pic: 2005 Vex Field

[Tom Bottiglieri]

Originally Posted by dk5sm5luigi

These teams only have about 5 or 6 students so I am sure you can handle that.

Maybe teams can use this to train their freshman how to build a robot. Freshman could work with a sophomore and junior team member to do everything for Vex. This way, every team member has something to do, and they will learn robotics basics, and be better trained to start working on the robot in 10,11, and 12th grade.

[BrianBSL]

Originally Posted by Joe Johnson

Whoa! Is that THE field (the one FIRST will be using) or a practice field you built?

It looks great in any case.

Joe J.

Its the real thing, came straight from FIRST & Hatch, along with a crew of people to run it. The scoring software worked well and had none of the problems that it had been having with FRC competitions. The only issues were some problems with the ball dump early in the day.

[sanddrag]

For anyone who has built a Vex robot and practiced with field parts, have you picked up the big red ball? Can you move the mobile goals? To me, those things look very hard to do for these somewhat frail little robots.

[David Kelso]

If you used the new field, did the pipes on the sationary goal stay in place or did they open up and move all over the place as the game progressed?

[dk5sm5luigi]

Originally Posted by David Kelso

If you used the new field, did the pipes on the sationary goal stay in place or did they open up and move all over the place as the game progressed?

They did open up a little but not that often. Since the goals are so low compared to the height they are thrown from the back board doesn't make too much of an effect since by time it gets to the goal it is mostly a downward action. So to answer the question every now and then balls did go through the back.

[Francis-134]

Wow, that field looks much better than the one we made. I can't wait to see all the teams compete in Atlanta.

[Arefin Bari]

wow... this is so cool. I want to build a robot which can control the mini 2x ball and can hang. This should be fun to work on...

[Rich Wong]

So is this a sign of things to come- VEX challenge will be last year’s FRC Challenges; just rescaled?
Next year’s VEX with be VEX-Triple Play?

[Ken Delaney 357]

Originally Posted by The Cyborg

I wish my middle school had something like this (besides FLL) when I was in middle school.

Is this competition going to be for middle school or high school students or both? I want to start a VEX team at the high school where I teach. I just ordered a VEX kit for myself to get things in motion. I e-mailed my interest to FIRST but did not get much of a response other than "wait till the fall when the pilot program is announced". In my opinion it was kind of short sighted. Things are crazy during September for teachers and students, the sooner they can get information to us the better. I know the school budget for next is already written. If I want to field a team I am going to have start fundraising, but without any specifics I can't really get permission to do so.

[theory6]

Hmm those holes in the ten point balls could work well with some of the really cool end effectors of this year's game. Too bad it would be a really tight fit

[Rabbit222]

WOW! That is really sweet! I really like how FIRST used last year's game as a vex game. Could it be possible that FIRST will make the yearly Vex challenge the previous year's FIRST game? That would be sweet to see those little things manipulate tetras. Smaller ones of course! I can't wait to see it in action @ Nats. Good luck to the Vex teams!

[tiffany34990]

WOW!! that's soo cool.. i wanna play even more now!! vex is gonna be great for those involved! i can't wait till championship to see this closer..this is so cool...good luck to the vex teams out there and have fun!!

[Koko Ed]

So if they do a mini version of Triple Play next year are they going to have a little animatronic action figure carry the tetras in the human player zone?

[dk5sm5luigi]

Originally Posted by Ken Delaney 357

Is this competition going to be for middle school or high school students or both? I want to start a VEX team at the high school where I teach. I just ordered a VEX kit for myself to get things in motion. I e-mailed my interest to FIRST but did not get much of a response other than "wait till the fall when the pilot program is announced". In my opinion it was kind of short sighted. Things are crazy during September for teachers and students, the sooner they can get information to us the better. I know the school budget for next is already written. If I want to field a team I am going to have start fundraising, but without any specifics I can't really get permission to do so.

I can't say what the plan is for the future but I know this year there are middle school and high school teams competing. I would also have no clue on the price and I don't know think FIRST knows yet either. Each team this year has four kits to work with where they can't use parts from more than three kits on their robot. The fourth kit is a spare if something breaks. I don't know if they plan on making the kits part of a registration fee or if you have to supply your own. From my understanding FIRST Vex Challenge is supposed to be a cheaper alternative to FIRST and also a feeder to FIRST so with any luck they won't make it too expensive.

[Erin Rapacki]

I would expect FVC games to differ from FRC games in years to come. My guess is, that for this year, they decided to bring back an old game because there wasn't enough time to develop a completely new game that they know would play out well.