Quote:
Originally Posted by Astrokid248
- If someone posts a question, and you don't answer, and someone posts a more specific version of the question trying desperately to get some sort of a ruling, POST THE D@#N ANSWER. DO NOT say something like "we're not going to review your design" and then backtrack 6 weeks later. Along those lines, use common definitions of words and tell everyone what dictionary you're using, like Webster 7th Edition, so that all of us who aren't in the GDC can go look up the words and better determine how to design our robots until you answer our questions.
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There are many, MANY reasons why the GDC doesn't answer certain questions on the Q&A, specifically about robot and mechanism designs. What the GDC didn't do was backtrack, they purely did what they should have done - avoided making a judgement on specific designs during build season, and then made a ruling during competition based on what was defined in the rule book. There were multiple choice words used in the Rule Book to explain what robots were unable to do, and all a dictionary would do is provide those same words back.
That said,
1. Allow for 'conversation' in the Q&A.
What I mean by this, is that a poster can respond to an answer they received within the same "thread" of questions. Rather than it being that a new question needs to be asked, but all questions relating to an answer can be grouped together and not separated by other questions.
2. Rules involving everything behind the player station walls need to be enforced and not ignored. Or, remove those kind of rules.
Example, the rules about the inbounders this year. Very rarely, at many events, these rules (don't step over lines, hold only 2, take out of corral asap) weren't enforced. Maybe in elimination matches the refs gave a little check that all was well, but for the most part, these rules didn't hold any ground.
3. Practice Rounds could be changed.
Instead of a list of matches that will be played by specific teams, have practice matches be first-come-first-served. This will only work best at regional and district events, not the championship; that said it makes more sense at regional/district events anyway. Have teams line up at que who wish to be qued up for a match and enter them in as they wish. Teams will still be required a time to connect to FMS on practice day, to ensure connectivity, but otherwise all teams that wish to forego their practice matches will then allow an extra team willing to join in a go.
4. Official FIRST Video Recording and Archive of all Competition matches, Alliance Selection. All Competitions webcasted by official FIRST staff/volunteers.
This, obviously, will take some time but it's so needed and pretty self explanatory. Done should be the days of teams having to volunteer coverage of events, and instead it be done officially at one website for all to see.