What questions will you ask in the Q&A?

[Petey]

Update 1 has been released, answers many of the questions posed below, read before posting!

The Q&A forum opens tomorrow. I know a bunch of us have questions we want to ask the GDC.

Dump them here, and that way

A) If it's already answered in the manual definitively and you somehow missed it, someone can point that out, and;
B) People don't ask the GDC the same question twice, and;
C) People are made aware of questions they may not have realized they had!

Here are some from our team:

<R08> reads:

"If implemented as intended, a ROBOT that is driven into a vertical wall in any normal PLAYING CONFIGURATION will always have the BUMPER be the first thing to contact the wall."

Does this mean that robots may not break the vertical plane described by their bumpers, even the component which breaks the plane remained within the 28x38x60 footprint?

For the purposes of interpreting <R08>, will the trailer be included in the evaluation of a "PLAYING CONFIGURATION"?

For example, suppose a robot possesses a component on its rear that both breaks the vertical plane described by its bumpers and remains within the 28x38x60 footprint. This component, however, would never touch a wall in a normal playing configuration (i.e. during gameplay), because the trailer stands between it and the wall.

One example, posted to chiefdelphi, is this:

http://img301.imageshack.us/img301/7...ocking4ha6.jpg

Would such a component be allowed under <R08>?

Does Rule <G32> Clause E preclude any contact with any trailer outside the bumper zone? In other words, does it forbid a mechanism which may make passive or incidental contact with (i.e. without attaching to or climbing on) the PVC pipes of any trailer?

Provided that it neither breaks the 28x38x60 footprint nor attaches to/grabs onto a trailer, may a robot include a defensive component with the purpose of blocking or descoring shots into a trailer?

[Bongle]

I'm curious about the legality of fans in all their configurations: vacuums, downforce generators, and as horizontal thrust producers.
-Do they count as traction-enhancers?
-Are they safety hazards?

[Greg Needel]

I want to know if descoring is legal presuming that you still comply with the 28x38x60 rules.

[KF987]

Originally Posted by Greg Needel

I want to know if descoring is legal presuming that you still comply with the 28x38x60 rules.

Descoring has never been in the spirit of FIRST, i doubt it will be legal even if you stay w/ in the dimensions.

-Keaton

[The Pre]

Originally Posted by KF987

Descoring has never been in the spirit of FIRST, i doubt it will be legal even if you stay w/ in the dimensions.

-Keaton

not only what was said before but 2007 had pieces that the ability to descore




as far as questions...

FANS
BLOCKING OWN TRAILER (or touching own trailer)

[R2D2DOC]

Originally Posted by KF987

Descoring has never been in the spirit of FIRST, i doubt it will be legal even if you stay w/ in the dimensions.

-Keaton

Beging to differ:

2007: descoring via spoiler
2008: descoring by knocking a track ball off the overpass

[Petey]

Originally Posted by KF987

Descoring has never been in the spirit of FIRST

Huh?

[Nuttyman54]

Originally Posted by KF987

Descoring has never been in the spirit of FIRST, i doubt it will be legal even if you stay w/ in the dimensions.

-Keaton

See 25 in 2000, and any robot that knocked over stacks in 2003

On topic my questions are:

1) What happens to the trailer of a no-show robot

2) Will a penalty be assessed and if so, to whom, for an Empty Cell thrown into (on accident or on purpose) a robot hopper by a human player to a robot that already has possession of an Empty Cell?

3) What is the tolerance on the 2-13/16 height specification for the trailer hitch centerline?

4) In what matches will G-14 apply? If Alliance 1 beats alliance 8 in match two of Quarterfinals by 3x score, do they lose Empty/Super Cells in Match 1 of semis?

[MattLi]

I have a question that perhaps someone here can answer. In the manual in years past it has stated that your maximum dimensions cannot exceed a certain amount. This year it gives a specific length and width. The rules say that your maximum length is 38 and your maximum width is 28. Does that mean no wide robots this year?

[GaryVoshol]

Matt, see Team Update 1

[darkChozo]

<G24>
Handling EMPTY CELLS – ROBOTS may be in POSSESSION of a maximum of one EMPTY CELL, or may HERD a maximum of one EMPTY CELL at one time. A ROBOT may not be in POSSESSION and HERD EMPTY CELLS at the same time. A violation will cause a PENALTY to be assigned.

Will penalties assigned due to <G24> take into consideration the apparent intent of the pilots? For example, how should the following scenarios be ruled?

1. A robot driving around a field with many (90+) orbit balls bumps into 2 empty cells several times (but does not direct it towards airlock, visibly attempt to control its motion, etc.)
2. A robot possessing an empty cell drives around a field with many (90+) orbit balls and hits an empty cell several times (but does not direct it towards airlock, visibly attempt to control its motion, etc.)
3. The above two scenarios, except there are few (<10) orbit balls on the field
4. An opposing robot throws an empty cell onto a robot and it gets stuck. The robot then herds or possesses another empty cell
5. An opposing payload operator throws an empty cell onto a robot and it gets stuck. The robot then herds or possesses another empty cell.
6. In the course of a match, two empty cells get stuck on a robot by opposing robots/payload operators
7. A robot is driving past the opposing outpost when the payload operator quickly pushes two empty cells through the hole. The empty cells enter the robot's feed mechanism (assume that it was done fast enough that the robot could not have easily avoided given the low traction, pilots' reaction time and pilots' ability to see what is going on).
8. The above four scenarios, except allied robots/payload operators are causing the possible offenses.


I might think of a couple more examples, but I think you can see where I'm going with it.

[EricH]

What is the order of precedence between the Manual, the Q&A, and Bill's Blog?

I can't ask this (no account), but it would be great if someone else would.

[Nuttyman54]

Originally Posted by EricH

What is the order of precedence between the Manual, the Q&A, and Bill's Blog?

I can't ask this (no account), but it would be great if someone else would.

The manual and updates are and always have been the ONLY official rules. The Q&A can be used as guidelines for inspectors or refs on the interpretation of rules and for making judgment calls. Bill's blog hasn't been done before. It isn't really official at all, nor does it publicly represent the entire GDC, but probably falls under the category of "input from GDC members" that head refs are allowed to use when making calls.

[EricH]

Originally Posted by Nuttyman54

The manual and updates are and always have been the ONLY official rules. The Q&A can be used as guidelines for inspectors or refs on the interpretation of rules and for making judgment calls. Bill's blog hasn't been done before. It isn't really official at all, nor does it publicly represent the entire GDC, but probably falls under the category of "input from GDC members" that head refs are allowed to use when making calls.

Understood. However, at times, it seems that Q&A is used to make the rules.

Also, it isn't "official writ" what the order of precedence is. FLL is quite clear as to theirs in their rules.

FRC, on the other hand, has the "traditional" order of precedence, which is exactly what you say. But this is nowhere formalized. The main thing is: Where does Bill's Blog fit in (i.e. equal to Q&A, lower than Q&A, etc.) and what is the relation of Q&A to the Official Rules as modified by the Updates (i.e. judiciary: constructionist or traditional?)?

[Petey]

Originally Posted by yoshibrock

We're planning on asking whether or not you can have the trailer attach sort of inside the robot, but still on the outside perimeter so that the trailer is right up against the back of the robot, preventing it from sliding around a lot:

----------
|_ Sorry, really bad at ascii art, but if you can't exactly
/ / \ see it ( I don't blame you) the sorta octagon shape
|-| | is the trailer and the box is the robot. So the bumpers
\ \_/ on the robot are right up against the bumpers on the
| trailer.
----------

you may find this thread of interest