28-02-2008 00:21

Boydean

Re: pic: NJ Regional - The Pits

I spy rubik's cube crate.

28-02-2008 00:22

Betty_Krocker

Re: pic: NJ Regional - The Pits

the calm before the storm...

28-02-2008 00:28

Ali Ahmed

Re: pic: NJ Regional - The Pits

Hey, could someone take another picture of the pits from the same location in the middle of regional? Then another one at the end? It would be a cool before/during/after series.

28-02-2008 10:23

Elgin Clock

Re: pic: NJ Regional - The Pits

I'll gladly take one there on Saturday some time(s) throughout the day if I remember.

In case I don't since I'll have a lot on my plate that day, if you're reading this & it's Saturday, and you have my cell phone number, send me a text to remind me. Thanks!

Edit: Ok, I just e-mailed this pic to my phone, so I should be able to see it and remember myself... lol

28-02-2008 18:48

Laaba 80

Re: pic: NJ Regional - The Pits

If you go to Wisconsin or Buckeye regional you will easily spot 1714's crate this year.
Joey

28-02-2008 19:16

pentau

Re: pic: NJ Regional - The Pits

Hey...I see our crate!

28-02-2008 19:39

mtaman02

Re: pic: NJ Regional - The Pits

Strangley enough I felt the urge to take a loner pic of the rubix cube It's somewhere on my phone

28-02-2008 20:30

CVassos

Re: pic: NJ Regional - The Pits

Wow, when my team painted that crate we had no idea it was gonna stand out that much, oh well, it made it REALLY easy to find this morning. Sadly, the crate is not solvable.

28-02-2008 21:33

JaneYoung

Re: pic: NJ Regional - The Pits

Where is the pit area in relationship to the field? In other words how is everything set up? It looks great.

28-02-2008 21:37

waialua359

Re: pic: NJ Regional - The Pits

the pit area is on one side of the arena (as shown) and the field is on the other (left of picture) separated by a curtain.
If you look closely, teams also have pit areas on the outskirts in a semicircle compared to most of the teams placed in rows. I guess so everyone could fit.

28-02-2008 21:41

JaneYoung

Re: pic: NJ Regional - The Pits

So the robots queue on either side of the curtain?

28-02-2008 22:18

waialua359

Re: pic: NJ Regional - The Pits

The robot queue similar to that of other regionals on one side (top of pic).
Last year, our pit area was the closest to the other end on the bottom of pic. Very little traffic from robots leaving the field only and we had a lot of space since no robot pit was next to us.
I can tell that the pic is early on, because there is a lot of items at the pit area desk and I hardly see any robot crates in the semicircle area. The only disadvantage for those teams is that they have to go all the way to the back center of the semicircle area and then come all the way back to enter the field.

28-02-2008 22:25

JaneYoung

Re: pic: NJ Regional - The Pits

I haven't seen a regional set up like this. I know, hard to believe.

Lone Star has been in the Reliant Center and has its own space for the pits. This year will be different in a different location. I don't know what that layout will be.

I saw the Florida Regional last year and they had one outside pit and one inside pit that was behind the curtain, so the access to the field for that regional was interesting. That will be changed this year for them in their new digs.

It seems a simple thing for most who are used to this layout but I would like to see the flow of coming and going with the robots to see how it works. I envision traffic cops I guess.

28-02-2008 23:13

Elgin Clock

Re: pic: NJ Regional - The Pits

NJ, Boston, Hartford, Chesapeake (possibly more), all use this divided line (curtain) pit/field relation setup.

The bad thing with NJ (& Boston as well to a less of an extreme) is that there is absolutely no room (maybe one single file lane if that) for people to move between the pit and the stands, so the stands become a walkway.

In Hartford & Chesapeake, there is plenty of room, so robots and people can concurrently move in the "lanes" back and forth between the pits at the same time.

The arena in NJ is in is so small (hockey arena) that it is a pain to get used to, but it's worked (well?) in the past 4 years I've gone there.
Kind of.

As far as Traffic cops, in Boston, NJ & Hartford it was imperative they be there to keep robot/people flow under control.
In Chesapeake, there was a lot of room to flex, so they are there but it's an easy job most of the times (IMO).

