Thread: Building more than one robot / expanding the "season"
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Unread 18-02-2004, 14:02
Joe Johnson's Avatar Unsung FIRST Hero
Joe Johnson Joe Johnson is offline
Engineer at Medrobotics
AKA: Dr. Joe
FRC #0088 (TJ2)
Team Role: Engineer
  
Join Date: May 2001
Rookie Year: 1996
Location: Raynham, MA
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1 and done Vs. 2 for you...
After our team fiasco of trying to build 2 robots our first year of FIRST (1996), I swore an oath* that I would never try that again.

I spent the next 6 years telling any rookies that would listen that they should spend the time finishing ONE robot faster in order to get drive time for their students.

Last year, autonomous mode changed my mind. I maintain that it is 10 to 100 times more likely that you will have a competitive autonomous mode if you build a second robot. Given that autonomous mode was huge last year (and figures to be huge this year imho), building 2 robots with lower capability is more likely to help your team than having 1 supercapable robot with a so-so autonomous mode.

So... ...I now tell every rookie team that will listen that they should plan on building 2 robots.

A wise man's mind changes and a fool's mind changes not...

Joe J.



*For those who take oaths seriously, myself included, please note that in this context, I use the term for effect, I did NOT actually swear an oath that I am now breaking.
Last edited by Joe Johnson : 18-02-2004 at 14:40.
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