Originally Posted by DeepWater (Post 548090)

Should we speculate ahead of time what it will be or wait until Saturday and just complain about it?

Originally Posted by Steve W (Post 548225)

I suggest that everyone waits till Sunday when they have had lots of time to read and re read the rules. So many questions are answered when people actually read the rules. :eek:

Originally Posted by iCurtis (Post 549563)

...Also, the scoring is logarithmic, how cool is that! :D

Originally Posted by Lil' Lavery (Post 549614)

I think the height/weight "classes" are probably the rule that is the most surprising to me. Especially considering it's not really game specific and we could see it again in the future.

Originally Posted by Jack Jones (Post 549701)

"What the!?!?!"


English!?!?!

Originally Posted by Manual 8.3.4.2

Originally Posted by JohnBoucher (Post 549828)

<G29> ROBOT orientation - ROBOTS must start the match with their long (maximum) dimension in a vertical orientation.

Originally Posted by Nick 568 (Post 549821)

One new rule I find interesting is the "your pit cannot be taller than 10 feet" rule.... Why you ask?
Well, last year, when I lived in the DC area, I was on team 1885. At the championship, we had a 42" plasma mounted about 9' off the ground, so it was over definitely above 10' total height, lol.

Originally Posted by smurfgirl (Post 549887)

Wouldn't this mean one alliance could have an unfair playing advantage if the rack is shifted 3 feet towards the opposite end of the field (the end where they pick up their game pieces)?

Originally Posted by Xufer (Post 549942)

RULE <R46> The last line says "Electric Solenoid actuators are prohibited from use" to that I say WHAT THE !?!?! its another added annoyance to overcome this year, its not a big deal but solenoids where always a nice component to fall back on... not this year! I'd imagine it s for safety reasons because I always foresaw an issue with a solenoid over heating and burning a person who did not know it was hot.

Originally Posted by T. Hoffman (Post 549835)

I bet 67 is happy - flop-bots are back in style. There's another team that could use their '04-'05 design in this year's game with little modification. Heck, they even already have a ramp on their backs (although I imagine a little reinforcement would be in order).....

Originally Posted by efoote868 (Post 549883)

uh, that rule actually isn't new. There was an update last year (about midway through the season) that said no pit displays were to be taller than 10 feet. No one really followed it, and the mentor in charge of the display was really angry whenever he saw something "soaring" into the air...

He was also joking with me about it this year:

Originally Posted by petek (Post 550075)

I expect some clarification on this rule. As I read it, <G29> would mean that a basic Class 1 low-profile KOP robot (e.g. a rookie team boxbot) that is 28w x 38l x 18h in its normal running configuration would have to start the match standing on end and would have to flop to run.

Originally Posted by boiler (Post 549881)

The part I found interesting is that there is a 10 point penalty for scoring for the other alliance, yet qual points are awarded based on the losing team's score. I wonder how many times, for example, the Redabots will be winning by 60 (which, given the exponential structure of the scoring, is by no means out of the question!) and score for the Blueabots, taking the 10-pointer but still winning the match.

Originally Posted by Section 7

<G21> SCORING for opponents - ROBOTS may not HANG a GAME PIECE of an opposing
ALLIANCE. If this rule is violated a 10-point penalty will be assessed per infraction.

Originally Posted by Section 9

9.3.8 Ranking Score
The total number of ranking points earned by a team throughout their qualification matches,
divided by the number of matches played (excluding any SURROGATE matches), then truncated
to two decimal places, will be their ranking score. Note: because your ranking score is derived
directly from the match scores of the losing ALLIANCES in the matches you play, it is in your best
interest to support your opponents and win by helping each ALLIANCE score as many points as
possible.

Originally Posted by boiler (Post 549881)

The part I found interesting is that there is a 10 point penalty for scoring for the other alliance, yet qual points are awarded based on the losing team's score. I wonder how many times, for example, the Redabots will be winning by 60 (which, given the exponential structure of the scoring, is by no means out of the question!) and score for the Blueabots, taking the 10-pointer but still winning the match.

Originally Posted by petek (Post 550075)

I expect some clarification on this rule. As I read it, <G29> would mean that a basic Class 1 low-profile KOP robot (e.g. a rookie team boxbot) that is 28w x 38l x 18h in its normal running configuration would have to start the match standing on end and would have to flop to run.

Originally Posted by EricH (Post 551459)

You mean 28wx48lx(something under 38)h, don't you? Something 28w x 38l is in the box already.

Originally Posted by Gary Dillard (Post 555399)

From the Q&A Forum:
Q.Rule <G40> states that "ROBOTS may not intentionally detach parts or leave multiple mechanisms on the field." Is the definition of detached merely any component no longer connected to the robot? We would specifically like to know if having robot parts that leave the main robot frame but are still connected to it by a small "tether" would violate rule <G40>.

A. Any mechanisms "attached" to the robot via a tether are likely be considered an entanglement hazard and a violation of Rules <G38>, <R04>, and <R32>.

My comment (still beating that dead horse): Unless, as in 2002, Woody Flowers says it's OK because you spent alot of engineering time developing it, so it would be a shame not to let you use it even though it's blatently illegal.

Originally Posted by Kristian Calhoun (Post 550172)

I found that rule to be interesting as well, because rule <G21> states:

Then later in the manual, when talking about Ranking Points:

Unlike in previous years' games, in Rack 'N' Roll it is impossible to score for the opposing alliance. Hanging a ringer of the opposing alliance would result in a 10 point penalty. I can see the intent of rule <G21> in that it intends to stop, lets say the blue alliance, from hanging a red ringer over another red ringer (originally placed by the red alliance) in order to negate that spider leg, and breaking up any rows that have been formed. So as boiler mentioned, I'm curious as to see how many teams will willingly take the penalty in order to negate row(s) formed by the other alliance. Then once the spider leg has two red ringers on it, the red alliance would not be able to remove the second red ringer without being DQed as per rule <G20>, and even then the ringers on that spider leg would be considered void as per the same rule.

You can further not score for the opposing alliance by climbing onto a robot in their home zone as prohibited by rule <G35> and are penalized for being in their home zone during the end game as per rule <G25>. Therefore, the only way to help the other alliance score more points would be to lighten up on the defense...

Originally Posted by bobotics319 (Post 555584)

I have two gripes. One is the 72x72 rule, which I believe has no relevance other than to hinder us (although we can position our robot diagonally in the box giving us over 100 inches of length). Another is the identical pneumatics <R105> rule. Which says we can't use pneumatics unless they are identical to those on the "Pneumatics Components Order Form" Where is this form? Anybody?

Originally Posted by bobotics319 (Post 555584)

I have two gripes. One is the 72x72 rule, which I believe has no relevance other than to hinder us (although we can position our robot diagonally in the box giving us over 100 inches of length).