Whats your honest opinion?

[Al Skierkiewicz]

First to Sean,
Interesting start, but here is my take on things. I am proud of the robots we build because they are not battlebots. Our robots could easily be modified to run and maim other devices but what do you learn from that. Between regionals, nationals, post season, practice and demonstrations our robots will easily run 70-100 competitions. Many of them with little or no maintenance during that season. We still use our old robots to test our new ones two or three years later. After the time invested in this program I happy to know that someone out there is not trying to turn our robot into scrap.
As to the motors and materials...One of the biggest life lessons you can learn from this competition is there are real world restrictions on anything you do. Learning those restrictions and how to design and build something within those restrictions is invaluable. Anyone who has gone to nationals can tell you that 300 robots, all designed to do the same thing, rarely even come close to looking alike. That variety is a tribute to the creative process within us all. Use it to your advantage. No matter what you do, you cannot modify the real world restrictions to suit yourself. Learn how to live with that and you will be successful.
As to motors, batteries, etc. There are a number of misconceptions. 24 volts is not better than 12 volts. Power is power, 10 watts at 24 volts or 10 watts at 12 volts is still 10 watts. Our 12 volt SLA battery packs a whale of a punch in terms of power density, they are easy to find, lot's of product out there runs on 12 volts, and insulation is not as critical an issue as at a higher voltage. Yes our suppliers provide us with 12 volt motors but you can walk into any junkyard and get 12 motors to experiment with at home. And you already have the knowledge of integrating a design with them simply from your FIRST experience.
I choose to be involved with this program because it teaches so much. Sure you can learn about robotics from Battlebots, but what else. Do you learn communications by beating another robot, do you learn respect from trying to damage someone's creation, do you absorb any knowledge from mentors, team members or volunteers when they don't exist? This competition gives you all that and more if you take the initiative. Ask any adult and they will tell you how they wish they had any kind of educational experience like this. You have the opportunity to test out a variety of career ideas without anything more than a small time commitment. How invaluable is that? Ask someone who has put in four years of college only to realize it is not what he or she wants to do for the rest of their lives. We succeed even if a student decides engineering or science is not for them. It at least narrows the field.
Finally, I do agree with Joe in a few areas. TV coverage will help expand this program quickly, but it can kill it just as easily. The general viewing public can only take so much of the same thing before it becomes fickle and turns to something else. An easier game with good scoring possibilities and exciting finishes will bring spectators and TV. The hardest thing is to come up with a great game. FIRST has hit a good one every year, some better than others. This is not one of my favorite games but it had some exciting moments. I am glad that thinking up a new game is not my responsibility.