[FRC Blog] 2015 FIRST Championship Updates
 

Posted on the FRC Blog, 3/9/15:

Re: [FRC Blog] 2015 FIRST Championship Updates
 

Is Eisntein on the opposite side of the dome now or am I really turned around?

Re: [FRC Blog] 2015 FIRST Championship Updates
 

No, it's still on the same side. Has to be, they won't switch sides of the dome because the lounge for VIP guests is on the side of the dome they use now.

Green arrow is last year's entrance. Red arrow is where FLL used to enter from.

Re: [FRC Blog] 2015 FIRST Championship Updates
 

That does mean its reversed. Eintein used to be where hopper and newton are now.

Re: [FRC Blog] 2015 FIRST Championship Updates
 

I see what you're sayying now. That doesn't make sense why they would switch sides.

Re: [FRC Blog] 2015 FIRST Championship Updates
 

I hope each of the subdivisions alternates matches between their two fields, otherwise the noise from the partner field will be extremely annoying.

Re: [FRC Blog] 2015 FIRST Championship Updates
 

If I am reading this right, teams in Archimedes and Tesla will have a pretty significant logistical advantage over those in other subdivisions.

Re: [FRC Blog] 2015 FIRST Championship Updates
 

That's a long walk from Hopper and Newton to those practice fields

Re: [FRC Blog] 2015 FIRST Championship Updates
 

If the audio setup for each subdivision's field is good, there shouldn't be too much noise overlap. While alternating matches would eliminate ANY noise overlap, I can't see that being a very efficient way to get through all 150+ quals in time.

Re: [FRC Blog] 2015 FIRST Championship Updates
 

But its a pretty nice walk to the competition fields. Seems like a fair way to do it.

Re: [FRC Blog] 2015 FIRST Championship Updates
 

That's a relatively small HoF exhibit. Took me a while to find it on the layout.

Re: [FRC Blog] 2015 FIRST Championship Updates
 

Why do you say that?

Re: [FRC Blog] 2015 FIRST Championship Updates
 

Faster access to practice fields, as well as not having to move seating for Einstein matches are both pretty nice.

Re: [FRC Blog] 2015 FIRST Championship Updates
 

Anyone have a Segway I can borrow? That's an awful lot of ground to cover.

Re: [FRC Blog] 2015 FIRST Championship Updates
 

Does anyone know what the circled I's and P's mean?

Re: [FRC Blog] 2015 FIRST Championship Updates
 

Internet and Phone? Looks like an AV layout.

Re: [FRC Blog] 2015 FIRST Championship Updates
 

I don't see Einstein indicated on the map.
What I do see is a presentation stage between Archsla. (Tesimedes sounds like a bad disease. :yikes: )

I am guessing the Division playoffs will occur on alternating fields.
Should allow for that 6-minute cool-down no?
Also, it will keep the action going. Nice!

Logistically, the seating is going to be troublesome with a 25% increase in teams.
I hope they have adequate screens so everyone in the audience can watch the action on each field.
There are usually some seats reserved for the competing teams in the lower arena. Don't want to have that duty.

Which one will be Einstein? It won't be fresh per usual, but the FMS should be game-tested and the carpet will be well-worn.

Re: [FRC Blog] 2015 FIRST Championship Updates
 

From OP:

Following the conclusion of the sub-division playoffs, the Archimedes and Tesla fields will be transformed on Saturday afternoon to create two Einstein fields. This will provide the location where the winning alliances from each of the 8 sub-divisions will compete to determine the 4 team alliance that will be the 2015 FRC Champions.

Edit: Also, not sure what the plans are this year... but if you wanted to honor the "fresh Einstein" field history this year... I don't see carpet damage as being quite as bad as usual, and a fresh swap in of game elements and potentially scoring platforms or tote chutes would probably be sufficient to make it "like new" without the time invested in picking up a field and laying down a new one (clearly prohibitive).

Re: [FRC Blog] 2015 FIRST Championship Updates
 

I like that there are now 3 convenient doorways to get into the pits instead of 1 main doorway. Also cool that the vendor/HOF areas are right in the middle of the pits, but it looks like a bit less floorspace. Overall it looks like a better layout than previous years. Also cool that from the stands, you have a good view of at least two fields.

Championships is getting to be pretty big.

Re: [FRC Blog] 2015 FIRST Championship Updates
 

That VIP lounge on the west end eats up a lot of seating space. Putting Einstein on the east end gives many more seats for team members to use.

Re: [FRC Blog] 2015 FIRST Championship Updates
 

Is it reasonable to think that for Einstein seating fairness spectators will be removed from the Archi and Tesla fields before the finals and re seating will take place to include all 8 division winner's teams first?

Re: [FRC Blog] 2015 FIRST Championship Updates
 

Not to take away anything from the many good changes and updates here, but why is Einstein even on the end of the dome? We have raised the size of the Championship by 50%, but increased the seating maybe... 10% with the VIP section removed. It has always been quite cramped. Can't we go back to side seating like Atlanta?

It's been this bad for years. HOF teams get a coffee table when they used to get a full pit.

Re: [FRC Blog] 2015 FIRST Championship Updates
 

Those were my thoughts. Being part of the Archimedes or Tesla division shouldn't provide any big seating advantage because you'll be moved to make room for the teams that will be featured on Einstein.