28-02-2008 23:24

JaneYoung

Re: pic: NJ Regional - The Pits

At Lone Star, on Fridays, students from different schools come to visit. They have been invited to walk through the pit area and visit with teams/observe. In a set-up like this, it seems it would be difficult because of the tight space and accessibility. It's not a bad thing, it is just something I haven't seen. All the regionals are different, that is what is so cool about them. The same only different.

28-02-2008 23:33

waialua359

Re: pic: NJ Regional - The Pits

that is interesting because all the regionals we ever attended looked like this give or take the size only. I guess we have to go to Lone Star next year to experience the configuration.

28-02-2008 23:37

Lea103

Re: pic: NJ Regional - The Pits

Having been part of the pit set up for two years, NJ feels pretty roomie compared to the Philadelphia Regional, which also uses a curtain to divide the pits from the playing field. We had more room to store and I guess just move around in NJ. In Philly there was no wiggle room at all, each team was using every inch of their pit. Correct me if Im wrong, but I think the pits were smaller at Philly last year than the standard 10x10x10.

28-02-2008 23:37

JaneYoung

Re: pic: NJ Regional - The Pits

I think next year we'll back at the Reliant Center.

I think you would like the regional and the set-up. As far as I know, we don't have a crate that looks like a
Rubik's cube but the blue bonnets are usually out. They might could make up for that. Oh, and then there's the competition. <grin>

28-02-2008 23:46

Betty_Krocker

Re: pic: NJ Regional - The Pits

how may teams are there this year...
you guys look kinda short on teams...

28-02-2008 23:52

Elgin Clock

Re: pic: NJ Regional - The Pits

Oh don't tell me that! lol I'm going to Philly this year with my team, and I think NJ is cramped!!!
I can only imagine what Philly will be like now..

28-02-2008 23:57

EricH

Re: pic: NJ Regional - The Pits

Yeah...L.A. (both venues), Arizona, San Diego (cramped--hockey rink), SVR (nowadays...I remember the blimp hanger), and Sacramento all use this setup. The only difference is in size of pit area/arrangement of stands access.

28-02-2008 23:57

Betty_Krocker

Re: pic: NJ Regional - The Pits

Yeah at the VCU regional last year we had almost 70 teams and we were the lucking ones, we got a pit on the corner of the main aisle and the main walkway, so our team could overflow into the main walkway, of course this year VCU has more teams, and i dont think we are going to be that lucky.....oh and out team size has doubled....so i too am concred about space....

any tips on how to save space in the pits?

29-02-2008 00:04

Elgin Clock

Re: pic: NJ Regional - The Pits

Reduce the amount of people in there as much as you can!
if they aren't on mechanical or electrical teams, kick them out. (with as much GP as you can of course!). lol
That seems like a harsh approach, but this is the same reason garages have a waiting room when your car is being worked on for you to chill in.
The pits are mostly meant for mechanical or electrical team members to fix the robot between rounds.
Most venues have open areas to socialize and visit with people on other teams if you choose to.

The cutting of the official team socials in most regionals hinder this theory of not having enough time to see people you want to see during the regional, and "getting in the way" in the pits, but that's just how it is nowadays.

Bottom line, if you're not mechanical, or electrical, you should be scouting in the stands, or doing other work for your team outside your 10x10 pit area. (And, no that doesn't mean standing in the aisles in front of your pit!)

Stick with that plan, and actually enforce it, and you should be good most of the time.

29-02-2008 00:14

waialua359

Re: pic: NJ Regional - The Pits

oh boy, and VCU next week is our first stop.
The fact that we were in the corner in NJ was very advantageous. Hate to see us stuck in the middle like so many other teams had to.
In NJ, we got the "best" spot since we were the first team to get the rows.
All the veteran low numbered teams up to team 341, Miss Daisy, had to be in the semicircle. They had the worst spot and the longest distance to travel through traffic.

29-02-2008 00:21

HotWings

Re: pic: NJ Regional - The Pits

Thats soo tight lol


Grr.. i need to stop looking at more pics, i can't wait until week 3, i cant last that long!

29-02-2008 06:36

Ben Mitchell

Re: pic: NJ Regional - The Pits

I'm pretty sure my team's rubik's cube crate is visible from space.

