What to Expect at Nationals

[BlondeNerd]

From what I understand from these posts (correct me if I am wrong) is that teams must go outdoors to get their bot from the pit to the field. So, if it is raining, then the bot must go out in the rain to get to the field? Sounds like the fabled water game to me. How are the bots kept safe in the rain?

[SPurekar]

Originally Posted by BlondeNerd

From what I understand from these posts (correct me if I am wrong) is that teams must go outdoors to get their bot from the pit to the field. So, if it is raining, then the bot must go out in the rain to get to the field? Sounds like the fabled water game to me. How are the bots kept safe in the rain?

There is a tunnel underground for the drivers and robot to get from the Congress Center to the Dome, so rain doesn't affect the robots. Everyone else has to go outside to get to the pits.

[BlondeNerd]

Originally Posted by SPurekar

There is a tunnel underground for the drivers and robot to get from the Cogress Center to the Dome, the rain doesn't affect the robots. Everyone else has to go outside to get to the pits.

Thanks

[VanMan]

We are in the process of getting the money for nationals. We have a few sources that we will get it from. We are not too far from having the money but we still need a bit more.

[Laura 1547]

Championships is probably one of the best weekends you'll ever experience. Enough said.

I remember 2 years ago it was our first year and my jaw dropped when I walked in and saw just how huge it actually is. The same thing happened last year and I'm pretty sure it will happen if we go again this year. Not only do you get to meet people from different countries, but the competition is intense and there is never a moment that you are bored.

[Koko Ed]

Prepare to be overwhelmed.

[RoboMom]

Originally Posted by SPurekar

There is a tunnel underground for the drivers and robot to get from the Congress Center to the Dome, so rain doesn't affect the robots. Everyone else has to go outside to get to the pits.

It's the scenic route. Past the machine shop and any number of really smelly dumpsters. Be sure to say hi and thanks to the great team queuing volunteers who are stationed here.

[GaryVoshol]

Originally Posted by SPurekar

There is a tunnel underground for the drivers and robot to get from the Congress Center to the Dome, so rain doesn't affect the robots. Everyone else has to go outside to get to the pits.

Originally Posted by RoboMom

It's the scenic route. Past the machine shop and any number of really smelly dumpsters. Be sure to say hi and thanks to the great team queuing volunteers who are stationed here.

G'won. It had red carpet. Had to watch for those snakes, though.

<Shamless plug> Volunteers get to use the inside route too. Volunteer to help at the event, and you can walk on the red carpet. </Shameless plug.>

[Arefin Bari]

Seems like everyone else covered everything that you need to know...

Have fun, that's what you are there for. Meet new people, you never know who becomes your close friend. Stop by the volunteers and make sure you say thanks to them, it takes a lot to put together an event like this. Stop by the mentors from other teams and ask them questions about their robot, you will learn a lot.

Again, have fun, but make sure it's not harmful to anyone.

Good luck and we will see you soon. =)

[Bongle]

I'm just writing thoughts as I think of them as my timelapse video of the pits->field tunnel uploads to youtube.

Make sure you bring good shoes. The walk from the pits to the field can take a about 5-10 minutes one way, and if you do the round trip for every match, that adds to a substantial amount of distance in one day. If you're staying in the pits to work on the robot, you'll be standing for all the time you aren't walking or watching your 2 minute match. By the end of the first day, my feet were just destroyed, and I'm an athletic guy.
Edit: Measured it on google earth. You can expect to walk a half-mile from the middle of the GWCC to the furthest quarter of the Georgiadome. So if you return to the pits after each match, that's a full mile per match.

Bring some decent food in a backpack if you're into that kind of thing, because subsisting on hotdogs and food-court fast food for 3 days isn't fun.

Bring all your nerdy toys. People were in awe of my powerball all weekend. I lost count of how many strangers asked me what it was. Also, if you're just watching or are media, there'll be plenty of time to waste.

For the love of Dean, get into the stands for the einstein matches early, and try to get on the lower level. They fill up very fast once they open. Last year they had balloons full of confetti for the chairman's award winner that quite badly blocked the view from the upper stands. Don't try to keep your team together for the einstein matches, because you probably won't be able to and you're going to waste valuable potential seats while you search in vain for a contiguous block of seats.

In contrast, seats are plentiful around the individual fields. Spread out and get comfortable. We hung a canadian flag from the 2nd level somehow (possibly through rule-breaking, I wasn't there for its hanging), and that was a good marker so you knew which tier of seats to head down when you were walking around the outside.

