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Microsoft Seattle Regional 2009

Welcome to the Microsoft Seattle Regional. This page will give you specific details about our event. Understanding this material will make your life easier during the event.

Where:

The event is at

Key Arena

305 Harrison St

Seattle, WA 98109

In an effort to help you get your bearings, and to see the relationship between various parts of the venue, we have created a map with several key points on it. The following link will open this map in a seperate window. Please visit each of the numbered pushpins so you know where things are.

Click here for an FRC map of the Seattle Center area >>

Is there a checklist of things to bring?

**A checklist of things to remember**
	A signed consent form for EVERYONE on your team: Students and Mentors!
	Safety Glasses for EVERYONE on your team, including extras for your visitors
	Each team must also provide an accompanying roster
	A cordless drill or other tools for opening your crate
	Your FedEx shipping packet for sending your robot home
	A tether cable for your control system.
	Tools and materials for robot repairs
	Your robots Bill of Materials detailing your non-kit of parts purchases
	A cart for moving your robot on and off the field
	Lots of Gracious Professionalism

What is the schedule for the 3 days?

As a

What is the schedule for the 3 days?

As a first pass at the schedule, we have three full days of activities for you.

Thursday - Robot inspections, practice rounds, repairs and modifications
Friday - Seeding matches all day
Saturday - Seeding matches in morning, Final rounds in afternoon

There is a printable schedule if you wish to distribute the agenda to your teams.

Click here to download the PDF file of the agenda >>

A checklist of Thursday responsibilities
	Remove robot from crate
	Team lead registers at the team registration
	Team must take onboard radio to WPA Assignment
	Team must pass inspection by end of day

Towards the end of this document, there is a discussion of each agenda item.

How can we deliver our cart and tools?

On Thursday morning, starting at 7:30am, we will have Gate 4 open, which will give you access to the team loading dock (See the FRC map). ONE VECHICLE PER TEAM will be allowed to drop off materials on the loading ramp. You may NOT park, even temporarily, on the loading dock area. There are 64 teams coming to our event, which will require a lot of vehicles. Make whatever arrangements you need to drop your supplies and drive away. Each team will be given a single pass to gain entry to Gate 4. If you need more than one vehicle, you should contact the regional chair prior to the event. The Seattle Center Security will not allow you to go through the gate twice.

Who can you invite?

This event is open to the general public at no cost. You may invite anyone you wish. Our suggestion is that Friday or Saturday are the best times. Thursday is not a great spectator day. We suggest Saturday morning as the best rounds and chance to see all of the robots at least once. Saturday afternoon, we will have the finals which will involved only 24 of the 64 teams.

Where can we park a bus?

We have spoken with the Key Arena about this. There is no onsite bus parking. There is a bus unloading zone on 1st avenue northbound right in front of the west entrance to Key Arena. This zone is for active unload only, and no parking is allowed. It is shared with Metro Transit. Suggestions from the staff included finding an appropriate and legal place on a side street, or making other arrangements.

Is there a team social (Fun Night)?

Friday evening from 6pm to around 10pm, we have options for your teams entertainment. We have an organized team social at the Pacific Science Center. We have secured access to the Eames IMAX theater, the Laserium, and also the Boeing IMAX theater. There will only be about 1200 tickets available for this event.

All of these events are on the Seattle Center property. Food is available at the Center House food court, or any one of a number of surrounding area restaurants. You will be responsible for your own food.

We will be showing two Laserium shows, two IMAX films, and have 400 tickets to the new animated movie Monsters vs Aliens. The least expensive ticket allows your team to hang out at the Pacific Science Centers Boeing Lobby where we will have an area for the teams to socialize, plus see 1 laser show and 1 IMAX movie in the EAMES theater. The higher price ticket gets you into Monsters vs Aliens 3D plus 1 additional show.

Doors to the PacSci will open around 6pm for FIRST students. The schedule looks like:

Laser Shows: 6:15 pm, 7:00 pm, 7:45 pm, 8:30 pm

IMAX Movies: 6:15 pm, 7:15 pm, 8:15 pm, 9:15 pm

Monsters vs Aliens: 7:30pm www.monstersvsaliens.com

We have use of the Boeing IMAX lobby area from 6pm to 9pm. This will be a good place for the students to mix.

