Designing around the flag.
 

I was just curious as to how rule R17 is affecting your designs. Mainly the part about the top of the flag holder being a mandatory 51" off of the floor.

Re: Designing around the flag.
 

does it have to be 51" the entire match??? or just in starting config?

Re: Designing around the flag.
 

Sounds to me like it needs to be there the entire match.

We did notice that it was rather convenient that our robot wants to be the same height as the flag holder needs to be.....

Re: Designing around the flag.
 

lol it is rather convientent for us too, and we didn't even knoe about that rule lol.... I skipped the part about the flag :o

Re: Designing around the flag.
 

Won't really be an issue for us. And besides, there's nothing that says the flag has to stay in the whole match...

Re: Designing around the flag.
 

True, although it appears they are putting a cork in there to try to keep it in place.

Re: Designing around the flag.
 

Flagholder height should definitely be constant the entire match. The rule specifies flag height in "playing configuration", which is elsewhere defined as any configuration you're in during the game, including transient states.

In answer to the original question, it should be pretty easy for our design.

Re: Designing around the flag.
 

It would be to your advantage to keep the flag in as the lap counter will also be attached to it via the rubber plug!

Re: Designing around the flag.
 

We ran into the flagholder problem this weekend. Let's just say our holder will be interesting.

Re: Designing around the flag.
 

No problems here; If you've seen the 973 teasers you'd probably know why.

I'd definitely not take this rule lightly; losing your flag removes a scoring ability.

Re: Designing around the flag.
 

I should hope it doesn't. If the flag were the scoring object, it would have been spelled out in the rules that the flag is what counts when the robot goes around.

Judging by the way that scoring has worked in the past (2k6 especially), I wouldn't be surprised to see those poor referees having to count the laps manually.

Re: Designing around the flag.
 

Whoa, never saw that rule...
but what stops you from just duct-taping it to a yardstick? Will it really cause you guys design problems?

Then again, it's easy for our team because we're a rolling box again, so...

Re: Designing around the flag.
 

Duct tape is illegal... Zip ties, on the other hand, are not.

Re: Designing around the flag.
 

That is wrong. Please be careful about making up rules that don't exist.

Duct tape is not illegal. I have read through the rules a few times (:)) and I can't find any rule that prohibits it. Duct tape is treated like any other adhesive-backed tape (see Rule <R38>).

-dave



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Re: Designing around the flag.
 

Duct tape is illegal as a fastener. That's because it's an adhesive-backed tape, not because it's "duct tape".

Re: Designing around the flag.
 

The flag holder is a design issue we have been face with since our robot it not tall. It may take on a very functional part of our robot though.

Our team had discussions of a launched ball hitting the flag holder. Concerns were if a launched ball could tip the robot if the flag holder was located in a corner.

Re: Designing around the flag.
 

How do you think that this will affect the number of teams planning on throwing or catapulting the ball?