YMTC: Your Thoughts

[Al Skierkiewicz]

Originally Posted by jonathan lall

I'm sorry but I don't see the benefit of not discussing possible inconsistencies or controversies during the time we need to worry about them as robot designers.... Al Skierkiewicz mentioned an example in the most recent YMTC that under slightly different circumstances, a rule might have proven troublesome to Wildstang.

Jonathon,
I think it is important to point out that most teams (and I am guessing very close to 100%) will design their robot with a little fudge factor to stay well within the limits of the rules. The YMTC can be a good indicator of how far some teams can go and stay within the rules and how some team members may disagree. You will note from my previous posts that Wildstang is one of those teams that spends a good deal of the design process reading and rereading the rules. We do not build right up to the limits but stay shy by a small amount. (weight being our biggest issue.) I believe the rulings we have discussed in the other threads are not inconsistant or controversial except under the circumstances they were presented in. In the past FIRST has been responsive when a rule proved incorrect or too difficult to implement. i.e. the ground stud from last year. I believe in FIRST's ability to write a great rule book and to respond to the minor mistakes that could be made by a team that is understaffed and under tremendous pressure to get that documentation on time. I hope that FIRST staffers stop in these forums from time to time and know that they can ask any of us for opinions at any time.

[Natchez]

Everyone,

Thanks for your great input! After reviewing your thoughts and discussing this topic with others, we will continue to post YMTCs throughout the season. From your input, here are some guidelines that we'll use.

• Add a disclaimer that results are not official
• Request that participants refer to specific rules
• Send an email to first if a YMTC seems worthy for a FIRST official to review

With FIRST going to more of a general rule book that has the same feel as the Rules of Golf, we feel that it is important that FIRST provides something similar to what the golf community has developed, The Decisions of Golf. Developing a Decisions of FIRST book is NOT an easy task and can only be created after the general rule book has stabilized. YMTC is a way to create unofficial decisions that will help others understand the reasoning process of FIRSTers.

Let the fun begin ... T-32 hours,
Lucien