Hello Everyone!
I’ve got two big announcements for Cal Games 2003 I think you will like :-).
1. Autonomous Mode Challenge
2. NASA housing for visiting teams
Cal Games Autonomous Mode Challenge
Autonomous Mode is one of the few things FIRST introduced into the 2003 season for the first time. For 15 seconds, teams have to rely completely on the software they wrote to control the robot on the field to gain strategic advantages. We believe the autonomous mode is a valuable learning experience for all students, which is why we came up with this challenge. The Autonomous Mode Challenge aim to recognize the amount of work each programmer did on the robot, and to challenge each of them to make the program faster and better. Here is how it works:
During qualification rounds, all robots playing in the Stack Attack tournament will be timed from the start of the match to the moment their front wheels reach the top of the ramp on the HDPE surface. Each robot will be timed the last 3 rounds of the qualification rounds. At the end of qualification rounds, we will put together the data, and the top 4 teams with fastest times will enter the finals for the Autonomous Mode Challenge, unless they decline the opportunity.
Here is how finals work: The top 4 teams, team A, B, C, and D will be all on the field at the same time. In the first match, we will pair up the teams in the fashion of AB on the blue side of the field, and CD on the red side of the field. In the second match, we will pair up the teams as AD on blue and CB on red. In the third match, we will pair up the teams as AC on blue and BD on red. The team that gets to the top faster than the rest wins the match. The team that wins the most matches wins the challenge.
So get your programmers, start having more team meetings, and get your robot tuned up for the autonomous mode challenge!
Good Luck!
NASA housing for visiting teams
WRRF has worked hard to make it easier for teams from far away to attend Cal Games, and this is the result of that effort. We are able to get housing at Moffett Field/NASA, about 15 mins away from Woodside High School. The rate at Moffett/NASA is $40 single and $45 double. The rooms are very nice with two single beds and bath. All you need to get on the research park side is a valid Calif. ID, normally a driver’s license. We were not given a limit, so let’s see how many teams are taking advantage of this offer and we will go from there.
These are some of the things we never have in the previous Cal Games :-). I hope teams far are willing to take advantage of the housing offer, come and have fun at Cal Games, and meet the WRRF teams in the Bay Area!
And just a reminder, the registration page is up and running at
http://www.wrrf.org/Calgames/
So go in there, get your team registered, become a member of WRRF, sign up for the 2 side events your team want to do (out of 3, not including the autonomous mode challenge), and start prepping for Cal Games 2003!
-Ken Leung
2003 Cal Games Manager