VRC Team Update - September 2011
Update on Teams and Events
Currently, there are over 1,700 VEX teams registered and over 240
events listed on RobotEvents. If you have not registered your team,
visit RobotEvents.com and register your VRC team today to ensure that
you receive important updates about the 2011 Disney All-Star
Challenge, 2012 VRC World Championship, and other events and
opportunities. Registration is still only $75 for the first team
number at a school and $25 for each additional suffix. Once payment
is received, teams will receive a Welcome Kit that includes sample
game elements (for the first team only), team license plates, flags,
and other goodies. Click HERE to register your team now!
Improvements to RobotEvents
As many people are already aware, the REC Foundation has spent the
summer improving the event registration process on RobotEvents.com.
The first two improvements to RobotEvents have been released and all
VRC competitors should take a moment to familiarize themselves with
the changes. First, each tournament entry now has a section at the
top which clearly states whether the tournament is a qualifier for
the 2012 VRC World Championship. Second, RobotEvents is now able to
list the multiple match dates and locations for league play. This
feature is contained in the Quick Overview section of the
league play entries. Check RobotEvents often as we have a few more
improvements to make and we expect that they will be completed within
the next three to four weeks.
VRCC Offered During Disney All-Star Challenge in Orlando, FL
In addition to the Middle/High school competition, the REC Foundation
is pleased to announce that there will be a college level competition
during the Disney All-Star Challenge. College teams should visit the
registration page - for more information and to register.
Presented by NASA, Autodesk, EMC Corporation, and RECF, the 2011
Disney All-Star Challenge is going to be bigger and better than ever.
Middle/High school and college teams attending this year’s event
can look forward to lower hotel prices, increased amenities, and a
chance to win an early qualification to the 2012 VRC World
Championship. Visit the Disney All-Star Challenge registration pages
for more information about this year’s exciting event. Registration
is open, and teams that register before October 14, 2011, will be
able to take advantage of an early bird registration fee of $250.
After October 14th, registration will be $350.
Information about the specially-priced WALT DISNEY WORLD® Resort
Hotel rooms at Disney’s All-Star Sports Resort, Disney’s Caribbean
Beach Resort and nearby hotels can be found here - http://www.gettravel.com/vexrobotics/ .
2011/2012 STEM Competition Without A Tournament - Online Today!
Do you want to design robots, produce videos or write great stuff to
win prizes and an invitation to the VRC World Championship? Check out
the RECF Online Challenges today! It’s the best way to participate in
STEM competitions without traveling to a tournament. Online
Challenges are now open for submissions at http://forum.robotevents.com/design/ .
VEX Gateway Documentation Updates
Make sure that your team is aware of the latest updates to the VEX
Gateway Game Manual by visiting the sticky forum discussion located
here - https://vexforum.com/t/vex-gateway-manual-updates/18980/1 .
A Safe VRC Tournament Is A Good Tournament
As the competition season gets into full swing, everyone should
ensure the safety of all competitors. In particular, all VRC
participants should be aware that the VEX Gateway Game Manual
prohibits anyone from being on a competition field while the Gate is
in the up position. Furthermore, at all times when a Gate is in the
up position, it must be latched using the provided velcro strap.
Please see Appendix A for full instructions on how to use the strap.
And please remember to wear your safety glasses.
2011/2012 Skills Challenge Ranking System
The robot and programming skills challenge rankings have changed for
this year. When teams complete during a robot skills match, they will
be awarded a score. During certain events, including the 2012 World
Championship, the top two teams will advance to a final heads-up
match that will be used to determine the winner.
New this year: The top 30 ranked teams from both the robot and
programming skills challenges will earn a World Championship
qualifying spot. Information about the qualification for the World
Championship through the skills challenges can be found here .
Not Getting These E-mails?
Many organizations automatically block group e-mails. You have two
options:
-
Request that your IT department “White List” emails from
mail.vresp.com
and/or white list e-mails from the following IP addresses:
74.116.89.0/24 74.116.91.0/24 66.151.143.0/24 -
Make sure the alternate email address in your robotevents.com - http://robotevents.com/ team account is
different - not a school address.
RECF - Robotics Education and Competition Foundation
We are a non-profit that uses robotics to get young minds interested
in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math. We are here for you.
Please let us know how we can help.