What it takes to Host a Offseason
 

What does it take to host an off season competition our team is interested in holding one next year. So what does it take to make a successful offseason.

Re: What it takes to Host a Offseason
 

My team has never held our own offseason events, but I've picked up a few things because our mentors are really active in coordinating events both during the season and after.

First thing is, plan ahead. Pick a date/find a place well in advance. Ask people you know if they'd be willing to help set up the day before. Try to ask other teams, too. It would make it easier on you, because a lot of teams would definitely be willing to help.

Make sure every team in your area knows about it. Publicize it. No one wants the season to end!

Talk to people so you can have volunteers. You need a lot of people to keep an event running smoothly.

Um...that's really all I can think of at the moment. More will probably come to me later. Good luck!

Re: What it takes to Host a Offseason
 

Talk to 1730, they have been successfully been running Cow Town Throw Down since 2008, and it is usually been a fun event (In the years I have gone). They have a few members on CD, so finding them should not be too hard.

Re: What it takes to Host a Offseason
 

We've hosted two offseason events a year (one girls-only scrimmage, Girls Generation; and one where our mentors/alumni come up with the rules, BunnyBots) for the past few years. You'll need at least:
A gym for the competition
A pit area (tennis court, other gym, large hallway, etc.)
A field (this can be difficult, especially with the pyramids this year. BunnyBots eliminates this problem since field elements are normally plywood, a carpet, and assorted other cheap materials--this year it was ping-pong balls.)
Money (for the field, setup, space rental)
Teams who want to compete! It can't happen with just you!
A date planned now, ideally, for a fall competition
Volunteers. At least 15 for setup, then probably 10 day of, then 15 for tear down.
Someone who can really coordinate it. Our outreach managers take care of it.
ENTHUSIASM! If you're not excited, no one else will be.

If you're interested in BunnyBots (it's cheaper and easier to set up, plus it's a whole other build season for the rookies to get up to speed), message me or email robotics@catlin.edu

Re: What it takes to Host a Offseason
 

I suggest taking some lessons from the masters, Andy Baker and Chris Fultz of the IRI planning committee.

http://www.chiefdelphi.com/media/papers/2076

Start now by considering:

--Dates (what other local events are locked in already for the timeframe you want, when is your preferred venue open)
--Venue (typically a high school gym, but keep your mind open--you'll need enough for a full field plus team pits)
--# of teams, and registration fee
--Volunteer commitments--for an FRC event, you'll need at LEAST 20 to keep the field running smoothly, preferably with at least a couple or three key volunteers having experience at the regionals (FTA, Head Ref, Field Supervisor). Add in a similar number for setup/teardown, though those can be "hey, you guys want to stick around afterwards and give us a hand?"
--Add-ons. Do you want to try a lock-in, mentor round, or side competitions like an obstacle course or truck pull? Better find someone to lead those up.

Re: What it takes to Host a Offseason
 

If you are thinking about it now, better off to think about it for next year. It takes a lot to plan an event and to get all of the right pieces in place.

Re: What it takes to Host a Offseason
 

When you get a field from FIRST, what do you get for electronics? Do you get the full FMS? If you don't what do you need to source?

Re: What it takes to Host a Offseason
 

Some details are available on the AndyMark site.

You need an FTA to get, and be responsible for, the FIRST field electronics.
This doesn't include A/V equipment for field sound effects or displaying scores and rankings.

Lacking field electronics, simple substitute electronics involve two switches, an AP, and a laptop to run FMS Light (just synchronizes and cycles the Alliance driver stations through a typical match), plus two 50' Ethernet cables and six 10' cables for the driver stations. You'll also need your own equipment (projector/screen or monitor and computer) to show scores and rankings, as well as a separate score keeping system (check the AndyMark site).

Re: What it takes to Host a Offseason
 

For those who would borrow a field from FIRST directly (not AndyMark), they provide exactly what is required and to be considered on their website here: http://www.usfirst.org/roboticsprogr...considerations

As an off-season, you need to provide your own carpet, tape, tools, etc. Note that the field comes with only the field, and none of the extra cases (no ref items, no safety glasses, etc).

You also need to have appropriate insurance coverage to borrow the field, and more if you borrow the electronics.

While an FTA is required to borrow the electronics, I'd highly advise it no matter what as they have a tremendous wealth of knowledge and experience that extends beyond just operating the field. We've run BattleCry@WPI for 14 years now, and with exception of maybe the first couple years, we've always had an FTA at the event and it's proved very valuable.

If you have any questions about running an off-season, or particularly if any teams in New England are looking for support in running an off-season, just drop us a note and we'll do what we can to help... bc [at] wpi [dot] edu

Re: What it takes to Host a Offseason
 

Setting up a power distribution system for a pit... how much power should be budgeted for each pit? How many pits should be allocated to each circuit?

What are the power requirements for the playing field and full-spec FMS?

