Are the mandatory bumpers helping or hurting?

Originally Posted by Wetzel

You ask if mandatory bumpers are helping or hurting, but don't really define what we are talking about helping or hurting. You then trot out a lot of different points that, viewed independently, could be seen as positives or negatives.

Lewis Carroll illustrated this well.
Alice: Which way should I go?
Cat: That depends on where you are going.
Alice: I don't know where I am going.
Cat: Then it doesn't matter which way you go!

Wetzel

Uh. Dude, your own quote of Katy's OP showed exactly what she meant by helping or hurting... I quote, here's what she meant:

bumpers are improving design and gameplay, increasing the spectator enjoyment of the game, preventing damage to robots or field components, preventing intentional tipping, making running a regional easier, or contributing to the events in another way I have not thought of.

[Wetzel]

Originally Posted by CraigHickman

Uh. Dude, your own quote of Katy's OP showed exactly what she meant by helping or hurting... I quote, here's what she meant:

I mean, some of those are good some are bad. What are the goals of bumpers.

Other than a good 8 hours of sleep on Sunday, I haven't slept properly since last Tuesday night before the Pitt regional. I suspect I'm a little loco right now and shouldn't be posting.

Wetzel

Originally Posted by Wetzel

I mean, some of those are good some are bad. What are the goals of bumpers.

Other than a good 8 hours of sleep on Sunday, I haven't slept properly since last Tuesday night before the Pitt regional. I suspect I'm a little loco right now and shouldn't be posting.

Wetzel

Hey, no worries. We all do that some time or another.

As for what the end result of bumpers is, I've found it to be such:
1. It acts as a crutch for many teams who can't or won't build a robust frame
2. It protects the field from some damage (to an extent)
3. It defines a more easily observable area of legal contact
4. It limits teams to a fairly simple, non-creative shape (with some exceptions, obviously)
5. It protects the weaker frames from SOME impact
6. It adds perceived invulnerability for many teams, which promotes more reckless driving

I know I probably missed some, but hey, I'm only human...


It's my position that bumpers are nice and dandy, but they really shouldn't be forced onto teams.

[kaszeta]

I'm in the "it limits creativity" camp. I rather like how our robot last year was nice and round with rollers.