NorCalFLL Challenge Remote Event Info

Coach TownHall – recording,  slides

 

Note: Your team pit number is on your team status page.  Go to the 2021 Team List, search for your team number or name, click on the link “status”.

In-Person Robot Rounds:

• There will not be any Practice Round during the event in the 2021 season.  

Your team will have 3 scored matches.

 

Important to note for 2021 season,  each match will have a unique setup for Mission M10 SORTING CENTER SETUP ADJUSTMENT. See Challenge Updates

We expect to show scores online – stay tuned.  We expect to be able to live stream the matches as well.

• Matches  
  • Teams will have 3, 2.5 minute robot game matches.
  • We will have a timer keeping track along with a game announcer to help announce time.
  • Only two technicians are allowed at the table at once. Substitute technicians can switch with current technicians at any time.  Reminder that the team members themselves must be the technicians operating the robot.  Also, only the technicians at the table can be holding/moving/interacting with any aspect of the missions in home or the robot and its attachments.

• Match Instruction :
  • The team should take a look at the field before the match and can ask the referees to confirm that the missions are setup and operating properly.  The team may not touch any aspect of the field or missions except those that start in Home.
  • Then, place robot on field for Table Inspection as part of M1
  • After the time stops, the team can hit stop / turn off the robot
    • Do not pick up the robot – leave it where it stops
  • After each match, the referee will talk through the scoresheet and every mission will be scored.  After complete, one member of the team will be asked to sign off on the scoresheet.
  • If there is any disagreement about the scoresheet, ask to speak with the Head Referee – do not sign the scoresheet before this.  The Head Referee is the final word at the event with regards to how a specific mission is scored.
  • After the Head Referee makes any final rulings, the scoresheet is considered final.

On-line Judging Session:

• The team will be evaluated in one, 30 minute, single judging session.
• Team members do not have to be physically in the same room to access the session.   And it might work better to be in separate areas unless you have a good wide angle web camera to be able to see everyone and a good microphone to pick up all of the voices.
• We will provide team members and the 2 primary coaches access to a virtual platform (Hopin) accessible via a web browser. Team members and coaches will need access to a computer/tablet, access to the internet, and the ability to share audio and video. Many browsers are supported but we have found Chrome to work best.
• Please note that the team will not have a separate Core Values judging session or Core Values activity, starting from 2020 season, a Core Values judge will be in the one consolidated judging session. The team is expected to demonstrate Core Values in everything they do.
• Please check out the judging session flow chart and also look at the completely revamped Rubrics.
• As in previous years, the team will have a 5 minute project presentation.
• It is recommended but not required for the team to have a Robot Design Presentation for the “Robot Design Explanation” section.
• Finally, there will be a few Core Values questions during the “Core Values Reflection” time but no presentation during that time.
• Also importantly, the judges are being instructed to provide initial verbal feedback and we will be instructing NorCal judges to make this focused on positive points.
• The rubrics themselves have a section for capturing an area for the team to think about improving.
• There is no mechanism allowed to “send” the Judges any materials – no links, etc but the team members or coaches will be enabled to share their screen or windows/tabs.
• For any video sharing, it is best to run this through a browser window and share the tab. If you run a separate application (ie vlc), in order for the sound to come through, you must share your entire screen.   Unfortunately it doesn’t work to just share the window in that case.
• Everything that the judges will consider must be part of the 30 minute judging session.
• We strongly advise that the team rehearse delivering their judging presentation(s) online using video and audio on their devices.
• Make sure to test your internet bandwidth too. 
• Generally, it will be difficult to hold up your robot (and any project models or similar) to your web camera in an easy, steady way (or move the camera to the item), so good, well lit pictures of your team’s robot and any project models would be good to have. 

On-line Team Pit Sharing & Ceremonies:

• During the on-line remote part of the event, each team will have a dedicated pit sharing time.

• Pit Sharing :
  • Each team will have about 4 to 5 minutes to share with other teams about their project, robot and other aspects of their season.
  • Last year, some teams created mini-games or a short overview about the team to share

• Ceremonies :
  • At the end of the on-line event, there will be a Closing Award ceremony.
  • The award ceremony will be where the Award winners are announced as well as the teams invited to participate in our NorCal Innovation Expo in March 2022 and the teams that will advance to a NorCal Regional Championship in February 2022.

FAQ: 

1. Are we allowed to use Zoom virtual backgrounds as our presentation props? We will not be using Zoom for our video conferencing. Playing at Learning will be hosting the in-person Judging on a virtual event platform called Hopin.  You can use virtual backgrounds using something like Snap Camera or OBS (open source tool), but this might be too complicated for teams.
2. Are we allowed to share our screen to show pictures of project/ robot/robot strategy/ code? Yes. It is recommended though that only 1 person plans on sharing their screen, that they have the right permissions and understanding of their computer (ie do they have a firewall installed that limits sharing of camera/microphone).
3. Do we need to first  send a practice video to confirm from referee crew? For 2021, if a team has questions about 1 or more aspects of the game, you will be able to submit a portion of a practice match.  It will not be scored but questions about the field setup, scoring condition, unclear strategy can be asked.  This must be done ahead of time – there will not be any practice match during the event itself.
4. Can we record the project and/or robot design presentation and present as a video file or should it be live?  The panel of judges will be LIVE on the screen during your session. If you wish to present your project via a video file, that should be fine as long as you stay within your time limits. Please review the judging session flow chart time schedule.

Game Play location:

• RAILWAY  – Cabrillo MS Santa Clara
• WATERWAY – Piedmont HS Piedmont
• AIRWAY – Lowell HS San Francisco

Event On-Line Platform:

• Playing at Learning will be hosting the On-line Judging (and pit sharing time and closing ceremony) on a virtual event platform called Hopin. Check out our 2020 Hopin Tutorial for more information.  Likely 2021 events will look similar