SCRIW V (South Carolina Robotics Invitational & Workshops 2015)

[Billfred]

Originally Posted by suemim343

Bilfred,
Are you guys having any trouble with the flooding? Is the flooding going to affect SCRIW?

At this time, all systems are go for SCRIW V. Dreher itself didn't suffer any damage in the flooding, though we're still getting a handle on how many students at the school were affected and we're still examining what, if any, tweaks we'll want to or have to make. (I am optimistic that we'll be off the boil order before we reach the three-week mark.) Barring something truly abnormal, we expect to see everyone on October 24th!

As for lunch pre-orders: I don't have anything to share. I'm going to reach out to the food maestro tonight.

[Kevin Thorp]

Great news that things are still tentatively a "go". Dorchester II schools have been out of session for over a week, and that also meant no robotics meetings. But we're back on track today!

What is the status of the workshops at SCRIW? The website still shows the 2014 schedule. Are you looking for volunteers to host technical presentations?

[Billfred]

Originally Posted by Kevin Thorp

Great news that things are still tentatively a "go". Dorchester II schools have been out of session for over a week, and that also meant no robotics meetings. But we're back on track today!

What is the status of the workshops at SCRIW? The website still shows the 2014 schedule. Are you looking for volunteers to host technical presentations?

Nothing tentative--if I have to close the street in front of my house to do it, SCRIW V will happen! (With less hyperbole: Dreher itself was not harmed by the flooding and should reopen this week, and we already have a contingency location if it can't host the event for some truly bizarre reason.) 4901 itself lost two FRC and three FLL meetings in this storm, so we'll be playing catch-up next week.

Workshops: Not going to lie, we're behind on that. (We were a hair behind, with the storm's distractions we're now about a sideburn behind.) I believe we have two lined up as of this post, though usually we like to go with for. Know a guy who knows a guy?

[Billfred]

This email blast just went out:

Greetings, SCRIW V teams!

We want to thank you for your patience with us as the storms and flooding this past week have slowed us a bit. We are pleased to say that SCRIW V will happen as scheduled on October 24th. We still intend to hold it at Dreher High School, whose campus was not impacted in the storms, and we have identified a backup location in the unlikely event that Dreher becomes unavailable.

That is not to say that everything is perfect in Columbia, though. Many people have been forced from their homes in the area, the city is still under a boil water advisory a week later, and it will be months before the area recovers fully. Most of the main roads in Columbia have reopened, but a few key arteries have not including Devine Street where it meets Fort Jackson Boulevard. Both Apple Maps and Google Maps show the current road closures, and we recommend you scout them out in advance to avoid surprises.

Those of us on the committee have been discussing how we can support the recovery effort, and we've decided to try something people have asked about in the past: the first-ever SCRIW mentor match! If you've ever wondered if you could hack it as a driver (or wonder if you've still got it), this is your chance to give it a shot on the big stage!

We will have collection jars for each team, and the six teams with the highest donations will play in the match immediately following alliance selection with mentor drivers, operators, and human players. Student coaches are encouraged--you'll probably want the knowledge behind the glass! We would like you to email us a picture of your would-be drive team so we can get your jar looking as nice as it can, and we hope you will give generously so we can help as many families in the area as possible. (We hope everyone will be a good sport on this, but if you're dead-set against running in the match you can absolutely decline. Just let us know.)

Also, the lunch pre-order is attached. (PM me if you need it --B) It's going to look very familiar, because it's the same menu as last year's (including the prices). We know it's late, so just send us item counts and bring the money with you to registration.

Speaking of money: if you haven't paid, expect a nudge. If you can't get the money in the mail this week, bring it with you to registration as well.

Want a schedule of the day? Here it is, and to the veterans it should be familiar:

0800: Pits open to teams
0801: Sync checks*
0940: Check-in closed (Once we make the schedule, that’s it. Don't be late!)
0945: Mandatory Driver’s Meeting On Field, Qualification Match Schedule Released
1000: Opening Ceremonies
1010: First Match
1200: Lunch Break
1235: Resume Qualification Matches
1500: End Qualification Matches
1505: Alliance Selection
1530: Elimination Rounds Start
1730: Elimination Rounds End (approximate)
1740: Awards (Finalists and Champions) & Breakdown
*A change from normal FRC events: to speed up this important process, we will not run full practice matches. After programming your radio, you’ll wheel your robot to the field and power it up on your cart under the FTA’s instructions to ensure your robot connects through FMS properly. We strongly encourage you to test your robot’s other systems at home and in the pit.

