why you should do VEX Robotics (vs. FRC and FTC)

[@krazygeniusrobotics]

Hi everyone! Thank you so much for leaving your replies in the comments, as it means that people who need this video can find a variety of different opinions easily. All discussion is welcome, but please keep it polite! As only 1 person, I can only speak about my own experiences about VEX, but I felt that others might find it helpful because when I first started, I could barely differentiate the different programs myself. Thanks for watching!

[@dogbuilt]

I feel that having more options and freedom in building leads to more creativity and diversity. FTC gives you a lot more options because you can use different build systems, this is especially helpful since the vex kits I have used were very lacking in design options. This leads to more freedom in your build choices even if you don’t have a ton of money for custom parts. And if you need to like 3D print something there are so many FTC teams that will help you out. Even if FTC is more expensive there are so many ways to get funding through grants and all the teams are so helpful. My past FTC team didn’t have a whole lot of money, we pretty much had a rev starter kit and a few other parts, and we still did way better than a totally over funded team that was also in my school district. Money does give some teams an advantage but it has no affect on the learning experience of FTC and the value’s FTC promotes. Overall FTC and all the other FIRST programs have had some of the most helpful and kind people I have met and the community is amazing. I absolutely love FTC and personally I think it is better than VEX by far.

[@thomaschacko3751]

custom parts >>>>

[@alkali836]

I think it's worth noting that the price floor for custom machined parts in FTC has fallen substantially with the advent of SendCutSend sponsorships for FTC teams. Sure, it might still be a bit more expensive compared to a reusable kit, but the process of designing with custom machined parts is a completely different experience that I and many others find much more rewarding.

[@xfander6842]

I agree with this and as an ftc team captain and member, I prefer ftc, but there is a problem with there being a “meta” that you usually have to follow to be competitive if you don’t have tons of funding

[@eeshwarkrishnan6284]

As someone that has done both VEX robotics and FTC, I think that the FTC part of this is a little bit under researched. I think that the playing field is a little more "even" in VEX, but vex does have pretty expensive parts, and top FTC teams have had close to no funding and have been incredibly successful. Throwing money at a problem does not get you very far in FTC, because of the limitations on parts imposed. I agree that Vex *can* be cheaper for single person or small teams, but sponsorships in FTC are very easy to obtain, and the actual overhead cost (buying critical components and registration) is very equal. Yes, the spending ceiling in FTC is higher, but you do not need to be near that to be competitive. As for FTC having "paths" in driver controlled period, this is just incorrect. VEX's rules were much, much better then FTC years ago, but VEX's contact rules and how they approach situations like pinning and blocking just do not compare. FTC has a lot of defense, the biggest difference, haven driven in both competitions, is that FTC defense is a lot more strategic and purposeful then VEX defense. FTC, by its nature, does not reward teams for just playing defense, which is a viable strategy in VEX. Whether or not you like this comes down to personal preference, but I think that the FTC strategy is a lot more fun then VEX strategy. As for which one is better, I think this is mixed. FTC's non-robotics parts (outreach, judging, awards, etc) absolutely blows VEX out of the water, but VEX still does retain that cost advantage and the strict parts limitations can be enticing for some people. But I strongly believe that FTC is being misrepresented in this video. At the end of the day, it comes down to exactly *what* you are looking to get out of a robotics program. I personally enjoy FTC more because of the software and hardware flexibility that it gives you, but I have friends that liked VEX more because they appreciated the closed ecosystem. I think that for private teams and larger teams FTC is probably the better option, but for low funded school teams or single teams looking at VEX isn't a bad idea.

[@bender8852]

I have participated in FRC and Vex for the past couple of years and one big outstanding difference is just the massive impact FRC has made on my life. For FRC I have been able to more effectively improve my communication skills and many other skills pertaining to my future career as an engineer. Also, FRC events are the best experience a STEM-interested student can have.

[@bender8852]

#4187RoboRams

[@cameronbest]

While some of what you said in this video is true, I have a problem with two of the points regarding FTC: Also I have 4 years of experience on an FTC team, but I have not done Vex. 1. That you need to use custom for FTC. While you aren't limited to a single kit of parts in FTC the way you are in Vex, the vast majority of FTC teams use mostly COTS kit parts. Most use build systems like REV, Tetrix, or gobilda. A few even use Vex! Having a 3D printer is very helpful and can make a team much more competitive, but honestly having a cnc machine for sheet metal fabrication doesn't instantly make a team more good. Some of the best teams in the world have been primarily COTS with a few custom parts here and there. A good team with a standard kit will always be better than a bad team with custom. This also doesn't mean you need an expensive CNC machine to have a good FTC bot. Again, most teams just use a kit of parts with some 3D printed parts here and there. 2. FTC teams can range from 1 person to 15 people. It just isn't as common for there to be 1-2 people FTC teams, since a lot of the time teams are run out of schools, and since robotics programs are generally more fun when done as part of a team (imo). Some of the best teams in the world have been extremely small. Lanbros 9971 was a 1 person team, and Gluten Free 11115 was a 2 person team.

