"Load Bearing Surface"

[Pat Major]

Originally Posted by Ogre

They exist to promote creativity and exciting matches. If they were not there, a robot could easily block their opponents loading zones and effectively shutting them out.
The loading zones promote offense robots and encourage teams to design arms/lifts and tetra grabbers rather than a large, expandable wall.

I was refering to 4.3.3. General Match Rules
<G12> The purpose of the LOADING ZONE is to allow ROBOTS to quickly and safely receive TETRAS
without interference while HUMAN PLAYERS and/or field attendants are in close proximity, and then return
to play. The LOADING ZONE is not intended to serve as a “perpetual safety zone” to prevent interaction
with opponent ROBOTS for the entire match. Tethers, tape measures, long extension arms, and other devices
intended to contact the LOADING ZONE to maintain the “non-interference constraint” defined in <G15>
while the ROBOT drives around the remainder of the field are against the spirit of the rule and will not be
permitted. Such devices must be removed before the ROBOT will be permitted to play in the match.

I also think a "large expandable wall" is very creative and would be a challange to build (I'll bet Wildstang could do it). With the trangles on the floor you can still try to keep the opposing alliance from getting to the triangles If they were not present you would be trying to keep them from the tetra holder itself, instead of the loading zone. I too am a big fan of great arms and tetra grabbers. Can't wait until next weekend to get a first hand look at all the great things that have been built in the past 6 weeks.