Bill's Blog - What do you mean this is the last full week before CMP?
 

Bill mentions no new information regarding anything happening on Friday or Saturday night of the Championships, nor any news about the field layout in the dome/pits. He mostly discusses the FRC Live topics, including the future of game design. Other tid-bits: the Q&A is now closed, and particularly innovative teams, such as those filing patents, should contact Bill directly.

http://frcdirector.blogspot.com/2011...full-week.html

Re: Bill's Blog - What do you mean this is the last full week before CMP?
 

if you go to http://www.usfirst.org/uploadedFiles...p_Info_A-Z.pdf and scroll down to page six, there is info about Friday and Saturday.

Re: Bill's Blog - What do you mean this is the last full week before CMP?
 

That begs the question, for those of us attending, even though our team is not, what can or should we do so we can join in the festivities?

Re: Bill's Blog - What do you mean this is the last full week before CMP?
 

Anyone know how to get the rest of your team fed if you have more than 30? Will we be able to purchase wristbands?

Re: Bill's Blog - What do you mean this is the last full week before CMP?
 

no idea...our team only has 11 students, and a total of at least 22 people I believe are going to be at Championships from our team. (the extra 11 are mentors/parents) I have no idea if they will be attending the team socials however....

Re: Bill's Blog - What do you mean this is the last full week before CMP?
 

I would think get a hold of someone at FIRST soon or talk to pit admin when you get there about it. if that doesn't work, PM me and I'll see if I can find extra wristbands somewhere.

Re: Bill's Blog - What do you mean this is the last full week before CMP?
 

I don't think we'll be using all 30 of our allocation. Unless FIRST does something to put an unexpected constraint on distribution, I suspect that we as a community can make sure everyone gets to go to the ball social.

Re: Bill's Blog - What do you mean this is the last full week before CMP?
 

So... it is true... they moved two divisional fields out of the dome to have a stage for this performance act for one night. That's not acceptable in my book.

Re: Bill's Blog - What do you mean this is the last full week before CMP?
 

Thanks! We have 29 students and 10 mentors (plus 10 parents/siblings traveling with us). We anticipated everyone going as in the past, so I am going to have to hop on some dinner arrangements if we don't all go there.

I'm hoping they will offer some way to get everyone in..I know quite a few Michigan teams with more than 30 kids. So, I'd certainly want to get all the kids in first.

If they are all covered, we certainly would appreciate any spares you won't be using! Thanks so much!

Re: Bill's Blog - What do you mean this is the last full week before CMP?
 

What Alex said, they're forgetting the C in FRC again.

Re: Bill's Blog - What do you mean this is the last full week before CMP?
 

IF that is the case, I agree it is not acceptable. But I don't want to start complaining about something that may not be to true.

Aren, maybe they are changing the C from Competition to Celebration? ;)

Re: Bill's Blog - What do you mean this is the last full week before CMP?
 

I'll check with the mentors in charge of us for those nights to see which mentors/parents are going to be with the students and if we have any extra ones. I'll let you know!

Re: Bill's Blog - What do you mean this is the last full week before CMP?
 

I agree whole heartedly. If FIRST is about changing the world and I've hard Dean say in x amount of speeches since 2003 how the rock stars aren't gonna change the world then why is FIRST eliminating two fields for the rock stars? Were those statements because we were envious that other organizations were catching their attention and not us?

I really wouldn't mind two pit fields IF there were more divisions and FTC/FLL expanded, not a rock concert. I really try to be supportive of FIRST's decisions but it is hitting a sad and hypocritical state. IMHO

Yes this will be fun in some ways but no matter how fun or exciting something is, it doesn't validate the "why" in the equation. These rock stars our here to celebrate us and our machines not us celebrating them.

Re: Bill's Blog - What do you mean this is the last full week before CMP?
 

They're also forgetting the F and R...

Re: Bill's Blog - What do you mean this is the last full week before CMP?
 

I'm feeling more and more old school and antiquated with each passing blog. 'Team social' is not what comes to my mind when I read about Friday and Saturday nights. 'Entertainment events' is what comes to my mind.

Brendan - maybe in some ways, our leaders have lost vision or - their vision of FIRST has changed. I'm not sure what the intent is regarding what teams will be celebrating. That wouldn't be a GDC question - that would definitely be a FIRST HQ question if one were to pose it.

