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The philosophy and rules didn't really change that much from before. Back when we had a kit of "stuff", we still had an addional hardware list. Every year it changed in content - some new, some fell off, new limitations on quantity and such. We were more restricted as to where you could get the "stuff" from. It was determined that the additional hardware kit should be opened up to include more "stuff", the decision where the "stuff" could be purchased from was also revised.
I've always liked the fact that the list was expended to include more "stuff" and where you can get it from - as it allowed for more flexability in developing a working robot within the 6 week build time frame. I doubt that limiting the "stuff", where you get it from, and even the K3 Rule from this year, will ever level the playing field as some thought it could/should/would. It is a different challenge to build a competitive robot from a more restrictive kit of parts while maintaining some aceptable level of divisity among them. In other words, a more flexable kit of parts along with a game that doesn't lead to a single design solution and will encourage teams to be more creative. That is what I love - different creative solutions to the same problem. So in conclusion, I love what FIRST has done. In fact, this year demonstrated what happens to robot diversity when the kit includes so much "stuff" that far too many end up looking exactly the same - oh, and the game design didn't help that either.
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