The Cheesecake Factory - Game Manual Update 3/17

[Hallry]

Looks like the answer from Q&A Question 461 has been reversed, and we can all enjoy our Cheesecake once again:

Originally Posted by FRC Game Manual Update, 3/17/15

Team Update 2015-03-17

General Updates

This note is from Frank Merrick, Director of FRC.

Hello teams. Yesterday we answered a question on the Q&A, Q461, related to sharing parts and mechanisms between teams, that has created a great deal of controversy. Seeing your concerns, and after significant additional discussion, we are reversing ourselves on our original answer, and making updates to the manual to support that reversal, bringing greater alignment between the manual and common practices at events. We want teams to provide very strong support to each other at events, and while reasonable, knowledgeable, caring people may disagree with ‘how much is too much’, and it’s hard to define a bright line, we don’t want to chill the tremendous spirit of mutual support that is an essential part of FIRST culture. We’re sorry for the issues our original answer caused, it was a mistake.

The following have been added to Sections 4.2 and 4.6, respectfully:

Originally Posted by FRC Game Manual Update, 3/17/15

Game Manual

Section 4.2 - General ROBOT Design

R14 R1 requires that the ROBOT a Team uses in competition was built by that Team, but isn’t intended to prohibit assistance from other Teams (e.g. fabricating elements, supporting construction, writing software, developing game strategy, contributing COMPONENTS and/or MECHANISMS, etc.).


Section 4.6 - Material Utilization

R17 With permission from another Team, Teams may also have access to FABRICATED ITEMS that are part of that other Team’s WITHHOLDING ALLOWANCE to repair and/or upgrade their ROBOT.

(Also in the update were changes to reflect answering questions about the awards process at an event, allowing COTS items to not be bagged, and minor changes to Section 4.10 - Pneumatic System and Section 4.11 - Operator Console. Since those aren't really pertinent to the current controversy on CD, I omitted it here. But here is the link if you want to read the full text: http://www.usfirst.org/sites/default...le20150317.pdf)

In addition, here is the updated Q&A 461:

Originally Posted by Q&A 461

Q. Are any of the following situations legal: A team gives/loans a Component or Mechanism, to a team, that was: 1. Brought in to the event in the giving team's robot bag? 2. Brought in to the event as part of the giving team's Withholding Allowance? (Does the ruling change if the receiving team has unallocated weight remaining in their own withholding allowance?) 3. Built at the event by the giving team?

A. Revised answer follows (for added information, please see Team Update 2015-03-17): R1 requires that the ROBOT a Team uses in competition was built by that Team, but isn't intended to prohibit assistance from other Teams (e.g. fabricating elements, supporting construction, writing software, developing game strategy, contributing COMPONENTS and/or MECHANISMS, etc.). Please remember that the addition of any item to any ROBOT requires re-Inspection prior to any MATCH in which that ROBOT competes per T10. That re-Inspection also requires an update to the Team's BOM reflecting the change in ROBOT parts. Given the feedback received since the first version of this response, internal discussion, and Game Manual changes described in Team Update 2015-03-17, the answers to your questions by number are as follows: 1) Yes. 2) Yes. 3) Yes.