Posted by James Jones at 03/14/2001 9:49 AM EST
Engineer on team #267, The Demolition Squad, from North Broward & St Andrews and Motorola.
In Reply to: Actually, I disagree
Posted by s_alaniz on 03/13/2001 11:45 AM EST:
Basically all the objections I've read to openning up the material rules fall into 2 catagories. 1: The material limits are part of the game, they make it more fun ("they put hair on your chest"
. 2: The material limits simulate real life.
I find it interesting that no one chose to defend the rules on their primary grounds for existance (according to FIRST) that they make the game more fair between teams of different resources. Apparently no one thinks they make the game more fair or at least no one is willing to defend that position.
As to the assertion that the onerous material limits are an integral part of FIRST and part of the fun. I disagree. Perhaps I am not as creative or resourceful as some of you. I say the same thing to you that I say to people who don't think they pay too much taxes. That's fine, let the rest of us have a break and you keep paying at the higher rate that you like. You guys who need more hair on your chest can always voluntarily limit the resources you use on your robot to make it more fun. In fact, I have some suggestions for your team in 2002:
1. In 2002, only use parts available in the 1991 kit. If some limits are fun, more should be even more fun right?
2. In 2002 only use material listed on the odd numbered pages in the SPI catalog. Real engineers don't need all that selection anyway.
3. Since the 130 lb weight limit is not sufficiently challenging, I suggest you set a team goal of having a robot that weight 12.7 lbs or less. Now THAT should put hair on you chest!