2012 Lessons Learned:The Negative

[Tom Line]

Originally Posted by Cory

FIRST explained that the low cost bridge would not function properly without weight being added. They had a video showing that two batteries needed to be a certain distance from the edge for it to function as a competition bridge would.

They explained it in a video that was neither called out in the rules or the practice field prints.

I had absolutely no idea the bridges were that different until the videos got posted here are on Chief Delphi. This is one of those things that should have gone out in an email blast (or something). Things should NOT be left to chance.... especially when it seems like a big portion of that is "did he happen to click the right link on the right page to end up in the right place to see a video that doesn't appear to be critical but ends up being critical.....

It's notoriously hard to find things on the FIRST site. That's why so many people get so much information through Chief Delphi. I'm on both sites daily during the build season, and I still miss things. I'm not surprised many teams got bit on the butt by this one.

Luckily, in most cases you could count on someone on your alliance to be able to put down the bridge.