excitment or suspense. I would hate to see what should be a great event, get ruined by a rule change that makes Breakaway unbalanced and less exciting.

I completely agree with you about fixing something that isn't broken. However it is nice after 6 weeks of the same game and going into your fourth event of the season to have an added challenge. Some teams used it to their advantage, others ignored it and focused elsewhere, but I think it is the game changes that make it exciting. Only playing 2v2 in events such as Mayhem in Merrimack and River Rage 2009, the dots for Battlecry in 2008-2009, all empty cells can be picked up by one robot in final 20 secs, 4 super cells automatically activated each offer a new twist on the game. Do I think adding these to official season would be a good idea, no. But they make these off-season events fun no matter how many good teams are there (BattleCry had tons of good teams in attendance).

Just my thoughts