paper: 2015 IRI Rule Changes

[Chris Fultz]

Thread created automatically to discuss a document in CD-Media.

2015 IRI Rule Changes by Chris Fultz

[Chris Fultz]

The attached paper contains the 2015 IRI Rule Changes, in the form of a FIRST "Team Update".

To summarize -

The IRI Committee has the benefit of seeing RecycleRUSH in action and seeing the level of play that can be achieved by teams. With this benefit, we are incorporating the rule changes, modification and additions as outlined below.

The intent of the IRI Committee is to minimize the changes to the game and avoid negatively impacting a team / robot / strategy that was implemented to play the game as originally designed, while also increasing the game challenge and level of play for the IRI. Our goals for these changes include: 1) Allow for high scores by minimizing the chance of running out of game pieces; 2) Minimize the number of match outcomes determined in the first second of the match; 3) Don’t invalidate an existing good design or strategy; 4) Keep the event safe; and 5) Don’t start a can-war arms race that encourages teams to invest significant time and resources into an ever-faster device to capture Recycle Containers from the step.
The committee believes the rule changes below meet these goals.

2015 IRI Rule Changes

Each Alliance is allowed 2 extra Recycle Containers, placed on their side of the field, where the Alliance wants. These Containers can be placed anywhere between the guardrails, player station wall and the step, but must be completely out of the Auto Zone. (For example, they can be on a tote, on the carpet, on the scoring platform, on another Recycle container.) The Alliance can also choose to not place these on the field and they will remain out of play for the duration of the match.

6 extra totes per corner (12 per alliance).

Yellow Totes can be used to make regular stacks during Playoffs.

No penalty for yellow totes that cross the step until after co-op has scored.
(Note: Intentionally pushing yellow totes onto the other side before co-op will be a warning, and then a yellow card.)

During the Autonomous period, the "Right side" (from the drivers station perspective) Recycle Containers on the step may only be contacted by the alliance facing them. After Autonomous, Recycle Containers remaining on the step are open to either alliance.

The alliance is allowed to adjust the Yellow Totes and Recycle Containers - as long as they stay within the taped rectangles and in the same "order".

Slightly larger than transport robots can go on / off the field in "play mode" to save time if this can be safely done. The FTA and / or Head Referee may request for teams to return to the transport configuration for safety reasons. All robots must be a able to demonstrate that they can achieve the transport configuration.

A human player may contact with Litter that has entered the field as long as the human player does not cross the field boundary.

+5 pound weight allowance to allow for modifications, repairs, etc.

No inspection - however the FTA or Head Referee may challenge the safety of a device and may request modifications.

Alliance selection draft order is 1-8, 1-8, 8-1. All other alliance selection rules are unchanged.

In PLAYOFFS -
4 team alliances.
All teams on the Alliance do not have to play.
A human player from the 4th team may be a part of the alliance in the match.
The Alliance captain must submit the driver station positions before the match.

Draft order 1-8, 1-8, 8-1

No change to Playoff structure, maximum stack height, noodle use, scoring values.

[Bennett548]

So the landfill zone still doesn't include the guard rails?

http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/sh...2&postcount=21

[Abhishek R]

Originally Posted by Bennett548

So the landfill zone still doesn't include the guard rails?

http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/sh...2&postcount=21

hahahahAHAHAHAHA

*ensue maniacal laughter*

[AdamHeard]

Originally Posted by Bennett548

So the landfill zone still doesn't include the guard rails?

http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/sh...2&postcount=21

Doesn't really matter with the new rules relating to grabbing in auto.

[Boe]

Would a team still receive a red card if the violation is caused by the actions of another robot? Typically there's a rule about strategies aimed to cause the other alliance to receive fouls, but I don't see that this year.

[Thad House]

Originally Posted by AdamHeard

Doesn't really matter with the new rules relating to grabbing in auto.

Not Quite.... Blockers are still possible as long as they don't contact. (I don't expect this to be the case by the time IRI actually comes around though...)

[Loose Screw]

2015 IRI HYPE.

The can wars are finally over. Now accuracy > speed when grabbing totes during autonomous. A much needed change that balances the game out. Teams that don't grab in auto could still miss out if the opposing alliance can grab them faster in teleop.

More totes starting with the HP station and two additional upright containers is a huge HP feeder buff. Now an alliance can use two HP feeders to their potential.

With 7 potential containers, most alliances going into finals will be able to use all of them. That means that consistency will be very important. An alliance of consistent scorers, for example, would only need to score from 2landfill + 2HP + 3HP to use their RCs. This leaves 1 stack from the landfill and 2 from HP that could be scored without RCs. I'm predicting at least one match to score every single tote, and that Finals will be won with at least 8 stacks of totes.

Co-op improvements are a nice touch too.

Very nice rule changes as usual IRI, I applaud you yet again. (2012 qualifing triples were fun and exciting)

[dodar]

So they are adding totes to the alliance station, thus buffing corner loaders; but did nothing to change the upside down totes or the step totes in the landfill. That seems a like a bad change to not also add to the landfillers too.

Also, if I am reading the auto bin rules correctly, they just took all the fun out of the bin race. Now its just a track meet.

[indubitably]

Great changes for sure! Would have liked to see noodle throwing go, but it will probably be minimal anyways with the increased can usage.

Originally Posted by dodar

So they are adding totes to the alliance station, thus buffing corner loaders; but did nothing to change the upside down totes or the step totes in the landfill. That seems a like a bad change to not also add to the landfillers too.

Eh, if they added only 3 to each side then each HP station would have the same number of right side up totes available as the landfill.

[Thad House]

They can't flip the totes though, at least not without breaking alot of robots. It would move the landfill out 2.2 inches from where it is now. That would break most can grabbers out there. The ones that move forward couldnt move far enough anymore, and the ones with the custom bottom geometry might hit the closer totes now that they are closer to the totes. Flipping the upside down totes has major issues.

[Chris Fultz]

Originally Posted by Thad House

They can't flip the totes though, at least not without breaking alot of robots. It would move the landfill out 2.2 inches from where it is now. That would break most can grabbers out there. The ones that move forward couldnt move far enough anymore, and the ones with the custom bottom geometry might hit the closer totes now that they are closer to the totes. Flipping the upside down totes has major issues.

That is why we did not change them.

[waialua359]

Its too bad for teams like ours, who designed can grabbers in auto that grab the two center ones by moving back towards the step. Similar to that of Team 610. Understandable though.

[Maximillian]

2.3.2 RECYCLING CONTAINERS
There are up to fourteen (14) RECYCLING CONTAINERS on the FIELD at the start of the MATCH. There are four (4) on the STEP and one (1) in each STAGING ZONE. The RECYCLING CONTAINERS located on the STEP are distributed between TOTES as demonstrated in the Figure 2-19 below. Additionally, each ALLIANCE will be given two (2) RECYCLING CONTAINERS to place anywhere on their side of the FIELD, with the exception of the AUTO ZONE.

Do the 2 added recycling containers have to start the match contacting the field or can they be pre-loaded into robots?

[DohertyBilly]

Originally Posted by Maximillian

Do the 2 added recycling containers have to start the match contacting the field or can they be pre-loaded into robots?

Along the lines of this, do the bins have to be righted, or can they be on their side at the start of a match?