Blocking the lane with an ubertube in autonomous

[JesseK]

Originally Posted by Daniel_LaFleur

I see no need for this 'fix'.

There is no penalty for (nor rule against) putting the Ubertube into the lane during autonomous, so why change the game now? ... unless you can't deal with the tactic?

A change would mean the GDC never intended for the tactic to be used. In the same way that placing a tube into the lane would cause slot-loaders to adjust to the tactic, a rule change would cause the teams employing this tactic to adapt.

The tactic is a cheap shot against slot loaders that are already at an inherent disadvantage this year, imo, though it probably didn't effect even 1% of qual match outcomes. Furthermore, it probably significantly increases the frustration due to improbable success of slot loaders this year -- slot-only pickups are already disadvantaged (in practice) due to the early design decisions to NOT pick up off the floor. So why keep allowing the tactic if it only serves to frustrate those who have no other option, rather than actually impeding good robots that really NEED good tactics to play effective defense against? I think we all make mostly logical decisions in the beginning that we're inherently 'punished' for due to better decisions being made by competing designs.