Bills Blog- Yes, I’m already counting down to kickoff 2012

[Justin Montois]

http://frcdirector.blogspot.com/2011...o-kickoff.html

Some interesting stuff. New GDC members including the yearly rotating position which went to Linda Wallace from the X-Cats, it's really cool to have a local (Rochester) person invloved with the GDC, it will be interesting to see if the 2012 game has a different flavor to it then the Dave/Woodie era.

Also it seems the pit fields are here to stay...

[Koko Ed]

Originally Posted by Justin Montois

http://frcdirector.blogspot.com/2011...o-kickoff.html

Some interesting stuff. New GDC members including the yearly rotating position which went to Linda Wallace from the X-Cats, it's really cool to have a local (Rochester) person invloved with the GDC, it will be interesting to see if th 2012 game has a different flavor to it then the Dave/Woodie era.

Also it seems the pit fields are here to stay...

What awesome news!
Linda will make a great addition to the GDC.

[Pavan Dave]

Question. I have been out of the loop for a bit, but are Dave and Woody no longer GDC members?

[thefro526]

Originally Posted by Pavan Dave

Question. I have been out of the loop for a bit, but are Dave and Woody no longer GDC members?

Yes, Dave and Woody left the GDC.

[Steve W]

I am hoping that they put the 2 fields side by side, then the practice fields, then the pit area. Having the pit area between 2 fields is nuts. The noise volume makes it hard to talk and is not safe. It could also help with teams that don't have safety glasses for spectators. They could rope an area off to allow people to access the stands without entering the pit area.

[PayneTrain]

When FTC and FLL are paying the same registration fee for CMP as FRC teams, let me know. FRC teams pay five times as much to play in the shadows for half of the event.

I also think I have a suggestion for fixing the qualification structure: if you group up 3 nearby regionals, lump them into a singular championship with qualifications required for entry, you cut down bids by more than half (allowing for 16 regional/state championships and the Israel Regional) Hall of Fame isn't getting any smaller either.

If the district->state/regional->world model would be "enforced" to a degree, there would be an open opportunity for travel (2 districts req. in your region/state, 1 optional out of region)

I guess the answer isn't as obvious as I think it is.

[Koko Ed]

If you want to do Championships right do it the way they do it in Michigan.

[robobandmom]

Originally Posted by PayneTrain

When FTC and FLL are paying the same registration fee for CMP as FRC teams, let me know. FRC teams pay five times as much to play in the shadows for half of the event.

I hadn't thought of the registration fee, but you bring up a good point. I simply think that the larger robots with larger crowds should get the larger fields. You can't see much of a FLL match without the camera shots. Their spectators would have a similar experience at either the dome or pit field. That being said, I don't know how many spectators they have for the typical match. When we were in the dome I don't remember a large number of spectators watching FLL, but maybe they had tons of spectators as well.

[Chexposito]

they only need to put more bleachers in the pits, the view was worth the noise at least for my team... i think more bleachers will silence most complaints. smashing fields together is only going to create the lack of seating problem again. it would be the same thing except without bleachers. i think if there's no concert, that will probably leave enough room for everyone in the dome... but i really can't tell because i'm not looking at the #'s. i'm sure someone somewhere has done the math.

[BrendanB]

If they REALLY want to make the same mistake, they NEED more bleachers (whoever thought what they had would work made a major mistake) and easier access without safety glasses.

Adding more bleachers will be interesting unless they start cramming pit space! If they need space they should just keep moving FTC into the spotlight and put their pits on the dome floor! jk

[nighterfighter]

So, veteran teams get shafted out of the new cRIO, unless we buy a rookie kit or purchase the upgrade?

Darn.

[Refresh]

Bill said that morgan freeman did some announcing on Archimedes but I didn't hear him. I certainly saw him there behind the table. Did anyone else hear him announce some matches?

[nighterfighter]

Originally Posted by Refresh

Bill said that morgan freeman did some announcing on Archimedes but I didn't hear him. I certainly saw him there behind the table. Did anyone else hear him announce some matches?

I heard him talk after a match, but not actually announce a match.

Granted, I wasn't on Archimedes, just passing by.

[BrendanB]

Originally Posted by robobandmom

I hadn't thought of the registration fee, but you bring up a good point. I simply think that the larger robots with larger crowds should get the larger fields. You can't see much of a FLL match without the camera shots. Their spectators would have a similar experience at either the dome or pit field. That being said, I don't know how many spectators they have for the typical match. When we were in the dome I don't remember a large number of spectators watching FLL, but maybe they had tons of spectators as well.

This brings up several issues with me to which I posted on his blog about but I'll semi repost here.

If FTC expanding kicked on field out of the dome and they just decided to move two fields, why didn't they take an easier route and move and FTC field/division into the dome?

I think what is really interesting and bugs me is, like you mentioned, FRC is the more spectator friendly competition as you can see it from the stands and draws more crowd/attention over FTC and FLL by a LOT! Why then since we have an arena they are having to set up bleachers for FRC in the pits.

If half of part of FTC was in the pits they would avoid the noise and space issues they are encountering with FRC one pit field bleacher would have been enough for them considering most FTC teams don't have 20-40 people in attendance.

FIRST really does try to come up with new and "creative" ways to do things.

*while some may call me complaining and whining these are some things that really bug me since these were decided BEFORE the concert came to town*

[XaulZan11]

Originally Posted by BrendanB

I think what is really interesting and bugs me is, like you mentioned, FRC is the more spectator friendly competition as you can see it from the stands and draws more crowd/attention over FTC and FLL by a LOT!

I agree, but I think 98% of people who go to the championship are already tied to a competition. The majority of people who watch FRC, FTC or FLL are on a team or invovled in some way and thus will watch those competitions where ever they are held. Maybe if we had more of the general public stopping by, you would want the most spectator friendly competition in the dome, but that is simply not the case.