Re: Rule <R06>
 

Not that what I think matters, but...

I think the change has to do with making things a little more fair. In the past, teams that could manage to build their robot in moduals and what not could escape the 130 limit. They couldn't use them all at once, but these extra functions they could choose now and then were more weight than was allowed to a team that could not (for lack of resources or engineering support) create a modular design.

On the flip side, this might discourage complex modular designs - but hey - we're supposed to be challenged, right? :)

Good luck to all, as always.

Re: Rule <R06>
 

I am sorry if my post sounded like I was accusing your team of cheating last year, or of using an illegal robot.

that was not my intention or question. I read the rule from last year and took it the other way - what Im trying to ask (or understand) is how did you clarify the rule, or did you think you needed to?

1. did you think the rule was clear enough as you understood it, and no clarification was needed?

2. did you ask FIRST about it? was there a team update that made it clear?

3. did you wait and ask the judges about it? or did you assume your multiple attachments were ok and simple have your bot weighed more than once?

we only have a few mentors on our team, and we dont have time to pour over every rule - so we probabally miss several things - which could be missed opportunities.

I know some teams delibrately WONT ask FIRST during the build season, cause they dont want to give their idea away. Some teams have been burned by this when the issue came up later, and part of their bot was not acceptable.

Personally I like the modular idea - in the playoffs the game will probabally become more aggressive - it might come down to one or two critial functions (like hanging or dislodging the 2x ball) - and it is worth considering what you can leave off you bot for those matches when you have an excellent alliance that augments your functions with others.

Another thing I have learned over the years - teams often modify their bots a little here and there during the events, after they have been inspected. Is this bending the rules? I think if you have your bot re-inspected after the mods were made, its ok (or if you only make a minor change)

but if you add a new function that wasnt there when the bot was inspected on thursday, you are using a new subsystem that you didnt have before - I think this is okay too (as long as the bot changes are inspected) - most of the magic and excitment at an event happens in the pits, not on the field

Sorry if Im rambling here - I think its important that teams understand what they are allowed to do, and whats prohibited. It sounds like our team missed out last year on the opportunity for switchable subsystems.

Re: Rule <R06>
 

I agree with what others have said that the main purpose of this rule is not to prevent teams from competing with an over weight robot exactly but from having optional components to choose to use during the competition season.

What I don't understand is if this rule would prohibit our team from doing what we did last year. We built and shipped two versions of one component of the robot not sure which one we would be able to use due to the weight limit. The component was a tower with a rotating and telescoping arm used to knock over stacks from the start possition. One version had a rigid tower and the other a telescoping tower. We preferred the telescoping tower because it could be lowered to improve driving, but we could not use it at our first regional as it would put us over the weight limit.

For nationals however we were able to lower our weight with some creative drilling and made the weight limit using the telescoping version of the tower. We never changed the tower during the competition or used the other version and therefore never needed it to be reinspected.

Therefore, can anyone give me their imput as to whether in this year's competition the two towers would need to be weighed together with the robot, the point being that they weren't interchanged ever during one competition. It appears clear to me though, that if we wanted the option of switching towers during a match we would need them weighed together.

Thanks.

Re: Rule <R06>
 

Yes you can change the parts but all the parts together must weigh 130 or under not just each attached part