Bills Blog - Champs info

[MikeE]

Originally Posted by mrs. p

just my two cents and not substantiated but i was told by shippers that the reasons for the multiple fields was the big, surprise musical act for the team party.

I'm getting an unpleasant image of the Championships becoming the "Super Bowl of Robotics", where advertising and a lame half time show dominate the actual competition.

But luckily it's just an image and the reality will be impressive teams doing impressive things in a spectacular competition (fingers crossed...)

[Kevin Sevcik]

It's certainly going to be annoying. I know we'll be hunting down our alliance mates for the first match or two after Friday noon just to make sure they're clued in. It could be a little worse, though. If I recall correctly, Disney involved multiple switches to the main field, not just one big switch over.

I'm definitely most concerned about all the implications of switching from one field to another in the middle of a regional. Different field, autonomous problems, possibly different staff and refs. It's either different refs, or refs that are also getting used to a different field and environment.

I'm not really enthusiastic about any of the other switchover logistics either. There's near zero chance they're going to bother switching over any of the video feed stuff on Friday, so teams recording will need to switch equipment from pits to dome fields. And the webcasts are probably going to be confusing thanks to that as well. Sponsors and friends back home are totally going to lose track of you over the Friday switch.

All in all, I have to agree with Karthik that I'd rather play on the pit field for the whole competition than have to deal with the hassle of switching fields. You can put me in the "Alright, we'll deal with it" camp. I'm not going to pretend like there's any possibility FIRST can somehow make this good. They've declared we're switching fields halfway through the competition, and by my definition that's a step down from Atlanta no matter how much they reduce the impact of it.

[Justin Montois]

Looking at the Agenda, I had this idea and it may be what FIRST is planning...

Thursday and Friday, FRC utilizes half of the dome and the pits for our qualification matches.

Thursday and Friday FLL and FTC use the other half of the dome for their qualification matches.

Friday at 5pm, after FTC has their alliance selections, Volunteers tear down the FLL and FTC fields, move 2 FTC fields to Einstein for their elimination matches Saturday morning, and set-up two FRC fields in their place for our divisional elimination matches.

This way by Saturday Morning FTC can have their elims on Einstein and we can return to our traditional Saturday format with all 4 fields in the dome plus Einstein.

I wouldn't really be happy about being bumped for Thursday and Friday but I understand that for FLL and FTC this is their Championship too.

If this is what FIRST is planning then I have to echo what others have said and don't have teams switch mid-day on Friday. Have half of us play in the pits all day Thursday. Then switch it up for Friday and then have everyone in the Dome on Saturday.

That really wouldn't be terrible.....

[Kevin Sevcik]

Originally Posted by Kevin Kolodziej

At least there's no Houston ramps to deal with....

Oh man, does that hurt. Thanks for that one. I managed to miss all that as I was on the field running scoring, but I heard the stories of the shopping carts and all that. Fields in Reliant Stadium and Pits on the Astrodome floor has to be one of the top ten worst ideas FIRST has ever had.

For the record, that was entirely the brainchild of FIRST HQ. The Lone Star RD and Planning Committee tried to tell FIRST it was a horrible idea, but they went ahead with it anyways. I maintain that Houston could have hosted a great Championship that year in the Reliant Convention Center if FIRST hadn't been dead set on the idea of having the fields on a football stadium floor.

[Kevin Sevcik]

Originally Posted by Justin Montois

Friday at 5pm, after FTC has their alliance selections, Volunteers tear down the FLL and FTC fields, move 2 FTC fields to Einstein for their elimination matches Saturday morning, and set-up two FRC fields in their place for our divisional elimination matches.

Sir, I submit that your proposed solution is, in fact, even worse than the assumption that two division will be playing elims in the pits. You really want to force half of the teams to adjust their robots to accommodate THREE different fields in a single competition? With no on field calibration time for two of them? That's bordering on perverse.

[Dancin103]

Originally Posted by Koko Ed

Switching fields?
Man I thought we left that crap back at Disneyworld. I don't know anyone who missed that nonsense.
If the Jones Dome wasn't big enough to hold four fields then why in the world did FIRST grant them the contract for three years?

Ed, you said it. Talk about MAJOR MAJOR MAJOR confusion. This is going to be a mess for everyone. It's just going to turn into a free for all.

