Starting Facing Backwards?
 

I tried to search and didn't find anything about this, so is it against the rules to start in the origional starting place, but facing backwards? If you started with the tetra facing backwards, you could very easily cap the starting tetra. Thanks.

Re: Starting Facing Backwards?
 

i don't believe there would be anything against it

Re: Starting Facing Backwards?
 

doesn't seem like something that they would have a problem with, as long as its still in the "blocks"

Re: Starting Facing Backwards?
 

No matter how you set it up, as long as its in the blocks and satisfying all other conditions previously stated by first, you are fine. 67, a doorwedge shaped bot, started against the wall last year, wheels on the wall, and plopped themselves down in autonomous, so basically any setup should be fine.

Re: Starting Facing Backwards?
 

Forward isn't really definable anyway. You can design your robot to have no specific directions. Definitely seems like any position is allowed.

Re: Starting Facing Backwards?
 

There would be nothing wrong with stating backwards. It is actually a very good idea if you start in the "B" position and want to cap a tetra right away.

Re: Starting Facing Backwards?
 

I was reading in the book, and as others said, all you have to do is just fit in your 'area'. I've heard of other robots in the past that have started in other positions. One robot that was really cool that I've been trying to get more information on was the robot that had started on its side and then fell down onto the field. I think that was 2001 or 2002...I don't remember. But good luck on your robot.

Re: Starting Facing Backwards?
 

As far as the rules are concerned, there is no "forwards" or "backwards," just 28x38 inch maximum footprint at the start of the match, and 60 inch maximum height.

Re: Starting Facing Backwards?
 

Like said before you can start sideways, upsidedown, rightside up, left side up, etc.....

As long as the robot fits in the inspection box and starts that way every match it will be ok.

You must also follow the other rules such as the one that states you must be touching the driver side wall before the match starts.

One last thing

In 2003 our robot did not have a front or back...
We had a switch on our controls that flip-flopped the joystick controls.
One side of our robot was designed to stack the boxs and the other side was designed to plow boxes.