T. Hoffman:
Whoops. I guess this is what happens when I focus less on the actual topic and more on trying to get others to lighten up. You’re right about the qualification process. To tell the truth, I wasn’t too interested in going to the Championship, so I didn’t read much of the qualification outline. I just skimmed it about a week or so ago. I guess I was assuming that since FIRST is allowing last years point qualifiers to register for the Championship that FIRST would still allow winners of current year Technical awards to register as well. Ah well. We all make mistakes.

Um, unless I'm mistaken, those 95 spots still open (now 93) includes all the spots to be held for teams that qualify this year, so they're not really open. It's November 5th and no Tier 2 teams show registered yet. Did any of the 70 remaining Tier 3-6 teams try to register and get wait listed because the championship was full?

Well...
We decided that we would either "put up, or shut up".

So, we chose to attend the 2 most competitive regionals near us (UTC Conn, and BAE New Hampshire), and we'll do everything we can (within gracious profesionalism of course!) to win one of them.

Ways we're going to do this:

1. Build a second practice bot. - We intend on making our drivers the best they possibly can be. To do this, we've decided to invest the time and resources in a "twin" robot, then we can just "train the hell out of" our drivers.

2. Investigate some concepts this semester. - We are currently playing around with some new technology that will hopefully help us out in January. Stuff that will hopefully make the 229-2004 robot able to play with "the big boys". I know we're not the only ones doing this... should be interesting to see where robot technology takes us in 2004.

3. Go reliable. - We are already thinking about the general *type* of robot we want to build in January. Rather than be a giant, technically complex, amazing, dominating machine... we are going to build a simple, robust little bot that can play the game (score and descore). A bot that will give us the versatility to "let the coaches and drivers, win matches... not the robot". We'd like to be working at 100% when we come out of the box at our first regional, and stay working throughout. We've talked about it, and believe that reliability will be the MOST important thing this year. Work well, and work consistently throughout the competition season.

4. Strategy, scouting, and networking. - On 229, we are always thinking about game strategy. Whether it is talking about old FIRST games, old FIRST robots, watching old video, or thinking about new imaginary games... We will likely do as much scouting as possible before competition (www.firstrobotics.net is our bible!) and then even more once we get to the event. Knowing your opponent's strengths/weaknesses better than they do can swing a match.

5. Rubbing our lucky rabbit's feet, and praying. - There is usually a lot of luck involved in FIRST competitions. While chance favors the prepared mind, we also realize... flukes happen. So... we're hedging our bets with some good old fashioned lucky charms. It can't hurt. ;)


Anyways... that's our plan to get to Atlanta.
"How to win a regional in 5 easy steps", by JVN ;)

Whatever happens, I'm just looking forward to another season. Win or lose, I'll be in Atlanta (with, or without 229).


See you all on the field...

John

You're a day ahead of yourself, it's only the 4th ;) Also registration opens at noon, so teams would have had only 52 minutes to register when you posted your message. If FIRST was having DB problems, it certainly wouldn't have been unlikely for teams to not be showing up.

Also, I do not beleive that 90 something spaces are held for teams qualifying this year. That would give a nationals of only 188 teams. Rather, I expect that those spots are in addition to the ones reserved for winners, which would give a nationas around 300 teams, which is much more in line with previous years.

Oops - and yesterday was my mom's birthday too. Don't tell her I messed up on the date.

I thought when they originally announced the nationals in Atlanta they talked about cutting way down on the number of teams (like 210 or 270), but the press release says 300.

As far as the 52 minutes, I bet every tier 1 team that wants to grab a spot will be online in 52 seconds whatever day that happens - in 52 minutes there won't be any left.

Hey - I see 2 teams registered within the last 24 hours that aren't shown on any of the tier lists, 569 and 612. Anybody from those teams know which tier you're in?

1 minute till tier 2 registration opens

2 more teams @ 12:01; another 7 @12:05. where will it end?

I'm not sure if TJ can get to Nationals only because we haven't qualified yet... We're in the last tier so I don't think we can make it in that way... I don't know... I would love to go to Nationals but its not looking good but you know thats what I said last year Before NJ (our second and last Regional of the year) when we won the Inspiration award and went to Nationals... That was great.... I don't know maybe we can do it again this year... We are going to the NJ and Long Island Regional so we either have to win Chairman's, win the Regional itself or the Inspiration award... I would love to go but I don't know...

Hmmmm. "Score and descore" huh? That seems to imply that you know descoring will be a part of the 2004 game. John, do you know something you aren't telling the rest of us? ;)

-dave

Okay... I guess I've been busted.

I heard from good authority that the game will involve robots interacting with something somewhere between the heights of 6 inches, and 50 feet. But don't tell anyone!

;)

50 feet? right....

Re: Not Pre-Qualified for Nationals? Then what's your team's plan to compete in Atlanta?
 

I'd say the best way to get to the nationals is to win...in any area that will make you dead sure that you'll be enjoying the nice atlanta atmosphere (I've never been there so i'm hoping its that way at least...coz if its not... ;)! )

Re: Not Pre-Qualified for Nationals? Then what's your team's plan to compete in Atlanta?
 

Focus on winning an award, (like the Drive Tomorrow's Technology Award :D ) or try to leave yourself with 2 weeks of spare time ( :D ) to train your driver(s).

Re: Not Pre-Qualified for Nationals? Then what's your team's plan to compete in Atlanta?
 

Don't you have to get several awards to qualify? We are on the waiting list, but i doubt that we will ever get a spot, unless on performance. We are an atlanta team too!! I mean i don't expect any special privlidgeg bc of that, but its just really annoying that we are right here any won't get to go unless we qualify on performance.

Re: Not Pre-Qualified for Nationals? Then what's your team's plan to compete in Atlanta?
 

::notes to pay closer attention to the 'subtle hints' dropped by Dave Lavery in coming seasons::