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Re: My Thoughts on the FTC Platform Change
I totally agree with you Ben. The school I work with in the Los Angeles area couldn't do FRC anymore because of the cost, time and resources required. Vex got me and another school back into FIRST - we were able to still do a cool, fun and challenging robot program that was ideal for the classroom and it was affordable for the school and fun for the students. This new FTC platform seems much more like FRC and less like FVC, it's more expensive, and it's less safe than Vex. Metal gears and bigger motors doesn't make it better for classroom use with masses of students, it makes it worse - much more potential for injury. When I get back to LA this week, I'm going to try to stop by the FRC regional and check things out. If anyone from FIRST is there, I'll certainly share my thoughts and urge them to change their mind on this misguided decision. If they don't, we'll be doing Vex competitions next year and not FIRST events.
Also, as I pointed out on the FTC blog, does FIRST not realize that game design and the length of autonomous time is why teams do or don't use sensors in Vex or FRC? Sensors are not a problem in Vex, it's just an issue of when it's beneficial to use them. Add all the sensors you want to the new platform, that doesn't matter, it's the game design and reward for using sensors in matches that would make us use them. We use the Vex sensors all the time in class, and they work just fine.
Last edited by MarkJ : 19-03-2008 at 19:39.
Reason: added sensor thoughts
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