Legal? Hurdling Over Overpass and Over Lane Divider

[Coach Norm]

Originally Posted by Mr. Freeman

Is this what you're looking for?
http://forums.usfirst.org/showthread.php?t=8037

This question was posted by us on the Q&A when we were brainstorming all possible scoring alliances but we have decided against it since this is our Rookie season. We are staying with a simpler design and strategy.

It opens some other possible ways of moving the ball around the course. It can go diagonal either way as well.

[dlavery]

Originally Posted by Coach Norm

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It opens some other possible ways of moving the ball around the course. It can go diagonal either way as well.

Be careful about saying that the Trackball "can go diagonal either way as well." While you could move the Trackball diagonally across the center of the Overpass, doing so may not have the effect that you want. Notice that the Finish Lines do not cross the center of the field - they are offset, leaving a 32-inch space between them. So if you were to throw your Trackball over your Overpass for a Hurdle, then move it around to your opponent's Home Stretch and throw it from there across the center of the field and back into your Home Stretch in an attempt to move it quickly around the Track, you would run into some problems. When crossing diagonally over the center of the field, the Trackball does not actually satisfy the criteria for crossing the opponents Finish Line, which means you would run afoul of Rule <G13> if you tried to score with it again.

-dave




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[Daniel_LaFleur]

Originally Posted by dlavery

Be careful about saying that the Trackball "can go diagonal either way as well." While you could move the Trackball diagonally across the center of the Overpass, doing so may not have the effect that you want. Notice that the Finish Lines do not cross the center of the field - they are offset, leaving a 32-inch space between them. So if you were to throw your Trackball over your Overpass for a Hurdle, then move it around to your opponent's Home Stretch and throw it from there across the center of the field and back into your Home Stretch in an attempt to move it quickly around the Track, you would run into some problems. When crossing diagonally over the center of the field, the Trackball does not actually satisfy the criteria for crossing the opponents Finish Line, which means you would run afoul of Rule <G13> if you tried to score with it again.

-dave




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Actually I believe it's currently ambiguous, and depends on how you define the plane of the finish line.

If the plane is infinite vertically but not horizontally then tossing the trackball diagonally across the overpass may not satisfy crossing the plane of the finish line.

However, if the plane also is infinite horizontally then it would cross the finish line properly.

I believe that the GDC will probably have to define the boundries of the finish line plane, and in doing so will have to define that the trackball must completely pass through the finish line plane.

[dlavery]

Originally Posted by Daniel_LaFleur

Actually I believe it's currently ambiguous, and depends on how you define the plane of the finish line.

If the plane is infinite vertically but not horizontally then tossing the trackball diagonally across the overpass may not satisfy crossing the plane of the finish line.

However, if the plane also is infinite horizontally then it would cross the finish line properly.

I believe that the GDC will probably have to define the boundries of the finish line plane, and in doing so will have to define that the trackball must completely pass through the finish line plane.

I see no ambiguity in the definition of the Finish Line. It is described in Chapter 6 of The Manual, and defined in the official field drawings. There is nothing in either document that implies that the Finish Line extends horizontally without limit.

There is no need for FIRST to redefine the Finish Line. It is already done, and the information describing it is already available. All you have to do it read it.




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