Drive Systems... ...The FIRST Arms Race?

I personally believe that the issue lies in the lack of creativity required to move about the field. This comes from the flat fields that we have seen in recent years. Think of AIM high; an entirely flat and open fields. Yet if you look at previous year's fields, there have been midfield ramps, gates, giant teeter-totters, steps, and other elements that encouraged creative drive systems.

We can look at the common drive systems that we have been seeing lately, it is clear that the field has required nothing more than a high torque box on wheels. If FIRST were to bring back complex fields, we would see more innovation, and teams steering away from massive pushing machines, as they would be forced to use the weight more conservatively to achieve motion.

[side note: My personal idea for a challenging field would be a steel piping grid, suspended about 12 feet above the field. Bonus points would be given to teams that could play the game without touching the ground throughout the match. Even more points would be given out to teams that could intentionally change from driving to hanging based on phases of the game]

[Richard Wallace]

Originally Posted by 114ManualLabor

[side note: My personal idea for a challenging field would be a steel piping grid, suspended about 12 feet above the field. Bonus points would be given to teams that could play the game without touching the ground throughout the match. Even more points would be given out to teams that could intentionally change from driving to hanging based on phases of the game]

Monkey-bar robots would be cool.

[Jeremiah Johnson]

If memory serves me right... QC Elite has 6 motors in the drivetrain, and 4 on the arm. Ten motors all together. Super agile robot and a little bit of pushing power. Four inch IFI traction wheels, also.

This is the first year we've implemented more than 4 motors in the drivetrain.

Does anyone remember the first crab steer systems? Did they have a million motors?

[Joe Johnson]

Originally Posted by Budda648

...
Does anyone remember the first crab steer systems? Did they have a million motors?

Team 148 had a drive train for Toroid Terror in 1997 that they could turn sideways and spin the goal tree after docking with it. It wasn't exactly swerve, but it was a close cousin.

Team 47 had Swerve on its 1998 robot for Ladder Logic*.

Going from memory that year there were 2 drill motors, 2 Seat Motors, 2 window motors and 2 Delphi Power Sliding Door motor.

Joe J.
*We won 3 regionals that year and were very competitive at the Championships. That was the last year that they had 1-on-1-on-1 game format with seeding on Friday and a Double Elimination tourney with everyone in it on Saturday. For those who where there they probably remember it as the year with the Looser's Bracket from Hell. There were about 10 really great teams that ended up in the Looser's Bracket and only one was getting out to the semi-final round. I think it ended up being the TechnoKats and they went on to win it all that year.

As another aside, Raul-the-Magnificent and the rest of the Wildstang crew probably recall it has the year of the Egg Shaped Ball that cost them a National Title. They had their patented suction ball holder protecting that 1 ball they had on the Ladder with a bunch of doublers in the middle goal. The only the Egg Shaped Ball wasn't touching both rails!!! Into the Looser's Bracket from Hell they went...

[Nuttyman54]

Originally Posted by 114ManualLabor

I personally believe that the issue lies in the lack of creativity required to move about the field.

I think Manual Labor is on to something here. Drive systems have had a chance to be perfected over the past few years due to a relatively similar playing surface each year.

I agree with everyone here who says no more restrictions

What I do agree with is making these perfected drive systems at least partially obsolete.

6wd has seen an incredible jump in popularity over the past few years. Why not make a game in which 6wd and other common systems work, but which aren't the best style for the game.

We've seen many many different types of manipulators over the years because of the different game pieces. Why not translate that to the field and drivetrains? Force teams to innovate to get a competitive edge