[EricH]

Originally Posted by a kenny03

they could... but FIRST isn't that maen...ok wait, changed my mind. (grrr stupid moon rocks!!!) but they have always been around the same footprint size, so why change it that radically? the going green strategy is a nice thing, but its not worth it to change it that much...

Actually, they haven't. In 1992, the robots were smaller than the 2009 control system.

Some other game-changing rule changes: Pre-1998, you could intentionally detach parts. Pre-1999, matches were 1v1v1. Pre-2002, metal on carpet was legal. Pre-2005, matches were 2v2 and robots were 30"x36"x60" (changed from 36"x36"x60"). Pre-2006, you could have wedges on your robot, and bumpers were counted in your size and weight--and you had to develop your own.

As far as the GDC being that mean, at least three of them have the pure evil genius rating, and the rest are simply pure evil. Never take anything for granted, including the ability to use metal on robots and the ability to use threaded fasteners. (One of the GDC actually made comments to this effect on CD. Neither has actually happened...yet.)