Instead, I give you the rules. (Other rules have been created, but these are the ones that see use.)
Normally, every entry gets an honorable mention worth two points because the old half-get-two-half-get-one format was a lot of work for basically zero difference. One particularly good zinger will receive the burn award and three points. Singles will be reserved for blatant copycat entries or the truly incomprehensible. And don’t make me award a zero. (I think that’s happened once in 13 full years.)
There have been some updates to the rules over the years:
(“Working” gets a rather liberal interpretation, mind you.)
Since then, the only thing that’s changed is the deadline: **Sunday at midnight Eastern, **though entries posted afterward will count if they’re posted before I open the thread to score it.
The standard penalty for any team failing bumper inspection on their first run through inspection. Lessons are enforced by liberal usage of bumpers, “applied” wherever the instructor can find a place for them.
So teams, you want to know about bumpers, do you? Well, I guess I could teach you a thing or two. BUMPER POWERED BUMPER POWERED BUMPER POWERED
If you’re all about foam and cloth and all you need to depart is a team and a bot. A sharp set of skills in a glazing arc. Competitive robots looking all sharp. If you’re all about reaching far, all need some folds as sharp as a czar. Seeking the folds on secret charts, folds so crisp they break my heart, loaded with pool noodles and feeling like Descartes.
<npoe> Ok, I kinda ran out of rhymes on that last one. </npoe>
Teacher: “Before we begin, are there any questions?”
Student 1: “What are bumpers?”
Student 2: “Why do we need bumpers?”
Student 3: “Will there be quizzes? I hate quizzes.”
Teacher: “This is going to be a long season.”
"I know the only reason most of you are sitting here is because this class is a pre-req for Drive Train 133, Manipulators 201, and Pit Crew 305. So while this may not be your favorite class you must pay attention in order to pass and move on to more interesting stuff.
Unfortunately, the BUMPER rules are so complicated that you need to also take BUMPERS 345: Staples and Angle Clamps, BUMPERS 378: Pool Noodle Compression, BUMPERS 424: Corners in Fabric and BUMPERS 687: Advanced FRAME Perimeter and Compliant Corners to have the knowledge required to build BUMPERS that pass inspection.