How do you get your other ball

[Libby K]

Originally Posted by Paul Copioli

How about the flag? The flag must be placed so it is 75 inches from the ground. Last time I checked, that is taller than 6'. So that means your robot could never do a lap ...

I expect some clarifications on this rule. I will ask a question as soon as the Q & A is up.

I'm pretty sure the flag doesn't count toward the height.

[Nate Laverdure]

Originally Posted by Libby K

I'm pretty sure the flag doesn't count toward the height.

Correct, as per <R13>, emphasis mine:

<R13> For the purposes of determining compliance with the weight and volume limitations
specified in Rule <R11>, these items are NOT considered part of the ROBOT and are NOT
included in the weight and volume assessment of the ROBOT:
• The 12V battery and its associated half of the Anderson cable quick
connect/disconnect pair (including no more than 12 inches of cable per leg, the
associated cable lugs, connecting bolts, and insulating electrical tape) on board the
ROBOT,
• Any STANDARD BUMPER assemblies included on the ROBOT that are in
compliance with Rule <R08>, up to a maximum of 15 pounds,
• The FLAG is not considered part of the ROBOT (however, the flag holder specified in
Rule <R17> IS considered part of the ROBOT, and is included in the ROBOT weight
and volume),
• The OPERATOR CONSOLE.
NOTE
- Weight limit excludes the 12 volt
battery and Anderson cable half.
- Weight and volume limits exclude any
STANDARD BUMPERS constructed
consistent with Rule <R08>.
- Weight and height limits exclude the FLAG
However, for all other purposes the items listed above are considered part of the ROBOT
and must comply with all other applicable rules and requirements.

[Chuck Glick]

You ONLY have to be under 6' in the opposing alliance HOMEZONES. Example below.



If a team is on the BLUE ALLIANCE, they can be above 6' everywhere except in the RED HOMEZONE.

If a team is on the RED ALLIANCE, they can be above 6' everywhere except in the BLUE HOMEZONE.

It is 100% legal to knock the ball BACKWARDS off of the OVERPASS(clockwise). So pass through the opposing HOMEZONE, pause, knock ball BACKWARDS, and go.

[Nate Laverdure]

Originally Posted by Chuck Glick

So pass through the opposing HOMEZONE, pause, knock ball BACKWARDS, and go.

Check out <G13>:

<G13> A TRACKBALL that has CROSSED its own FINISH LINE must CROSS the opponent’s
FINISH LINE before it can score by CROSSING its own FINISH LINE again.

EDIT: Nevermind, I think I get what you're saying now.

[Chuck Glick]

Originally Posted by Nate Laverdure

Check out <G13>:

If the trackball is still on the OVERPASS, on the opposing side, it has not crossed ANY lines. Knocking it backward would be completely legal at the beginning of a match, or initially just to get the ball down for your own use.

People are concerned that the track ball that is on the side opposite of theirs is impossible to retrieve without breaking rules.

[Taylor]

Originally Posted by Chuck Glick

You ONLY have to be under 6' in the opposing alliance HOMEZONES. Example below.


If a team is on the BLUE ALLIANCE, they can be above 6' everywhere except in the RED HOMEZONE.

If a team is on the RED ALLIANCE, they can be above 6' everywhere except in the BLUE HOMEZONE.

It is 100% legal to knock the ball BACKWARDS off of the OVERPASS(clockwise). So pass through the opposing HOMEZONE, pause, knock ball BACKWARDS, and go.

Unless I'm looking at the drawings wrong, the homestretch extends to the alliance's finish line, which is under the far end of the overpass, not the middle of the field as you have it.

[Chuck Glick]

Originally Posted by boiler

Unless I'm looking at the drawings wrong, the homestretch extends to the alliance's finish line, which is under the far end of the overpass, not the middle of the field as you have it.

True, the drawing was quickly made for basic demo purposes. Fixing that now.

EDIT: Original Drawing Updated.

