[Grim Tuesday]

1. The "true" message of FIRST is great, but it does not need to be repeated 200000 times.


I, too, feel that this message is thrown around a bit more than it needs to be. It also leads to an identity crisis for FIRST. Is it a robotics competition, as is stated in the title of FRC, or is it a coopertition, which the C could also stand for. Another issue is the true meaning of GP. Is finding a way around the rules un GP? Is tipping over another robot un GP? Is yelling "ROBOT" un GP. Noone knows. The term is getting thrown around too much, which is beginning to dilute it. Same with FIRST's message. Yes you want to inspire teens. The best way to do that is make something fun, and has to do with robotics.

2. Go back to more competition, you're beginning to lack in the competitive part of coopertition.

Adding to what I said above, the best way to make people interested in something is to make it fun. Competition is fun, if you do it in a GP (what it means to me) manner. No catcalls, and being a general douche, but you are allowed to be competitive on the field. It is not against any FIRST principle to win.

3. Enough of the shameless advertising. FIRST is not about the robots, great, but it's not about the politics either, nor is it about FIRST, it's about the future and inspiring our generation, and the next one.

If FIRST is the best way to inspire the next generation, then they are entitled to some advertising. As long as it is not replacing good old fashion FRC competition. And the way they chose to advertise this year rubbed me the wrong way. Triangle-Circle-Square logos are fun, and this game is actually quite well balanced. However, when both parts of the game are FIRST adverts, with the minibots being FTC only, that gets a bit obnoxious. And unsurprisingly, none of the best minibots use FTC parts. [sarcastic] Who could have guessed that? [/sarcastic] Simply the fact that they wanted to force you to use those parts is just a bit annoying, and though it is a legitimate engineering challenge, it seems against FIRST ideals.

4. Robotics is nerdy. The sooner that is accepted, and embraced, the sooner FIRST can confidently attract others to the program. Nothing says "nerds, beware" like a sign saying "hehehe, it's not nerdy"

Could not agree more. The whole debacle with Will.I.Am was ridiculous. If you're going to get a high profile speaker, get someone who is genuinely interested in FIRST, not some singer guy. It is also important that FIRST embraces who are on teams: Mainly self described nerds. Our team has managed to reach out more to the middle social groups, but even when those people are at build sessions, they turn to their more nerdy sides. FIRST doesnt have to be a mainstream sport to inspire people.

<3 nerds

Just because you want to appeal to non-nerds doesnt mean that you have to alienate your fanbase of nerds.

5. You were on a good track with the "spectator friendly" game breakaway, continue on that track.

Not much more to be said. As long as the games offer a fun engineering challenge, as well as being simple, then that is the key. Just like the best robots, the games should follow the KISS principle.