FIRST Robotics thread

[Mr. Freeman]

What was the fan for? Down force? Did it help much?

Couldn't have been. The Q&A disallowed the use of fans for traction. In fact, the disallowed pretty much every creative idea anyone came up with, period. The GDC apparently wanted a lot of boxes powered by 4&6 wheel drivetrains (no mecanum, no omni).
I guess there were a lot of different shooter designs possible, but the fact that they removed all creativity from the drivetrain was annoying.

[rath358]

I saw a team that used a fan for propulsion, hmm...

whatever. I cant wait for Atlanta!!
our team is in Archimedes this year. Go team 93!!

[Actaeus]

Team 2357 here. We'll be at the KCMO regionals. I think our team is doing okay, apart from slight drama between members. It really doesn't help when two of the most active members are dating, and sometimes fight. >.>

The most drama our team gets is when the janitor tries to steal/destroy Mr. Wibbles.
Not that I'm necessarily envious...

Oh man, I said that?
There has been *so much* drama. But it's over now, and I won't talk about it here.

Two days until Atlanta! I am SO PSYCHED!

[MisterCheif]

I am the head driver of Team #712 of the FTC, the Phoenix Robo Works (or at least, I was voted that by the other members of the team.)

I wish my school's team had enough funding for FRC. (I use the term "school's" lightly, they didn't do anything that helped us, except for employing the awesome teacher that is in charge of the Robotics team. IE, no funding, there is no place in the school big enough for our arena, etc. We had to move our meetings to the basement of said teacher's church. We only got the funding we had from a grant from the local community education foundation.)
Though, then again, our team has only existed for two years, and we competed for the first time this year. (7th place at Weatherly, aka. the middle of nowhere, PA!) We're hoping our good showing at the education foundation's gala will have guaranteed enough publicity to ensure eventually having enough funding for FRC, but all we can be absolutely sure of is that we will have plenty of funding for at least next year.

I watched the vid, and the FRC looks pretty cool. If only it were cheaper. Oh well, i still have another 3 years of high school...

And good luck to all of you going to Atlanta!

[rath358]

Team 2357 here. We'll be at the KCMO regionals. I think our team is doing okay, apart from slight drama between members. It really doesn't help when two of the most active members are dating, and sometimes fight. >.>

The most drama our team gets is when the janitor tries to steal/destroy Mr. Wibbles.
Not that I'm necessarily envious...

Oh man, I said that?
There has been *so much* drama. But it's over now, and I won't talk about it here.

Two days until Atlanta! I am SO PSYCHED!

what division?? please wear an xkcd button or something so i can identify you!!

[serpentwind]

Newtonfag reporting in.

233 is for the win.

I'll be wearing a distictly coloured hat with a lot of pins on it.

[rath358]

lets see
team 233: newton
team2357:not going?
team712 :not going
team 1024:curie
team 2393:not going
team148 :newton

anyway, I cant wait!!
I will probably be wearing a homemade xkcd button, and may or may not be dressed as an apple.

[Actaeus]

lets see
team 233: newton
team2357:not going?
team712 :not going
team 1024:curie
team 2393:not going
team148 :newton

anyway, I cant wait!!
I will probably be wearing a homemade xkcd button, and may or may not be dressed as an apple.

2877: Curie division

[rath358]

I will be wearing these. look for me in the stands!

[10nitro]

im in in ur stands watchin ur robots

I haven't seen any of you guys, if you're in the pits, come by 1024, we're in the back on the right.

[Xaldibik]

Co-Captain/Electrical Captain of Team 1548 here. I was wondering how fundraising goes for the rest of you, I assume we're a lot different being an Alaskan team, but we must raise funds for plane travel, hotel, and food down at the competition (Generally we go down for a whole week). We look at about $25,000 total for each year, and I was wondering if anyone else had to do similar fund raising? Any tips? We've developed our skills quite a bit in fund raising over the past few years, but with the economy where it's at, I don't know if we can make our total. We've traditionally just attempted to contact businesses about sponsorship, last year we hosted a few "Game Nights", and such like that, I was hoping to get a few new ideas for this year, for finances are always the hardest part for my team, even harder than the build season, sadly.

[lu6cifer]

Hello,
I hope this thread kicks off well. I've been looking around and found no sign of anyone putting up a FIRST thread, so I thought I would. Seeing how a new year is upon us in the FRC world it would be no better time to do so... So, I guess this is the place to discuss the present game of "Lunacy", as well as if you participated in the past. I know there are other websites like chiefdelphi.com, but I thought that it would be pretty neat to know how big a percentage of XKCD readers also participate in FIRST!