The workshops are still being finalized, and we would really love to have one or two more. If you've got one you think you'd like to share, get in touch with us in the next couple days.

Here's the current 25-team lineup for SCRIW V; we could handle two more last-minute entries if you know somebody.

281 The GreenVillains Greenville, SC
283 The Generals Greenville, SC
342 Burning Magnetos North Charleston, SC
343 Metal In Motion Seneca, SC
1225 The Gorillas Hendersonville, NC
1226 The Gorillas B-Team Hendersonville, NC
1398 Keenan Robo-Raiders Columbia, SC
1539 Blue Eagle Robotics Clover, SC
1553 KC Robotics Team Lugoff, SC
1554 KC Robotics B-Team Lugoff, SC
1758 Technomancers Florence, SC
2059 The Hitchhikers Apex, NC
2815 Blue Devil Mechanics Columbia, SC
3489 Category 5 North Charleston, SC
3490 Viper Drive Summerville, SC
3976 Electric Hornets Hopkins, SC
4083 Iron Wolverines Dorchester, SC
4451 ROBOTZ Garage Laurens, SC
4533 Wando Advanced Robotics Mt Pleasant, SC
4534 Wando B-Team Mt Pleasant, SC
4847 Tech-No-Logic Trojans Green Sea, SC
4901 Garnet Squadron Columbia, SC
4935 T-Rex Charlotte, NC
4965 FIRE Anderson, SC
8101 342/3489 B-Team North Charleston, SC

Questions? Just ask. We appreciate your patience with us this year, and we look forward to making SCRIW V the best yet.

Sincerely,



Billfred Leverette
SCRIW Planning Committee

[D.Allred]

Thanks for proceeding with the event. I can't image how tough it has been in the flood affected areas.

I love the "Recycle - Not So Fast" mentor match! Should be interesting.

Originally Posted by Billfred

Questions? Just ask. We appreciate your patience with us this year, and we look forward to making SCRIW V the best yet.

I have a few questions for all parties.
- Will there be any game rule changes?
- For speed and sanity sake, I assume transport configuration on and off the field will not be enforced if the configuration is safe.
- Will the robot have to pass through a single door or double door with the mullion in place while traveling from the pit to the field? (Door closer clearance is the fun part.)

David

[Kevin Thorp]

Re. Workshops:

I know of a few guys on a a couple teams that have mentioned they could host a workshop, but haven't volunteered because they didn't know how to sign up, and/or didn't know if someone else was already signed up to present a similar topic.

For example:

• Pneumatics
• Programming a Mobile Scouting App
• Different Types of Chassis & Drives
• Introduction to SolidWorks

Which of these would be most interesting to attendees?

[Billfred]

Originally Posted by D.Allred

Thanks for proceeding with the event. I can't image how tough it has been in the flood affected areas.

I love the "Recycle - Not So Fast" mentor match! Should be interesting.

If the news in the sports world tonight is true, I'm trying to get Spurrier on 4901's drive team.

I have a few questions for all parties.
- Will there be any game rule changes?
- For speed and sanity sake, I assume transport configuration on and off the field will not be enforced if the configuration is safe.
- Will the robot have to pass through a single door or double door with the mullion in place while traveling from the pit to the field? (Door closer clearance is the fun part.)

David

1) No.
2) We reserve the right to ensure you can fit in there, but if you're not being obnoxious then we won't be obnoxious. (aaaaaaaand 4901 breathes a sigh of relief)
3) It is all double doors between the pits and field, and I recall that we can remove the posts from all of them.

Originally Posted by Kevin Thorp

Re. Workshops:

I know of a few guys on a a couple teams that have mentioned they could host a workshop, but haven't volunteered because they didn't know how to sign up, and/or didn't know if someone else was already signed up to present a similar topic.

For example:

• Pneumatics
• Programming a Mobile Scouting App
• Different Types of Chassis & Drives
• Introduction to SolidWorks

Which of these would be most interesting to attendees?

I know none of those are on the list I have already, and man I wish I could see the mobile scouting app one!

[Kevin Thorp]

What is the food situation? Will teams be able to pre-order lunch? Will there be food available for sale on the day of the event?

