When does "build season" begin?

[skimoose]

Originally Posted by M. Krass

We all know kick-off is January 5. When, exactly, can we begin work on January 5? The start of the broadcast; the end? The game reveal? Midnight the evening before?

Just curious and (mostly) kidding.

From the "just kidding" stand point.

Does the season really ever end or start? Many of us are constantly thinking up new ideas and possibly building or designing off season projects, reflecting on other teams great performing robots, or mechanisms. In just a few days now, we'll all start "building" when the GDC drops the official game clue. We'll all try to imagine what the game will be like, what the scoring pieces are, start dreaming up mechanisms to win our imagined game. Doesn't that count too?

From the more serious side, I'd say the minute the Kickoff webcast begins. You're still taking a slight risk that something you're designing/building won't comply with a game rule. What if they change robot dimensions this year, and you're already milling a frame? So it's a somewhat risky start without having read the rules fully. During the Kickoff event we're always taking notes of key points, and tossing design ideas back and forth. When we attend the Manchester event in person (most years) it's a three hour car ride and non-stop discussion home. Fellow mentor, Bengineer, even had his girlfriend read the rules to him on the car ride home one year! (I'm sure that scored points with her )

Unfortunately, we won't be attending the Manchester Kickoff this year, but a local remote Kickoff. We'll be much too busy preparing for our Kickoff evening Pasta Dinner Fundraiser which will also be our 10th Anniversary Celebration. Lots of alumni, former parents, mentors, and faculty to impress with how far the team has come in ten short years. Any friends of GUS Team 228 are welcome to stop by and talk about the 2008 game.