[ratdude747]

Originally Posted by Ninja_Bait

Sounds good, improvement is the way forward.



Setting up a strategy is wise; it's done by many top teams. Remember that physics is your friend and that every part of the game is important until actual experience tells you otherwise. Do some math and plan a super optimal strategy.



First off, prototyping is not the same as proof of concept. LEGO and VEX are proof of concept materials. They are an easy and quick way to show that an idea is sound and will probably work in reality. Prototyping goes beyond that by requiring careful work and allowing you to optimize dimensions and prove functionality in the real environment.

Second, you can sometimes eliminate ideas without building anything. Some ideas are clearly too expensive/complex/inane, and oftentimes logic and physics (or a proof of concept) will prove that only a handful are viable.



Decide what your team is here for - building an amazing robot or changing lives? What will be better for that goal - outsourcing or engaging?



If you can't pay for a second robot, you can't pay for custom machining. Also, you shouldn't make your second robot if it's not the same as the first. Even little nuances will drastically affect code, driving and strategy. Even though the practice is nice, it will feel like a waste of time and material as everyone adjusts from practice bot to competition bot.



Wrong. True inspiration is when students choose to be good engineers because of the example of mentors and peers. It doesn't come out of good engineering, it leads to it.

As a last note: I've often felt the same way you do, which is that the team is nose-diving into a dump. Encourage these changes, but also act upon them yourself first. Crabbiness doesn't solve problems; leadership by example does. You personally can demonstrate the value of following a good engineering thought process, and others will follow when they see the advantages. Try not to overstep your bounds, however, and remember that you're doing this for the team, not for winning. Good luck with your efforts!

quoted for truth.