What would you want in an FRC party?

[devicenull]

Originally Posted by Chrisms

we have projectors at our school that we can borrow.

And as far as the suggestions for video games, such as doom and halo2... That's kind of what we're trying to avoid turning it into... We have plenty of LAN parties, we want something a bit different.

But the clips is a good idea, we can put together a montage of all the teams that will be there (if we have footage of them!)

Team vs Team lan party. That would be pretty cool. Of course, it would have to be CS.. although I can think of a few team based source games

[SpaceBoy2000]

SSB would be a great game for a party. In my experience, FPS games are usually too competitive for a party. Smash Brothers however, is a different story. One or two consoles set up would be fun. Heck, set it up with any watchable multiplayer game and you'll get people cheering and having fun.

I'm more partial to the team vs team dodgeball game though. If possible, depending on the size fo the teams, have the robots playing in it too. Though they better have bumpers. That said, I hope we can take off the speed blocks on the muzzle velocity in the code first

Frankly, just a general place to hold that many people would be great. Most of all, food, drinks, speakers (the music will show up, guaranteed), and nice comfy chairs. Oh, and cameras. Can't forget those, can we?

[Dillon Compton]

I'm totally interested in this...

That said, I'd love to see a little less "Team vs Team" and a little more interaction; the whole first season we, at the root of it, compete against one another; sure we compete on alliances, and sometimes form lasting personal/team relationships, but as an overall rule most individuals interact PRIMARILY(not exclusively though) with their team members (this is natural, they are friends and comfortable with one another). I'd love to have board games (maybe I'll even debut my FIRST CCG if I have it done and some sets printed up by then), a "chill" area with places to crash and talk away from super loud music (and comfortable), a movie room (maybe), games, dodgeball(teamvsteam is okay, I suppose), music, dancing. You could have teams volunteer to bring their robots, and people could try out various team's 'bots from this or past years, and we could all just network, meet new friends, and have a good time.

Additionally, a (voluntary) guestbook that includes places for Email, aim etc... would be stellar, ESPECIALLY if it was posted on a website afterwards so that we could all keep in contact without lugging around pen and paper(or forearm) all night.

My $.02

[Donut]

Any party must have mass amounts of chairs, couches, or something else people can sit on when tired. There's nothing worse for me than sitting on a floor after being completely worn out.

Otherwise, a collage of things would be best; place to eat, place to talk, place to watch a movie, place to play dodgeball (I'm suggesting Team Vs. Team, where every team gets an equal number of robots they can set up behind them and use as "artillery" to shoot at the other team), some kind of music (glowsticks always go well with this, our team has been making it a tradition to take glowsticks with us everywhere we go since Nats 2 years ago), and who knows what else.

[NeedMoreEngines]

We would need
1-A TREMENDOUS amount of pizza
2- A pool table
3-A bunch of Xboxes and the same number of copies of Halo 2 and televisions.
4- One (1) kid who is a DDR prodigy to play all night while others watch.
5- One (1) stereo playing a Dane Cook CD.
6- A dog.
7- A monkey. (small monkey)
8- Black Cherry Vanilla Coca-Cola
9- Moonbounce(s)
10- One (1) kid who spends the whole night riding around on a Segway.
11- Dodgeball tournament.
12- Pizza replenishment system.

[Libby Ritchie]

Originally Posted by Billfred

Back in 2004, 1293 played host to a bowling extravaganza with 433 and 393 (whose alliance, along with another team that couldn't make it, made semifinals). The latter two wanted to do something, and the Firebirds invited us as well. (You have to love the Firebirds. It's required by law.)

As we were the locals, we started calling around to see what places could hold about 40 people. (393 had a big group, while the Firebirds had a skeleton crew and we only had three people.) Most of the decent restaurants in town were jammed up by that time, so we went for the bowling alley (which also had a small arcade and a decent food stand). Everybody seemed to have a grand old time, and it only ran everyone five bucks.

I guess the moral of the story is that perfect planning isn't required for a good time. Make sure you can get enough room at your location of choice, get something that won't wear out a bunch of already-worn-out kids (but feel free to throw in some DDR if you're so inclined), and make sure there's enough responsible people there to keep people from being stupid. Oh, and enlist some locals if you aren't from around. They won't steer you wrong.

I remember that bowling party well! It was a GREAT time by everyone. Many of our team members made friends with other teams and last I knew, we have graduates that still talk to some of the people they met that weekend! We took a charter bus to that regional and that night, we made our bus driver join in the fun with us. He played and beat all of us!

When you go to FIRST events and off-season events, don't stay to yourself, meet as many people as you can and have a great time! In my opinion, just getting to meet so many neat people that are in FIRST is one of the highlights of it all.

