FIRST Robotics - The 2020 Game. Or at least some clues to it.

Every year FIRST robotics gives out a teaser video.  It comes out in the fall and I suppose is designed to fire up a bit of enthusiasm for teams as they come together in the first weeks of school.  It purports to give various clues as to what the actual game will require teams to do.  Some years the clues seem, in retrospect, to be helpful.  Other years they are non-helpful.  Sometimes it almost looks as if the teaser video is designed to mislead!

There is also a theme every year, and in recent years a major sponsor has been associated with the theme for that year.  Last year it was Boeing Corporation for the game "Deep Space".  This year it is Disney Corp. for the game "Infinite Recharge".  The teaser video launched last night so here, have a look.

And now my predictions for the actual game.  Some years I get close, others not so much.  Perhaps with more years of experience I am actually becoming less accurate. Subconsciously I'm sure we all project a bit of what we'd like to see the game be!

Well, we have doors.  Doors that need to be opened with keys.  At the end several space ships all have to dock at a station that is elevated.  This suggests the end game will once again involve getting your robot above floor level.  There is a recurring theme of blue lights and flames.  Whatever score indicator is out on the field recording points as you score them....gonna be blue.  It will indicate power.  After all the game is called Infinite Recharge.  At the end there is some ominous shadow coming over the field.  Not a clue.

It is an odd trailer.  The graphics have deliberately been made crude and pastel colored.  And of course there is Disneystuff in there.  The do own Star Wars after all. So, the BB8 robot.  Even R2D2.  I suspect going over it frame by frame I'd find a set of Mickey Mouse ears in there somewhere....Disney animators being famous for "hidden Mickey's"!