Look at the Big Picture

[artdutra04]

It's good to have threads like this to remind us of what's really important, of the big picture.

I've seen and heard things from both sides of the aisle; as both a student and eventual mentor, but also what happens behind the scenes. Sometimes students and mentors take their concerns way too far. Other times, FIRST makes decisions that the general community decides is not in their best interest. So how do we fix this? What about many teams perceiving this year as not as much fun as previous years? How do we fix this as well?

While it may not seem that way, these two issues go hand in hand. I really say my favorite games - the ones which seemed the most fun - were the ones back in the day. Before they added mandatory bumpers and anti-wedge rules and [several dozen other rules] and had games like FIRST Frenzy, which IMHO was probably the pinnacle of an awesome FRC game. Back then, teams seemed so much more willing to accept creativity as creativity and not as "lawyering the rules", and FIRST seemed to admit their mistakes better (such as extending the build season by two days in 2004).

Now it all seems too strict and regimented nowadays, and that anytime you try thinking creatively outside of the box you are deemed to be "lawyering the rules". So all this pent up creativity gets thrust into the smallest openings in the rules possible, and rulings are made which gets everyone angry about people "lawyering the rules". It's a viscous cycle.

If we really want to see a really fun year, everyone - both teams and the GDC - need to lighten up. From the GDC: give teams an insane game like 2004 with tons of options and variety, and lighten up the rules a little bit. Like eliminate mandatory bumpers* - if a team decides not to use them and their frame gets bent into a banana, then it's their fault for not using bumpers or not building a strong enough frame. Then explicitly write in the rules that the GDC is placing a higher level of trust and responsibility on teams; and that if they make choices which end up negatively affecting their performance they do so at their own risk. One great example of this was finally relaxing the tape rule this year. (I'll be using the rule to put a piece of duct tape over a mounting hole for an optional second FP motor in a unibody gearbox to keep grease from flying out ).

From teams: don't [non-constructively] criticize FIRST, and for the sake of creativity and imagination STOP yelling at people for lawyering the rules if they want to think outside of the box. Don't take everything so seriously and learn to laugh things off. If the GDC does relax the rules a bit, be really creative again!

This won't be easy, but the only way this will work is if both sides agree to this. Once there is a good level of trust built up again between teams and the GDC, we hopefully won't see as many firestorms in the future. ;-)


* I have to admit, I'm not a big fan of [over]-simplifying the game or making it "easier" for rookies to compete. Look at the what many consider to be the best teams in FIRST nowadays; they were rookies once. And it was definitely a lot harder back then to even make a robot drive. But somehow, they not only began to survive, they really thrived.

So rather than over simplify the game, increase the resources available for them. Suppliers like AndyMark are a great way to do this. Another great way is to have FIRST communicate with large sponsors in a specific region, and get that large company to set up a regional grant program, to which area teams who are in need of resources can apply to. This was done this season in Connecticut by Northeast Utilities. Or maybe get a company like Sears or Home Depot or Lowe's to donate a $250 gift card to all teams, so that the rookie or lower resource teams can finally buy that drill press or band saw they've been eying for years.

If teams perceive that FIRST is really looking out for them, and that FIRST is really trying to help them, they'll be much more willing to overlook or accept unfavorable rulings for what they are.