Water games

[Magnetorb]

It seems to me that every year, someone speculates that this year's game will be a water game (thanks to jijiglobe for confirming this). Superficially, when I think of water games, I think of games that are played in a pool filled with water. Like standard, liquid-phase dihydrogen monoxide.

Such a game would be impractical for several reasons:

• Robots can't swim in water without proper shielding, because water conducts electricity and you would have a monumental safety hazard. The robots we build all have electronics at least partially exposed, and shielding would be expensive.
• Pools are expensive to build. How are they going to set up a pool 27' by 54' by 4' deep in every FRC stadium on Planet Earth? And especially in developing countries, where are they going to get 165 metric tons (according to Google) of clean water to fill each pool with?

We can't rule out water games entirely - water comes in three phases, including the much easier to handle solid phase (ice). Besides, imitation water and imitation ice could be used. Based on the various interpretations of the game hint we've seen this year, a game based on a winter sport such as ice hockey or snowboarding seems probable. Maybe they'll put in slopes and hills. Regolith would be a nice approximation of an icy surface, but why not spice it up with artificial snow.

Extending this idea, a possibility would be a game that simulates sea ice, like in the polar regions. Most of the floor would be "ocean" with wheeled "ice floes" that robots have to climb on. The robots are like polar bears trying to survive. Aside from being the water game we've been anticipating for years, this would be sure to raise environmental awareness.

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