FRC Blog - Something New - Team 'Standards'

[bEdhEd]

Originally Posted by wilsonmw04

Some of these post could very well be replaced with: "darned FIRST needs to stay off my lawn!"
...

I think some folks need a nap before they post on forums.

I agree some of these reactions seem a bit much. It's an optional piece. It's not required to do like bumpers. If the FRC community really didn't wan't the standards, they could do a "standard agreement," much like the "litter agreement" and not put them up during the matches.

That would not be enjoyable for any teams who worked hard on a standard though. At least they'd be able to stick it up in the pit or have a mascot hold it.

[Briansmithtown]

This is beyond pointless. The crowd won't really be looking at the flags, the opponents will be to busy driving, and this will just add more time to the field setup, which already is a bit too long. When I first got involved, FIRST was all about the future and interesting people into science and technology, but now it's just kinda stepping back. These flags will make it look like an animatronic Medeival times. Also kinda make it look a bit more, ugh should I say, nerdy.

[bEdhEd]

Originally Posted by Briansmithtown

These flags will make it look like an animatronic Medeival times. Also kinda make it look a bit more, ugh should I say, nerdy.

Dinner and tournament, m'lady?

I can see the judges circled around the arena with a side of meat at hand. Maybe instead of blue shirts they'll wear blue paper crowns.



The medieval stuff is a little nerdy, yes, but it beats last year's theme. It sparks the imagination a bit more, at least for me.

[Aren Siekmeier]

Anyone else wondering about the specifications? They don't say you have to build a particular support structure, but the size and material specs talk about vertical and horizontal supports as if they have a design in mind that they'd like us to stick to.

I'm not a huge fan, and I'm wary of loose fabric and streamers and the possibility of interfering with action on the field. Hoping to keep this a professional, clean presentation of our team's image, and not something distracting, over the top, and hard on the eyes. Also, there are many ways to build the support structure, and wise teams will play with that degree of freedom and others to see what can be done with a standard other than just repping the team with a fabric flag. At the very least I'd see if we can tie down the bottom...

[MooreteP]

At some arenas, this will block the view of spectators as much as, if not more than, the Aerial Assist or Ultimate Ascent goals did.

How will they be supported? What if they fall onto the field? Will they affect Field Reset times? We're gonna need a bigger....ladder.

Originally Posted by Cory

Ah yes, the next step forward in making FRC more professional and attractive to television and outsiders.

All marketers end up in Hell. Outsiders We have a few of these on our teams.

Originally Posted by AdamHeard

I can't see how such themes help get normal people involved.

Why be normal? But I get your point. There is theater in FIRST, but the casual spectator may want to just "watch the game".

Originally Posted by Jay O'Donnell

For those of you talking about how this will detract from the "professional look", strive to make your standard look professional and help other teams do the same. No need to talk down about FIRST trying something new that doesn't impact competitions in a serious way. I'm excited that non-STEM interested students will have more things to do and stay involved with an FRC team (disclaimer: my girlfriend does the art stuff for my old team).

This^

Originally Posted by Andrew Schreiber

Are you kidding me? FRC has many problems but "not enough chances for teams to express themselves" is not one of them.

Nah, but we got banners yo.

Interesting comment from 125, who have many banners, and often good spirit with overly bright LED's in the stands.

Originally Posted by Andrew Schreiber

Can we maybe address the abysmal/decentralized webcasts, lack of recorded footage, high cost of participation, lack of quality control at events, abusive volunteers... ?

Another thread?

All this being said, I like this idea. It puts the A in STEM.

Now, if the endgame involved impaling a losing alliance's Robot with your "standard" for 50 points...... That would be an engineering challenge beyond a six-stack with a can & noodle.

[Koko Ed]

Originally Posted by wilsonmw04

Some of these post could very well be replaced with: "darned FIRST needs to stay off my lawn!"

To the point of streamers being "unprofessional," I guess you were never in the scouts where steamers are used to show the accomplishments of the unit.

They also use streamers in the military to show the deployment or honors of the unit. Is the US military unprofessional because they have steamers on a standard? hardly.

I think some folks need a nap before they post on forums.

