Ball Return

[frank.pendzich]

Can a robot block balls in the ball return so they can't make it to the field? Even knock them out of the channel to get control of them sooner.

[kirtar]

Can a robot block balls in the ball return so they can make it to the field?

If I'm interpreting this correctly <G47> will answer your question
<G47> BALL RETURN Interference - ROBOTS may not interfere with BALLS in contact with the BALL RETURN. Violation: Two PENALTIES per affected BALL.

I hope you read the manual.

[gorrilla]

If I'm interpreting this correctly <G47> will answer your question


I hope you read the manual.

this brings up a question,

could you then stop your robot in front of the ball return and nock them back into your alliances zone right as they come off the track?...

you can only hang your robot in the last 20 sec. right?

[kirtar]

Any mechanism used to interact with the ball must be below the bumper zone or you will get a penalty every time you use it. However, if you for example, angled the top of your robot to affect how a ball would bounce off of the top of it, I don't think there's anything wrong with that.

Also, if you somehow manage to touch the tower without expanding beyond your normal configuration, you can hang any time you want without penalty, since being in contact with the tower allows you to expand to final configuration.

[GaryVoshol]

this brings up a question,

could you then stop your robot in front of the ball return and nock them back into your alliances zone right as they come off the track?...Yes, as long as they are off the ball return before they touch your robot.

you can only hang your robot in the last 20 sec. right?I find nothing that states this.

[Locke64]

this brings up a question,

could you then stop your robot in front of the ball return and nock them back into your alliances zone right as they come off the track?...

you can only hang your robot in the last 20 sec. right?

TOWER Contact ROBOT Volume - During a MATCH, ROBOTS in contact with their ALLIANCE TOWER may extend beyond their NORMAL CONFIGURATION volume but may not exceed the FINALE CONFIGURATION maximum volume.It appears that you can hang from the tower and expand to the FINALE CONFIGURATION at any time during the match (unless there's another rule that I've forgotten). However, you are not protected by <G32> or <G34> from opponent contact.

That sounds like it could be a decent strategy, as long as you never gain POSSESION of the ball while it is in the air. (i.e. no chutes)

[gorrilla]

I find nothing that states this.

My bad, I just reread the configuration rules and got a few words changed around:o

[gorrilla]

It appears that you can hang from the tower and expand to the FINALE CONFIGURATION at any time during the match (unless there's another rule that I've forgotten). However, you are not protected by <G32> or <G34> from opponent contact.

That sounds like it could be a decent strategy, as long as you never gain POSSESION of the ball while it is in the air. (i.e. no chutes)


this is what I've been thinking, you could'nt really be defended upon since you are hanging...and it'd make scoring alot faster for your alliance..

[LinuxArchitect]

That sounds like it could be a decent strategy, as long as you never gain POSSESION of the ball while it is in the air. (i.e. no chutes)

Possession if defined as controlling the ball while you are in motion. If you are just hanging (or sitting) still, a chute, with no active mechanisms above the bumper zone, seems legal to me.

[hipsterjr]

Possession if defined as controlling the ball while you are in motion. If you are just hanging (or sitting) still, a chute, with no active mechanisms above the bumper zone, seems legal to me.

That is what I would think. Possession is defined as the ball remaining in relative proximity to the robot as the robot moves. If you are sitting in front of the chute, then the ball rolling off the robot is changing proximity and not being moved be the robot. You could look at this as the equivlant of a soccer player stoping a ball with their upper body.

[Taylor]

you can only hang your robot in the last 20 sec. right?

You can hang whenever you want from your own tower, but your robot is not protected until the last 20 seconds.

[Chris is me]

You can hang whenever you want from your own tower, but your robot is not protected until the last 20 seconds.

Provided any expansion you do is while you are in contact with the tower.