EDIT: Here's a link to the latest (2011) version of the IRI paper:
http://www.chiefdelphi.com/media/papers/2562

Re: What it takes to Host a Offseason
 

The full field and FMS can make do on a 15a circuit, but it must be on it's own separate circuit. You don't want one power drill too many taking down the entire field.
A quad box for the field is typical.

Pit power varies by off-season venue.
Teams need a battery of battery chargers, laptop+driver station, and power tools. You can estimate the power drain per team by adding up what's typical for the teams in your area, then see how that divides into 20a circuits. You might supply four pits with one 15/20a quad box if they aren't plugging bandsaws and mills in.
Do you have access directly to electrical panels and the venue electricians to run power to each pit? (best)
Do you have to rely on 100' extension cords run down the hall to separate circuits?
Is it easier to setup strategic battery charging stations and power tool use areas around the school/venue perimeters to handle the heavy power items? Then pit power requirements are much lighter.

The worst thing is to not think about power requirements at all and invite chaos as team plug in willy-nilly wherever they can find an open outlet.

Re: What it takes to Host a Offseason
 

Thanks Mark, this is really helpful. I'll be able to ask the right questions when I talk to my venue over the next couple weeks.

What's in the missing chapters (3, 4, 5, 7??, etc.) of the "2013 OSE Field Manual"?

Re: What it takes to Host a Offseason
 

Most sections that are left out only apply to formal competitions or require special training.
Some cover things off-seasons don't get or use, such as the robot inspector road cases and other things that may be full FIRST field specific, such as loadout and how to hold the after party :).

Examples include, dealing with unionized venues, setting up and calibrating the robot inspector scales, volunteer meetings, drivers meetings, safety glasses, breaking down the field, loading the road cases, what to do with game pieces, etc.

Re: What it takes to Host a Offseason
 

for the Indiana Championship last weekend, we ran 8 pits on a 20 amp circuit.
with 24 teams, we had four dedicated circuits for the pits.
most of the pit power was used for battery chargers.

We had a separate 20 Amp circuit for the field.
We had a separate 20 Amp circuit for the field sound setup, webcast laptops, etc.

Re: What it takes to Host a Offseason
 

On a less technical note, make sure you order enough (but not too much) food. Concessions is where you should be making a lot of your money, not losing any. I don't have any good advice for predicting the right amount, but I bet others do. I've also seen events open pre-order lunch requests (# pizzas) on the day of the event. Lots of places have bake sales in addition. Some have parents cook at home, so you can get all kinds of cool ethnic foods. Also, particularly for the latter but also in general, know the food handling rules for your locality and venue.

Major bonus points for any place that does IRI corn.

Re: What it takes to Host a Offseason
 

It's definately possible to run an event with a much more makeshift setup. My team went to an event recently that was a lot of fun, but wasn't in any way an IRI competitor.

It really depends on how seriously you want everyone to take it. If people aren't super-serious you can run with no FMS and let each team have their own router. Keeping all of the scores by hand also works just fine if people aren't clammoring to see the full standings after each match. A fancy sound system is nice but really not necessary.

Also, as far as a field, there are a lot of corners that can be cut without a big effect on gameplay:
1) You can make one of the sidewalls literally a wall. This was actually bad for my team because we have things up high that expand outside of our frame perimiter that don't like being hit, but it didn't end up being a problem.
2) You can use stuff like this:

for a sidewall, without issue.
3) The plexi and diamond plate in a field can be done away with and replaced with either plywood or chicken wire.
4) You're just as good with no live scoring as with innaccurate live scoring (hello, Galileo field)
5) A big video screen showing stuff in isn't needed when the worst seat in the grandstands is only 20 ft away from the field.

Also, there are seemingly random venues that work to run this game in. For example, being in a chicken barn at a county fairground meant that the rafters were only 12' up, and could be used for mounting nets. It was also large enough that it housed the fields and pits and was half-empty.

Doing all this will definetely give the event a different vibe from a regional, but that doesn't mean it won't be fun.

Re: What it takes to Host a Offseason
 

Before you get to the stuff that plugs in and lights up, you should be nailing down the following:

1. Determine the Mission of the Event
Putting on an event can be a lot of work. Why are you holding the event? To give a special opportunity to area teams? To have an event which attracts competitive teams from other areas? To fulfill grant obligations? To provide a combination of a teaching/learning experience for novice teams, as well as a competition? Will you also be featuring other robotics programs like FTC or FLL or VRC? Will you be tying into any charity or local community cause? Decide up front the reasons why you are holding the event and write this down.

Then move on to Steps 1 & 2 in the most excellent IRI guide.

Re: What it takes to Host a Offseason
 

I remember seeing several reference documents that claim that "it takes a team of X people Y hours to assemble the FRC playing field". I can't find these at the moment... can someone point me to where I might have seen this?