[FTC]: 2014-2015 Game Manual Part 1 Now Online

[dcribbs]

The 2014-2015 Game Manual (Part 1) is now online!

http://www.usfirst.org/sites/default...ual_Part_I.pdf

Just had time for a quick scan but noticed a few things right away...

New Items:
Section 3: Youth Protection Program
-sad what this says about our society, but definitely needed

Section 4.8 Advancement Criteria
-detailed to 41 places!

Section 6 Robot
<R04>
b. All post-processed materials are allowed provided they are readily available to the majority of teams from
standard distributers (e.g. McMaster-Carr, Home Depot, AndyMark, etc.).

Examples of allowable post processed materials are:
 perforated sheet and diamond plate
 Injection molded parts
 3D printed parts

I think it is new this year to have "post processed materials" - should make the folks happy who have struggled with the TETRIX axles and other KOP items.

c. COTS parts and assemblies may only have a maximum of a single degree of freedom. It is the intent of FIRST
that teams design and build their devices to achieve the game challenge. Assemblies of COTS components, such
as linear slides, and gearboxes are allowed while a pre-fabricated gripper assembly designed to grab the game
elements is not. Holonomic wheels (omni or mechanum) are exempt from the one degree of freedom
limitation.


Part c limits items to one degree of freedom with some exceptions

Looks like FTC is continuing to open up the list of resources teams are allowed to use!

What else do you see?

[safiq10]

Our FTC noticed RG11 was changed!

[Jeremy Germita]

R09.b
A maximum total of eight (8) TETRIX /AM-2964 motors (in any combination) or eight (8) MATRIX DC motors are
allowed and must be controlled by a compatible TETRIX or MATRIX controller. A Robot is constructed with either
TETRIX /AndyMark or MATRIX DC motors, not both.

Emphasis mine.

While its not listed on Andymark yet, I'm still excited about more motor options outside of Tetrix!

Also:

R09
Gearboxes may be replaced and repaired with replacement parts that are equivalent (identical in performance) to the
original.

Glad this is allowed. In a pinch, my teams were able to salvage working parts from old tetrix motors(individual gears, the gearbox assembly, etc) and hodgepodge together a working motor. Glad to know that it's competition legal.

[maths222]

I ran a comparison between the past two years game manuals. Here you go: (it is attached)

[MattRain]

Im excited to see if these AM-2964 motors are stronger.

[cadandcookies]

Originally Posted by MattRain

Im excited to see if these AM-2964 motors are stronger.

I'm excited to see them too. Especially with all the complaints about Tetrix motors, I'm hoping AM can deliver the motor FTC has needed.

I'm also very excited to see materials restrictions opened up-- some of my teams are going to be juniors next year, and they'll really appreciate the added flexibility they now have.

This just has me more excited for Kickoff in September!

[safiq10]

Im having trouble finding these AM-2964 could someone post a link to it?

[MattRain]

A link has not been given yet.

[safiq10]

Alright that is reassuring I thought I was going crazy when I couldn't find the motor.

[ehochstein]

I spoke with an AndyMark rep - details will of course be posted on the website when it comes out but it sounds like the motor has the same speed and torque but the life span could be up to 2 times greater. We won't really know until the motor is released of course.

[CENTURION]

d. High traction wheels, eg. AM- 2256, that may damage the playing field are not allowed.

Noooooooooooooooo!

The 4" HiGrips are awesome!

[Nemo]

Overall, I'm pretty thrilled with the increased flexibility in this year's rules.

We'll need a long string of Q&A's to ask about legality of specific wheels.

I thought we'd see a weight limit this year. It seems weird to allow these robots to be 50 lbs, 70 lbs, etc.

My wish for 2016 is a completely new control system (brain, radio, motor controllers, motors). But mechanically, FTC is in a great place, and we should see some pretty sweet machines this year.

[ehochstein]

Originally Posted by Nemo

My wish for 2016 is a completely new control system (brain, radio, motor controllers, motors). But mechanically, FTC is in a great place, and we should see some pretty sweet machines this year.

As soon as we see those RobotC bugs worked out for the eV3, I'm sure we will.

[MattRain]

Originally Posted by CENTURION

Noooooooooooooooo!

The 4" HiGrips are awesome!

They are awesome. But, as a team who loans their full field out, we hate them chewing up our mats.

[aklego]

Details about the new Andy Mark motor are here:

http://www.andymark.com/product-p/AM-2964.htm

I'm excited about the built-in encoder but a bit apprehensive about the plastic gear.