Re: Q/A questions so far..
 

[/b]

See, but they don't specify which happens first. Since it is a two point swing, and every point will matter in this game, I wanted it to be certain.
Oh, I know. And I think this is a good thread to have.

What we really need is a way that people can preview questions, to make sure they haven't skipped over something real obvious in the manuals.

Thanks for your thread.

--Petey

Re: Q/A questions so far..
 

Maybe I'm not sure what the real question is on the first one..
If you score a vision tetra in automode..... that's great. But they are not going to place your bonus tetra(s) until automode is over. When automode is over, the field attendant takes away the hanging tetra, and puts it in queue for loading station. Therefore, the field attendant will not inadvertantly drop the hanging tetra for you by placing the bonus one on top.... So you either knock the tetra down somehow with your robot during automode, or you "lose" the hanging tetra (and it's recylced back into the game)...
Hopefully that answers the question, but I don't know what else there is regarding that part.

Yeah, if there was a database of questions that have been asked already... :) But some just need to use "Search" better.. :) I think for *most* game related questions, people could assume they've already been asked, and should look thoroughly for it.

Thanks for your input! I'm waiting to see some of FIRST's respones on Q/A!

Re: Q/A questions so far..
 

I gotta a question for this q and a thread. Can the robot when returning back to the finishing area (behind the line) be under the tetra to save space. I have not found any rule against this but I just wanted to make sure. Thanks for you input and answers. Good thread too so the same questions aren't asked. This one has probablly been asked lol. :ahh:

Re: Q/A questions so far..
 

if none of the teams in an alliance want to begin with the initial alliance tetra, will it be placed in one of the loading zones? :confused:

Re: Q/A questions so far..
 

Actually this one hasn't been asked as many as some others..
At the END of the match, you can indeed be under the goal, or extending into it, or whatever (just don't touch any tetras on top of it!).
But at the START of the match, you cannot be extending any part inside the 3d space of the goal.
There was also a Q/A question that was answered about being able to drive through a goal, so long as you don't damage it... and yes, you can.

Re: Q/A questions so far..
 

Yes, both teams start out with 40 tetras of their color, including hanging and vision tetras.
The rule says "at the discretion of the alliance" they may choose to start with a tetra on their robot, such that their robot doesn't not violate the starting dimension size.
So, if you choose not to have that starting tetra, it will just be in one of you loading zones instead.

Re: Q/A questions so far..
 

For anyone's reference, tried to pull a few good ones from Q/A... There had been some discussion about these on CD.

ID976:
Q: Regarding <G13>: May a red robot retrieve a blue tetra from the "automated" blue loading dock if it does not interfere with a blue robot in any way?

A: No.

also.. very interesting... (i thought the loading zone was signified by a blue/red 1/4" thick lexan sheet - not yellow, but I think it is a color)

ID: 978 Section: 4.3.3 Status: Answered Date Answered: 1/11/2005
Q: Regarding <G17>: What are the parameters for being "in" a loading zone? (i.e., must some part of the robot be touching the yellow triangle, et cetera)

A: There are no yellow triangles in the loading zones. The robot base and / or drive train must be touching the loading zone. The intent of this rule is that you must be in the loading zone. By making it blatantly obvious that you are in the loading zone, you will draw far less attention from the referees.

ID: 1025 Section: 4.3.3 Status: Answered Date Answered: 1/11/2005
Q: Regarding <G13>: May a robot retrieve a tetra from the automated loading station without being in the automated loading zone?

A: No.

ID: 1058 Section: 4.3.3 Status: Answered Date Answered: 1/11/2005
Q: Is a robot "in" the automated loading zone when it breaks the plane of the loading zone or must it physically touch the carpet in the loading zone?

A: See the answer for #978

Re: Q/A questions so far..
 

when the human player is on the pressure pad, can they be holding a tetra? or will they have to wait until the robot is in the loading zone, step of the pressure pad, and get a tetra from the stack behind the pad?

Re: Q/A questions so far..
 

I found this interesting:

Re: Q/A questions so far..
 