[Billfred]

Originally Posted by Kevin Thorp

What is the food situation? Will teams be able to pre-order lunch? Will there be food available for sale on the day of the event?

The lunch pre-order form went out to all the registered teams' email addresses, and we will have concessions available at the event as well. I would be very happy to see the boil water advisory end for the Columbia area (you don't even know), but we deal in bottles and cans so that won't be affected.

[Billfred]

This email blast just went out to the teams:

Hold on to your safety glasses, folks--this one's a longer one with a lot of good information.

First, the site plan is attached. The parts of the school we'll be using for SCRIW are highlighted. Drop-off will be in the traffic loop that enters to the left of the building off Millwood Avenue. Parking for everyone will be in the student parking lot that's a little further to the left of the school (and a right turn out of the loop going back onto Millwood). Pulling in the front driveway will result in a verrrrrry long walk, especially for anyone carrying things. We will use the covered portion of the courtyard for any drilling or cutting needs you may have; there is power outside and the concrete causes far fewer worries.

We've also lined up a unique slate of workshops for this year, including one that has yours truly wondering if he can game announce from inside the workshops room! Here's the list (and thank you, presenters!):

10:20-11:20: Pneumatics: It’s a Gas! – Kevin Thorp, FRC 3489 (Category 5)
11:30-12:30: Mobile Scouting App Development – David Castro, FRC 3489 (Category 5)
12:45-1:45: Linear Motion Profiles in Robot Design – David Allred, FRC 4451 (ROBOTZ Garage)

We were asked about rule changes, and here's the easy answer: no planned rule changes. We are not going to police transport configuration (though we reserve the right to verify you can do it), as long as you can move your robot in a safe, non-obnoxious manner. There are standard school doors along the path between the pits and the gym, so plan accordingly with your cart.

We've had a few changes to the final team lineup, so here's the 24-team list for the record:

281 The GreenVillains Greenville, SC
283 The Generals Greenville, SC
342 Burning Magnetos North Charleston, SC
343 Metal In Motion Seneca, SC
1225 The Gorillas Hendersonville, NC
1226 The Gorillas B-Team Hendersonville, NC
1398 Keenan Robo-Raiders Columbia, SC
1539 Blue Eagle Robotics Clover, SC
1553 KC Robotics Team Lugoff, SC
1758 Technomancers Florence, SC
2059 The Hitchhikers Apex, NC
2815 Blue Devil Mechanics Columbia, SC
3489 Category 5 North Charleston, SC
3490 Viper Drive Summerville, SC
3976 Electric Hornets Hopkins, SC
4083 Iron Wolverines Dorchester, SC
4451 ROBOTZ Garage Laurens, SC
4533 Wando Advanced Robotics Mt Pleasant, SC
4534 Wando B-Team Mt Pleasant, SC
4901 Garnet Squadron Columbia, SC
4935 T-Rex Charlotte, NC
4965 FIRE Anderson, SC
5898 RoboFalcons Darlington, SC (Pre-rookies running 1293's robot)
8101 342/3489 B-Team North Charleston, SC

As you can see, we're sitting on 24 teams after some teams had to scratch for various reasons. We sincerely hope that everyone shows up, because this year's playoff format does not lend itself to byes as we've done in the past. The planning committee has a contingency plan in case someone no-shows and leaves us at less than 24 teams, and here it is. If it comes to pass, we will announce it at the driver's meeting.

1) We'll adjust the qualification schedule so everyone plays one additional match, and some will play still another as a surrogate. We know teams come to play, and we want to maximize these opportunities as much as possible.
2) We will run the playoffs with four four-team alliances (draft order 1-4, 4-1, 1-4).
3) Whoever sits out the first match in the round must play in the second.

One request from our bookkeepers: don't mail anything else. If you have a check for us, bring it to pit admin when you arrive. If you have a lunch pre-order, you can still fax it to John Lindower at 803-264-8498.

As you're packing, don't forget your essentials:

-Your driver station laptop (and power cord)
-Your charged batteries
-Your battery chargers
-Your hand tools
-Your safety glasses
-Your Gracious Professionalism!

