Low weight we can bring to the event

[Aren_Hill]

I've found the robot builders love the witholding allowance, the parents hate it.

[pfreivald]

Originally Posted by Aren_Hill

I've found the robot builders love the witholding allowance, the parents hate it.

My wife isn't a huge fan of it either... She liked it more when ship date came and went, and then I actually got to see her for a week or two before competition. As it is, we spend literally days without seeing each other (except when one of us is unconscious) and communicating through e-mail and text messaging -- this includes both our anniversary and, of course, Valentine's Day...

...but she knows that if we want to be in the hunt for the top spot, we have to put in the time, and I'm lead mentor, so I'm in the hot seat.

I'm a lucky man! (But I'd still like to see a 'no withholding allowance' change to the rules for 2012... It evens things up for first week vs. later regionals, too.)

[nitneylion452]

Originally Posted by pfreivald

... It evens things up for first week vs. later regionals, too.)

I don't think so. Week 1 regional competitors are all in the same boat. They're the first ones on the field to play the game. When they're done, they can start redesigning some mechanisms for their next regional and/or the championship. Since it's 30 lbs at each competition, there's no real advantage given to a later regional vs an early one.

[big1boom]

Last year my team took advantage of the upped withholding allowance to bring in a new robot. During Midwest we placed 2nd to last, with a robot that could barely move. Over our Spring break we built an entirely new frame, switched to mecanum, and rebuilt our kicker. To fit in the 65 pound limit last year, we had to take apart our transmissions, mecanum wheels, and pneumatics (COTS parts don't count towards the weight limit). On Thursday at 10,000 Lakes we put the puzzle back together, and managed to place 7th out of 63 teams.

This year, with the 30lbs withholding, we are probably not going to be using it quite as extensively as last year.

[Chris is me]

Originally Posted by nitneylion452

This falls under GP, there's no reason why you couldn't do anything you just mentioned, but because of GP, you really really ought not do that. FIRST lays out rules that are *impossible* to enforce, but again, GP steps in and saves the day.

The rules explicitly allow behavior. It is not "un-GP" to do something the Manual plainly tells you that you can do.

[nitneylion452]

Just want to say this. My original interpretation of the rule was a little unclear thanks in part to two things: 1) Last year was my and my team's rookie year and 2) the example they give in the manual isn't very good.

Thanks everyone for the clarification of this rule. It's sure going to help quite a bit.