***THE GAME OFFICIAL: AIM HIGH***

[Aburame Shino]

The event this year looks like a ton of fun, although the fact that robots will be throwing balls around the arena kinda makes it dangerous. That means I might have to bring a shield or something to the Regionals to block flying balls. <.<

[Ian Curtis]

Originally Posted by Greg Perkins

From watching, I saw that the balls that went in the center goal were not touched, but the side goals the human players were taking balls from the hopper and putting them back on the playing field...(from the animation). If thats the case how do you tell whose are whose and are the total amount at the end of the match your points??

According to the game documents, there is a system in place to count the balls as they go through the scoring area, and putting your hand in it screws it up. Yee-haw strategy here we come!

[PaPPy]

well good luck on brainstorming from japan
i wish i could be home with my team to help them but work calls
im off to sleep as its 1:30am
so be safe and work hard only 6 weeks!

[Travis Hoffman]

Explicit promotion of both offense AND defense! NO HUGE LIFT ARMS! Projectiles!

I think the FIRST GDC hit a homerun with this one (I'd have said they scored a touchdown, but Joe Montana would suddenly run into the room and admonish me for using a football cliche). Great job!

[wilshire]

<S02> Muzzle Velocity - NO ROBOT may throw a ball with an exit velocity of greater than 12m/s (26.8mph) As a reference, a ball traveling at this velocity when leaving the ROBOT at an angle of 30 degrees from horizontal with no spin will travel approximately 35 feet. A robot that violates this rule will be considered unsafe per <S01>

only question i have is how are they going to calculate the speed of the balls being shot? 6 officials with speed detectors?

[abeD]

I find this rule very interesting

<R04> "Wedge” robots are not allowed. Robots must be designed so that interaction with other robots results in
pushing rather than tipping or lifting. Neither offensive nor defensive wedges are allowed. All parts of a
robot between 0 and 8.5 inches from the ground (the top of the bumper zone – see Rule <R35>) that might
push against another robot must be within 10 degrees of vertical. Devices deployed outside the robot's
footprint should be designed to avoid wedging. If a mechanism or an appendage (a ball harvester, for
example) becomes a wedge that interferes with other robots, penalties, disabling, or disqualification can occur
depending on the severity of the infraction.

[patTeam241]

Why would they calculate the speed? Is there a maximum speed for shots?

[obitusis]

Hey Guys
I was wondering if anyone recorded the webcast. I saw it but I also want to play it back to the rest of the team in 25 minutes - if anyone can send it/post it online that would be great... if not, does anyone know when NASA will have a downloadable video?

[Rob36]

the balls say 7" diameter right?
on poof slinky website the balls they sell are 7.5"..
does someone know the actual correct balls? or are these the ones to buy...
Toys R Us run anybody?

[Varun]

Nvm

[Greg Perkins]

Originally Posted by wilshire

the max speed of a ball is 28.6 mph
lol
I hope their are shields at the regionals

I haven't read the manual yet, but you would think that they would've made it clear at kickoff that there was a speed limit. Correct me if I am wrong.

[patTeam241]

4.3.1 <S02> defines muzzle velocity, he was right.

[Aburame Shino]

Hey, quick question everybody. Has anybody found anything about point/disqualification penalties if your robot accidentally ends up hitting an opposing robot with one of the balls while it's being fired (like the opposing robot getting in the way at the last second)? Since the balls can be fired at up to 26.8 miles per hour, it seems like it could do some serious damage to an opposing robot if they accidentally get in the way. I can't find anything that talks about this unless the damage was intentional.

[Rafi Ahmed]

Theres a max speed?
I searched the manual for the game and i didnt find any max speed.

[Aburame Shino]

Yes. If you throw the balls over 26.8 miles per hour your robot could get disqualified from the match.

Or to be more specific...

<S01> If at any time a ROBOT’s operation or design is deemed unsafe by the head referee, it will receive a 10-
point penalty and be disabled for the remainder of the match. If the safety violation is due to the ROBOT
design, the head referee has the option to not allow the ROBOT back onto the field unless the design has
been corrected. An example of unsafe operation is repeatedly throwing balls off the field at audience
members, media personnel, judges, referees, etc. An example of an unsafe design is a shooter mechanism
that has a large mass that is stopped abruptly at the end of travel and is at risk of breaking off the ROBOT
and becoming a projectile.

<S02> Muzzle Velocity - No ROBOT may throw a ball with an exit velocity of greater than 12 m/s (26.8 mph).
As a reference, a ball traveling at this velocity when leaving the ROBOT at an angle of 30º from
horizontal with no spin will travel approximately 35 feet. A robot that violates this rule will be
considered unsafe per <S01>.