Why do we bother bagging?

[dodar]

Originally Posted by DMike

Working backwards:

5) Low resouces teams often find themselves in a position that their robot is primarily complete but programming and testing is not. This is why I have seen many teams including ours not make a single practice round. There is very little help available at competitions, as everyone is very busy with their own robots. An extra week for programming and testing only, would provide the relief mentors need from the build and also provide relief from the highly stressful Thursdays.

4) Restricting holdback to 20% would prevent teams from major redesign's of major systems. I have seen many "bagged" robots that were not operable, only to go through a complete overhaul.

3) System specifications would keep everyone honest.

2) The major financial commitment that multi regionals require, prohibit many teams from going to more than one. This is a direct relation to cost/performanance. One extra regional and a practice robot would double our budget.

1) Practice robots are clearly an enormous advatage to teams that have the resources to complete them. Using an exact replica to practice with and revise, is no different than working on the one in the bag. Put a non-working bot in the bag, refine parts on your "practice bot" install them on Thursday. Teams could continue to use their "practice bot" for their intended purpose, PRACTICE. Driver traing, game strategy would remain a huge benifit alone.

If the rules require that these bots be built in 6 weeks, then let's keep it 6 weeks.

Where in the "real World" Do you get to manufacture a part or assembly, deliver that part to your customer and then in a few weeks deliver the one that works?

I'm sorry but this is just absurdly ignorant.

Your point 5 is valid for way more teams than those who just have "low resources."

Your point 4 is alos bad because withholding isnt just for entirely new systems. If any team wants to create backup parts for alot of their robot knowing that it is very likely to be damage or take damage over time, they wont be able to because the withholding allowance you propose is too little; thus cutting their season short for not have a competition capable robot.

Your point 3 is just pointless.

Your point 2 is probably the absolute worst one you made. Limiting teams to 1 regional is a slap in the face to those students and team members who worked for 6 weeks to build a robot and however long to fundraise there travel/competition money to only be told that they can only go to 1 competition; you tell those kids that they only get 10 matches guaranteed a year and watch how quick the life drains out of their faces.

Your point 1 also emphasizes the fact that you really dont understand what a practice robot is. Most teams that I have known to build practice robots build the entire robot simultaneously with their competition robot. That means they bag the whole thing and just use the extra for driver/programmer practice. Also, you seem to think teams with enormous resources only build practice robots; I know for a fact that teams without enormous resources and tons of students build practice robots no problem. Like many others have said, it truly does depend on student drive.

Also, I guess you've never heard of Beta testing.