Quote:
Originally posted by Gadget470
I think that Dodgeball style is out of the question. To hazardous. FIRST has never been about smashing something people have spent a lot of work on.
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You must not have been around for the competition in 1997 and prior years. Anyone else remember the famous "Rule T-5" which not only allowed, but encouraged, flipping over opposing robots during matches? For several years, tossing robots was an expected part of the game. Dean's and Woodie's speeches during the kick-off each year included the warning "build 'em robust, because there will be 'vigorous interactions' with other robots" (their polite way of saying "your robot may get thrown on it's head"). During a discussion with Dean, he said "if a robot gets damaged when it is turned over, then someone didn't do their homework and make a rugged enough machine."
Eventually, this rule was changed as the robots became larger and more energy was involved in throwing the machines around, and thus the risk of accidents became greater.
FIRST has evolved and changed a lot over the years. Folks should be careful when making absolute statements like "FIRST has always done..." or "they have never done..." About the only thing that has been constant is the amount of change from one year to the next, the unpredictability of the game and rules, and the deviousness of Dean's imagination when it is time to create the game!
-dave
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Y = AX^2 + BX + C