Bot blocks field with arm in LZ - Penalties?

[Swampdude]

I don't think I've seen anyone discussing this:

What if a bot sits on a loading zone closest to the center of the field and extends it's arm out far enough to reach the center goal. Can they then effectively close that side of the field off and draw penalties if the opposing team hits their arm?
They could say they want to load tetras on there back and need the arm out there to cap with. Do you think they'll side with the field obstructer?

[Kevin Sevcik]

Originally Posted by Update #4

<G15> A ROBOT may not interfere with an opposing ROBOT while any part of the opposing ROBOT is touching its LOADING ZONE and the ROBOT is in the process of retrieving/receiving a TETRA. It is intended that TETRAS be introduced into play as rapidly as the alliance ROBOTS are able to retrieve and utilize them. Violations will result in a 30-point penalty (i.e. three 10-point penalty flags will be thrown) to the offending alliance.

The intent of Rule G15 is to allow teams uninhibited access to their loading zones to retrieve tetras and to protect a human player who is in the process of handing a tetra to its robot that is in a manual loading station. It is not to provide a means to gain an advantage by penalizing your opponent.

If the robot isn't in the process of getting a tetra from the loading station or human player, there's no penalty. The bolded statement specifically concerns this situation.

[Ian Curtis]

I honestly think that the refs would side with the opposing team. Doing what they are doing seems against the spirit of the rule. I know previous years rules do not apply but last year Dean talked about the "spirit" of the rule. Honestly even if they built their bot to load like that I still think it would be against the "spirit" of the rule.

[Wetzel]

Originally Posted by Swampdude

I don't think I've seen anyone discussing this:

What if a bot sits on a loading zone closest to the center of the field and extends it's arm out far enough to reach the center goal. Can they then effectively close that side of the field off and draw penalties if the opposing team hits their arm?
They could say they want to load tetras on there back and need the arm out there to cap with. Do you think they'll side with the field obstructer?

Originally Posted by G15

<G15> A ROBOT may not interfere with an opposing ROBOT while any part of the opposing ROBOT is touching its LOADING ZONE and the ROBOT is in the process of retrieving/receiving a TETRA

In this instance, they are not in the process of retrieving a tetra, as they have completed that task. That makes defending against their cap fully legal with no penalty.

However, if they want to load tetras onto their back while capping, they need to pick one up and then leave the LZ before they can get another one.

Wetzel

[pyroslev]

I dont think the referee would agree you with you sitting in the loading zone. However, if im reading your idea right, position your robot a few feet away from the loading zone, closer to the side goal, could avoid you some penalties.

[Lil' Lavery]

As you must leave the loading zone between each tetra loading, and youve already loaded a tetra and you are trying to score with it, you are obviously no longer in the process of loading. But say you have 2 arms, one loading, one sticking out, then you may have an argument, as long as you are legitimately loading with the other arm.

[Swampdude]

Yes, and let's say you have any long appendage out in the field and your HP takes his sweet time to load that tetra on the back of your bot - cuz who's to say how you like them loaded. They don't necessarily have to be on your arm gripper. You're easily putting the other team at risk of hitting you. And If they hit you - you just became MVP of the match, because you did the equivalent of scoring 2 rows with 6 tetras just by sitting there in the way.

[AmyPrib]

If you read Team Update 04 carefully, all of the examples that they give for G15 rule say that you must not interfere with their attempt to receive a tetra.
So you must actually be in the process of loading a tetra, AND have that process disrupted, in order for opponent to get a penalty.
If you're loading your robot rear that's sitting in the LZ, but have a 10ft arm sticking out into the field, and I come along and hit your arm but it just swings around, not disturbing your rear load process, then no penalty.

Don't count on being the MVP with this strategy.

You can sit in the LZ all day long if you want, but if you're not in the process of retrieving a tetra, then G15 doesn't really apply. For the HP side, the "process" starts when the HP leaves his pad. So if the HP isn't moving, then you're not in the process of retrieving a tetra. The HP has a small confined space to stand in while loading your robot, and probably can't reach a long arm sticking into the field. So doubt you can say you needed to load that arm. So, if that arm gets hit and doesn't disturb the rest of your robot, then doubt there will be a penalty. And who's HP is gonna take their sweet deliberate time loading the robot? geesh..

[Lil' Lavery]

But, if your arm is stable, as so to move it, would move the robot as a whole, then it would interfere with the loading process. And hes right in saying you dont have to load a tetra onto an arm, you can load it anywhere on the robot, so long as it doesnt touch a field element.
Im not endorsing this strategy, but im saying you should beware of it, and it is likely some teams will attempt something along its lines.