Cost: Admission to the team social will be $7.00 per person, which allows you to attend any of the laser and IMAX movies. If you are one of the 400 people who wish to attend the Monsters vs Aliens, there is an additional $5 per person charge ($12 per person total). The ticket agency adds a little to this price, so the real prices are $8.17 and $13.29. These are the advanced purchase prices. If you wait until the day of, the prices will be $9 and $14 respectively.

It is highly probably that this event will sell out. We apologize for that, but it is difficult to find places for more than 1200 students to hang out!

Advanced tickets are on sale now via Brown Paper Tickets (an online ticket vendor). All tickets are will call, and will be distributed on Friday of the event in the pit area.

To purchase tickets, visit

www.brownpapertickets.com/event/60323

Another option if you are looking is the Experience Music Project has an event called EMP After Hours. You can find information about this event at http://www.empsfm.org/programs/index.asp?categoryID=249 . FIRST and FIRSTWA are not associated with this event. It is an event open to the public.

Hotel Reservations

Teams are responsible for their own hotel reservations. While we worked out deals with some local hotels, since then we have noticed that most hotels have dropped their rates substantially, and better pricing is available using Expedia, Travelocity, Orbitz, or a number of other online reservation agents. Do what works best for your team!

Are Boxed Lunches available?

Yes, you have the option for purchasing box lunches. They must be pre-ordered by March 18th. The lunches are through the Key Arena caterer. The cost is $10 per box lunch. An order form can be found using the following link:

Click here for box lunch order form >>

There are other food options, including the concessions on the 100 level of Key Arena. The best alternative at the moment is the Food Court found in the center house of the Seattle Center (Labeled the Childrens Museum on our map). There are about a dozen or so places for food, including a Subway, deli, hamburger place, Thai food, and many others. This is a short walk from Key Arena, and honestly is the best option at the moment. Note that food purchased at the Food Court can not be brought into the Key Arena. However, there is a nice area for eating in the food court!

Agenda Discussion

Here is the agenda and discussion for each day. Our apologies if this is dense! We tried to clue you in on what each of the agenda items means.

Arriving at Key Arena: Thursday March 26th, 2009

The pit area of Key Arena is going to be packed. We are one of the biggest regional events in the world with 64 teams on the floor. Space is at an extreme premium. We are going to be pretty strict about your adhering to our schedule. The issue is clearing out the shipping crates quickly and efficiently so we will all have room to work.

>>> BIG CHANGE: We MUST get the crates out of the way BEFORE we start setting up pit areas. You will understand once you see the layout that we have to dictate this. You will unload your crate, then leave the room for a few minutes. Yes, it is different than other regional events. Sorry, not negotiable! <<

Executive Summary:

Uncrate crew arrival Time: 7:30 am

Uncrate crew (3 people max) to pits: 7:45 am

Delivery staging: 7:45 am

Crate removal deadline: 8:15 am

Pits/loading dock open for team arrival: 8:30 am (sooner if we all cooperate!)

>> EVERYONE IS REQUIRED TO WEAR SAFETY GLASSES COVERING THEIR EYES AT ALL TIMES IN THE PIT AREA. NO OPEN TOE SHOES, SANDALS, OR BARE FEET <<

WPA Key Assignment: 8:30 am to 10:00 am

Practice rounds begin: 10 am

Robot Inspections: 9:00 am to 7:45 pm

We have several tasks that MUST be completed in a timely way to insure everyone has a quality experience at our event. We very much appreciate the effort you will be required to put in to help make the schedule a reality.

The tasks are:

Uncrate your robot

Registration

WPA Assignment

Robot Inspection

Task Number 1: Uncrate your robot

We need 3 members of your team at Key Arena, West entrance, at 7:30 AM sharp. This is your uncrate team. Make whatever arrangements you can in advance to insure they are onsite at 7:30 am. There is a check-in process that will take a few minutes. We would hope that your uncrate team has at least one mentor. These three team members should bring the following items, and no more:

1) The tools required to uncrate your robot ( example: cordless drill, driver bits, etc)

2) Safety glasses for each member of the uncrate team

Note: You will be going down two flights of stairs, so don't plan on a rolling toolbox for the uncrate team. You need to hand carry your tools. Plan on travelling light and making only one trip. We will not allow you to leave the pits and return!

