[Brandon Holley]

Joe,

I agree completely with what you are saying. FIRST robots have moved towards making a beefy drive train, and the end effector sometimes a 2nd thought. You need to have a drive train with super grippy wheels and 4 motors just to be COMPETITIVE. I remember (it wasnt long ago) when you put 4 motors in a drive train, you would be seriously feared.

However......
I don't think that we should cease the development of drive trains by putting barriers on power. Year after year I still get wow'ed by teams coming up with new drive trains (118 you definitely pulled that off this year) and I also get wow'ed by amazing end effectors. I agree that watching a pushing match is very boring. I feel that we are at a point where we cannot turn back and go to "the old ways", which is not what your saying, but its in the same realm of things. FIRST needs to throw us a HUGE CURVEBALL with a game. I think they tried that this year with the robots lifting robots thing, and we'll see how that plays out.

The reason drive trains are so strongly pushed for is because of how effective they can be. A solid drive train makes you competitive (theres always defense). A weak drive train (when compared to 'stronger' ones) with an amazing arm, may do well, but any solid drive train will put up a strong fight against that robot.

This most certainly is an issue, and its most certainly a sticky one. I feel some of your ideas may be a bit extreme, but some of them may be very effective (40 amps per side, 50 lbs of pushing power). Thanks for bringing this problem up Joe.