Can teams use either the coding blocks or Python for coding the robot?
Sincerely,
Leslie Harper
Instructional Technology Coach
Alvey Elementary
From: First Lego League in Virginia and DC <[log in to unmask]> On Behalf Of Skip Morrow
Sent: Thursday, August 3, 2023 10:10 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: [External] Re: [VADCFLL-L] FLL - Challenge - Season Materials
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Rob,
Regarding the mission models, I have this to offer (and I am not a referee, so I could be way off here)
LIGHT SHOW: The tan "lock pin" really doesn't have anything to do with the competitive operation of the mission. It is there to keep the white liftarm and the gray axle in the same relative positions and that's it. If the gray axle were to get on the "outside" of the liftarm, the ratchet wouldn't work and the elevator would come back down. It's really just there to keep those two pieces aligned. Nothing more.
CAMERA: That seems a little strange to me that the bumper is facing the apparent wrong way. It's definitely assembled correctly as per the directions, but yeah, that's weird. I wouldn't be surprised if an update came out to tell us to swap that piece around. If not, I would be happier because I do agree that the mission is actually easier the way it is right now. I just hope the update happens soon if it happens at all. For the record, I am NOT campaigning that they swap it around. It just looks like a mistake.
Anyway, in both cases I'd say your spidey sense it right on! My models seem exactly the same as yours, and more importantly, they seem to match the build instructions.
Skip
On Thu, Aug 3, 2023 at 12:26 PM Rob Walters <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
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Thanks Kaitlin!
Our kids built our models yesterday and as coaches we questioned the "function" of two models. The instructions and all pictures seem to be consistent so we are probably wrong, but I did not think it could hurt to ask so if updates are required they can be released sooner rather than later.
LIGHT SHOW
This change does not seem to change the function of the model in competition, but it will make the judges job to reset the model much easier. Without the change, the "lock" bar has to be removed from the model and put back. This does not seem to be SOP for Lego competition models. I suggest the pin should be under the lock bar so the lock bar can be moved freely to reset the model. In theory, it also will allow the robot to reset the model which is the only reason we could think that it may be the way it is. We did not experience the pin being needed to prevent slippage when the bar is raised.
CAMERA
The rubber stopper as shown at the end of the track serves no function (other than aesthetic looks), which may be correct. It does make the model appear more realistic. As shown, if the bar is lifted, the camera will go down the track, hit the hard plastic disk and stop. No complaints from the kids as this makes using the "launcher" at full strength less of a challenge. However, if you move the rubber stopper to the second hole so the camera will it the rubber, the camera will bounce back to the bottom of the hill (as shown in the picture) Note: the bar was down in the video and the camera bounced back - we do not experience that behavior during testing, but we guess it could happen.
The amount of detail and creativity put into the challenge models never fails to awe us. There are likely reasons the models are designed as in the instructions and pictures and we are just overthinking the functional aspects of the models. Maybe the light show can slip and/or a decision was made not to have the camera bounce back. Either way, I would be curious if anyone else had the same thoughts and just wanted to confirm the design.
Going to be a fun season!
Thanks, Rob.
Teams names for this season TBD
On Thu, Aug 3, 2023 at 11:41 AM Ilnitzki, Kaitlin - ilnitzks <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
Hi Andrea
FIRST LEGO League has posted the Building Instructions link on the FLL-C Challenge, Updates, and Resources page…. But you will notice that you have to scroll down to the resources to find the directions. Not ideal!
So on the VA-DC FLL Robot Game Resource page, we created a shortened URL to directions and we grabbed the timestamped video links for each mission, so teams/ volunteers building the kits can jump right to the mission.
Mission Model Instructions (with links to mission specific videos)
Please note: Our site is under construction this week as we add all the new season content, so if something is not linked correctly or is outdated, please know we are working to get it all updated by early next week!
Kaitlin Ilnitzki
Program Director
VA+DC FIRST LEGO League
From: First Lego League in Virginia and DC <[log in to unmask]> on behalf of Andrea Heithoff <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Thursday, August 3, 2023 at 11:27 AM
To: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Re: [VADCFLL-L] FLL - Challenge - Season MaterialsI'm still not seeing the build instructions - all the numbered bag instructions still link to Super-powered. Is anyone else having this problem? I have my team getting together on Sunday to build, would love to resolve this.
Thanks,
Andrea Heithoff
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