how the competition works?

[purplecatnip]

okay first of all, I would like to say this is my first time really looking at the site and it just took my nearly half an hour just to find how to start a thread so I feel slightly dumb already
so anyway here's my question:
if your alliance loses your very first round have you already lost, and will that be the only round you compete in? this will be the first FRC competetion we're attending so I'm kinda confused on how the elemination works.....

[AudieMurphy]

You have a practice day, then a day and a half of competition in which you will have many matches with random alliance buddies and opponents. After that, alliances are picked for the finals, and they are best two out of three, going from quarter finals to semis to finals.

Every robot will get a good workout and many matches even if it doesn't make a finals appearance.

[SpaceOsc]

for a regional of about 50-60 teams

Thursdays: 8-5pm of practice matches, you get a sheet with the days match schedule and get randomly assign to attend 4 - 5 practice matches that last about 5 minutes each. these matches don't count, just run around and practice autonomous, driving and scoring. matches end at 5pm and you get few hours until the pits close at 8pm. before the day ends you will have received the schedule for matches on Friday and Saturday,

Friday: 8-5pm. matches start around 10am and run until 3pm you might get 4-5 matches in this day 2 minutes long each. these count! you get points and get on the scoring board and get ranked. you are usually given 7-9 qualification matches to play on depending on where your matches fall in the overall schedule u might end up playing 4 Friday and 3 Saturday or 5 Friday and 2 Saturday.. matches end at 3pm and awards get handed out until around 5pm.

Saturday: final day. first matches are as early as possible opening ceremonies occur and schedule Qualifying matches are played until lunch time at 12pm. you check the score board to see if you made the top 8 or what position you ended up in. if your in the top 8 you must go pick who you want on your alliance. before lunch the top 8 alliances get picked and each with 3 teams in them. after lunch they play for several hours through quarter final and semi finals and finals. only 24 teams get to play in these Elimination Matches. by the end there is competition winner and awards get handed out until 5pm or so and then you pack u and that's the end until the next regional.

[KathieK]

Take a look at some of the white papers we have posted in the NEMO website on Competition tips - they will help you going into competition season! www.firstnemo.org/resources.htm

[Daniel_LaFleur]

Originally Posted by purplecatnip

okay first of all, I would like to say this is my first time really looking at the site and it just took my nearly half an hour just to find how to start a thread so I feel slightly dumb already
so anyway here's my question:
if your alliance loses your very first round have you already lost, and will that be the only round you compete in? this will be the first FRC competetion we're attending so I'm kinda confused on how the elemination works.....

First off: Welcome to Chief Delphi and FIRST.

Don't feel dumb about anything here, we were all new here once and this is a place of great information ... all you have to do is ask.

As far as how many matches you'll get, the above posts are correct.
You'll have 2-4 practice matches (these don't count).
You'll get 7-9 seeding matches (These DO count).
If you get into the elimination matches,you'll have up to 9 of those.

Don't forget to explain to other teams what your robot can do, sometimes even if you are not placed well (during the seeding matches) your robot may be exactly what another team is looking for to compliment their robot.

[JesseK]

LaFleur has it right on.

My biggest suggestion for any competition: don't forget to eat & drink throughout the day. With all of the excitement going on in the pits it's really easy to "forget" these things and then all of a sudden feel very faint around 3pm/4pm.

Is your bot/team purple? Ours is!

[EricH]

SpaceOsc hit it right on. And I think he got the right regional size! The one thing I want to add is, you really want to stick around for the awards, even if you have no hope of winning anything.

Oh, and make sure to plan like you will make it onto an alliance for the finals. Be ready to pick your own teams, and plan not to leave before the end of the awards.

And, if you have any further questions, don't hesitate to ask. The only stupid/dumb question is the one that isn't asked.

[purplecatnip]

thanks that's really helpful
and no are team colors aren't purple, but I happen to love adding smilies and color to all my emails
our team colors are black and white for penguine empire
alright, so I just want to make sure I have this straight
after all the practice rounds you do 4 or 5 non practice rounds
and the better you do on those the higher you get in the ranking
if your on the top eight you continue, and can pick alliences only off the top eight, or can they chose from the top eight too?
so does that mean 3 robots go on to the next competetion??


thanks for all the help! oh gosh today is the last day to build good luck!!
(and thanks the nemo link!)

[EricH]

Originally Posted by purplecatnip

after all the practice rounds you do 4 or 5 non practice rounds
and the better you do on those the higher you get in the ranking
if your on the top eight you continue, and can pick alliences only off the top eight, or can they chose from the top eight too?
so does that mean 3 robots go on to the next competetion??

7 is the theoretical minimum--at the Championships, with 80+ teams/division.

If you are in the top 8, any team below you that hasn't been picked is fair game.

6 teams from each event go to Championships.

Section 9 of the Manual can answer all the questions you have about the tournament structure exactly.

[Jherbie53]

Originally Posted by purplecatnip

alright, so I just want to make sure I have this straight
after all the practice rounds you do 4 or 5 non practice rounds
and the better you do on those the higher you get in the ranking
if your on the top eight you continue, and can pick alliences only off the top eight, or can they chose from the top eight too?
so does that mean 3 robots go on to the next competetion??


thanks for all the help! oh gosh today is the last day to build good luck!!
(and thanks the nemo link!)

The number of matches that count will very depending on how many teams are there. Smaller regionals you might get 10-11 matches, while bigger one you might get 8-9 matches. For picking for the elimination rounds it goes 1-8 and then 8-1. The #1 seed can pick anyone they want. If they picked #2-#8 seeded teams the team selected has the option to decline.

Example: Team #1 picks team #3. Team #3 says no to team #1, with the chance to pick for themselves, and team #1 picks someone else. Team #2 cannot pick team #3.

Now if some one out side the top 8 says no, and doesn't move into the top 8, they can't say yes to anyone else.