It (the Championship) should be entertaining, that's for sure. That appears to be a keyword.

Jane

Re: Bill's Blog - What do you mean this is the last full week before CMP?
 

Well, as XaulZan and Brendan said, it isn't necesarily true... this may not be the cause for the field changes; however, that is a definite possibility!

Even if the "entertainment performance" on Friday night is not at the expense of the dome fields, I'm still kinda disappointed. FIRST definitely seems to be making some decisions about Championships that go back on all that FIRST is about!

Having an "endorsement" from a pop icon Will.I.Am and Morgan Freeman: cool, nice to have their support! (Although I can't say I appreciated FRC being related to dope...) Who's being recognized in a concert, though? Is an inspiration of science and technology being fostered?

FIRST definitely seems to be conforming to the culture rather than transforming it as Woodie and Dean have been speaking about for years! Does FIRST think that we'll suddenly be put on the same page as the Super Bowl because we have some popular music entertainment, or will we be chalked up with the Kid's Choice Awards?

I just don't see this garnering needed recognition... having the President speak would make good waves, perhaps... having Arne Duncan speak at the Deans' List Ceremony last year was nice... more effort along the lines of gaining recognition from political leaders or major technical leaders would seem more useful towards FIRST's mission! * sigh *

Re: Bill's Blog - What do you mean this is the last full week before CMP?
 

Well, there will still be the daytime ceremonies and speeches to look forward to. Some of that wish may be covered there - at least by technical leadership.

Jane

Re: Bill's Blog - What do you mean this is the last full week before CMP?
 

if any other teams can help out 233 with wristbands, we have 37 attending (including mentors)

thanks in advance

Re: Bill's Blog - What do you mean this is the last full week before CMP?
 

I like how it says not to bring any type of gas tank. Strict adherence to this would mean most FRC and a hand full (at the most) of FTC and FLL teams would be unable to bring their robots. :rolleyes:

Once we started using semiconductors, it was already too late.






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Re: Bill's Blog - What do you mean this is the last full week before CMP?
 

I agree. I think people need to stop assuming that any potential entertainment act is the explicit reason for the new field layout/distribution this year. As far as I know, (someone correct me otherwise) FIRST has not issued such a reason. Obviously, this is troubling to some, but jumping to unfounded conclusions is not helping out the situation.

Looking at the public agenda, the "staged entertainment performance" is supposed to be around 8pm on Friday. FLL Pits close at 5, FTC pits close at 6, and the FRC pits and machine shop close at 7pm. Moreover, Friday's matches end at 5pm. That gives a window of a couple hours to setup a performance stage, which is not completely unheard of. Though I may be wrong, I'm more inclined to believe that the "extra" space in the dome is being used for the Collegiate FIRST Pilot. The most recent document for the pilot says,
Bill has mentioned that more information on the topic will be available on the 20th, and I'll patiently wait the two days until then. Meanwhile, I'm glad to see that this thread is serving a greater purpose for teams to coordinate distributing wristbands. Even if your team has more than 30 members, some students or parents/mentors may not use theirs. I know in 2007 myself and some others gave our wristbands for the FIRST Finale to some members of 1547 who greatly appreciated the offer.

Re: Bill's Blog - What do you mean this is the last full week before CMP?
 

Huh. According to that link Kristian just posted, Collegiate FIRST stuff was updated yesterday, deleting the FIRST Flight game. Thats a shame, it sounded cool.

Re: Bill's Blog - What do you mean this is the last full week before CMP?
 

I don't see that in any of Kristian's links, where did you see it was cancelled?

Re: Bill's Blog - What do you mean this is the last full week before CMP?
 

You have 2 options

A.) See if your friend teams have smaller teams and you can have their extra wristbands or

B.) Buy more through Steele Meeting.

Cass

Re: Bill's Blog - What do you mean this is the last full week before CMP?
 

According to the document the wristbands are for the packaged meals, not the event itself. So your team could attend the event and find a meal elsewhere.

Re: Bill's Blog - What do you mean this is the last full week before CMP?
 

They must have changed this. I feel like it's never clearly explained. Thanks for the in sight Kelli! :)

Re: Bill's Blog - What do you mean this is the last full week before CMP?
 

In the Collegiate FIRST manual, the update released yesterday no longer has the section about FIRST Flight, and their schedule for matches no longer lists FIRST Flight being played.