2012: Rebound Rumble
The game for 2012, Rebound Rumble, is played between two alliances of three teams each. Each alliance competes by trying to score as many of the basketballs in the hoops as possible during the 2-minute and 15-second match. Balls scored in higher hoops score alliances more points. Alliances are awarded bonus points if they are balanced on bridges at the end of the match. In matches where opponent alliances work together to balance on the white bridge, all participating teams earn additional coopertition points that are valuable for seeding.
This year marks the first year in which FIRST uses the Microsoft Kinect sensor for a part of its games. The Kinect sensor can be used during the new Hybrid part of the competition, where controllers can gesture to the Kinect to move the robot.
The game starts with hybrid mode, where two robots have to act autonomously and one robot can operate by using the Microsoft connect or autonomously. After autonomous, teleop starts, where the robots are controlled by human drivers. In both modes, the robot can score points by shooting balls into three sizes of hoops, and at the end of the match, the opponent works together to balance on a seesaw.
Watch the game animation here.