Many members of the CD community are a hardcore lot and more often than not if it doesn't have something to do with the robot or the competition it doesn't matter to them. Just because they don't agree with it doesn't mean the rest of the FIRST community doesn't.

[Dan Petrovic]

Originally Posted by EricLeifermann

While trumpeting you can also have your crier shout ROBOT!!!

HEAR HEAR!! MAKE WAY FOR THE ROBOT OF 2826!!

[Andrew Schreiber]

Originally Posted by MooreteP

Interesting comment from 125, who have many banners, and often good spirit with overly bright LED's in the stands.

So, since we've obviously had ample chances to express ourselves and celebrate our achievements prior to this, why do we need to add more?

Also, I'm pretty sure FIRST will frown if we attempt to put an egg plant up there... or a pineapple. Maybe less so a cheesecake but I think that might start to smell a little fresh by the end of the event. [1] I'm not anti fun/all serious business all the time. I'm just curious what the thought process behind "teams don't have enough ways to express themselves" was.



[1] these have all been 125 "flags" in the last year. Also on this list was a water bottle that the students made into a strange mouse looking thing, sometimes I question where they even GET these objects. Strangest moment I've had in FRC was walking into the pit to see a student drilling a hole in a pineapple.

[marshall]

Originally Posted by wilsonmw04

Some of these post could very well be replaced with: "darned FIRST needs to stay off my lawn!"

Yeah... that's CD in a nutshell. Evidence here.

I would say "this place used to be friendly" but that's too much irony for me! Not to mention it's untrue. CD has always been a place for 'distinguished but elderly scientists'.

I'm not a huge fan of the standards and I want to know if I can put a camera on ours for a multitude of reasons BUT by all means, if it helps me get at least one more student hyped up for build season then I guess FIRST HQ can drag out the mission accomplished banner*.

*This year the mission accomplished banner is actually a mission accomplished plaque.

[Rick]

After looking over the specs, for our team, I see this as an additional way to recognize our sponsors.

My initial thought was to make the standard out of a vinyl banner instead of fabric or felt. More durable, full color, and professional.

For everyone dreaming of going way over the top on this, remember the cumulative weight has to be 3 lbs. or less.

[Jay O'Donnell]

Originally Posted by Rick

My initial thought was to make the standard out of a vinyl banner instead of fabric or felt. More durable, full color, and professional.

Definitely agree on the vinyl. We've been putting it on corrugated plastic and polycarb for years. Comes out great.

[AdamHeard]

Originally Posted by wilsonmw04

Some of these post could very well be replaced with: "darned FIRST needs to stay off my lawn!"

To the point of streamers being "unprofessional," I guess you were never in the scouts where steamers are used to show the accomplishments of the unit.

They also use streamers in the military to show the deployment or honors of the unit. Is the US military unprofessional because they have steamers on a standard? hardly.

I think some folks need a nap before they post on forums.

Just finished my nap.

Yes get off my lawn, and get the overly nerdy things of FIRST's lawn so that we can make it a more inviting environment for the general public.

Let's face it, the average high school student doesn't want to join a nerd club. If we focus more on a clean sports like competitive environment, we can attract more mainstream people and achieve the culture change FIRST is striving for.

[Lil' Lavery]

If only more people were able to look past the medieval/fantasy themes and enjoy Game of Thrones. Perhaps then it would be recognized. It's a pity it's shoved into the corner as "too nerdy" for mainstream culture, however.

obvious sarcasm

[wilsonmw04]

Originally Posted by Lil' Lavery

If only more people were able to look past the medieval/fantasy themes and enjoy Game of Thrones. Perhaps then it would be recognized. It's a pity it's shoved into the corner as "too nerdy" for mainstream culture, however.

obvious sarcasm

+1

[AdamHeard]

Originally Posted by Lil' Lavery

If only more people were able to look past the medieval/fantasy themes and enjoy Game of Thrones. Perhaps then it would be recognized. It's a pity it's shoved into the corner as "too nerdy" for mainstream culture, however.

obvious sarcasm

You don't see a difference between a show you watch (with far, far more production value than FIRST) and something you do?

Game of Thrones is cool, LARPing is not.