Re: What is the hardest (yet possible) task in this year's game?
 

no, the top robot is still the same size.

Re: What is the hardest (yet possible) task in this year's game?
 

I'd like to be able to agree with you Ken (especially considering the video I linked to a few posts ago) but I think you should re-read the rule carefully. I suspect the GDC worded it that way for a reason. I would say this one has to wait for an official Q/A ruling ...

Re: What is the hardest (yet possible) task in this year's game?
 

The size of the robot is not what counts for the height rule.
If you climb on another robot and end up more than five feet high (except for the flag), you incur the penalty.

Re: What is the hardest (yet possible) task in this year's game?
 

Okay, another question. While I believe that standing on top of a robot to score would be against the rules, merely riding up over another robot during a pushing match would fulfill the part of <G16> right?

Re: What is the hardest (yet possible) task in this year's game?
 

I would be inclined to agree, but I think these are the types of interpretation questions that need official Q&A responses. We can discuss this till we are blue in the face (as it appears I already have) but it won't mean anything until we get the "official" ruling.

Re: What is the hardest (yet possible) task in this year's game?
 

I think its risky to read things into the rules that are not there. In this case Im not talking about the difficultys of technical writing.

Extend means extend. If I say I can extend my head so I am 8 feet tall, then I stand on a ladder, you will laugh at me.

If FIRST means that no robot shall break the horizontal plane X feet above the floor for any reason, then they would have said that.

If you are not allowed to extend, that does not mean you cannot jump, hop, float, fly, toss a ball in the air, send up a blast of air.... or climb

adding (what is not there) to the rules will limit the creativity of the teams coming up with unique ideas.

Re: What is the hardest (yet possible) task in this year's game?
 

I totally agree (with your first sentence). While I am inclined to agree that the restriction should be on Robot size, I would prefer to wait for a clarification from Q&A. It seems strange to me that the floor and platform was referenced ("Maximum Height - A ROBOT may not extend above 60” above the floor or the ALLIANCE PLATFORM in a stable configuration at any time during a match...") as opposed to just stating the maximum height OF THE ROBOT cannot exceed 60".

Re: What is the hardest (yet possible) task in this year's game?
 

To make all ten balls from autonmous mode without moving your robot from the initial position into the top green goal for 30 points should be this year's challenge, 30 feet at a maximum speed of 25mph of so, with it being 8 feet 6 inches or so in the middle of that ring, can't wait for a great year, see all of you who are going to the UTC, can't miss me, i'll be the one sticking out of the crowd.

Re: What is the hardest (yet possible) task in this year's game?
 

In my opinion, it is impossible to score 10 balls in 10 sec. For a ball to be scored, it must exit the chute: "<G05> In order for a ball to score, it must enter the goal and exit via the exit chute..." this takes anywhere between 1 and 3 sec. (with multiple balls).

This leaves you with 7 seconds to shoot all of the balls (7/10ths of a sec. per ball). To shoot more than one ball per second using a CIM to drive two 8" wheels a few thousand rpm a flywheel is required. To bring your shooter up to speed it takes around 3 seconds.

The final total is 4-6 seconds to shoot 10 balls (2/5-3/5ths of a sec. per ball). Anyone who can shoot and score all 10 balls in 4 seconds autonomously deserves more than an award.

Re: What is the hardest (yet possible) task in this year's game?
 

FIRS answered a question in the Q & A stating that a ball will be scored in the center goal as long as it left the robot before time expired, just like a buzzer half-court shot in basketball (this only applies to the center goal, corner goals will be shut off as soon as time expires). So you have 7 seconds subtracting the ramp-up.

Re: What is the hardest (yet possible) task in this year's game?
 

shooting on the run

Re: What is the hardest (yet possible) task in this year's game?
 

TO shoot the 10 allowed balls at the beginning of the autonomous period all in the center goal in the allowed time limit.

Re: What is the hardest (yet possible) task in this year's game?
 

Why would you need to "find and lock onto your target" at match start? All distances and angles are perfectly known to you, unless you had a launcher tilt system that couldn't hold its preset angle when its drive motor was disabled.

If you had a repeatable method of setting your robot's orientation and launcher tilt angle in the starting box, I imagine your only limitation would be the time it takes to spin up your launcher to launch velocity.

Re: What is the hardest (yet possible) task in this year's game?
 

Launch 10 balls into the center goal from the starting position in autonomous.

That's right, no moving of the chassis. Just aim and fire.

Re: What is the hardest (yet possible) task in this year's game?
 

How about one bot collecting and holding all 80 balls on the playing field? That would be quite interesting to see.