2011 Lesson Learned: The Negative

[Koko Ed]

What do you think FIRST did this year that could stand improvment for future years?

[alectronic]

can a mod change the title of this thread. thanks.

[Robby Unruh]

When it comes to the complaints regarding how FIRST went around having the champs at St. Louis, a couple at the hotel we stayed at made an excellent point. "This is their first year doing it here, they're just as new as we are."

So I think it's safe to say that we can keep all the complaints about the cramped bleachers, bad views the nosebleed seats gave you, and the scattered pits. I'm sure they will have all that sorted out next year.

- edit -
Some negatives; the dang refs! I could easily see some red cards that needed to be thrown out in the semi-final matches on Einstein. What were they thinking letting those slide like that!

[EricH]

Yeah, I'd agree with the seating thoughts, Robby. I only saw one potential red, though, and I think it might have been on a division field.

What I think FIRST really messed up on was communication. Probably 3/4 of the negative comments surrounding the Championship were because there was no clear-cut reason given for the field move. Now that we know that FTC moved one FRC field and the concert made the transitions "easier" than figuring out one field, I honestly think that 75% of the negative comments could have been avoided by somewhat clearer communication from HQ. Ditto for timing of communication and some other similar things. (We can debate elsewhere whether FTC really had to bump an FRC field due to space.)

We asked for transparency. They gave us that. Now, can communication come along with transparency? I hope so.

[Tom Line]

Overall my experience in St. Louis was positive, but there were some stand-out issues that FIRST really needs to address.

1. Practice fields. This was a sore point of mine from last year, where they shut down and tore down the practice fields IMMEDIATELY following the last match of qualifications. Teams that were trying to tune up their robots or check fixes for eliminations couldn't do it.

Despite using every piece of 'feedback' at my disposal, they did it again. But even WORSE that that was the handling of the fields Friday morning. They shut those fields down for over 2 and half hours at the start of the day so that 'everyone would go to the opening ceremony'. Really? 172 teams trying to use a small field, wait times of over 3 hours, constantly goofed up sign-in sheets (our team number was actually scribbled off twice while we were standing there waiting to go on the field). This isn't a jab at the field personnel - they were clearly doing their best in a tough situation.

2. Get the FRC fields out of the pits. They don't belong there. Hopefully, the lesson was learned on this one.

3. Bring the music back on Einstein. There's really no reason not to be playing it - there are technical ways around it if you're doing a broadcast or filming it. Voiceovers, etc. The finals matches and, indeed, all the Einstein matches were dead with almost zero noise.

4. Give us more time after the last match to finalize scouting. with a 6 or 7 way tie for 3rd place only determined by ranking score, there was simply no way to really know the picking order until that last match was played.

5. Why was a boom lift operator driving his boom lift through the Archimedes pit as people were packing out, extending the boom and sweeping it over dozens and dozens of students? Where I work, not clearing out the people and roping off the area for safety would get you immediately escorted out as a major safety violation.

6. Garbage cans in the pits. Where the heck were they? The place looked like a garbage dump by the end of the competition.

7. Why were all the front doors of the stadium locked, forcing all the teams to walk around the build to enter?

There's more, but I want to think on it before going further.

[torihoelscher]

(I changed my title)

Okay, negatives...

~Pits was a disaster trying to go from one place to another and getting ran over by robots, always constantly hearing "Robot" which after a while it does get a little annoying. lol lol. (no offense)
~The teams having to walk around the whole dome to get back to the pits.
~The boxed lunches really did not taste good and made people sick.
~Einstein should have had music or something to made it pop out more.
~Crowded stands.

I know there is another thread for the positives but I have to say:

~Concert was amazing.
~The dome seats were great.
~Easier pit access from the Newton fields.
~Great hot dome food.
~Carnival was great!!
~Amazing free gifts! (got a new wardrobe 5 new shirts)
~Meeting new people.

Thank you FIRST and everyone that came to the Championships~! I cannot wait until next year!!! I am addicted to FIRST!

This was a great experience!

[rzoeller]

My one complaint would have to be that several matches were called at the 7-ish second mark, after 4 minibots had scored. This may seem harmless, but I know of several teams capable of deploying and then scoring a tube, including ours. Fortunately, we were not affected by this, but for a game with so many rules, it seems necessary to obey one of the simplest: the clock.

[Daniel_LaFleur]

Originally Posted by rzoeller

My one complaint would have to be that several matches were called at the 7-ish second mark, after 4 minibots had scored. This may seem harmless, but I know of several teams capable of deploying and then scoring a tube, including ours. Fortunately, we were not affected by this, but for a game with so many rules, it seems necessary to obey one of the simplest: the clock.