[@ianberg9923]

I don't like that vex tries to make the field more even by limiting the parts and people creativity because in the real world of engineering people aren't all going to be on the same playing field so what FIRST does as a whole is let everyone have the opportunity to play, but you only move on because you are better than other team. Also i've watched vex and can't understand the enjoyment over everyone making the same robots.

[@ianberg9923]

I also was on a 2 person team one year and we were ranked 2nd in our state.

[@goated_messi_ronaldo]

that is what i think. first is more accurate to the real world. There is no even playing feild or limited parts in the real world.

[@smequals]

Thank you for making this video. You seem very sweet and sincere. I do disagree with some of the points you make, although some of the disagreements are nuanced and I'm sure we can find common ground. I do think that if you were more familiar with FRC you'd find that the value and strategy complexity to be a lot more than FRC/VEX, and perhaps you would see it in a different light. I wish you lived in my school district, as we have an FRC team that would welcome you with open arms. It is sad that you were "rejected" by your school's FTC team. The 15-person limit in FTC is sometimes a problem, but forming a new FTC team is not difficult or really that expensive (the hard part is finding adult coaches and mentors). FRC does not have a team size limit, so unless there are reasons why a team might want to keep to a certain size, I think "rejecting" students in FRC is not common. I wish you luck in your robotics journey. You seem like the type of person that could change the world, no matter what platform you are using.

[@DennisBehrens]

Years ago I got to play with a Vex kit, and was impressed with how versatile it was when compared to the Tetrix FTC kits that my teams were using at the time. However, with kits from Actobotics, Rev and goBuilda, it seems that Vex hasn't kept pace with building options that FTC teams now have. Plus when ya pair the 3D printed parts that many FTC teams design and use it opens up a vast array of options. So, given that it seems like Vex is behind FTC in that respect. I will say that the Vex games intrigue me more than the FTC games. I'm not sure if that's because "the grass is greener" sort of deal, or if Vex's games are actually more interesting. However, I can't draw a comparison between FRC and Vex. It'd be like comparing Formula 2 or 3 with go kart racing. Are they both exciting in their own way, yes. Are they directly comparable in terms of learning--sure, you're designing and learning similar concepts. Can you take a vex robot up against an FRC bot? Not unless you're trying to make an FRC bot play the Vex game on a Vex field. The sizes of the robots aren't really comparable. I think the biggest thing you can learn from FRC is being able to custom design the robot from the ground up in CAD, and then fabricating the custom parts, as well as use pneumatic systems in conjunction with electrical systems. In the end if you're simply looking at costs to run a team, Vex will win over an FRC team. However with an FRC team, you can go in depth in an area as the team should be a larger number of team members.

[@sorenhubble6531]

as an FRC Overlord, I do not converse with lower-level peasantry All jokes aside, I think that VEX is a really great lead-in to FTC or FRC as it helps teach fundamentals, and then you can learn more complex and applicable skills with FIRST programs. VEX has a very limited ecosystem, which makes it harder to really specialize and grow in something like machining, programming, designing, etc

[@bertenheimer]

I typically prefer vex just because the competitions are more versatile and fun along with having more problem solving due to the limitations given.

[@iceblade019]

My problem with VEX is that the freedom of design is really limited, the parts are pretty pricy and the performance are not that great. I find FRC a lot better when it comes to design versatility, but it is really expensive and require a team to put together a competitive bot.

[@orange_turtle3412]

Thats one of my biggest issues with vex as well. They overcharge for everything. These mfs will sell you a 5 pack of 45° gussets for $20 or some shit. Or they’ll sell you a repackaged pixy cam as a “VEX Vision Sensor” for quadruple the price. My team almost always sources our parts from the original manufacturer whenever possible because its literally 100x cheaper for the exact same parts.

[@tuttipuffi1302]

The slander videos get more entertaining when you’re more into it :D

[@tuttipuffi1302]

Please help I’m the only one in our team building the robot my hands are scarred and I can’t sleep. Send halp QAQ

[@krazygeniusrobotics]

F

[@BGAEz]

Hi, so how about the WRL? Does WRL use the same parts from Lego? so hardware manufacturers are only Lego and Vex?

[@krazygeniusrobotics]

Hi! I'm not too familiar with the WRL, but after a quick look at the website and one of the videos, the WRL seems to be quite flexible with the type of parts that are allowed. However, I strongly advise that you do further research on the restrictions and rules. Lego and VEX are not the only hardware manufacturers, but are simply two common systems that are used for educational robotics since they are building block systems; you buy standard parts and use them in unique ways on your robot. In this video on the WRL website for example, they are using parts often seen on FTC robots. (kzbin.info/www/bejne/rJqapJKLnt-Gqtk).

[@craxybanana9739]

Wait…would it be a good idea to use Lego?

[@krazygeniusrobotics]

Lego Robotics, e.g. the FLL(FIRST Lego League) is a different competition altogether. It is usually usually for students up to the middle school level. If you're asking if you can use Lego for VEX, then no, unless for purely decorative purposes.

[@thomaschacko3751]

Imo tho vex kinda bade

[@xNReaperx]

Do VEX robotics, got it 👁️👄👁️

[@rgtech671]

FTC>VEX anyday, VEX is dead, events games and evrything

[@michaelh.1606]

didnt ask + ratio