My Arizona Regional notes:
- stored energy rules need clarifying
- most people liked larger number of tasks this year, they gave any team a chance to be competitive in every match
- people want more complimentary strategies
- people want more matches at competitions
- people like win/loss system more than previous years'
- some peeps thought autonomous should aid the robot throughout the match (no pure auto mode)
- some peeps thought the auto should be its own game (keep it as is)
- people agreed that the time should be shortened as most teams are done in 5-10 seconds
- robots should have the option to send an 'i'm done signal' when they finish auto, and when all 4 robots are finished auto discontinues
- missing or bad sensors were a pain
- new technology (ir sensors, beacons) should be delivered early so teams can learn them
- people thought pnuematics improved greatly this year
- field was good except side walls interefered with some autos, FIRST keeps changing height year-to-year
- final blueprints need to be final blueprints
- perhaps teams could opt out for certain parts if they don't need them to save FIRST money
- some people want middle-speed motors
- some people want to be able to use industry equivalent motors
- everyone hates the drill motor transmissions
- people want more contacts
- people want more sortability using the q&a
- suggestion that each team have a student contact (to relay info to students that is regarding things like mentor award nominations)
- people want more detailed criteria re: judging awards
- people want past examples of how teams won (to get an idea of what to do or how to be different)
- people want more business oriented awards to get business schools involved
- people had lots of questions about judging logistics
- people want inspectors with better bedside manner, more objective
- people want more pr for events, more spectators
- people want more consistent refereeing
- people want to make sure teams know how to get clarification of penalties after a match
- people want workshops on new technology well before the build season
- people want more varied workshops
Note: I say 'people', 'peeps', and 'some people' interchangeably. They can mean almost everyone to about one or two. I like team forums.
