I think FIRST didn’t concentrate on the game as much as they did on the kit of parts which from the robot side of it is a good thing. Looks like they’re more interested in how the teams will use the additional sensors and new C programming capabilities.
vertical speeed limit, i understand it but its very annoing
Actually similarities of the 1999 game can be found with the climbing aspect and the puck (goal).
Eventhough it IS a new game… it does contain similar aspects of past years, and there isn’t anyway of getting by that.
I’m scared. Hold me mommie… 
Just because there is a hanging bar doesn’t make it similar to the 2000 bar. I’m not sure how high that bar was, but it looked like around 5 feet, and robots could reach it easily.
This one is 10 feet off the ground and requires completely different components to reach it.
Just because the goals are similar to 2002 doesn’t make it similar to that either. Goal grabbers aren’t going to help much and pushing the goals around will be sufficient. Being able to pick up small balls may be an option for dumping them to the human player, but it is also effective to just push them in.
The only design I see giving some teams an advantage is the big balls. Teams can use their grabbers from 2001.
Exactly my thoughs, Jay and Ashley.
I agree too. I like the game this year. Jay, you were correct, the 2000 bar was 5 feet tall, totally different than the 10 foot bar this year.
I like the game better than last year, because the robot actually need to be able to do things to win consistently. A box on wheels that is driven well may funnel balls to the human player, but needs to be able to do more than that to win.
I guess there is much less luck involved.
I’d have to agree with you there. Even though I became involved with FIRST starting with 2002, I’ve read about previous games.
Personally, I was not a fan of last years game. However, I really do love this years game.
I think it will open many new doors and throw so many different options onto the playing field. 
I also think that (with the exception of the two 10 pt balls) this year’s game is fairly easy to explain. No more zones to have to deal with etc. Either your on the bar or off, either you have balls in the goals or you don’t. Yes, the big 2x ball does make it a bit harder to explain, but it truly is needed to add the zest that we all desire.
Also, there are layers of the game that extend beond the end spectator. There are the white lines, the infered beacon - These add so many different elements to the tech. ppl, but are not required to understand the game.
Also, from a Dean / Woody point of view, having the robot & human interaction is a metaphor to how robotics help people in the real world. For spectators, the throwing of the ball reminds them of a game which is allready loved.
If I had three thumbs, i’d give it to this game. There are so many challanges: stairs, moving & non-moving goals, different size balls, hanging, new sensors, etc. While it does contain parts of past games, you now want a robot to do many of these new tasks, etc…
It will be a very intresting season, & I can’t wait to see how it turns out!
Jack
Like others, my first reaction was that this game combined experience from 99-02. Sure, RAGE and others had great strategies then, but havn’t many of their members graduated? I think this game will encourage alumni to regain interest and mentor their former teams. Also, those graduates who moved on to college teams will have the ability to strengthen their new teams with ideas from past seasons. Personally, as you mentioned, 173, 69, 177, 47, 71…(insert long list of experienced teams here) will have an advantage. Hopefully they’ll share their knowledge and mentor rookie teams.
Good Luck.
moving the goals wont be of any significance this except to get them away from the opposing human players, but if ur team is looking to move them, note than u can only grab the goal by the metal edge on top of platform (<G24>)
Last year’s game was great, but I can already tell that this game is going to top it. It’s impossible to miss the elements taken from the 2000, 2001, and 2002 games, but the really cool thing are the balls above the player station… that is just so cool. I think it’s great that the human player has so much importance this year too, it’ll create a whole new level of competing and an unpredictible outcome almost everytime…
The FIRST peoples have really created a great game this year 
Now to strategize and mobilize … 
I think its a good balance and will be much more exciting to watch than last year. Games will be won by teams that can play the game well, not necessarily the fanciest robot. Better get those kids shooting free throws at lunchtime.
I LOVE the game, my whole team loves it. There are so many different ways you can solve the puzzle. I also love the twist that everyone gets the loser score, (They are really hammering the idea of Gracious Professionalism, don’t ya think?) Right now we are still discussing strategy before we decide what robot design would accomplish that strategy. GOOD LUCK TO EVERYONE!!!
I give the game two thumbs up. :yikes: I liked the integration of previous games and thought that there were enough changes to prevent veterans from having too much of an advantage. One comparison that I haven’t heard is that in the 1992 competition (the very first competition) teams had to grab tennis balls off of wooden pegs, much like we neet to take the 10pt. balls off of the tees.
Originally posted by 2000vfr800
I see MUCH less interaction between opposing robots. Can anybody tell me, since I can’t seem to easily find it, do the starting position of the blue robots start on the red side, like last year, or do the blue robots start in the blue side, the red in the red??
My interpretation is that the red alliance starts in front of the red player stations. I agree that this means less interaction between the alliances, and I like this. Over the past years the competitions have been getting rougher. I think that this was FIRST’s way of keeping the competition from becoming Battlebots.
As far as manipulating the goals, I think that taking the ball off of your mobile goal and being able to pull it closer to your human players will help in scoring more balls than if your human players just shot at the stationary goal.
When I first saw the field at the beginning of the animation, my jaw dropped. I thought it looked so hard. And the rest of my team around me was in the same state of disbelief. Sure, we won SPBLI regional, but we weren’t sure about this one. After they started talking about it, it didn’t seem that bad.
I’m definately a fan of this year’s game. Then again, 870 is only a 3rd year team and we weren’t around when there were other hanging bar games. The games that I’ve played in have had one or two strategies or “roads” but this year, as they say, we can change that. There are so many different options with what can be done. Mechanical and Human cooperation is stressed and that’s probably for the best. We can’t just build our robot and say that it’s done and can do anything. No matter what, it will need human help and that’s the point. And anybody can get skill at foul shots with the rubber balls if they practice enough.
I can’t wait to start building and am already writhing with excitement about the competitions.
I’m mad!!! We went to kick off… Watched it all the way through(and it was very long this year but still good)… Right when it said FIRST Frenzy for the animation the satellite decided to move and we missed half of the game… This stinks cause it puts us behind… But other than that the game looks awesome and I can’t wait!
I’m going to have to partially disagree on that… there will be less interaction, but there’s only so much room on that bar. I have a feelings we’ll be seeing a few flying robots this year :]
Yea…I would have to agree on that.
At least this year’s game won’t be dominated by short tank bot with powerful engines that can push everybody else around like they have the last couple of years. I think we’ll se an interesting variety of robots this year.
I love it, personally. It sounds like a great game, and an exciting game, and I love the aspects of all the games from the last 5 years or so brought back to life. It should be a great season, and I’m very excited to see all the interesting ideas people will come up with to deal with this year’s game.