Cass

[Justin Montois]

Originally Posted by Kevin Sevcik

Sir, I submit that your proposed solution is, in fact, even worse than the assumption that two division will be playing elims in the pits. You really want to force half of the teams to adjust their robots to accommodate THREE different fields in a single competition? With no on field calibration time for two of them? That's bordering on perverse.

Sorry but it's looking like that's going to happen anyway. FTC and FLL will be done on Saturday. Do you think they are going to let half of the dome just sit there?

I think they are calling them Qualification fields for a reason, Elimination fields will be in the dome in my opinion. You better figure out how to calibrate your robot quickly...

[Hallry]

*pleaseletthisbeanaprilfoolsjoke*pleaseletthisbean aprilfoolsjoke*pleaseletthisbeanaprilfoolsjoke*

[Covey41]

Originally Posted by mrs. p

just my two cents and not substantiated but i was told by shippers that the reasons for the multiple fields was the big, surprise musical act for the team party.

This would make sense as why the changes. What are the chances that the Black Eyes Peas are going to play for the wrap party? The space needed for their staging would easily take the space of 2 fields.

Maybe the "Peas" will bring some of their friends, just imagine Justin Bieber or Lady Gaga playing at an FIRST event!

[Steve W]

Just a word of advice to all teams attending. Make sure that your robot will pass inspection. With only part of Wednesday evening and 1/2 day Thursday it will be tough on the inspectors. The sooner that you get inspection started the better chance you will have of playing.

[Tristan Lall]

Originally Posted by Covey41

This would make sense as why the changes. What are the chances that the Black Eyes Peas are going to play for the wrap party? The space needed for their staging would easily take the space of 2 fields.

Maybe the "Peas" will bring some of their friends, just imagine Justin Bieber or Lady Gaga playing at an FIRST event!

Anyone remember Mandy Moore, circa 2002?

Everybody walked out. I don't know if she was good or bad; the teams were generally interested in the free food located beyond the gates of the EPCOT Center, and started evacuating the stadium as she performed her set. It must have been a bit disconcerting for the performers.

I do suspect that there is a valid logistical reason for this; I just hope it's all worth it. FIRST, send more details!

And I echo all the comments about Houston and Orlando—except that I think that in 1999, there were only two fields: a large bandshell for Einstein, and a small one for Newton, both outdoors.

[EricH]

Originally Posted by Kevin Kolodziej

If the pit hall is anything like the Atlanta pits, I don't see how this will work. Traffic and queuing are going to be a mess (at least queuing in the dome, albeit LONG, was scenic), its going to be noisy, and seating will be nonexistent. Ceiling height could be an issue too (there are some human players with high throwing arcs).

Height shouldn't be an issue; there's a 2nd floor, just not in the convention hall areas. There's actually what looks like a sort of press box above Hall 4.

The halls are laid out in a reverse L shape.
1__2__3__4
..............5

Noise will be an issue. There better be seating in there...

My bet is that Halls 4 and 5 will be used for the pit fields; Halls 1-3 will be the rest of the pits (including practice fields).

[BrendanB]

Could FIRST be dealing with a space issue on the dome floor? Based on these pictures Atlanta has more of an oval shape compared to Edward's rectangle which looks like an issue when trying to have 6 fields operating independantly.


St. Louis: http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:A...E4imN92VYY&t=1

Atlanta:http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_x2NwiFwMad...orgia+Dome.jpg

Just some thoughts to be considering with a new event/arena.

[s_forbes]

Originally Posted by EricH

Height shouldn't be an issue; there's a 2nd floor, just not in the convention hall areas. There's actually what looks like a sort of press box above Hall 4.

The halls are laid out in a reverse L shape.
1__2__3__4
..............5

Noise will be an issue. There better be seating in there...

My bet is that Halls 4 and 5 will be used for the pit fields; Halls 1-3 will be the rest of the pits (including practice fields).

Where did you get this info? I couldn't find a floor plan for the entire center (not just the dome).

[David Brinza]

Originally Posted by mrs. p

just my two cents and not substantiated but i was told by shippers that the reasons for the multiple fields was the big, surprise musical act for the team party.

Nah, no way the brain-trust of FIRST believes our teams would want to compete in FRC's "showcase event" in a rag-tag fashion just so we can adore a performing artist at the end.

No way!

Oh, that's right, Dave and Woodie left the GDC, never mind...