Interesting Q/A's

[Winged Globe]

Didn't see this anywhere yet...

From http://forums.usfirst.org/showthread.php?t=323

Update: Jumping when shooting the balls is permitted, as long as it is done in a safe manner. Extreme jumping that is potentially hazardous to the team members or field personel, or damaging to the robots, will be considered a violation of Rule <S01>.

One of very few rule reversals this season?

[GaryVoshol]

I don't believe it: http://forums.usfirst.org/showthread...ghlight=holder

Originally Posted by Q

Yet another flag holder question

Two questions came up as we fabricated the flag holder today:

1) Can the holder be drilled/swiss-cheesed/lightened/black-magic-voodoo-ed, so long as it is still 12" and still of 1/2" PVC pipe with a cap at the bottom?
2) Can the holder be painted?

Originally Posted by A

No and yes.

So what's wrong with a weight-lightened flagpole holder? And why tell us this only now, the day before ship?

Originally Posted by 5.3.2.3

<R13> Robots must use one of the two colored bicycle flags provided at the event queuing location to display their alliance color (red or blue). Each robot must include a 12 inch long, 1/2” ID PVC tube, capped at the bottom, permanently mounted on the robot such that when a 3 foot long, 1/4 inch diameter flagpole is inserted the top of the flagpole is no higher than 6 feet from the ground and the top of the flagpole is at least 12 inches higher than any other point on the robot (+/- 1/2 inch). The flagpole must be mounted such that it starts the match, and remains, approximately vertical. The flagpole receptacle must be statically mounted, and not articulated or actuated.

I have the utmost respect for the GDC, and don't like to criticize or second guess them. But why does this matter, as long as you have a functioning flagpole holder according to <R13> above? I predict a lot of machines will come into inspection with reduced-weight tubes.

[Elgin Clock]

Question:
Rule <G27> states: "ROBOTs Must Throw the Balls into the Center Goal - Only a ROBOT may throw a ball into the center goal. The kinetic energy of the ball must be supplied by the ROBOT. A HUMAN PLAYER may not bounce a ball off a ROBOT and score it in the center goal. A violation of this rule will result in a 5-point penalty."

If the ball is scored by the human player does the automatic scoring system first score 3 points and then 5 points are taken off for a net of -2 points, or is the ball not counted and a 5 point penalty is assessed for a net of -5 points?

Answer:
In this case, the ball would be scored by the scoring system for 3 points, and then a 5-point penalty will be assessed, for a net -2 points.

OMG Amy, I love this one.. HA HA HA HA HA!!!!! That's great! Fun with numbers.

[meaubry]

I'm with Gary on this one - what the heck difference does it make if the 12 inch long pvc flag holder has little holes in it. The original rule didn't dis-allow that so why now???

[Rick TYler]

Two comments:

1. Use schedule 20 pipe -- it's lighter than Sched 40 or 80.

2. I wonder if a judge would really freak out if you built this with an ABS pipe instead? ABS is lighter and just as strong. It's not technically PVC, but then again, they already allowed 2.75-inch pool noodles, which are a clear violation of the written rules.

and a third for free:

3. Now that the robots have shipped, I hereby declare that FIRST Silly Season is officially open!

[Dad1279]

Originally Posted by meaubry

I'm with Gary on this one - what the heck difference does it make if the 12 inch long pvc flag holder has little holes in it. The original rule didn't dis-allow that so why now???

edit - Rick beat me to it....

[meaubry]

Sorry, I wasn't clear before - we didn't do it for weight - we did for "fun". The few oz we removed wasn't needed to get to 120lbs - we were having fun and didn't even think that it would be a problem until the question was asked about it that Gary pointed out.
I do - thank you both for the great suggestions though.
We'll now have to purchase the schedule 20, and make a quicky replacement at the regional event, on practice day - its no big deal, more annoying than anything else.
Now back to the regularly scheduled thread posting about Interesting Q&A's

[AmyPrib]

So just so everyone knows!!!

Answer:
Prior to the start of the match, each alliance places their robots in the Starting Zones on their side of the field (the right side of the field, as viewed from the Alliance Stations). The alliances pick which robot goes in which Starting Zone.

And also:

QUestion:
My team attended the UTC Scrimmage. During the event I, as coach, instructed my drivers to go to the robot controls when the field timer displayed zero per rule <G35>. We were warned by the field referee that at the Regionals we would penalized because we dpassed the STARTING LINE berfore the buzzer sounded. The buzzer was delayed past the field clock and seemed to be at the start of the 2nd period.

Will the buzzer be synchronized with the field clock or will the rules be amended to put the buzzer as the primary indicator for passing the STARTING LINE?

Answer:
Rule <G35> is correct as written. Team members must stay behind the Starting Line until the conclusion of the Autonomous Period. The Autonomous Period ends when the field timer reaches zero. The buzzer sounds at the beginning of the second period, after the balls have been scored and the assignment of alliances to offense/defense is determined.

