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Re: On Game Design
I've been reading the posts regarding spending limits and I see 2 separate arguments. The first is about the cost placed on the teams to buy their parts from their sources. The second is the cost to sponsors for use of machining facilities.
In one scenario, if the cost allowed per robot and materials rules remains around where it is now, many parts can be bought from suppliers by the teams. These parts bought by teams are then charged to the cost allowed per robot and assuming they are within the materials limits, don't cost the sponsor any more additional money. Sponsors don't lose any machine time in creation of those parts and can more easily help with other aspects of the robot.
In the second scenario, if the materials rules and cost rules tighten, and assuming Section 5.3.2.2 still is the same, then teams will be limited by their outside selection and will be forced into custom designing parts that can be readily available off the shelf. Now the teams are responsible for buying the raw material and convincing one of their sponsors to place a decent amount of money into allowing the team to access and use their shop. The cost is now placed on the sponsors has increased significantly (in most cases) because the sponsor is now also paying for additional time on machines, employees to help the teams, and is not making any money with those machines while robot parts are created. Plus that sponsor will be asked to help with the things it has provided in years past!
Going back to the way it was is a huge advantage to the well funded teams. Plus there are many areas of this and other countries where manufacturing capabilities are very limited. All sponsors (large and small) are better off having the teams have access to COTS (Commercial Off The Shelf) Parts than to custom design and manufacture everything. I have no problem with reasonable material or cost limitations, and as Paul said, we are always limited by that nagging 130 lb weight thing.
We want to have this competition attract sponsoring companies to build corporate-school relations. The only way to do that is to make the sponsor's time and money worthwhile.
Steve
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