FRC Blog - Some Tidbits Before Kickoff

[Travis Schuh]

Originally Posted by sanddrag

Now teams have only 3 days (one of which is a holiday) to make a decision and act on a rule released prior to kickoff (which has never been done before), without knowing the game? But we have a week during build season to do our window shopping on FIRST Choice....

I don't see how R13 this year is that much different than last year, except more explicit and clearer. How would you be able to use a design that met the 2014 rule but didn't meet the now stated 2015 rule?

2014 R13:

ROBOT elements created before Kickoff are not permitted. ROBOT elements, including software, that are designed
before Kickoff are not permitted.

Exceptions include the following:
D. software and designs with source files publicly available prior to Kickoff.

For reference, 2013 R16.

2013 R16

ROBOT elements, including software, that are designed or created before Kickoff are not permitted, unless they are
publicly available prior to Kickoff.

I think there is a clear trend that teams can make a reasonable plan based off of. I see the blog more as a polite reminder with time to act, rather than a change of course. I appreciate the reminder.