[FRC Blog] More Season Info

[Bkeeneykid]

Posted on the FRC Blog, Jan 6th 2017: http://www.firstinspires.org/robotic...re-season-info

More Season Info
Written by FIRST Staff

The blog today is from the (very tired) FIRST Robotics Competition staff.

All documents or files referenced below as ‘encrypted’ can be opened with the single key that will be provided at the end of the Kickoff broadcast tomorrow. Tomorrow!!!!

Please do not re-host or redistribute the content posted by FIRST. Anyone is welcome to post links to our content, though, as long as the content itself remains on FIRST servers. The content could change at any time, and it does no one any good to have old files floating around. By linking to our content instead of hosting, you can make sure everyone is getting the current version.



Control System Software

All FRC Control System Software has been posted and is now available for download. Note that you will need the encryption key from the Kickoff broadcast to access the NI Update Suite in order to get anything running on a roboRIO, but all other content is unencrypted. A quick guide of what to grab for installation later can be found here.



Field Drawings

Download encrypted field drawings here.



Game Q&A System

You can’t possibly have game questions yet! But, the Q&A system for the game will open at Noon Eastern on Wednesday, January 11th, after you have had a few days to digest the game manual and have (likely) been able to find answers to the first questions that pop into your head.

Team Authorization Codes for the Q&A System are available now in the Team Registration System. The codes can be found in the “Access Passwords/Voucher Codes” section here:



Each code allows exactly ONE person from your team to ASK questions. However, anyone can make an account in the Q&A System in order to subscribe to questions to be notified when an answer is published. Users do NOT need an account to read and search existing questions. We encourage everyone to make their accounts prior to next Wednesday in order to be ready when the system opens.

More details will be available early next week about all the awesome features in this new system!



Event Experience Page

We are happy to announce that the final section of the Game Documents (formerly the Admin Manual) is now available! Rules for the Event Experience, as well as what to expect at Events can be found here. Please read this page. It includes key information, like the all-important rule against saving seats at events (and what to do if you see a team breaking the all-important rule against saving seats at events).



Replacement Parts for your Kickoff Kit

The process we’ll be using to get information from you about any missing or damaged parts in your Kickoff Kits has changed for 2017. For 2017, we will use a separate webform (similar to the way we did the drive base kit option) for each Kickoff Kit container you receive: the drive base kit, the rookie tote (including external items), and the veteran tote (including external items.)

Please note and understand that we will only accept selections made using these forms.

Steps for submitting a replacement parts request are as follows:

1. Click the webform links on the Kit of Parts webpage. (The links will be available on Saturday, January 7, 2017).
2. Fill in the form.
a. The Team ID can be found at the end of the url that a “Lead Coach/Mentor 1” or “Lead Coach/Mentor 2” sees after clicking on a dashboard button, like “Manage Team Contact,” when logged in the team’s registration account. It is a 6-digit number. This was the same process for the drive base option.

b. Select the quantity you are missing of each item from the drop down list.
c. We recommend checking the “send me a copy of my responses” box at the end of the form so you have a copy of each for your records.

A few notes about the forms:

• You may only submit each form one time. Any subsequent entries will be discarded, so please ensure that the data you are putting in is correct.
• Please only report/request items that were missing or damaged upon arrival.
• We do not ship to PO boxes.
• The part number for each item is at the end of the title.
• The items are typically in the same order as the Kickoff Kit Checklists with the separate items being at the bottom.

If you have any questions please email, frcparts@firstinspires.org.

[marshall]

Can we have an extension for KOP replacement requests because we won't be getting our KOP for a few days?

(I ask for this not knowing what the date is but it is typically a few days after kickoff IIRC).

[piersklein]

Originally Posted by Frank

E03. Teams are not permitted to save seats for team members that are not present.

All hail, Frank, defender of both Hawaiian Pizza and seats!


Quick serious edit:

Originally Posted by Frank

FIRST maintains a culture where concerns about the safety and comfort of team members can be raised and addressed. If anyone states that they feel threatened or uncomfortable because of verbal abuse, inappropriate contact, or other negative behaviors that are not in the spirit of FIRST, we ask that you complete a Non-Medical Incident Report to formally document the event. This form may also be used to report witnessed violations of any rules in this section, such as seat saving or throwing objects from seating areas. FIRST takes all disclosures and indications of risk seriously, while honoring every individual’s right to privacy. Non-Medical Incident Forms are kept at the Pit Administration area and may be completed anonymously.

This is a really positive addition. I hope these forms will be easily available to all at every event.

[marshall]

Originally Posted by piersklein

All hail, Frank, defender of both Hawaiian Pizza and seats!

No, Frank does not like Hawaiian Pizza. Only lizard people like fruit on their pizza.

http://www.firstinspires.org/node/8101

[MrRoboSteve]

Originally Posted by marshall

Can we have an extension for KOP replacement requests because we won't be getting our KOP for a few days?

