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Minibot creation post ship date
First, thanks to Aces High, team 176 for hosting another excellent scrimmage. Year after year, they provide a great "shakedown" for Robots and the game.
It was notable for the lack of minibots, with the exception of Buzz, team 175, who had an inspiring one.
Here is the issue:
Can you "create" your teams minibot after the ship date?
It seems to violate the principle that all significant design and fabrication occurs prior to ship date.
This is what the GDC posted on the Q&A Forum:
1) Per <R33>, TEAMS may bring up to 30 pounds of WITHHOLDING ALLOWANCE items to the competition. COTS parts are not part of the WITHHOLDING ALLOWANCE and may be brought in any number to the competition. However, per the definition of FABRICATED ITEM, once any COMPONENT has been modified (including assembly to other COTS items) it is no longer a COTS item and is now a FABRICATED ITEM.
2) <R25> allows teams to remove parts as part of the WITHHOLDING ALLOWANCE at the conclusion of event for continued development.
3) The items in the WITHHOLDING ALLOWANCE that a TEAM brings to an event do not have to be the same as the items in the WITHHOLDING ALLOWANCE that a TEAM takes from an event, provided <R33> is satisfied for both cases.
4) Per <R24> and <R33>, TEAMS may continue development on the MINIBOT and bring it to an event without its weight counting towards that of the WITHHOLDING ALLOWANCE.
This appears to allow the creation of a minibot post ship date.
Also since FIRST is allowing teams to "share" minibots, I think that they want the endgame to be as exciting as possible, with many minibots racing up the towers, especially in the eliminations.
After watching the scrimmage today, many teams seem to be taking this approach.
Thoughts and Ideas?
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Pretty robots, who cares? Quality robots are another matter. - Steve W [more] 
19-02-2011, 19:42
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