Ball Corral blocking
 

Hello My name is Matthew and I am from team 713 in NY. I was wondering whether it is illegal for a robot to block the opposing team's ball corral from their robots depositing balls. I do not see it in the rules but what I do see is that you cannot goal tend.

thanks

Re: Ball Corral blocking
 

Yes it is legal, as long as one robot does not block both the opponents ball corals at the same time.

Re: Ball Corral blocking
 

you might want to read through your rulebook a bit more thouroughly though because it is in there and you might have missed other key information ;)

Re: Ball Corral blocking
 

actually that was not in the manual at first, it came out in an update

hopefully once the bot ships teams will have a chance to download all the updates (most have been incorporated into the revised manual) and catch up on all the rules before our first regional.

Re: Ball Corral blocking
 

The rule you are looking for is <G26>.

Re: Ball Corral blocking
 

where on first website is the link for rule updates?

thanks.

Re: Ball Corral blocking
 

the website for the manual and the upate is www.usfirst.org/robotics/doc_updt.htm

Good Luck !!

Re: Ball Corral blocking
 

If you know the answer why don't you just share rather than make someone go back and search? I have seen quite a bit of this lately in the forum. FIRST is all about open and willful information sharing not making fellow students jump through hoops.

Re: Ball Corral blocking
 

http://www2.usfirst.org/2004comp/4-T...corporated.pdf
Page 4:

"<G26> A ROBOT can only block 1 Ball Chute at a time."
:)

Re: Ball Corral blocking
 

Not to be overly lawyerly or anything with the rules, but the rules do say a robot can only block 1 chute at a time. I was wondering what this means for two robots or say... a robot and a mobile goal. Can they block both chutes?

Re: Ball Corral blocking
 

lol that would be one heck of a stratigy...
or while your at it move the goals to block the other drivers veiw...
with the yellow ball still on top... :D :D :D :rolleyes:

Re: Ball Corral blocking
 

well really, is there anything against that? and btw, that would be a heck of a strategy :)

Re: Ball Corral blocking
 

Yes, robots, movable goals, 2X balls can be used legally to block the ball chutes.
But A robot can only block A chute at any time.

:yikes:

Re: Ball Corral blocking
 

but 2 robots can block 2 chutes right??

Re: Ball Corral blocking
 

Right, but that prevents your alliance from scoring points too, since you are tied up blocking and can do nothing except sit there. It could work in the final (elimination) matches, but if I were the other alliance, I would head to the center platform, take up as much space as possible, and grab the bar. At which point you are now 100 points behind with no time to make it up by gathering and scoring 20 balls (or 10 and a multiplyer.)

So whereas you CAN do it, I, personally, would't make that my main strategy.

Re: Ball Corral blocking
 

ID: 74 Section: 4.4.3 Status: Answered Date Answered: 1/13/2004
Q: Will it be permissible to intentionally block the opposition's view of the playing field for the obvious reason of limiting their ability to operate their robots?

A: No. This violates gracious professionalism.

It would be a judgement call on the referee as far as intentional blocking of their view, but technically they're saying it's not allowed...

Re: Ball Corral blocking
 

I look at it this way if you have to resort to cheap moves like blocking the other players from seeing to win the you were not that good to begin with. Something i always tell the students i work with. Make sure the other teams robot is working at it best, if it is not ask if there is anything you can do to help fix it to make it at its best. That way if we win, we knew that we beat the best of the best and not the best broken because who wants to win that way not me.

shaun

Re: Ball Corral blocking
 

I have not found any penalty associated with blocking the view of a driver or HP by a robot or a 2X ball held by a robot. But how affective is this strategy?
:rolleyes:

Re: Ball Corral blocking
 

I'd have to re-read all the updates to see if they made a rule about it, but it was in the Q/A. I think it's an "understood" rule anyways regarding GP.

and btw.. well said Nuggetsyl...

Re: Ball Corral blocking
 

I think thats a overly simplistic analysis. First of all, not all robots can get to the bar. Second, we would not be at such a great loss as you say. Its not as though the robots would sit and defend against no one for 30 seconds while the other teams robots slowly make their way to the top. As soon as they stop pushing balls, then the defending alliance can do something else.

But in reality, i agree this would be a bad idea because one relatively mobile robot and a properly placed mobile goal could be nearly as effective at blocking small balls while their is still one robot working on the team thats doing the blocking.