"noodle hats" for Quals

[EricH]

Originally Posted by Jaxom

I don't think the GDC has anything to do with rules interpretation at the tournament. This one would belong to the Lead Robot Inspector of the tournament (or Division, at CMP) -- see 5.5.2 in the game manual. The LRI may consult with the lead LRI (Big Al) if he or she feels the need.

I would assume that the LRIs can, like the Head Refs, call on other sources, including GDC members that happen to be present (and this being the Championship, that would probably be most of them). In this sort of case, there would be just about zero precedent, so there is nothing to base a call on other than the rules (which would probably allow it, but I think there's just enough gray to slide over if you take a VERY narrow interpretation). Whether or not Al considered it legal or not, I think he'd probably grab one just to double-check before making a ruling.



If I was to rule it illegal, this is how I would do it: Team A is supplying a part to multiple teams, the same part in fact (this is important). The question is, quite simply: Is it then part of Team A's robot, or the other teams' robots? Looking at the definition of ROBOT from the Manual, I could probably make a pretty strong case either way. If it is ruled part of Team A's robot (and the way I could rule it that way is that it is part of an electromechanical assembly that is designed to play UA, though it is separate from the rest of that assembly), then there are a number of ways to rule it illegal on the field or in inspection, the least of which is a T-foul (G13) and from there they go up to DQ/fix the robot. Of course, it could also be ruled that such a part is a part of all the other teams' robots, just supplied by another team. (It's not a COTS part, so it is thus a FABRICATED ITEM, thus no trouble over team as VENDOR.)

Of course, this is a bit of a stretch to do, and I don't think that anybody would go that far unless there were significant complaints.