Lastly, thank you, thank you, thank you. This month's storms have proven to be quite the challenge, and we have all felt the extra pressure to ensure the show goes on with the quality you expect from SCRIW. We know we would not have made it to this fifth year without your continued support, and we are grateful for all of you from the five-timers to the newbies. Columbia is open for business, and we hope you'll enjoy everything the city has to offer while you're here. If there's anything we can do to help, from event questions to tips on barbecue joints, please ask.

We can't wait to see you Saturday!

Sincerely,

Billfred Leverette
SCRIW Planning Committee

[Kevin Thorp]

Thanks Billfred.

Looks like a beautiful day. Mostly sunny, about 56° during load-in, with a high of 74°. Zero percent chance of floods!

Dreher H.S. Map
I don't know if this was a factor in the venue selection, but there's a Dunkin Donuts shop across the street.

[Billfred]

Originally Posted by Kevin Thorp

Dreher H.S. Map
I don't know if this was a factor in the venue selection, but there's a Dunkin Donuts shop across the street.

It wasn't, but I'm also not opposed to being a mile and a half from delicious barbecue either.

(Which also means I'm a mile and a half from home, since I share that block with Southern Belly.)

[Billfred]

I think I finally slept off the last of the soreness!

SCRIW V wasn't perfect, and some of the calls we had to make killed me. (I know everyone wants to play far more than six matches, and I know everyone wants to make the show.) We saw issues that nobody--a seasoned AndyMark FTA included--had seen before, but we persevered and got through 32 matches in one day. We hope everyone enjoyed it even as we dealt with these challenges on the field.

Before we get to the real hardware, I have to tip my hat to those that contributed for a shot at the SCRIW mentor match. Across all the teams, we raised over $500 for flood relief efforts here in Columbia and the crowd that stayed was hot for this match. The alliance of 2059, 3976, and 2815 defeated the alliance 4935, 3490, and 342 thanks to a last-second six-stack from the Hitchhikers. (We did have a few teams that would've been in the match had they stayed, so no slight to those teams not in the match.) I'm not committing to anything, but I hope this becomes an annual tradition to make a little extra impact.

With that out of the way, here were the alliances for the playoffs (no declines). Only 23 teams showed up (1539 had trailer issues), so we did four four-team alliances where all four robots had to play across the first two matches of each round. (This order is pulled from a screenshot on the audience display, which I believe is correct in draft order. Someone that caught otherwise can correct me.)

1) 2059/4451/1226/3976 (semifinals average: 111.66)
2) 4533/1225/3490/4534 (83.00)
3) 343/5898/3489/283 (78.00)
4) 4935/342/1553/1758 (47.66)

Alliances 1 and 2 advanced to the finals, where Alliance 1 sealed the deal in two matches. Congratulations to teams 2059 (The Hitchhikers), 4451 (ROBOTZ Garage), 1226 (Gorillas B-Team), and 3976 (Electric Hornets), your SCRIW V Champions! With this win, the Hitchhikers become two-time SCRIW champions (they won SCRIW II), and so does 1225 if you count A- and B-teams together (SCRIW IV).

The SCRIWDriver Award was presented to AndyMark for their field rental service. It's a long drive for them from Kokomo, but the service they offer is what's made SCRIW possible these past five years. As one of the two people in the parking lot discussion that led to SCRIW, I can say with near-absolute certainty that we wouldn't be able to pull it off if we had to coordinate things through Manchester.

This year saw a lot of volunteers that were new to their roles, but I have to tip my hat to Kaylee (whose name I'm probably misspelling terribly), a student from 2815 at her first FIRST event ever who was thrust into the emcee role. With a little more practice (and backup--my microphone was getting too feedback-laden to add the short names as usual), I think she could do it at an in-season event!

Thank you in particular to our workshop presenters, David Allred, Kevin Thorp, and David Castro. Maybe someday I'll be able to attend one of those workshops myself, but it seems like they all got great reviews.

I also have to thank the other members of the SCRIW committee: Matt Hedden, John Lindower, and Brooke Slocum. I'm the visible guy, but there is no way this event would happen without their efforts from building access to leading food efforts to fixing up the sound board while we keep going on matches.

Look for a date for SCRIW VI soon after the USC football schedule is set, and thank you all again!

[rfolea]

Have any photos of the event?

[westy]

I have a couple, but they're not great.

Picture of the field:


Picture of Wade Hampton's setup:


Full resolution: https://goo.gl/photos/SmUoFQCkb22Ua2im6