Conveying/Explaining Aerial Assist to the Public

[BigJ]

Robots score points by moving large exercise balls down the length of the field and scoring them in one of the goals. Bonus points can be earned through teamwork with allied robots on each scoring run.

[BBray_T1296]

Originally Posted by BigJ

Robots score points by moving large exercise balls down the length of the field and scoring them in one of the goals. Bonus points can be earned through teamwork with allied robots on each scoring run.

Some quick dialogue followup:

(Non-FIRST-er) NFR: "what does the thing in the middle do?"
You: "If you throw the ball over it you get extra points"
NFR: "Why is it so massive if it is just a volleyball net?"
You: "No reason whatsoever"

[dubiousSwain]

Originally Posted by BBray_T1296

Some quick dialogue followup:

(Non-FIRST-er) NFR: "what does the thing in the middle do?"
You: "If you throw the ball over it you get extra points"
NFR: "Why is it so massive if it is just a volleyball net?"
You: "No reason whatsoever"

http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/sh...=124038&page=8

[Abhishek R]

Replace "over the thing" with "over the truss." Looks fine other than that.

[Jeanne Boyarsky]

Originally Posted by BigJ

Robots score points by moving large exercise balls down the length of the field and scoring them in one of the goals. Bonus points can be earned through teamwork with allied robots on each scoring run.

This is very good.

I think how to best explain depends on where you are and how interested the person is. If someone asks you at school or the supermarket or the like, you have more time to explain. Also, the target audience (has the person seen past events) or the location (are you standing in front of the robot) matters. Ultimately, I try to go with a one sentence description that encourages people to ask a follow up question. That way, we are having a conversation and they get to be more interested. Or if they don't ask a question, they at least pause to let me continue.

What comes to mind for this game:

1. At a regional competion being asked by a FLL student, parent or someone who has heard of FIRST: The robots have to pass the ball as they move down the field and get it into the goal. (audience: wants to know about this year and can see the robot/field)
2. At work by someone who knows I volunteer with a high school that builds big robots: this year, we have toss or pass 2 foot exercise balls between the robots going down the field and then get them into a goal. (audience: wants to know about this year)
3. At work by someone new who heard I go afterwards to "some robot thing": Teams of high school students build a up to 5 foot tall, 120 pound robot to throw and catch a 2 foot exercise ball. At competition, they will compete in teams of 3 to throw or pass the ball to each other and score it in a goal. (audience: wants to know what is going on without any background knowledge or visual)
4. At Maker Faire: These robots were built by high school students. They competed in the Spring to throws/pass/catch those big balls and score them in goals. Do you have any questions? (audience: varies, but most haven't heard of FIRST. I get a little more time here because kids are usually looking at the robots and it isn't loud like competition)

See the difference in information between these. Also note that all the descriptions are a vast simplification of the game. The idea is to give them the gist rather than describe each and every rule.

[Aur0r4]

It's just like football with two balls. Each team is trying to move the ball up the field to score. You can run it up yourself, but you get lots of extra points for handing it off or passing it on the way. You can even toss it out of bounds to the human player if things get tough on the line of scrimmage.

That's the best syntheses I can come up with. It's just like football.