[Daniel_LaFleur]

I haven't done the math, but it seems to me that if the ball is sitting on the rail, and the rail is directly above the finish line then the ball should extend beyond the finish line ... thus you should be able to knock the ball off of the rails by striking the part that is beyond the opponents finish line without your robot being in their "home strech" or breaking the plane of the finish line.

[ALIBI]

Originally Posted by boiler

Unless I'm looking at the drawings wrong, the homestretch extends to the alliance's finish line, which is under the far end of the overpass, not the middle of the field as you have it.

I am confused. Page 5 of 7 of THE ARENA. As the ROBOTS move in a counter-clockwise direction around TRACK, the quadrant of the TRACK immediately preceeding the the FINISH LINE for each alliance is known as the "HOME STRETCH"

Wouldn't that mean that the finish line itself is not part of the home stretch? The home stretch is bounded by the finish line. Does that mean the finish line is part of the home stretch? Or does it mean that the leading edge of the finish line is the boundary?

I tend to think that since the wording says the home strech is the quadrant of the track immediately preceeding the finish line, that the Home Stretch does not include the area above the finish line, but rather the area before the finish line.

[Kellen Hill]

Just like the ball hangs down under the overpass, the ball also crosses over the plane of the homestretch. This makes it possible but difficult to knock that trackball off by turning around once you are out of the other teams homestretch.

[Mike1259]

Is the hight limit in affect during Hybrid mode?

[jgannon]

Originally Posted by Chuck Glick

It is 100% legal to knock the ball BACKWARDS off of the OVERPASS(clockwise). So pass through the opposing HOMEZONE, pause, knock ball BACKWARDS, and go.

Chuck, have you seen <G22>? I really don't think that's legal.

<G22> Direction Of Traffic – ROBOTS must proceed around the TRACK in a counter-clockwise direction. Once a ROBOT has CROSSED a LANE MARKER or FINISH LINE, it shall not break the plane of the line by moving in the clockwise direction. A PENALTY will be assigned for each infraction.

[flamefixed]

Having the very outter edges of the ball, or i read in another thread that 2 inches of the ball will be below the 6ft mark, be the only area for contact to try to knock it down (its a pretty darn big/heavy ball) is very unreasonable.

My take on this is...the rule was worded so you have to knock the trackball down backwards and go all the way around before you can use it to score additonal points. and the rule was just worded poorly. (keep the scores closer, which is an obvious goal for this year because of no possible 60 point chunks at the very end of the match)

Or, being ON your opponents finish line. According to the rules, you have broken the plane and technically out of the homestretch. (maybe this was designed to protect the rack the balls are sitting on, dont want high speed, potentially out of control robots flying around with over 6 feet of leverage. may not end good haha)

Or pure strategy, which would be entirely annoying, though add a wonderful twist to the game.

I think these are more realistic ideas than 2 inches lee-way trying to knock over 10pounds and 40 inches. plus, have fun refs judging those two inches.

just my two cents

[jgannon]

Originally Posted by flamefixed

Or, being ON your opponents finish line. According to the rules, you have broken the plane and technically out of the homestretch.

That's not correct. Breaking the plane is the metric for determining if you're going clockwise, not counter-clockwise. When going counter-clockwise, what section of the track you're on depends on the CROSSING definition.

CROSSING: The act of a TRCKBALL or ROBOT passing through the plane defined by a line (i.e. LANE MARKER or FINISH LINE) when it is projected vertically upwards. A TRACKBALL or ROBOT shall have CROSSED a line when all parts of the object, while traveling in a counterclockwise direction, have completely passed through the plane.

We saw this in the human demonstration during kickoff... a robot broke the plane of a line during hybrid, but didn't entirely CROSS it, so he didn't get any bonus points.

[Chuck Glick]

Originally Posted by jgannon

Chuck, have you seen <G22>? I really don't think that's legal.

I did, but I'm pretty sure that the intent of the rule is to keep robots from going demolition derby style and going against traffic.