Building more than one robot / expanding the "season"

[pras870]

I can't decide on a side to take in this discussion, since I feel this is both a good idea, and a bad idea.

I believe, in a way, allowing this is in the spirit of FIRST. You can think of it as debugging/beta testing after the product is complete. We all know a machine has flaws, and it's also "beta testing" if you will that solves these problems. I've always looked at the first 6 weeks as 1 big prototype/base build project. My team has never built a second robot, but we have continued to program and use simulators. Granted this can't solve a lot of mechanical problems, but it does solve a lot or program errors. As far as building spare parts in the off season goes. I know a lot of teams have done this already before. To my knowledge, you've always been able to create spare parts and bring them to the event, just never bolt on assemblys or radically change your design after it has been shipped. For example, you were not able to create a drive train, assemble it, and $@#$@#$@#$@# it with your robot, then design and build an entirely different drive train. I may be wrong on this, but this was always my understanding.

As far as building a second additionala robot for testing and such. I feel it is unfair to the rookie teams as opposed to the more experienced. Teams just starting out, or even teams that have been around 2-3 years, don't have the funds to buiild a second bot. "Too bad for the rookies," some of you might be thinking, which is just wrong. Remember, we were all rookies once, so put yourself in their shoes. You see teams that build a second robot, and have an amazing driver from being able to practice in the "off-season" (now should be called extended-season). How does that seem fair to you? Just because you don't have the funds, you don't get the same opportunities as someone else?

So do I agree with it or disagree with it, it's an issue that I honestly can not comment on.

And Mr. Van. Congratulatioons on still having a wife after the 6 weeks, must be some woman you have. Let's see how she handles another 6 weeks now