[Kevin Sevcik]

Originally Posted by GaryV1188

I have the utmost respect for the GDC, and don't like to criticize or second guess them. But why does this matter, as long as you have a functioning flagpole holder according to <R13> above? I predict a lot of machines will come into inspection with reduced-weight tubes.

I'll go out on a limb and assume the reasoning is that if a team tries hard enough to lighten the flag holder, it might suddenly stop functioning as such when the robot gets hit. Thus flinging the flag around and possibly damaging it or messing up other robots. They're erring on the side of caution since they know how desperate some teams can get for weight.

[Peter Matteson]

I LMAO reading this one. Props to 1293 for an entertaining way to ask a question.

Suppose that our team has a Super Secret Widget of Graciously Professional Doom (TM). It functions fine, but it's a little hefty. If we were to use the original drawings for the Super Secret Widget of Graciously Professional Doom (TM) and machine it from a lighter material, would we still be adding robustness to the part, thus making it a Replacement Part?

Please refer to the first example cited in the REPLACEMENT PART definition. The Super Secret Widget of Graciously Professional Doom (TM) - version 2.0 - made of lighter materials than the original but otherwise functionally identical would be considered a REPLACEMENT PART for the original part.

[Billfred]

Hey! They answered the question on everyone's minds (other than why Dave wasn't wearing a Hawaiian shirt at Kickoff):

Originally Posted by Question

How is FIRST going to measure ball speed as it comes out of the shooter? Thanks.

Originally Posted by Answer

FIRST is planning to use a two-point infrared speed trap to determine ball exit velocity. These units will be delivered to each competition site.

(And thanks for the props. I figured that Super Secret Widget of Graciously Professional Doom was more fun to say than "hopper." )

[Rich Wong]

Originally Posted by Billfred

Originally Posted by Question
How is FIRST going to measure ball speed as it comes out of the shooter? Thanks.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Answer
FIRST is planning to use a two-point infrared speed trap to determine ball exit velocity. These units will be delivered to each competition site.

Does the "Speed Trap" come with an Official State Trooper????
Do you get a ticket or just a warming????
(this is what happens to your brain after the shipoff- still trying to recover)

[AmyPrib]

Here's the other question on the mind.

Question:
Redbot is serving as their alliance backbot. It dies and is a sitting duck, still in legal backbot position.

Bluebot comes over and decides to use a strategy of pushing dead redduck into a non-legal backbot position in order to get penalties assessed to RedAlliance every 5 seconds.

Is this a legal strategy on BlueBots part?

The debate comes from the implication of G26 in that Bluebot would be wasting their time in trying to prevent RedBot from getting to their backbot position. It implies that because Bluebot is causing the "infraction", there is no penalty assessed to Redbot.

Would the same concept of "cause of infraction" imply in the dead duck case?
Thanks in advance.

Answer:
It is contrary to the intent of the game to gain advantage by using a dead robot as a tool to force the other alliance to incur penalties. A backbot that is prevented by another robot from crossing the center line - or is pushed off-sides - will not incur a penalty.

Also note that each alliance gets to choose which robot is assigned as their backbot. In this example, the red alliance gets to choose which robot is assigned as the backbot. They cannot be forced into making this decision by blue alliance attempts to move the dead red robot.

HOWEVER:

Question:
Clarification from here: http://forums.usfirst.org/showthread.php?t=732

In this instance, would RedAlliance have to either move the dead redbot back into backbot position or have another robot become backbot, or would they no longer be responsible to do this since BlueAlliance pushed the dead bot across the line?

Answer:
The red alliance would not be penalized, but they would have to act to restore a valid backbot. In this instance, once the blue robot stopped pushing the dead red robot, the red alliance would have to either push the dead red robot back across the center line or move another red robot across the center line to become the backbot. The choice of these options is up to the red alliance. The red alliance would not be penalized for the momentary period when three red robots are on the same side of the field between the time the blue robot stopped pushing the red dead robot and the red alliances attempts to position their backbot, for the reasons cited in this question/answer.

So, no penalty as long as you're showing the intent to make a backbot, no matter how you do it. If opponent pushed your robot across the line, it should be doable to push him back. Just make sure your bot dies near the glass, so it takes them forever to push them across.

I sure hope this situation won't happen. Waste a bunch of time for both alliances.

[Ethulin]

Question:

I can see this happening at regionals and I want to know how it will be dealt with.

Lets say blueBOT1 has a defensive autonomous and redBOT1 has a shooter autonomous. BlueBOT1 has a ramming auto where they shoot straight across the field and they want to ram redBOT1. Now blueBOT1 will not place their bot until redBOT1 places their bot, and neither will redBOT1.

Answer:

Prior to setting up on the field, each team will inform the queuing manager in which Starting Zone they intend to place their robot. Once the team has recorded their choice with the queuing manager, it may not be changed.

[Jon K.]

Originally Posted by Ethulin

Question:

Answer:

But who gets to jockey there bot's position last? At the Winter Warzone Scrimmage they had the red alliance change their position within the bos last during finals but what about qualifiers?