When you check-in for uncrate, you will be given a card with your team number on it. As soon as you have emptied your crate, we need you to give that card to the Pit Admin crew, then leave the pit area back to the West entrance. No hanging out in your pit or doing extra things just yet. PLEASE help us out and follow these instructions. The faster you leave, the faster we remove your crate, and the sooner you get back into your pit area.

You MUST finish emptying your crate by 8:15 AM. If you have not uncrated by then, we will send a group of volunteers to uncrate for you. We will try to be nice to your robot, but we are not responsible for any damages if you are late. This is a bad idea that we don't wish to implement, so please be on time.

Team staging:

The majority of your team can either wait and arrive at 8:30 am, or they can hang out with us in the Key Arena main concourse starting at 7:30 am. There will be displays, college recruiters, and other teams to meet and greet while waiting for the 45 minutes before the pits and the rest of the venue opens. We may ask for help from the adult mentors with crowd control during this time.

Delivery Staging:

If your team has deliveries, you might want to open the following webpage, then click on the FRC map of the Seattle Center Area

http://www.firstwa.org/FRC/MicrosoftSeattleRegional/tabid/189/Default.aspx

At about 7:45 AM, we will open Gate 4 of the Key Arena loading dock area for you to make any deliveries of supplies and tools. This gate is on the corner of Thomas St and Warren Ave N. Note that there is likely to be a long line waiting, so please be patient. If you can park and deliver your items on your own cart, please do so! At 7:45, you will be allowed to enter the Key Arena loading dock area (#1 on the Key Arena Map). You will be held in a staging area until the pits open. We expect to close the loading dock by 9:00 am.

VERY IMPORTANT: AT NO TIME MAY YOU LEAVE YOUR VEHICLE ON THE RAMP or in the ramp area parking! Make whatever provisions you must to unload your vehicle and leave through Gate 4 for outside parking immediately. You should have a vehicle driver and someone to take charge of your load. We hear that the Key Arena tow truck is viciously efficient at removing parking violators in 2 minutes or less. Think airport style security on this one.

WARNING: The loading dock is a ramp. Please avoid a nasty physics lesson by insuring you have enough muscle power available to prevent a runaway cart. Also, be sure you have everything secured to your cart.

You will NOT be able to enter the pit area until about 8:30 am or after the last crates are removed. If you come between 7:45 and 8:30, you will be staged in a waiting area just inside Key Arena where you will be expected to wait graciously and professionally. Please bring a bare minimum crew to the loading dock for moving your materials safely. The remainder of your team should use the West entrance to Key Arena as a waiting area.

Task Number 2: Team Registration

When the pits open, the Pit Admin table will have a team registration packet for you. This is a critical step that should happen right away. We have schedules and team materials required to participate during the day. Your lead mentor should handle this process. It takes a few minutes, so allow time.

Task Number 2: WPA Assignment

We need to insure that your robots radio has the appropriate security settings before we send you out on the field. The WPA Key Assignment is the critical step that must be completed first thing in the morning. You will get instructions on where to do this on Thursday morning. Your robot will be unable to interoperate with the field controller without this critical step.

Task Number 3: Robot Inspection

Your sole responsibility for Thursday is to pass robot inspection. You should have no other higher priority. If your robot does not pass inspection on Thursday, you will not be allowed to compete on Friday! The robot inspectors are actually here to help keep everyone safe, insure that all robots meet the rules, and to help you pass inspection. They really want to do everything they can to help you pass inspection. It is rare for a robot to pass inspection on the first attempt. Even veteran teams will have issues. Get this process started early so you have time to make changes if needed. We recommend getting inspected before lunch. You will likely have a few things to fix.

Thursday March 26th, 2009

Your teams primary goal on this day is to pass robot inspection so you can compete on Friday. If you pass inspection, there will also be time for you to take part in some practice rounds. Be careful with your time! This isn't a free day. You MUST pass inspection by the end of Thursday or you won't be allowed to compete on Friday. Please plan on getting your robot inspected right away. The inspectors are likely to find things for you to fix! It is very common for all robots to fail their first pass at inspection. Allocate time early to insure you know what you will need to have fixed.