Ahem

Originally Posted by Rules

<G02> The AUTONOMOUS PERIOD ends when the ARENA timer displays zero seconds. The MATCH ends if all TOWERS are TRIGGERED or when the ARENA timer displays zero seconds, whichever comes first.

Seems they are obeying the rules

[pfreivald]

It would be nice to have a designated queuing lane through the pit(s), so that robots coming from and going to the field would have a clear (or almost-always clear) lane of travel to/from the field and their pit aisle. I think this would be safer, too.

We couldn't watch our division finals because of a lack of room on the bleachers. It would be great if more bleacher space could be had next year.

As usual, the speeches/presentations during the finals were too many and too long. I had three family members who were completely unfamiliar with FIRST come for the entire day Saturday. One of them actually fell asleep DURING THE FINALS because of the speeches, only to wake somewhat disoriented for the next game. For an organization that seeks to use the sports model to make innovation and design exciting (and thus inspiring), they really don't seem to get it when it comes to the finals and speeches. Can you imagine trying to get someone into basketball, and then stopping the action after every shot (or shot clock) during the fourth quarter of the finals so that people could give a speech?

So to reiterate: Overall, good job. But Dean and friends, you have some homework!

[Koko Ed]

Originally Posted by pfreivald

As usual, the speeches/presentations during the finals were too many and too long. I had three family members who were completely unfamiliar with FIRST come for the entire day Saturday. One of them actually fell asleep DURING THE FINALS because of the speeches, only to wake somewhat disoriented for the next game. For an organization that seeks to use the sports model to make innovation and design exciting (and thus inspiring), they really don't seem to get it when it comes to the finals and speeches. Can you imagine trying to get someone into basketball, and then stopping the action after every shot (or shot clock) during the fourth quarter of the finals so that people could give a speech?

When Dean says it's not about the robot he really means it.
We're gonna get a speech whether we want it or not and of we complain we'll get even more.

[pfreivald]

Originally Posted by Koko Ed

When Dean says it's not about the robot he really means it.
We're gonna get a speech whether we want it or not and of we complain we'll get even more.

It wouldn't bother me if it didn't go against the "let's make it loud" mantra.

Speeches I can handle. I'm a teacher -- I've been to my share of conference days.

What I have a hard time reconciling is a logical disconnect between objective and method.

P.S. Does this mean you finally made it home, Ed?

[Koko Ed]

Originally Posted by pfreivald

It wouldn't bother me if it didn't go against the "let's make it loud" mantra.

Speeches I can handle. I'm a teacher -- I've been to my share of conference days.

What I have a hard time reconciling is a logical disconnect between objective and method.

P.S. Does this mean you finally made it home, Ed?

No.
I'm in a hotel in Columbus.

[wedellm]

Most posts are dealing with nationals, but I would like to say that too many points was rewarded for the end game. Teams could just wait for the end and not worry about being able to drive and be able to score tubes. More points for the teleop period and less for the end game.

[pfreivald]

Originally Posted by Koko Ed

No.
I'm in a hotel in Columbus.

Ah. Get home safe and sane, Mr. Queue-master, sir!

[Grim Tuesday]

I think the biggest issue was the difference between the qualification game, and the elimination game.

In quals, it was still to your disadvantage to play defense, despite the system being changed this year.

Furthermore, with many low scoring matches (remember regionals, guys, not just champs!), many of them were decided by whomever had the best/working minibot. Once eliminations rolled around, minibots became much less important.

This meant that teams who were minibot specialists, and weren't so great at scoring got seeded high(er) than they should have, and ended up losing.

I also disliked how the GDC made a way they "wanted" the game to be played, and it did not involve defense. They went so far as to change the rules such that certain varieties of defense we illegal...5 weeks into the season.

Also, I felt that they game wasn't too approachable to those outside of FIRST. Your doing what? People say. Hanging logos. How can you hang a logo? Then you would have to explain that it was actually inflatable tubes shaped like pieces of the FIRST logo.

It felt a bit like an advert for FIRST.

Finally, I'm not a fan of Will.I.am. Sure, he's cool, but is he the new cool? He obviously doesn't 'get' FIRST, as his "it's dope" comment at kickoff notated. We don't need celebrities, performers, or anyone else to help us feel cool. I would rather Andy Baker be at champs than Will.i.am.

Now, dont get me wrong, I had a great season, so after I finish my homework, I can get off my soapbox, and go into the positives thread!