[Mr. Lim]

A couch
and a chai latte =)

[iamthetallpaul]

Girls.

[JC-75]

I'm going to be very un-original here and say:

Pizza
Soda
A bunch of great films
Members from every team of course =)

[ScoutingNerd175]

If you were going to play dodge ball or any other game like that, you could consider mixing it up and saying that, 5 members (or insert reasonable number here) of each team (you could adjust this to size 5 of team XXX because it's a big team and 3 of YYYY because it's a small team) so that they play with people they don't know. You could also do games like pictionary, taboo, and charades, which are quieter smaller scale games (we had epic taboo at our hotel) and have mixed teams. I think you are best off to have any enforced activities (if you want to do any) earlier in the night (i.e. everyone plays dodge ball) and sort of open ended activities (play DDR, or taboo, or hand out and chat) later on, and then do a movie (if you want to) when it gets late and people are tired. Anything that takes organization will be harder to do the later it gets.

Glow sticks and anything that glow are a great idea (order a few weeks in advance and you can get those sorts of things from Rhode Island Novelty or Oriental Trading for quite cheap) and you know how much FIRST Teams like giveaways. You could also ask teams to bring a bunch of their buttons. If any team makes their own buttons, you could ask them to bring their button maker (people really do like this, even adults)

As far as food goes, I might try to avoid the pizza option just because I know that (and some of my team mates may actually kill me for this) people get tired of pizza by the time build and traveling are over. You might want to see if you can get some place to do a couple different kinds of pasta (baked ziti, pasta with meat sauce, pasta Alfredo) or a pasta bar. Whatever you do make sure you have a vegetarian option (meatless sauce, cheese pizza, veggie burgers/tofu dogs) and you might (if there are Jewish kids on any of the teams) want a Kosher option (something that doesn't mix meat and dairy, among other things). I might steer away from Chinese just because there are many people who don't like it, or make sure you have something else on hand. Have lots of chips/snacks and bowls of candy (cost co or BJs is helpful for this) and you may want to see if you can get some place to do a giant sheet cake (or a few) with the first logo or pictures of the robots on them.

As far as music goes you can do the DJ thing or just have people bring Cd's but someone should be making sure the music is appropriate. Try for not over done FIRST music, but don't play to much of one genre at a time. (And yeah, you're gunna want the Cotton Eyed Joe anyways)

We also used to do a raffle, although I don't know if that would work for you. Many places are willing to donate prizes and you could either charge ($1 for 4 tickets) and give the money to a local FLL team, an FRC team that has financial trouble, use it to pay for the party somewhat, or donate it to the local food shelf. Or you could give everyone ten tickets or give tickets for winning things or whatever.

Be sure to ask teams if any kids parents can help you. Someone may have an uncle whose a DJ or a parent who caters or something.

I hope some of this has helped and that it has not been in excess. I used to plan parties for the nonprofit theatre I worked for. (Yeah, I'm 17, but I've had experience) so if you have any questions you can PM, as I always did pretty well.

[BobC]

Originally Posted by Mike Nawrot

if you were invited to a post regional FRC party, what would you want at the party? All ideas will be read. Try to be reasonable.

Lots of Pepe's of New Haven CT Pizza. Live bands of different types to satisfy everyone likes of music.

[Tetraman]

A Lego Mindstorm competition

or

Play the robotics game with people as robots like how they do to show you the game in the begining of the year.

Something wacko like that.

[Nuttyman54]

Originally Posted by Tetraman

Play the robotics game with people as robots like how they do to show you the game in the begining of the year.

I would LOVE to do that! That sounds like serious fun man.

[Tetraman]

Originally Posted by Nuttyman54

I would LOVE to do that! That sounds like serious fun man.

IN MASCOT UNIFORMS!!! OH!

[Dan Richardson]

Originally Posted by CourtneyB

Usher to perform lol hey they had Mandy Moore perform in 2002 in flordia so why not Usher lol

-Court-

Because he's usher lol, Even many more wasn't received well everyone got excited ran down for one song just to keep on running to Epcot before the first song over. I for one was hungry and wanted to ride the big ball, but speaking of 2002, if anyone remembers those parties, those were nothing but sweet goodness. 3 dj's around the park playing Reggae/Salsa Rap/Hiphop/Trendy and House/Dance food everywhere the eyes could see and all free, rides open late and closing with a fireworks show. Amasing

For atlanta lan would be funny they should get mountain dew on tap. We looked into it for a college planning committee for the housing department at ucf last year we found out you can get soda on tap in a keg. ( we were going to do a rootbeer pong thing lol ) I don't know maybe its innapropriate giving its setting, but I think it'd be funny.

Good music, good food, good people is all you really need for a good party.