1114 and 2056 Release Videos?

[swwrobotics]

Soooooo I don't think they've ever done it and I'm not sure why... but if anyone knows the team members of 1114 or 2056 (or any other ballin' teams out there), could you pleeeeease encourage them to have release videos this year? I personally never get a chance to see the robots up close in action and I think it would be BEYOND cool if they made a little something. I feel like a lot of people agree on this, and it would totally mean the world to us in so many ways

[mman1506]

https://vimeo.com/3277978

[Ginger Power]

I won't speak for 1114 and 2056, but if I were in their position, I wouldn't want to give away any competitive advantage I may have by coming into an event as an unknown commodity. With that said, seeing incredibly well produced videos by these amazing teams would be awesome.

[Hallry]

"The reason we struggle with insecurity is because we compare our behind-the-scenes with everyone else’s highlight reel.” ― Steven Furtick

I personally feel that it's poor to judge a team by their release video - any robot could look great in a well-edited video (granted, this is 1114 and 2056 we are talking about in this instance, which would be amazing anyway). If you really want to get a good feel for their past robots, look at some of their old match footage on The Blue Alliance. That'll also show how their robots and drive teams evolve as the season progresses.

But, that being said, I am always in love with 118's reveal videos.

[EricH]

There's a reason that some of the top teams in FRC don't do release videos until after the season.

As noted, it gives everybody else a chance to try to figure out how to beat them starting from the date/time of the release video, rather than when they open the bag at their first event. While you're trying to figure out what they're doing and how to beat them, they're iterating onto the robot what they've learned from previous events (if any) and other release videos and their own practice.

But there's also another reason. Making a video takes time and people away from some things that they are going to be very busy doing. Like driver practice (under game-like conditions, at any rate). Like iterating the robot's subsystems to be even better. Like watching everybody else's release videos. Like fundraising (if necessary). Like finishing the CAD (which as I recall 1114 does release on occasion). Like schoolwork. Like sleep.

For 1114, there's a third reason... but just referencing it brings up bad memories.

What I might suggest instead of a release video would be a series of "Tour" videos, discussing the robot at each stage of development and providing an up-close view. Of course, these videos would probably be released no earlier than AFTER the first event...and probably much later, like after Champs.

[MaGiC_PiKaChU]

Originally Posted by EricH

Like schoolwork. Like sleep.

Schoolwork? Sleep? Never heard of that

[Justin Montois]

Originally Posted by swwrobotics

Soooooo I don't think they've ever done it and I'm not sure why... but if anyone knows the team members of 1114 or 2056 (or any other ballin' teams out there), could you pleeeeease encourage them to have release videos this year? I personally never get a chance to see the robots up close in action and I think it would be BEYOND cool if they made a little something. I feel like a lot of people agree on this, and it would totally mean the world to us in so many ways

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CIBaWdIZX7k

Here's a 'Behind the Bumpers' segment that Mike and I shot a couple years ago of 1114 and their robot in 2013. Does a pretty good job showing some of the cool features for those who never saw the robot up close. If you look on our FRC Top 25 channel there are some more from several great teams.

[Ichlieberoboter]

Originally Posted by EricH

For 1114, there's a third reason... but just referencing it brings up bad memories.

I'm guessing I shouldn't ask?

[swwrobotics]

Originally Posted by EricH

What I might suggest instead of a release video would be a series of "Tour" videos, discussing the robot at each stage of development and providing an up-close view. Of course, these videos would probably be released no earlier than AFTER the first event...and probably much later, like after Champs.

Yeah, or even that would be pretty cool...

[Chris is me]

I'm sure competitive advantage is part of it. I think a bigger part of it though is that top teams already have a big enough target on their back without crating hype for themselves. For teams not in the very, very top tier of FRC, there's utility in a release video in that it makes the world aware of your robot and that you are a potential contender. The top teams don't have anything to prove.

But really the biggest reason is probably that a reveal video takes a solid amount of time and effort, and all those hours spent making a sweet video are hours not spent improving the robot, or doing schoolwork, or catching up on sleep or whatever.

(By the way, I have no idea what this "third reason" is; 1114 only made a video in 2009, and I don't remember anything super out of the ordinary about how they were treated that year. Nobody copied them or whatever...)

[marshall]

Originally Posted by Chris is me

But really the biggest reason is probably that a reveal video takes a solid amount of time and effort, and all those hours spent making a sweet video are hours not spent improving the robot, or doing schoolwork, or catching up on sleep or whatever.

Yep.

900 is definitely not a top team but I can tell you that making videos takes time and effort. It also takes individuals dedicated to making them.

[techtiger1]

They could do a release video but they spend their time perfecting the robot design rather than making videos. Just look at the way 1114 controlled the bins so well that only comes with iteration.

[Sperkowsky]

Playing Devils advocate you could make a great release video in a day with a couple of people. With a team the size of 1114 I'm sure they have the resource and time to make a video.

[BigJ]

Why is this an issue? Let teams do what they want to do.

[marshall]

Originally Posted by BigJ

Why is this an issue? Let teams do what they want to do.

Because 10 days before kickoff, everything is an issue on CD.