So, without further ado let us begin!

I'm from 1712 and I hope that the new control system operates well during the regionals when six robots are sliding across the field! who wants to go next?

Wait...seriously? I'm from 1712 (DAWGMA)
This is so weird meeting a forumite you might know from real life...

[Smokes]

Co-Captain/Electrical Captain of Team 1548 here. I was wondering how fundraising goes for the rest of you, I assume we're a lot different being an Alaskan team, but we must raise funds for plane travel, hotel, and food down at the competition (Generally we go down for a whole week). We look at about $25,000 total for each year, and I was wondering if anyone else had to do similar fund raising? Any tips? We've developed our skills quite a bit in fund raising over the past few years, but with the economy where it's at, I don't know if we can make our total. We've traditionally just attempted to contact businesses about sponsorship, last year we hosted a few "Game Nights", and such like that, I was hoping to get a few new ideas for this year, for finances are always the hardest part for my team, even harder than the build season, sadly.

I don't quite know what you mean by Game Nights, but I'll assume that you did a pay to play thing for your school. I wouldn't know much about fund raising myself but you could always try doing school wide events, with an average sized school that would probably rake in quite a bit of money for your team. Some ideas could be dances or selling candy and other various wares. You could also host tournaments of some kind, things like spelling bees or math challenges would be nice. You could give out stuff your school gets cheap for those who rank in the top places.

Those are just some ideas, make of them what you will.

[rath358]

our team has a very large budget. we get most of our money through sponsorships of various types. One new idea we had is to get a smaller business to "sponsor a student" that is pay for the student to go to comps, give student some money for apparel, etc. Another thing we do is major recycling. You can get good money for old cell phones, printer cartridges, and cans. Another thing taht happens on our team is that the students pay for travel to each comp, with the team giving help to financially challenged families.

[Two-Fry]

Stupid freshman question here, but does FIRST have a fall and spring season, or some other way that a person could get involved mid year? I am interested in joining my schools team, but I don't think I could handle marching band, FIRST, and IB at the same time.

[rath358]

basically, it works like this: during the fall (preseason), the team fundraises like crazy, and tries to teach the rookies enough so that they won't burn down the school. In early January, the 9th this year, the challenge is announced, and during the next six weeks (build season), people work like crazy to finis the robot. Then during the next couple of months is comp season, when the team goes to various competitions.
If you know some things about technology, or are good in a fab shop, you might be able to jump in right before build, though you should clear this with someone, as all teams work differently.

[Two-Fry]

If I do FIRST I'd probably be programmer, but I'll talk with the club sponsor in our school. Thanks for the help.

[Josephine]

I just joined a team. I don't know what number it is yet (is there an online database of past years or something?), but I would be programming as well.

[10nitro]

I just joined a team. I don't know what number it is yet (is there an online database of past years or something?), but I would be programming as well.

http://www.usfirst.org/whatsgoingon.aspx Fun times.

I don't think I could handle marching band, FIRST, and IB at the same time.

If your band is anything like LC's, yeah that might be a little difficult, but doable. Don't worry too much about IB. IB is Junior and Senior only, you just need to set yourself up to take those classes.

[Two-Fry]

I don't think I could handle marching band, FIRST, and IB at the same time.

If your band is anything like LC's, yeah that might be a little difficult, but doable. Don't worry too much about IB. IB is Junior and Senior only, you just need to set yourself up to take those classes.

Our band does 2 hour practices Monday and Tuesday, 2.5 hour practice Thursday, and usually a game Friday. I'm also in an IB diploma program, not just taking some IB classes (Technically I'm just taking pre-IB now, but it's still considerable stress and workload).

I'm going to try, but if it looks like I won't be able to handle it I'll stop.

[kandalf]

Not to hijack the thread, but is anyone doing InvenTeams? We got past the first round, and our application was all in last Friday...

[rath358]

technically speaking, InvenTeams is not FIRST, and therefore does not belong in this thread, and a new thread should be started.
but for now,
My school currently has a team that has done very well, and hearing about their success is exciting.

[ohaus]

I'm from team 329. This is my second year on the team. Last year, I did pretty much nothing to help the team(aside from fundraising and community service, cleaning, and general paperwork stuff), but I still went to nationals in Atlanta and 2 regionals, and spent a lot of time hanging out and watching people do work. And it was awesome. Staying in a hotel, walking around the city, jumping in the Olympic fountain-thingy, playing Ultimate Frisbee in the park, the coca-cola museum, was a lot of fun. I also got to speak with Woodie Flowers and Dean Kamen.