Re: [FRC Blog] 2015 FIRST Championship Updates
 

Agreed. I think this might be my favorite change so far in this layout; you used to only be able to go out these doors, not in:



I know, and I would have hoped that the yearly frustration over this would have finally caused a change, but I guess not...

Re: [FRC Blog] 2015 FIRST Championship Updates
 

Something else of interest is that according to the America's Center Pit Document, FLL is still stationed at the very end of the convention center next to the FRC Practice Fields, which was cut out of the image posted on the blog.

Re: [FRC Blog] 2015 FIRST Championship Updates
 

Steve, have you seen what mecanums do to noodles? Check out the carpet after your next event. Admittedly, with defense, last year was pretty rough, but those carpets will still be well worn for Einstein this year. Probably not a big issue.

Re: [FRC Blog] 2015 FIRST Championship Updates
 

This was the field at Inland Empire right before Finals Match 2

Re: [FRC Blog] 2015 FIRST Championship Updates
 

Definitely not looking forward to being in America's Center this year. It was DANGEROUSLY crowded the past couple years, I can only imagine what it will be like now. This is why I wish we were back at the GWCC. There was more room there, albeit, a longer walk to the dome. And, we could keep FTC and FLL closer, like in the A and B buildings, and the Philips Arena, instead of kicking them into hotels.

So, awards are at the DIVISION level, but playoffs are at the SUBdivision level? I'm wondering how that will read on awards, trophies, banners, etc. Hopper-Newton Division ____ Award?

Re: [FRC Blog] 2015 FIRST Championship Updates
 

I didn't get a chance to look at the Dallas field after competition this year, and was just thinking about wheel/carpet damage. That noodle damage is certainly worth considering, thanks for pointing it out :)

Re: [FRC Blog] 2015 FIRST Championship Updates
 

Even during qualifications at the Kettering Competition it was pretty bad. A team had managed to create a 1/4-inch depression in the scoring platform's plastic by wearing it down with their wheels. We ended up vacuuming at the end of each day and still couldn't get the carpets as clean as we wanted to.

Speaking of which, these scoring platforms go through a lot of punishment. I wouldn't be surprised if the platforms at Championships aren't the same ones we started with at the beginning of the year.

Re: [FRC Blog] 2015 FIRST Championship Updates
 

Or at least the HDPE on them gets replaced. The IE photo above doesn't even show the tape covering a couple of spots where teams who got stuck went through the carpet trying to get out, or the dings on the HDPE, maybe about 10' to the left of the photo.

But due to the way the platforms are built, it's not exactly a long job to remove and replace the HDPE covers if need be. Just need to have the extras on hand.

Re: [FRC Blog] 2015 FIRST Championship Updates
 

Putting down the HDPE was probably the quickest part of building the field. Taping it down takes a few minutes, but it's still not that bad. I would agree that they should replace the HDPE and game pieces for Einstein.

Re: [FRC Blog] 2015 FIRST Championship Updates
 

The thing that made the biggest impression on the two teams (FLL and Jr. FLL) I took to the World Festival last year was getting to be part of the FLL opening ceremony and then compete in the dome -- FLL on Einstein, Jr. FLL on the FTC field. It's kinda sad that they've crammed it into the end of the FRC pit, though I am glad it's at least still in the same building. At closing ceremonies lat year they played a video that suggested FLL would be moved to a hotel.

Re: [FRC Blog] 2015 FIRST Championship Updates
 

Well, Jr. FLL actually is moved to a hotel in Union Station, along with FTC.

Re: [FRC Blog] 2015 FIRST Championship Updates
 

The only Banner you would presumably win is Division winner which would probably say either Subdivision winner or Tesla winner for example.

Re: [FRC Blog] 2015 FIRST Championship Updates
 

I still do not understand the reason for having 2 Einstein Fields

Re: [FRC Blog] 2015 FIRST Championship Updates
 

It is to accommodate the new structure with 8 subdivisions. There will be 8 alliances on Einstein, instead of the previous four.

Re: [FRC Blog] 2015 FIRST Championship Updates
 

True. But all the other awards are at the division level. I don't know why, but the idea of having "Hopper-Newton Division" just seems awkward to me. Don't get me wrong, I don't necessarily mind change. I'll try anything once.

Re: [FRC Blog] 2015 FIRST Championship Updates
 

So, for the portmanteaus of each subdivision pair, how about:
Archsla
Galson
Curver
Newper
?

Portmanteau: a word or morpheme whose form and meaning are derived from a blending of two or more distinct forms (as smog from smoke and fog).

We do this a lot with alliance teams.

Re: [FRC Blog] 2015 FIRST Championship Updates
 

NewHop ?

Re: [FRC Blog] 2015 FIRST Championship Updates
 

The HoF exhibit is (sorry, not sorry) embarrassingly small.

I get that they're trying to crunch as many teams in the pit as possible, but it doesn't seem fair that the Hall of Fame teams spend hundreds upon thousands of hours on their efforts to improve the FIRST community, and we reward them with a cocktail table.

Remember the Atlanta Hall of Fame? Where the teams got their own HoF display the size of a real pit, and you could see them all as you went in to the convention center? We need that back. I see no reason why we couldn't do that in the upstairs atrium of the Americas Center, where there's currently quite a bit of open space.

After years of comments about the HoF exhibit being to small, it really seems like FIRST likes it this way, and that's pretty sad. These are the teams we need to be celebrating & holding up as role models for the FIRST community, and we throw them in a corner once they've won?

They have so much to offer us all. I think it's well past time FIRST offered them something back.