Self pass over the truss

[dubiousSwain]

The manual states:
A CATCH occurs when a BALL SCORED over the truss by ROBOTS'S ALLIANCE partner is POSSESSED by that ROBOT before contacting the carpet or HUMAN PLAYER.

The rule seems clear-cut, but can you count as your own alliance partner and complete both the throw and catch by yourself?

Our team will be submitting a question to Q&A when it goes online, and will be hoping for a final answer from FIRST. Any thoughts?

[RamZ]

"by a ROBOT’S ALLIANCE partner"
Not by the robot itself.

[Mike Schreiber]

"by a ROBOT’S ALLIANCE partner"
Not by the robot itself.

This seems pretty cut and dry, don't think you can't pass to yourself. Since you are not your own partner.

[wireties]

I guess you could speculate that the GDC intended to make sure you are catching something thrown by your alliance, not the other alliance. It will be interesting to hear what the GDC has to say - it is worth asking.

[Christian751]

This is a pretty common question.. Glad it was sorted out soon and without any issues.... It's been asked about 10 times in the last few minutes here at our meet.

[dubiousSwain]

I guess you could speculate that the GDC intended to make sure you are catching something thrown by your alliance, not the other alliance. It will be interesting to hear what the GDC has to say - it is worth asking.

exactly

[MasterEric]

I guess you could speculate that the GDC intended to make sure you are catching something thrown by your alliance, not the other alliance. It will be interesting to hear what the GDC has to say - it is worth asking.

But wouldn't this always be no since the other alliance cannot catch the ball, since it would count as possession and thus be a technical foul?

[dubiousSwain]

But wouldn't this always be no since the other alliance cannot catch the ball, since it would count as possession and thus be a technical foul?

Closing up loopholes?

[wireties]

But wouldn't this always be no since the other alliance cannot catch the ball, since it would count as possession and thus be a technical foul?

good point - not sure

[MasterEric]

good point - not sure

No matter whether the opponent can catch the ball, you can always catch the ball, since you can always possess it. This debate is about whether the catch gains points, and the rules made it clear that a catch only gains points if its by the partner.

So yes, you can catch your own pass but you wouldn't get catch points.

[Micro_Brooke]

You wouldn't even have time to throw it up and make it to the other side to catch it.

[EricH]

You wouldn't even have time to throw it up and make it to the other side to catch it.

There are going to be some pretty fast robots out there. I'm pretty certain some of them could do it pretty handily, particularly if they shoot on the move.

[MasterEric]

You wouldn't even have time to throw it up and make it to the other side to catch it.

What makes you say this?
The truss is only 1 foot wide, so if you stood almost below it and threw it in a shape like a steep parabola, you would only have to move a foot or two to catch it.

[Kevin Sevcik]

You wouldn't even have time to throw it up and make it to the other side to catch it.
If you're holding a ball, it has the same velocity as your robot. Drive forward at a steady speed, shoot it straight up, and it'll land right back on your robot. Granted that's a different launching system than you'd need for Top Goal, but it's perfectly doable.

[RamZ]

To people talking about catching the other alliance's truss-throw:


An ALLIANCE may not POSSESS their opponent’s BALLS. The following criteria define POSSESSION :

“carrying” (moving while supporting BALLS in or on the ROBOT),
“herding” (repeated pushing or bumping),
“launching” (impelling BALLS to a desired location or direction), and
“trapping” (overt isolation or holding one or more BALLS against a FIELD element or ROBOT in an attempt to shield them).

Violation: TECHNICAL FOUL per instance.

[dubiousSwain]

If you're holding a ball, it has the same velocity as your robot. Drive forward at a steady speed, shoot it straight up, and it'll land right back on your robot. Granted that's a different launching system than you'd need for Top Goal, but it's perfectly doable.

the ball is pretty large, the air drag would throw it off. in a perfect vacuum, yes, that would work, but not in the game

[Rypsnort]

if you take the size of the robots into consideration you may not even have to move at all because the bot could be long enough to just sit under the truss.

[PAR_WIG1350]

the ball is pretty large, the air drag would throw it off. in a perfect vacuum, yes, that would work, but not in the game

Then you compensate by throwing it forward slightly.

[wireties]

the ball is pretty large, the air drag would throw it off. in a perfect vacuum, yes, that would work, but not in the game


the ball is heavy enough and the flight duration short enough that Kevin's approximation is a valid one (as in less significant than other mechanical errors throwing and catching)

[AndyBare]

What makes you say this?
The truss is only 1 foot wide, so if you stood almost below it and threw it in a shape like a steep parabola, you would only have to move a foot or two to catch it.

Well you'd probably have to move closer to 5. 2 feet for ball, 1 for truss, then another 2 for the ball as it falls on the other side.