paper: 2015 IRI Rule Changes

[Dave Campbell]

I'm with Glenn, the rule change about can grabbing center cans in auton really hinders our Recycle Rush game play. Our auton can grabber was a great feature that we designed, built and implemented during the build season and proved that it worked with a week two event Win in Pittsburgh, a week 6 Finalist at Queen City and with GREAT partners won the Carver Division and played on Einstein. Too bad the IRI rules exclude one of our best assets from the entire season.

Hey Chris - suggestion - grandfather clause -NON-CHEESECAKED robots that had designed and used can grabbers in their initial match of their first event for the season, should be able to use them in auton to grab ANY cans, left or right, off the step at IRI.

[tindleroot]

Originally Posted by Dave Campbell

I'm with Glenn, the rule change about can grabbing center cans in auton really hinders our Recycle Rush game play. Our auton can grabber was a great feature that we designed, built and implemented during the build season and proved that it worked with a week two event Win in Pittsburgh, a week 6 Finalist at Queen City and with GREAT partners won the Carver Division and played on Einstein. Too bad the IRI rules exclude one of our best assets from the entire season.

Hey Chris - suggestion - grandfather clause -NON-CHEESECAKED robots that had designed and used can grabbers in their initial match of their first event for the season, should be able to use them in auton to grab ANY cans, left or right, off the step at IRI.

As well intentioned as your idea is, something like that would be bad for an event because: 1) some teams will have an "unfair" advantage in the sense that they can use a mechanism that many teams cannot (because whether you used a canburglar at your first event is already decided for all teams). 2) The can wars would then resume. 3) said teams would necessarily get picked early if the cans off the step could win the game.

I agree that the effort teams have put into certain canburglar designs is unfairly lost, but I don't think there is any better solution than IRI has implemented. If the teams want to use a canburglar, it should be fairly easy to redesign it for only one side - speed doesn't matter now, so simpler designs are possible.

[Mike Koch]

Rule changes like this are totally in keeping with FIRST's modus operandi during Build Season. Although it is at times frustrating, FIRST is acting exactly like a typical Client does in the real world: changing specifications after the contract has been signed and work well under way, and with no deferment of the delivery date or adjustment in price.

And this is a good thing.

Helping us to teach our students not only what to expect when they get a real job but demonstrating how professionals deal with issues like this. GP.

Go FIRST!

[Richard Wallace]

Originally Posted by Mike Koch

..., FIRST is acting exactly like a typical Client does in the real world: changing specifications after the contract has been signed and work well under way, and with no deferment of the delivery date or adjustment in price.

And this is a good thing.

I agree completely.

However, meta-reasoning aside, the straightforward reason for IRI rules changes remains what it has been for many years, and it is probably the best reason I have for going to IRI as often as I am able to: we get to play and see a better game.

Originally Posted by IRI Committee

The intent of the IRI Committee is to minimize the changes to the game and avoid negatively impacting a team / robot / strategy that was implemented to play the game as originally designed, while also increasing the game challenge and level of play for the IRI. Our goals for these changes include: 1) Allow for high scores by minimizing the chance of running out of game pieces; 2) Minimize the number of match outcomes determined in the first second of the match; 3) Don’t invalidate an existing good design or strategy; 4) Keep the event safe; and 5) Don’t start a can-war arms race that encourages teams to invest significant time and resources into an ever-faster device to capture Recycle Containers from the step.
The committee believes the rule changes below meet these goals.

[JB987]

I think these rule changes are great. In fact we are likely to adopt several of them at our CRC (China Robotics Challenge) in August

[Racer26]

It does, however, mean that we won't get to see 1114's harpoons in a competition match...

[The other Gabe]

Originally Posted by Racer26

It does, however, mean that we won't get to see 1114's harpoons in a competition match...

well, they could still use two of them...