[Gdeaver]

This thread and some others all focus on the game and mechanical design. For me the biggest factor separating success from barely completing the build was not the design- build mechanical but the ability of teams to deal with change, documentation and following detailed instructions. I'm not looking at the championship level. I'm focusing on the regional and the actual build season.
This year was a year of change. Before this year veteran teams were familiar with the IFI system and ready to go from day one. Rookies had a low bar and many years of resources to get up to speed on the control system. With the new control system this year there was a new separation of the haves and have nots. The teams that had mentors and students with the ability to parse large volumes of technical documentation and detailed precise instruction did well. Those who could not had a very frustrating year. This year the game rules had more of a bureaucratic feel to them. Remember the long post and rants about the bumpers? Seams there were more than a few veteran teams that designed and built robots with illegal bumpers and did not have fun rebuilding there robot in the last weeks.
Should First level the playing field? No way. However, they need to help and pick up the bottom and push down on the top teams. Ensure that no team fails to complete a season and that the top teams do not take the technology so far that the high school students become disconnected from the mentors.