I still really don't know that much about the inner workings of the robot, and I feel really bad about being on the team but not helping out much. So this year, I vowed not to be lazy. So this is gonna be like my first real year.

Anyway, we lost a lot of the most hard-working kids this year, when they went to college. Mostly it's just sophmores and freshmen now. Last year, we came in second in our division at nationals(or something like that), so we have a really big reputation to live up to. So I'm scared.

[rath358]

I'm from team 329. This is my second year on the team. Last year, I did pretty much nothing to help the team(aside from fundraising and community service, cleaning, and general paperwork stuff), but I still went to nationals in Atlanta and 2 regionals, and spent a lot of time hanging out and watching people do work. And it was awesome. Staying in a hotel, walking around the city, jumping in the Olympic fountain-thingy, playing Ultimate Frisbee in the park, the coca-cola museum, was a lot of fun. I also got to speak with Woodie Flowers and Dean Kamen.

I still really don't know that much about the inner workings of the robot, and I feel really bad about being on the team but not helping out much. So this year, I vowed not to be lazy. So this is gonna be like my first real year.

Anyway, we lost a lot of the most hard-working kids this year, when they went to college. Mostly it's just sophomores and freshmen now. Last year, we came in second in our division at nationals(or something like that), so we have a really big reputation to live up to. So I'm scared.

Don't be. Last year, our team lost a LOT of key seniors, and we had too many hyper freshmen for everyones nerves. On top of that, someone decided that tis was the year that we would build a robot with crabdrive. Even though we did not win one regional and get EI award at the other like last year, I would still say it was a success. Things will be just fine.

[MisterCheif]

Is anybody in here involved in FTC? The challenge for this year seems a lot more complicated than last year. And the the fact that it says in the rules that we can use a lego pneumatic pump makes me think they want us to shoot the balls into the targets. Especially with restrictions on how far outward the robot can extend...

[lu6cifer]

Hey, are there any forumites on here who went to the Philly Regional at Drexel today?

[XRaVeNX]

Awww this is so cool! I was part of Team 610. Crescent Robotics hailing from Toronto, Canada
I am proud to say I was part of the year that won the inaugural Canadian Regional Competition Was damn exciting. And was part of the Nationals down at the Epcot Centre.

Fun times. Coyobot II FTW! And I got to meet Chris Hadfield to boot.

AFAIK, robotics is still going strong at my high school and the elementary school are part of the LEGO robotics.

Glad to see some fellow FIRST robotics participants here

[joshz]

WHOOO! We just won Philly with Daisy and Panthers!

GO MOE!

EDIT:

Hey, are there any forumites on here who went to the Philly Regional at Drexel today?

O HAY! What team are you on?
Wait a minute I should read. You're Dawgma! I got a bracelet from you guys, but then I lost it .
We faced you in quarterfinals. That was a suspensful match. Nice job, and congrats on the entrepaneurship award!

[lu6cifer]

Thanks, and congrats to Moe!
From what I saw, your robot was kicking ass on Friday, shame I wasn't there for Saturday though.

Perhaps we'll meet sometime next season

[joshz]

Yeah, hopefully!

[Kiwi Byrde]

Atlanta, I love you, but you're bringing me down.

...Oh, well, St. Louis, here we come!

[joshz]

Congrats to Daisy on winning Chairman's!

[Kiwi Byrde]

Congrats to Daisy on winning Chairman's!

Yeah, seriously. All the awards were well-deserved.

[rath358]

This year's game looks pretty exciting. This is my first year off of the team, so for once, I get to relax and watch the team solve everything. Should be nice and relaxing...

[Xerillum]

My first thoughts on the game are that the relative lack of rules is very nice, and that drivetrain design is going to be important to climbing the see-saws, which is also nice. It also seems a bit less complex than previous games.

This is my last year as a student on 1306 in Madison, WI, so hopefully the season goes well.

[mathgeek17]

FIRST of all (see what I did there), I'm from Team 1058 The PVC Pirates.
Second, I'm also surprised at how (relatively) thin the rule book is for this year. I think it's nice to have simple game every now and then.
Also, was anyone else disappointed when you found out that everything Woody wrote on the board was pre-written?

[Xerillum]

I was more disappointed that the venue for the kickoff cut off a big chunk from the borders of the video, so nothing Woody was talking about made any sense at all for the first few minutes.