FAQ for Q&A

[CodeMonkeyMatt]

The Q&A's up to post questions, but I'm a little confused. I saw about 6 questions in there earlier today, but now there's only 2, and there's no posts in the answered part of it. This is the first year (sadly) that we've been focusing enough on the rules to use the Q&A, so if someone with more experience could tell me if that's normal, I'd appreciate it.

Originally Posted by EricH

Last year's rules don't apply this year... but last year, multiple balls scored after the buzzer, simply because they were in motion.

There are two ways to look at this, and both have valid points. That's why it's one for Q&A.

boomer, I'll answer as best I can.
1) Nope, unless it's pinning.
2) Depends on maneuvering. If it clearly has the opportunity to try to exit and does not, then penalties would probably be thrown. However, if it's getting pushed around by the offense robot who is trying to score over it, no penalty (again, it's being forced into the situation). If you're the defense robot in this position, you need to be attempting to get out if you can. If you're not, the refs would probably be justified in throwing a penalty.

[Vikesrock]

Originally Posted by CodeMonkeyMatt

The Q&A's up to post questions, but I'm a little confused. I saw about 6 questions in there earlier today, but now there's only 2, and there's no posts in the answered part of it. This is the first year (sadly) that we've been focusing enough on the rules to use the Q&A, so if someone with more experience could tell me if that's normal, I'd appreciate it.

In previous years questions posted by teams were not visible until they were answered.

[CodeMonkeyMatt]

Ah, thank you. That makes sense.

Originally Posted by Vikesrock

In previous years questions posted by teams were not visible until they were answered.

[DavidGitz]

Originally Posted by EricH

1) Minibots at the top of the pole: Do they have to stay there until after the match, or can they slide down during/after the match under their own power or via gravity to make retrieval easier?

2) Are you allowed to move your own tubes, other than ubertubes, around after they are in scoring position?

3) If a minibot is moving upwards at the end of a match, does it still get the 10 seconds to finish for points?

4) Assuming an NXT is used, are the internal batteries allowed power sources?

5) Wiring rules/conventions/schematics for Minibot--where are they, if there are any?

6) What methods are acceptable for removing the Minibot from the post? For example, could it drive itself down autonomously? Could someone bring a long pole out and activate something on the robot to make it come down?

7) For determination of "above the line" during deployment, is the top of the Minibot supposed to be below the line, or just the hostbot device?

8) Pneumatics rules are unclear: How many and what type of a) storage tanks, b) cylinders, and c) other pneumatic actuators are allowed to be used on a robot?

9) Can a tube intentionally be placed over the minibot tower?

10) Who records the coopertition points? How does anyone know if a scoring minibot has been loaned by another team?

11) Does <R14> have any exemptions for fastener heads?

12) What are the exceptions for objects/manipulators passing through the Bumper Zone?:

a) Is it legal for an arm to enter the bumper zone and not be protected by bumpers?

b) Assuming (a) is legal, what if the object entering the bumper zone is not intended to manipulate a game piece (ex. wheels to support a larger structure which deploys from the starting configuration at some point during the match)?

Has anybody submitted any of these yet? If so, which ones?

[EricH]

#1 has been answered. Just hit the target, then prepare to retrieve however you want to do it.

The GDC has only answered 3 questions at this point in time, so I'm not surprised there aren't more.

[GaryVoshol]

Originally Posted by EricH

The GDC has only answered 3 questions at this point in time ...

I'm thinking there will be a whole bunch of answers coming out late tonight (Friday) after Team Update #2 - and most of them will say, "No, please see Team Update #2".

Team Update #1 was published before Q&A was opened, and it changed some very basic parts of the game - clarifying what the GDC intended and what thought they had said in the first place.

Now they have some questions from the teams, and will answer them and make rules updates as needed. These updates will be minor clarifications of existing rules - but they will be major for teams that made assumptions contrary to the GDC's asssumptions.

[SAMBURGER]

Originally Posted by goldenglove002

This question came up earlier today, I don't think a conclusion was made.

Is there a limit to how many minibots can be deployed by one robot?

The rules say nothing about how many you can carry, but you may only DEPLOY one of them. And even if you could, you only have two alliance towers, and three robots, as well as only ten seconds in the end game. So, unless both your alliance members can't deploy, the rules say you can deploy more than one, and you think that 10 seconds is enough time to deploy two, I don't see why you couldn't.

[Zuelu562]

Originally Posted by SAMBURGER

The rules say nothing about how many you can carry, but you may only DEPLOY one of them. And even if you could, you only have two alliance towers, and three robots, as well as only ten seconds in the end game. So, unless both your alliance members can't deploy, the rules say you can deploy more than one, and you think that 10 seconds is enough time to deploy two, I don't see why you couldn't.

You May only carry 1 MINIBOT on the HOSTBOT as per Team Update #1 Changes

The ROBOT includes both the HOSTBOT and the one MINIBOT (ROBOT = HOSTBOT + MINIBOT).

[DBortnick]

According to <G32>: Neither ROBOTS, HOSTBOTS, nor MINIBOTS may break the planes of the vertically projected borders of the opponent's ZONES.

It goes on to say: "<G32> allows ROBOTS to complete HANGING a GAME PIECE, as designed, without being hindered."

My question is this, the ZONES are 84" long, the maximum length your robot could have at any given time is 84" long. However, the ends of the scoring pegs are 16" away from the wall. If my robot is fully extended at roughly 84" and I am trying to place a piece on the end of a peg then 16" of my robot will be extending out into the Caution Zone.

Is my robot still protected from opposing robots if ANY part of my robot is out of my zone?

[GaryVoshol]

Originally Posted by DBortnick

According to <G32>: Neither ROBOTS, HOSTBOTS, nor MINIBOTS may break the planes of the vertically projected borders of the opponent's ZONES.

It goes on to say: "<G32> allows ROBOTS to complete HANGING a GAME PIECE, as designed, without being hindered."

My question is this, the ZONES are 84" long, the maximum length your robot could have at any given time is 84" long. However, the ends of the scoring pegs are 16" away from the wall. If my robot is fully extended at roughly 84" and I am trying to place a piece on the end of a peg then 16" of my robot will be extending out into the Caution Zone.

Is my robot still protected from opposing robots if ANY part of my robot is out of my zone?

(emphasis mine)

If your robot is stretching out to 84" long, then it is 0" wide - you'd have to be on a diameter line, or else you're outside the circle. So a full 84" spread is not even possible. And when you design to be able to reach the top or bottom rows of pegs, you will realize why you need the extra inches available to you at the midrange of your arm height.

That may mean that you are stretched out to at or near your maximum if you are trying to hang a tube on the mid row. But <G32> is a prohibition of what your opponents cannot do. Even the blue box that you quoted only says you have protection to complete hanging your tube. You first have to get the tube to the zone, and then once your robot is inside the zone the opponents can't get to you any more. Maybe your back bumper will have to be hanging outside the zone. But an opponent risks entering your zone if they try to bump only the portion of your robot hanging outside the line. Remember, they're 47 feet away from the line, and can't see it very well.