Re: Split Champs assignment
 

More wins = more grade A bumper fabric.

Re: Split Champs assignment
 

Only on about half of the alliances though.

Re: Split Champs assignment
 

While it is not just about the robot, district teams sometimes cannot financially justify attending Champs, unless the team really feels it is worth going to. It is a different story for you Indiana folks since you are a lot closer.

For a lot of teams, the robot is still the central focus, and playing with friends and teams we love is also the justification for said expenses. Not every team will rationalize going or not going the same way.

I have a feeling the focus for a lot of teams will shift to their District Championship event as their last official event. Others may go to travel off-season events such as IRI and Chezy Champs (low cost+see your old friends)

Re: Split Champs assignment
 

Actually, this leads to a good question - will conferences be duplicated at each championship? I hope I don't have to miss out on half the seminars.

Re: Split Champs assignment
 

Many of the most popular seminars are given by mentors of teams that are annual contenders at the Championship, who volunteer their time to give these talks.

Do you expect these volunteers to now attend both 1/2 CMP's/Super Regionals?

Or, do you expect comparable experts in most/all subjects at both 1/2 CMP's/Super Regionals?

Re: Split Champs assignment
 

Do you attend all of the seminars now? I'm lucky if I get to two!

Re: Split Champs assignment
 

I think you'll get a different range of talks at each event with others stepping up to fill in the gaps created... granted, I'm being optimistic. I also hope that by this time next year FIRST has solidified a partnership with Twitch or YouTube or someone to get the talks recorded and posted.

Re: Split Champs assignment
 

I totally agree here.

Those that expect a Karthik/Jared/Tom/Austin (some of the rockstars of FRC) presentation at both Super Regionals have their heads in the clouds.

I think many similar topics will be covered at both events. Just don't mistake quantity for quality.

-Mike

Re: Split Champs assignment
 

My hope is that there's some effort (by FIRST or the community) to have the presenters for similar talks work together to create a joint presentation both can be happy with. It still won't be identical, but working off the same slide deck or notes would certainly help!

Re: Split Champs assignment
 

I hope no one expects that but maybe I'm wrong. I've seen this happen in the hacker/maker community in the past where conferences diverge and you end up with different topics and speakers going to each. There are a lot of rockstars in FRC. Hopefully more of them step up and who knows, creating the opportunity could bring more of them out. While Karthik has always been Karthik, I don't know that he has always been Karthik*... if you know what I mean.

*The man who gives amazing talks for TED and FIRST and has a ton of enthusiasm and passion. Though I suppose its entirely possible he was forged that way and broke the mold in the process.

Re: Split Champs assignment
 

Well I doubt Karthik will be at the South FRC Championships anyway.
VEX Worlds is scheduled for that weekend.

Re: Split Champs assignment
 

While this is true, even without that formula OPR would have been a poor predictor of future success given the exponential scoring (even if you assume 60-point end-games).

Re: Split Champs assignment
 

For the conferences, why can't FIRST just ensure that high quality recordings and presentation materials of all seminars be available online post-chanpionship?

Re: Split Champs assignment
 

*chuckle* Yeah, 'bout that... This year's aren't up yet that I know about...

Re: Split Champs assignment
 

I was actually going to say this, except I was going to say it in regards to the entire concept of half champs, not just the seminars.