[Bob Steele]

I will make this one further comment.
Blocking the path of a robot in hybrid is not "tearing their arm off"

Trying to intentionally damage another robot is completely outside the scope of this argument. That is, most definitely, outside the rules.

My comment was related to whether things that are done within the rules are to be considered the WRONG way...

I, too, have distressed over the apparent increase in violent contact in the game over the years. I have respected the GDC's efforts to reduce the effects of possible contact between robots (bumpers and penalties).

I am speaking of the use of tactics that will negate other team's abilities to score.... tactics that are well within the scope of the rules.

I remember teams trying to stop other teams from hanging on the bar in the game in FIRST FRENZY... these defensive tactics varied from stopping and often tipping robots that tried to climb up the stairs to covering up the bar or just fighting it out on the platform...

Where any of these tactics WRONG? The spirit of the game "RAISING THE BAR" was to score points... some teams had very elaborate and wonderful technical answers to these challenges.... some did not...

IF the GDC wanted this to be a game in which contact or defense was not allowed, it would be simple enough to make rules that dictated that.
OR the game could be played with one robot on the field at a time....OR 3 robots from the same alliance playing at the same time...

That is not what the game is about. Robots must meet the challenge of overcoming the other alliance as well as just accomplishing the scoring goals.

I share in the anguish of a team that has an arm ripped off... or an electronics board damaged by an errant appendage... or actuators bent...
I have seen all of these things happen... both as a result of actions by the other alliance as well as "friendly" alliance members. I have also seen it happen to robots reacting with game elements. All of it is unfortunate and our team would be one of the first to jump in and help to fix another team's robot.

I don't want us to become ROBOT WARS.... competitions that are designed to destroy things are quite against my nature...

Blocking techniques, innovative defensive actions, and other tactics that enable a team to score MORE points than another team by limiting the other team's scoring are just as much a part of the game as hurdling or hybrid actions. The rules are there to prevent what the GDC and all of us want to prevent which is turning the game into Battle Bots...

I share in the anguish of any team who sees their best efforts squashed in the competition. Most teams put thousands of man-hours into the game.

We must keep our eyes on the prize. And the prize is really in the doing ....
Coming together to figure out simple answers to complex issues, working as a team, joining together with other teams to help them become competitive...spreading the word that everyone is capable of doing incredible things....

When I see a simple solution negate a complex, well-thought out plan I salute both teams... I also want to see the complex team come out in the next round and figure out a way to overcome that simple obstacle...

thank you for being passionate....
passion drives the world....