Quote:
Originally Posted by efoote868
What I would like to see happen are teams recognizing that the best defense is a good offense, and begin designing their robots accordingly.
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I'm inclined to think, based upon its widespread success this year, that the best offense is a good defense and a solid 2 @ 12 ramp design for the end game. But that's a debate for another thread.
If FIRST wants to eliminate defense, they can write it into the rules, but they haven't the past 2 years. They did so in 2005, and all that year really boiled down to was was the offensive powerhouses gaining more ranking points as the lesser-equipped offensive teams tried their best to keep up with the scoring but ultimately failed. Not having a viable defensive option, they were left with little else to do. I applaud FIRST and the GDC for providing multiple scoring options this year (tubes and ramp/lifts), as well as the presence of defense, which present different levels of design challenge that are accessible to any team.
Defense levels the playing field and makes a game more accessible and exciting for E-V-E-R-Y-O-N-E. That includes the practice day. I thank the GDC for recognizing its importance this season and hope they continue to permit its existence in future game designs. I also implore the refs to maintain a healthy balance between offensive and defensive gameplay on the field, including on Thursday, so that all teams can enjoy employing their robot strategies without fear of damage or abuse.