29-02-2008 19:12

mtaman02

Re: pic: NJ Regional - The Pits

No the robots cue on the far side

there's 2 cue spots. One Red and Blue side by side on the far side and one Blue by near stand side and the second set for red just cues in the pits , look at the field pic and you might be able to see what I'm talking about.... I'll try and get better pics tomorrow w/ an actual camera but b/c I have a high priority job I might not have time to take such pictures... we'll see

29-02-2008 19:16

mtaman02

Re: pic: NJ Regional - The Pits

This pic was taken right about afternoon ish on wed, like as everything was coming of the truck and be temp put into place

29-02-2008 19:24

lukevanoort

Re: pic: NJ Regional - The Pits

VCU isn't that bad, the aisles tend to be full of people, which contributes to a packed feel. There are actually 2 less teams this year than last year (last year the event was overfilled, as I recall), but at a regional with as many teams as VCU, that is only about a 3% reduction. We do kick members out of our pit if it gets too crowded, but I don't think that is too unusual. Usually, it is just members of the non-robot-related subteams (PR and animation) who come down to see how its going/congratulate the drive team and then get sidetracked in a conversation. We've never run out of space it was just the pit crew, robot, and tools in the pit.

29-02-2008 20:58

Lea103

Re: pic: NJ Regional - The Pits

103 has always been part of the semi-circle. Having the bleachers behind us gave us a little bit of extra storage

29-02-2008 23:57

nlknauss

Re: pic: NJ Regional - The Pits

Philly is actually pretty comfortable, you'll barely notice! Last year, the pits were a little tight but teams were still able to fit their displays and equipment. The stands get to be a little cramped but the atmosphere is awesome.

We are spoiled with room at NJ!

02-03-2008 22:10

Rohith Surampudi

Re: pic: NJ Regional - The Pits

http://img147.imageshack.us/img147/7128/img0489sy5.jpg

not the same view but theres the general idea

Left Out of this picture: outer ring teams/concrete ring teams(11-449)


ill get a panorama up eventually

02-03-2008 22:31

Elgin Clock

Re: pic: NJ Regional - The Pits

I got your back Rohith:

Pics as promised:

02-03-2008 22:42

JaneYoung

Re: pic: NJ Regional - The Pits

ok so -
questions -
in the pit area right behind the curtain is a section that stores all the field storage containers the whole weekend?

and the crates - so many stay in the pits - are they all utilized because they can be or do the crates stay in the pits the whole weekend?

02-03-2008 22:47

Rohith Surampudi

Re: pic: NJ Regional - The Pits

this picture by elgin i believe was taken as teams began to pack up after not being chosen for an alliance, so numerous crates were brought back out, though some teams kept their crates as tool storage or organizational tools, the other crates are tucked away deep into the bowels of the arena as are many of the field crates. Some field crates are left out for field side storage and such.

02-03-2008 22:54

JaneYoung

Re: pic: NJ Regional - The Pits

Thank you!

03-03-2008 01:02

BandChick

Re: pic: NJ Regional - The Pits

Basically Jane, what you're not seeing is the "backstage" area. The concourse downstairs stores all the field crates (the far left corner of Elgin's field picture), and the right side of the downstairs concourse holds our practice field. The crates actually go back onto the truck until packing time, so we can get them out of the way.

The pits are about 10x10, and they're small, but not too cramped. Like Roho said, some teams DO keep their crates in their pits for use as tables, or hanging tools, etc. The one thing that does become hectic is the walkway between rows. There's often 10 or 12 kids in each pit, and they start to overflow out into the path. I honestly wonder about it being a fire hazard sometimes...

In the pits: Everyone is organized in numerical order, and the row that's OUTSIDE the regular hockey rink is what we call "veterans' row." That's where the older teams go, because we feel that they need less help and often have more time to travel from an inconvenient location. It's really helpful to have, however, when you want to introduce new folks to FIRST. I can basically send them down that whole row and know they'll get a great feeling for what this is all about.

The black curtain separates the field from the pit, and yes, queuing goes on either side. In from the far side (farthest away from Elgin's pic) and out from the close side. Managing traffic there is ALWAYS a battle, as there's ALSO a stairway in that outflow section.

The hardest part is walking from one side of the arena to the other. If you're in the pit, you have to go upstairs and follow the concourse around to your section of the stands. There's no thruway traffic, unless you are on a drive team, so Elgin's right, the stands become our walkway. We do walk-around our VIPs, they get to go in the out, so that works out okay.

