INAUGURAL VEX ROBOTICS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP COMPETITION ANNOUNCED

[petek]

Originally Posted by dtengineering

But perhaps this is just one step towards FIRST's ultimate culture-changing goal.

Jason

There's the glass-half-full viewpoint! Rather than competition for FIRST, maybe we should look at this as successfully spreading the word beyond FIRST.

[Coach Norm]

Originally Posted by dtengineering

Consider the cost of running an FTC team: $450 for a subsidized kit, plus $275 (based on this year's number) for entry fees = $725.

Now I happen to have four VEX kits, plus extra motors and components sitting in my shop. The entry fee for four VEX teams would be $150, leaving each team almost $150 to buy extra parts for this year's competition.

Four VEX teams + spare parts for the same price as one FTC team with no spare parts is tough to argue. Although loyalty to FIRST will encourage me to run an FTC team just to give the new system a tryout... I would be doing a disservice to my students if I passed up the VEX game.

Jason

You have now created more questions and doubts for me. We have 6 vex kits right now. I am trying to decide what direction to go. This was our first year and we are looking for the future.

I think we will do the FTC. NI is one of our sponsors and their headquarters are right here in Austin, Texas.

But VEX gives more options that is for sure.

[dtengineering]

Yeah, I don't think FTC/VEX is an either/or proposition. The FIRST organization brings a lot to the table... including, I hope, the strength to wish VEX well in their efforts to fill a niche in the very broad spectrum of robotics competitions.

Jason