Can't be holding one during automode... G07.

But, I'm not actually positive about during the match. I'm not sure where the stack is in relation to the HP.. I know it's near, but not sure how reachable it is from the pressure pad. This might be a potential clue from Q/A though...
ID 1090
Q: How much pressure must be applied to each pad to keep it active? Must this force be constant? For instance, will a human player be able to pivot around to grab a tetra or return to the loading dock, or will that disable the robot?
A: There is no spec on the mat's activation force. We have activated the mats with a 25 pound weight that was about 5" square. That weight might be marginal. Certainly an 80+ pound student would be acceptable. It is important that the student tries to maintain "sufficient" pressure even while turning to grab a tetra from a stack.

Re: Q/A questions so far..
 

Yeah me too. Since the rules clearly state that you cannot remove a tetra from on top a goal, it would seem that you can't remove any tetra from on top a goal... period. (unless it's precariously positioned).
I wonder if this is really true, or if they interpreted the question as being "removing a tetra from inside a goal"... I don't know... Probably not too many instances where I'd remove my own tetras though...

Re: Q/A questions so far..
 

I'm not sure if this satisfies me, but I guess it's the best I can hope for.

They've answered most of the questions I've asked. Some really surprised me--for instance, I had been sure there was a red/blue lexan sheet as well (the yellow was a typo).

It also surprised me that they would discount all of the tetras above a tetra that the robot was touching, a la "Stack Attack".

Hmmmph.

--Petey

Re: Q/A questions so far..
 

does this mean that the robot with the tetra on it must be within the volume 28"x38"x60", or that the robot must be within the volume 28"x38"x60" even though it is holding the tetra, therefore keeping teams from having a tetra grabbing mechanism that extends beyond the volume constraints at the beginning of the match?

Re: Q/A questions so far..
 

It means that the robot and all it's robot parts must be within the specified volume as usual. The tetra can be outside the volume if necessary.

Re: Q/A questions so far..
 

Couple other good ones:

Q: Can the human player manipulate tetras already acquired by the robot while the robot and the human player are in their appropriate loading zones and there is no contact between the robot and the human player?
A: A previously loaded tetra is considered part of the robot and may not be touched by the human player. Players may use the new tetra they are loading to manipulate tetras already acquired.

Q: If a robot knocks us into another robot in a loading zone, do we get penalized?
A:Yes

Q: Regarding <G13>: May a red robot retrieve a blue tetra from the "automated" blue loading dock if it does not interfere with a blue robot in any way?
A: THIS ANSWER HAS BEEN CHANGED FROM "NO" TO "YES" ON 1/16/2005. Yes.

Q: Will the robot be able to be powerd on before the match to actively grab the alliance tetra (the one that is in the alliance possession in the beginning) before the match?
A: No.

Q: is a 10-point penalty given if our robot touches the tetra on the automatic loader, but does not remove it, before our robot has reached the loading zone?
A: Yes, the intent is the robot must be in the loading zone prior to contacting the tetra

Q: If one team of an alliance exhausts all of their supply tetras, may another team give them tetras from their stack? For example, if team A runs out of tetras in their supply stack, can team B give tetras to team A?
A: All of the tetras for an alliance are available to any team in that alliance.

Q: If a tetra, which is not at the top of a stack, is being touched (not supported) by a robot, do the higher tetras (not touching the robot) not count as well? For the touching alliance? For the opposing alliance?
A: See answer to #979.

ID979:
Q: Regarding the definition of "stacked": If a tetra, which is not at the top of a stack, is being touched (not supported) by an alliance robot, are all higher tetras (not touching the robot) from that same alliance discounted as well?
A: They would not count.

However, 979 does not answer the question of "for the opposing alliance"... I know there were questions on CD about this, but haven't seen it further asked in Q/A yet.
Q1237 - if I'm on Red team, and I'm touching a Red tetra on the bottom of a stack, do all the Blue tetras on top count, or not? If I were on the blue team, I would NOT be happy about that... we shall see...