Crowd control is actually a REALLY tough position because we are so tight on space, but everyone seemed to have the flow down this year, which made things a little better. We do have traffic cops EVERYWHERE. At each entrance to the pit to make sure everyone is wearing safety glasses, at the entrance to the field and the exit from the field (the exit being the most important because of that stairwell. In fact, this year, we made it so folks could only go DOWN the stairs into the pits, and not up them into the stands), and all along the field to monitor our "mascot pit" and to make sure we don't have folks jumping the arena wall or on the field when they shouldn't be.

I hope this makes things a little clearer for you, Jane! Also, if you want, I can send you the document of crowd control positions with the map of the arena so you can understand a little more how things are laid out.

03-03-2008 01:07

JOhnch181

Re: pic: NJ Regional - The Pits

I feel lucky at portland we have the pit in an exhibit hall and the arena is totally dedicated to the field. We had room to que three robots and plenty of room in the pit.

03-03-2008 02:31

Elgin Clock

Re: pic: NJ Regional - The Pits

I felt like a spy from the cold war or something takin' (not so) secret pics of that map with my camera phone for future reference. lol

Those pics aren't too shabby for a simple 3 Mega-Pixel camera phone if I do say so myself. lol w00t!
Yay Samung for makin' a pretty cool phone! (U900)
I'm thinkin' I need to play with my light sensitivity setting though to deal with those blaring fields lights though in the future.

03-03-2008 03:37

jayjaywalker3

Re: pic: NJ Regional - The Pits

I remember team 449 being at one end of that semicircle. Definitely a pain to get there. Even for me and I only went there like 3 or 4 times.

03-03-2008 06:32

mtaman02

Re: pic: NJ Regional - The Pits

The only storage containers that remained behind the curtain where those that belonged to the A/V Crew and even then they only kept what they needed out. The only FIRST storage containers that were kept out were those in which we needed out, Tools, Pit, Practice Field, Spare Parts, stuff we know we needed for 3 days. Stuff for the field was moved to a secure room and out of the way. Conviently next to the volunteer lounge :-p

Teams that had crates that transformed from tranportation to a mini work area were the only ones that were left out at the teams request.

And I do thank Ms. Reffler for helping organizing the flow of traffic. It made getting robots to and from the field timely. The only traffic they encounter is that of trying to get out and back in their actual pit. Thank you Sara

The pits like any other regional were a bit crowded but you can get from point a to point b within a reasonable amounts of time. Curious Jane what regional will you be at and what kind of help do you need. If it's local enough to me maybe I can come and help out.

03-03-2008 08:02

JaneYoung

Re: pic: NJ Regional - The Pits

These questions are curiosity questions mostly. Making use of limited space can be a very complicated but well orchestrated challenge and I've learned a lot through these photos. We rarely get glimpses into the behind-the-scenes of the regionals like this thread has provided.

I'll be volunteering at the new regional in Oklahoma this year!

03-03-2008 08:10

mtaman02

Re: pic: NJ Regional - The Pits

Thats not close enough for me lol maybe one year I'll make it to mid-west and west coast.

Yea there's alot that goes on during setup. The A/V Crew is the first to arrive and setup most of everything. IN NJ's case we didn't start work on the field till the pit's were situated and till the A/V crew was mostly done with what they had to do. Then we spent about 4 or 5 hours setting up the field. We set up one alliance side then do one side border then the other alliance side and the other side border and then work went on to get the center structure in place. Then we setup the Field Electronics and wait for the IFI guy to come to start testing the field thoroughly then setup the match schedule before thursday morning. Usually the IFI, FTA and Field Power Controller guys don't leave till late (11ish depending how things go with the field and electronics) AND While all this is going on we're also helping other events setup at the same time via phone (more like answering questions and such and visa versa)...

It's truly alot of work that goes on behind the scenes and it takes a long time to setup b/c everything has to be to spec or within an acceptable range of it otherwise we have to start over and do it till we get it right. I think the hardest thing to setup is chalk lining where all the actual parts of the field setup, after that it's just snapping stuff together and securing it to the floor which is done by tape (double sided to keep the carpet from moving much and velcro for the field structures. The heavest part of the field is obviously the player station.