Quote:
Originally Posted by Rick TYler
Being up here in the corner of the country it's tough to do more than one regional. There is an FTC event in Oregon, but they actively discourage non-Oregon teams from participation. Once you get past there, we would have to fly, and that has not been an option. We'll see the rest of the FTC family in Atlanta this year, though.
|
Rick, don't forget there is also an FTC tournament in Vancouver, which encourages non-B.C. teams to compete.
However given that many of the B.C. schools have invested heavily in VEX components, the future of many teams here may lie outside of FIRST.
FIRST must be well aware of what they stand to lose by giving up on VEX. Either that, or they haven't been listening. Thus they must have good reasons for heading in a new direction, but I'll be waiting for more details on capabilities and pricing before I'll commit to following in that direction... it has taken a couple years to build up enough VEX kits that I can work on them in class with my students, and it will be very difficult to completely replace that set up all at once. Certainly there is room to improve VEX... optical encoders that can tell direction of travel and potentiometers to measure arm position are but two things on the wish list... but it seems that IFI is actively improving and expanding their product line.
I would also encourage people to remember that a new FRC controller is in the works. It may be possible that the new FTC controller is a preview of what is coming in FRC.
So far I am still waiting to be impressed....
Jason