Kick the ball.

[GaryVoshol]

Originally Posted by paulschonfeld

The 2016 FIRST Field Tour Video makes reference to how the feeder stations and how they are intended to be used.

One quote from the video is:
"It is imperative for your own safety that you don't reach through these openings, even a little bit. The embrasure is a tight fit for the boulders, so your human player will need accurate bowling skills."

My interpretation of the quote from the video is that FIRST will not want or allow human players to kick the ball through the openings if there is a possibility that their foot could 'reach through' one of the openings, for safety reasons.

TopperBots
Team 4230 :: Duluth, MN :: topperbots4230.com

There is no foul until it happens. Unless you have a really long foot, you're not going to be able to get it through the EMBRASURE. See Figure 2-26.

Also note that the line you quoted from the video is not entirely correct. I leave it as an exercise for the reader (*) to figure out why. But it points out why we cannot rely on the videos to interpret the rules. Those who have FLL experience should have learned it long ago.

(*) Don't you hate it when the math book did that?

[cait.schroeder]

Originally Posted by mackenzieg

This is actually something my team talked about for a little while today. There don't seem to be any rules prohibiting kicking the boulder as opposed to just rolling it, it just depends on whether you would rather it to go further down the field or be aimed more accurately.



The fact that the low bar is right in front of the SP makes it seem pretty likely that with enough power it would bounce over into the courtyard or out of the field entirely. G40 essentially says that robots can't cause boulders to move from the neutral zone to the opponent's courtyard without being in contact with them and crossing as well, but doesn't say anything about human players. The refs probably wouldn't be thrilled with that strategy, but I can't find anything prohibiting it (unless I'm missing something).
______________
Mackenzie Glaser
Robo Lions 1261

If I am understanding what you said correctly, they designed the low bar so that the boulders are not able to push through and therefore, there is really no risk of the ball going out or onto the other side. As for kicking the ball, it is not prohibited in the rules, but I don't recommend it as the balls are easy to deform, damaging the ball can result in a foul, the refs may notice and stop everyone from the strategy, and also if you somehow miss the ball or kick it in a different direction and you cause disruption of the game, damage or distract your drivers that can be a problem. But of course, this is just my opinion.

[mipo0707]

so can your hand if you think about it