Remember to use your media pass! We had ours for 2 days before we realized that nobody was using it, and I finally got to go down onto the field.


Make sure you save some camcorder space and batteries for the fireworks on Saturday. I've never seen a better show in my life, and don't really expect to see another one like it. No one will believe how good they were unless you have video to show them. It's kind of surreal seeing central Atlanta covered in firework smoke in between the skyscrapers.

Sign up early and often for time on the practice fields. There aren't many, and there are LOTS of teams that want to use them. There are no power outlets near the practice field, so if you want to change programs while on the practice field, make sure that your laptop has a decent battery. The practice fields will be (or at least were last year) fully operational competition fields, not wooden mockups like at regionals I've been to.

Buy a tshirt/souvenir, even if you're feeling cheap that particular day. You may never be back.

It may be too late for this, but make sure that your team has distinctive teamwear. With 300 teams there, navy blue or black with some writing on it doesn't really cut it when you're trying to pick your friends out from the crowd. Our team actually got an entire new set of tshirts for Atlanta because we could never find each other in the stands at GTR. Also make sure that everyone is wearing their stuff. It's much easier to pick someone out across the dome if you're looking for a known shirt rather than a known face.

The weather was a gorgeous 20 degrees celcius (low 80s fahrenheit? I don't know) when I was there in 2006, and I don't remember any rain during the competition. MARTA was pretty straightforward to use from the airport.

This video is taking forever, so I'll stop here and edit it in later.

[rohit]

uggh.. Regionals was so much fun and "championship" sounds soo much better.

I wish we could go. This was my second year and we didn't get to go. I hope that we will do well enough to go next year

[Bongle]

Originally Posted by rohit

uggh.. Regionals was so much fun and "championship" sounds soo much better.

I wish we could go. This was my second year and we didn't get to go. I hope that we will do well enough to go next year

Remember, you can always take a unused spot at championships, to go for the experience. You don't HAVE to win regional chairman's or a regional, though it probably means you'll have more success at the championship if you do.

And you can go as a mentor later in life. I managed to fly from Toronto and arrive thursday morning at 11am (wake-up at quarter to 4am), thus missing only 2 days of work.

[Elyse Holguin]

Originally Posted by Bongle

Make sure you bring good shoes.

He's not kidding folks, even if you are a driver/coach/volunteer and get to walk on the coveted red carpet, GOOD SHOES ARE A MUST! You might want to invest in odor eaters too, ask anyone affiliated with the Purdue teams (1747/1646/461) how my feet smelled.

Originally Posted by Bongle

Bring some decent food in a backpack if you're into that kind of thing, because subsisting on hotdogs and food-court fast food for 3 days isn't fun.

Just make sure you hide it well, as food isn't really allowed into the stands.

Originally Posted by Bongle

Remember to use your media pass! We had ours for 2 days before we realized that nobody was using it, and I finally got to go down onto the field.

Plus, if you have it, you can walk the red carpet too, and take pictures of the gross dumpsters and snakes and rats and whatnot (kidding! it wasn't that bad).

Originally Posted by Bongle

Sign up early and often for time on the practice fields.

Make sure you have someone paying attention to that too!! Time will lag, teams will forget to show up, and EVERYONE needs to practice.

Originally Posted by Bongle

The weather was a gorgeous 20 degrees celcius (low 80s fahrenheit? I don't know) when I was there in 2006, and I don't remember any rain during the competition.

If the weather cooperates, it usually is pretty nice, but don't ONLY bring shorts, because it can be cold! Also remember that flip flops aren't allowed in the pits.

[RoboMom]

Originally Posted by Bongle

Edit: Measured it on google earth. You can expect to walk a half-mile from the middle of the GWCC to the furthest quarter of the Georgiadome. So if you return to the pits after each match, that's a full mile per match.

Bring some decent food in a backpack if you're into that kind of thing, because subsisting on hotdogs and food-court fast food for 3 days isn't fun.

LOL. I would always say "it will feel like you are walking a mile..."

>>>more shameless plugs<<<
Volunteers get free food. In the volunteer lounge. Of course, you will have to walk a mile.... (Just kidding-there are 2 volunteer lounges and one is near the pits!)

[Alex Cormier]

Originally Posted by BlondeNerd

From what I understand from these posts (correct me if I am wrong) is that teams must go outdoors to get their bot from the pit to the field. So, if it is raining, then the bot must go out in the rain to get to the field? Sounds like the fabled water game to me. How are the bots kept safe in the rain?

The spectators must go outside, there is the under ground railroad for robots and drivers.