Quote:
Originally Posted by Jon Stratis
The head ref declared it to be "field debris", similar to a dead ball that comes loose and starts bouncing around. It all depends on whether the head ref determines something like that to be "field debris" or a "field fault".
It's a tricky situation, to be sure...
We don't replay matches when parts break off a robot and sit on the field, even if another robot ends up getting stuck on them - that's just "field debris".
All cases of "field fault" I've witnessed were caused by the FMS barfing - either crashing or causing issues with the pedestal lights or issues with scoring that couldn't be resolved after the fact.
I don't know that I've ever seen part of the field come loose and interfere with robot performance before. It is unfortunate, I think everyone there would have liked to see a nice clean match to decide things in the semi's... but as I told my kids when they had calls go against them "That's how the game works. Time to move on and prep for whatever is next".
|
Doesn't seem like a terribly tricky situation. Standard practice is to zip tie the guardrail shields in place before the match starts, and a volunteer did so immediately after SF 1-3. We design our robots not to damage balls, and it's pretty easy to see when a deflated ball is posing a hazard as "field debris." Pieces of other robots are coming off because of their own construction and robot interactions, and have nothing to do with FIRST. But when the field falls apart due to minor incidental contact with a robot's bumper and affects the outcome of a match, that is nothing other than a field fault. Unless you want to design a robot that can drive on a field covered in 2" steel hooks just in case (secret end game?).
We couldn't even tell where the polycarb sheet had landed on the floor until the robot was no longer able to move.
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by T16
If, in the judgment of the Head Referee, an “ARENA fault” occurs that affects the outcome of the MATCH, the MATCH will be replayed.
ARENA faults include broken FIELD elements, power failure to a portion of the FIELD (tripping the circuit breaker in the PLAYER STATION is not considered a power failure), improper activation of the FMS, errors by FIELD personnel, etc.
|