Suspended and touching two Elevated robots?

[MrWibbles]

(This probably deserves a Q&A but I don't have access to my team's Q&A account right now)

SUSPENDED: A ROBOT only in contact with an ELEVATED ROBOT and/or a SUSPENDED ROBOT shall be considered SUSPENDED.

1) A robot is only in contact with 1 elevated or 1 suspended robot
2) A robot is only in contact with 1 elevated and 1 suspended robot
3) A robot is only in contact with 2 elevated or 2 suspended robots

From this definition, it sounds like (1) is definitely SUSPENDED, and (2) probably is ("and/or")... but (3) may not be.

Can a robot be touching two elevated robots and still be suspended?

[Scoutin' Master]

I would say yes, the robots in 2 and 3 are suspended. 3 is not really possible, though, since you are playing with only 2 robots that are allowed to hang on your tower besides your robot.

But I think that in the spirit of the rule, those robots would definitely be considered suspended. The key here is that the robot is only touching elevated or suspended alliance partners and no field elements.

Hope this helps!

[EricH]

Originally Posted by MrWibbles

(This probably deserves a Q&A but I don't have access to my team's Q&A account right now)

SUSPENDED: A ROBOT only in contact with an ELEVATED ROBOT and/or a SUSPENDED ROBOT shall be considered SUSPENDED.

1) A robot is only in contact with 1 elevated or 1 suspended robot
2) A robot is only in contact with 1 elevated and 1 suspended robot
3) A robot is only in contact with 2 elevated or 2 suspended robots

From this definition, it sounds like (1) is definitely SUSPENDED, and (2) probably is ("and/or")... but (3) may not be.

Can a robot be touching two elevated robots and still be suspended?

If you're able to contact 2 suspended robots, you probably aren't suspended...

I can think of a situation in which a robot could be suspended from one robot, and have an elevated robot hanging from it (contact with 2 elevated robots). I don't think that that's going to automatically make your robot elevated...

[MrWibbles]

The situation my team asked about was:
--One robot hanging from the tower
--One robot on the platform
--A third robot hanging from the first, and holding onto the second to stabilize itself (it's a bit tough to describe).

I'm not sure if they were actually considering this (you have to be pretty lucky about alliance partners!) or just tormenting the Rules Officer...

[Jimmy K]

Quotes from the rules Section 7.2 Definitions:

ELEVATED: A ROBOT that is completely above the plane of the PLATFORM and in contact with the TOWER shall be considered ELEVATED.

SUSPENDED: A ROBOT only in contact with an ELEVATED ROBOT and/or a SUSPENDED ROBOT shall be considered SUSPENDED.

I'm fairly certain that the GDC intended that a ROBOT in contact with 2 ELEVATED ROBOTS to be considered SUSPENDED.

However you do have a point. As the rules currently state, it is ambiguous if a robot is touching only 2 elevated robots, is considered suspended or not. Also, if such a robot isn't considered suspended, then such robot isn't elevated as it is not touching the tower.

Perhaps the GDC should revise the rule to state something along the lines:
"SUSPENDED: A ROBOT only in contact with one or more ELEVATED ROBOTS and/or one or more SUSPENDED ROBOTS shall be considered SUSPENDED."

[TXT]

While it seems an interesting option, allowing robots to stack is neither condusive to or legal in the game. I am quite certain that climbing on top of another robot would be considered CONTACT OUTSIDE THE BUMPER ZONE. It would also violate the Finale Protection Rule. While suspending themselves, robots have a cushion of protection. Would climbing on top of a "suspended" robot violate the cushion of protection? I think so.

[EricH]

Originally Posted by TXT

While it seems an interesting option, allowing robots to stack is neither condusive to or legal in the game. I am quite certain that climbing on top of another robot would be considered CONTACT OUTSIDE THE BUMPER ZONE. It would also violate the Finale Protection Rule. While suspending themselves, robots have a cushion of protection. Would climbing on top of a "suspended" robot violate the cushion of protection? I think so.

Rules, or it ain't so.

Not only that, but <G37-C-V> specifically states that robots "in the process of being ELEVATED or SUSPENDED prior to the FINALE" have expected contact outside the bumper zone, which won't be penalized.

Also, the protection applies to contact by opposing robots (<G34>). I would interpret that such that if a partner was on top of you, and touching the tower, you are in contact with them, and contact with you by an opposing robot is a penalty; intentional contact of that type is a red card.

In short, this strategy is legal and a valid way of earning points.

[Zultraranger]

Originally Posted by EricH

Rules, or it ain't so.

Can we be nice please? It is a valid question.

[EricH]

Originally Posted by Zultraranger

Can we be nice please? It is a valid question.

It's not a question. It's a statement, based on an interpretation of the rules that is not based on the rules. There is a difference.