Who to bring on Thursday is a complex question. If your team travels as a single unit, everyone is invited to come on Thursday. However, this day can be pretty long for most of the non-robot building students. The action is sparse on the field. Most experienced local teams opt to bring only their mentors, drivers, and main robot builders. Use your own best judgement on who is appropriate for your team.

8:30AM Pits and Machine Shop open: Everyone will be allowed into the building around 8:30am, or when we get the final crates out of the way. You may now start work on your robot with the goal of passing inspection.

8:30AM WPA Assignments: We need every team to bring their robots radio unit to get a WPA assignment. This needs to be done early! Otherwise, your robot will not be able to interact with the field control unit.

8:30AM-12:00PM Registration and inspection: One adult from each team, usually the main contact for the team, must visit the registration table first thing in the morning. We will provide you with schedules, maps, and other important information for the day. It also lets us know that your team has arrived, and is working on your tasks for the day. We also want to get your team into the inspection process as soon as possible.

10:00AM-5:00PM Practice rounds: Practice rounds are your teams chance to get on the field and try out your robot and operator station using the official field setup.

12:00PM – 1:00PM Lunch - The machine shop will close for an hour for lunch. These are all volunteers, so please be respectful of their contribution and allow them to take an hour break!

1:00PM - 5:00PM Practice rounds continue. Remember, your primary goal is to pass inspection by the end of the day.

7:45 PM Inspection station closes. Cleanup and leave. Put your batteries on the chargers, clean up your area so it is neat, organized, and ready to go in the morning.

8:00PM Pits and Machine Shop close. We ALL must leave at 8PM.

Friday, March 27th 2009

Friday is contest day. Seeding matches will determine the ranking points for your team. You will be randomly assigned alliance partners. This is a very fun day. We have a full schedule of matches, so if you wanted to invite people to come watch, this is a good day for it. Your whole team should be at the event on Friday and Saturday.

6:00PM Fun Night: We have some activities that your team can optionally take advantage of if you are looking for something to do on Friday night. See the section on the Fun Night for details.

8:00AM Pits and Machine Shop Open: You are free to continue tinkering with your robot. Remember, you will have to be in the stands at 9am. You will also get your match schedule this day. If you had issues, you need to finalized your inspections by 9AM. Check with the head inspector. You will also see our judges going around the pit area. They are out there to evaluate your team. In general, judges want to talk to students. Mentors and adults should generally stay out of the judges discussions.

9:00AM Opening ceremonies: Please be respectful of the VIP guests and attend the opening ceremonies.

9:30AM-4:30PM Seeding matches. Your team should be in the queue at least 2 matches ahead of your scheduled contest. It can be a bit of a zoo trying to get into position, so please be gracious, professional, and on time. We will have runners to come find your teams. Again, judges will be making the rounds to visit your team during this entire day.

12:00PM-1:00PM Lunch: Food is available at the concessions around the 100 level of the arena, plus across the courtyard in the Food Court (labeled Childrens Museum on the map). Please don't bring outside food into the arena (union contracts, we have no control over that!).

1:00PM - 4:45PM Seeding matches continue.

4:45PM Awards ceremony on the main field. We give away about half of the awards on Friday, so your team will want to be there! Gracious and Professional means cheering for every winning team.

6:00PM Pits and Machine Shop close

Saturday March 28th, 2009

8:00AM Pits and machine shop open / Judges deployed: As with Thursday, the judges will be making rounds, and teams may start work on their robots in the morning.

9:00AM Opening ceremonies: Please attend!

9:30AM-11:30AM Seeding matches: The final two rounds of seeding matches are played in the morning.

11:45AM-12:00PM Alliance Selections: The top seeded teams pick teams as their alliance partners. Be sure your teams representatives know the process!

12:00PM-1:00PM Lunch: Same as Friday!

1:00PM-4:15PM Final rounds: We use a double elimination format for the final rounds. Check the rules for details. If your team was not picked as a finalist, it is common for teams to start packing up their robot during the quarter and semi-final rounds.

4:30PM Awards ceremony: Everyone should attend.

5:00PM Pits and Machine Shop close, crates packed for shipping