(I ask for this not knowing what the date is but it is typically a few days after kickoff IIRC).

If I was in your situation and discovered missing parts,$@#I'd email frcteams@firstinspires.org.

[piersklein]

Originally Posted by marshall

No, Frank does not like Hawaiian Pizza. Only lizard people like fruit on their pizza.

http://www.firstinspires.org/node/8101

That's exactly what a lizard person would say to prevent humanity from discovering the tropical paradise of pineapple and ham!

[Tom Line]

Wait - a single message outlining the vast majority of where to find controls stuff? Goodness. What will they think of next.

[GeeTwo]

Has anyone been able to authorize as a team rep yet? If so, how (I have our hex passcode)? I know we can't ask questions yet, I'd just like to have the handshakes done as early as possible.

[Trying to Help]

I can see that FIRST is trying to address the event crowding that I've seen at times. Back in the day of GSR, there was designated seating for competing teams and that was pretty handy. You knew you could get a seat to watch your matches.

I think there's some going to some issues to be worked out with the new guidelines. I really hope it goes smoothly.

[Tom Line]

Originally Posted by Trying to Help

I can see that FIRST is trying to address the event crowding that I've seen at times. Back in the day of GSR, there was designated seating for competing teams and that was pretty handy. You knew you could get a seat to watch your matches.

I think there's some going to some issues to be worked out with the new guidelines. I really hope it goes smoothly.

In the past, they have reserved areas at Champs for the teams competing on Einstein. Truth be told, I've never, not once, had a problem finding a seat (or seats) at the different fields around the arena.

Now at State champs, or the high school venues it's quite a different story.

I suspect being able to report teams that are saving seats will result in some type of anonymous contact from FIRST to the mentors of said teams. I think that is the best way to handle the situation.

It's still early in the season, but I will be eagerly waiting for some type of statement regarding pit crews of teams competing in their field playoffs at champs. As I told two different officials last year, the kids on our team did not come all that way to stand behind a black curtain and miss their team playing in the finals because 'you're not allowed to watch'.

[frcguy]

Originally Posted by Tom Line

It's still early in the season, but I will be eagerly waiting for some type of statement regarding pit crews of teams competing in their field playoffs at champs. As I told two different officials last year, the kids on our team did not come all that way to stand behind a black curtain and miss their team playing in the finals because 'you're not allowed to watch'.

They didn't let you guys watch? On Curie they let our entire alliance's pit crew and 4th drive team stand in the media section right in front of the field.

[Tom Line]

Nope - and this is the second year running that they tried it on the field we were playing on. I like giving the benefit of the doubt though, because a couple of the other fields were allowed to watch. So I'd like to believe we just got unlucky two years running and the folks on our field had their signals a bit crossed.

[Sperkowsky]

Originally Posted by Tom Line

Nope - and this is the second year running that they tried it on the field we were playing on. I like giving the benefit of the doubt though, because a couple of the other fields were allowed to watch. So I'd like to believe we just got unlucky two years running and the folks on our field had their signals a bit crossed.

Technically if I'm not mistaken there is a "team viewing area" that's supposed to be used for each field. Atleast that's what we had on Newton. Unfortunately all volunteers have access to is field reset people as well as volunteer coordinators when doing crowd control around the field. Becuase of this it was close to impossible to keep teams in a small box fairly far from the field with limited viewing. All of the teams ended up in the media area as they either were there when we were still attempting to move them and they didn't listen or because they just joined the crowd. This created an extremely unsafe area as Newton seemingly contained every invited guest, vip and tour group in the place. Not to mention the countless team members who hopped down onto the floor and shouldn't have been there at all. Even after teams got eliminated many stayed and if they were told to leave they usually made a big issue out of it.

What I think probably has happened to you is that the vc's running the fields to prevent a situation like that are just preventing people from watching all together. It's unfortunate that they had to do this but I also don't blame them. They wouldn't have to do stuff like this if teams just listened. Personally I think first should formalize the media area a little more with ropes instead of just tape and a small sign saying only real media, tours, invited guests or team media up to 3 matches before your teams match. It would help the volunteers jobs a lot, create a more safe environment and allow them to also designate a team viewing area. When you have a roped off area it would be a lot easier to figure out who's allowed to be there.

[techplex]

Originally Posted by GeeTwo

Has anyone been able to authorize as a team rep yet? If so, how (I have our hex passcode)? I know we can't ask questions yet, I'd just like to have the handshakes done as early as possible.

Creator of the new Q&A system here. Once you have created an account and logged in navigate to your user dashboard (https://frc-qa.firstinspires.org/dash) enter your team number and authorization code.

Once you've entered your team number and code the page will update to show you as "The QA Authority for your team".

Best,
Blake