VEX Robotics World Championship Webcast

[artdutra04]

I like the nice, high-quality (and widescreen!) webcast, and the multitude of camera angles, and the cool lighting effects of the fields make it even better. The high fields are also nice; I know Savage Soccer has used raised playing fields for some time, but they only been raised about 24-30". It can make driving a little more difficult, but it makes the fields easier to see for cameras and the audience, and eliminates the subtle "looking down on these robots" aspect of FVC/FTC.

Overall it looks like a slick and professional setup.

The new compass, gyro and accelerometer sensors, and the new beefier gear announcements were cool as well, as was the announcement of their new upcoming free online competitions for any student, anywhere in the world.

[fredliu168]

Well, my predictions were pretty off. But at least China will be guarenteed to have at least one world champion.

[gblake]

Originally Posted by artdutra04

I like the nice, high-quality (and widescreen!) webcast, and the multitude of camera angles, and the cool lighting effects of the fields make it even better. ... The new compass, gyro and accelerometer sensors, and the new beefier gear announcements were cool as well, as was the announcement of their new upcoming free online competitions for any student, anywhere in the world.

And it's a hoot to see the Robodox teaching the Chinese students the chicken dance

Blake

[Lil' Lavery]

Hmmm, I wonder how hard it's going to be to persuade Drexel and/or ASME to have a Vex team next year. Given the amount of FIRST-alums I know, hopefully not very difficult.

[fredliu168]

Wow total Chinese sweep.

[Lowfategg]

Ok I recorded alliance selections and all finals including awards until the very end.

Its a very large file since its a straight rip from the NASA feed.

So is there anyone that wants me to post it or has a place I can post it. (its about 1 GB)

[fredliu168]

Members of the IFI/FTC community needs to start their version of TBA (the blue alliance).

[Lowfategg]

Originally Posted by fredliu168

Members of the IFI/FTC community needs to start their version of TBA (the blue alliance).

Or the TBA needs to add an FTC section to the site.

[artdutra04]

Originally Posted by Lowfategg

Or the TBA needs to add an FTC section to the site.

The only problem is that FIRST issues brand new team numbers every year to FTC teams, which makes keeping archives of team matches difficult and kind of pointless. (Especially if you want to track teams across multiple seasons...) :-/

But if IFI were to institute a fixed team numbering system for their Vex competition registration, then it would be problem solved.

[Rick TYler]

Originally Posted by artdutra04

The only problem is that FIRST issues brand new team numbers every year to FTC teams, which makes keeping archives of team matches difficult and kind of pointless. (Especially if you want to track teams across multiple seasons...) :-/

But if IFI were to institute a fixed team numbering system for their Vex competition registration, then it would be problem solved.

With smaller robots, I would prefer that FIRST, CD, IFI, and TBA keep track of team names rather than numbers. Last year, we fielded two FVC robots, this year we went up to three FTC robots, and next year we will have between four and eight FTC/Vex Competition robots. As the size of our program grows and shrinks over the years, the numbers will continue to change, but our organization name (Exothermic Robotics) will remain the same. None of our team marketing, like t-shirts and signs, have team numbers on them as we are explicitly tying our brand image to the name of the team, not the numbers.

To some extent, this is already true in FRC. You might know about 254, 233, 111, and 1809, but I bet you think Poofs, Pink, Wildstang, and Exploding Bacon. I'd go the other way -- deemphasize numbers and celebrate team names.

[Billfred]

Originally Posted by Rick TYler

To some extent, this is already true in FRC. You might know about 254, 233, 111, and 1809, but I bet you think Poofs, Pink, Wildstang, and Exploding Bacon. I'd go the other way -- deemphasize numbers and celebrate team names.

Actually, I only think Exploding Bacon when I think about 1902.

The point remains, though--if numbers shuffle, continuity is going to be nigh impossible.

[Rick TYler]

Originally Posted by Billfred

Actually, I only think Exploding Bacon when I think about 1902.

See? "Exploding Bacon" is memorable, but their number isn't.

The point remains, though--if numbers shuffle, continuity is going to be nigh impossible.

My point exactly. Deemphasize numbers and make it so they don't matter so much.

There would be a lot of resistance to the idea, but FIRST is about change, not tradition. We should never be afraid to change the program to make it better.

[dtengineering]

Originally Posted by Rick TYler

My point exactly. Deemphasize numbers and make it so they don't matter so much.

Well to take the quote entirely out of context, there is a joke in there somewhere about deemphasizing numbers in a program that promotes math and science! And yeah, I know that isn't what you meant.

However it is entirely possible to have two teams with the same names. For instance we are 1346, "Trobotics"... but which could easily be mistaken for 1386, the "Trobots". I wouldn't be surprised if there were 2 or more teams out there with even more similar names. What is interesting is that by using the team numbers I can tell that both Trobotics and The Trobots registered with FIRST within weeks of each other and have been around for five seasons.

The team number also provides a fixed format for displaying team results at competitions. This makes it much more efficient to display match results, perform alliance selections, and print match schedules.

Finally keeping the team number the same allows students to recreate the team "brand" at appropriate intervals, while keeping their FRC/FTC history consistant. For instance our school started out as "Thompson Robotics Development", but that was in our first season where we had no marketing/communications team. Once we learned more about FRC we shortened the team name, changed the team colours, and created a new logo and mascot. Each of those elements is reviewed every year and updated to ensure they maintain relevance, but our team history is tied to our team number.

So I'm a strong supporter of the permanent team numbering system not simply because that "is the way it has always been done" but rather because it offers several practical advantages over a team naming system.

Jason

[bellpride]

Originally Posted by Rick TYler

To some extent, this is already true in FRC. You might know about 254, 233, 111, and 1809, but I bet you think Poofs, Pink, Wildstang, and Exploding Bacon. I'd go the other way -- deemphasize numbers and celebrate team names.

But what about 1114? On our scouting team, we know every team by their number, not name (except PINK). We were pretty ticked when we couldn't get 254 as our FTC number, and 1114 actually named themselves Team 339: 1114 Simbotics.

I think people just know teams by their names if their names are exotic (Exploding Bacon, Pink, Cheesy Poofs). Hardly anybody knows 968's name though (RAWC - Robotics Alliance of West Covina).

[gblake]

Originally Posted by artdutra04

The only problem is that FIRST issues brand new team numbers every year to FTC teams, ...

FIRST/FTC announced recently that FTC teams will keep their numbers from year to year. I think that teams that return from this FTC season (the one just finished) will keep this year's number.

Blake