can the game flag be used?

[Rombus]

Originally Posted by tkwetzel

A rotating turret will most likely not extend to the corners of the legal size of the robot because most people will have it on a circular rotating base. So you could put the flag in the corner of the robot. This would cause your launcher to have a small range in which it could not be used due to the flag being in the way.

We were already planning that, the problem comes in where we are looking at our launcher being roughly 4' feet high, so we have to rase our flag mount up atleast 2 feet to make the top of the flag clear the top of our bot. Not hard, just alot of extra stuff for a flag.

[Wetzel]

You need to read ALL the rules COMPLETELY to understand them.

Originally Posted by <G16>

Maximum Height - A ROBOT may not extend above 60” above the floor or the ALLIANCE PLATFORM in a stable configuration at any time during a match. Each violation shall result in a penalty of 5 points per occurrence or 5 points per ball shot or ball blocked during the occurrence, whichever is greater. ROBOTs designed to violate this rule are not allowed. For example, a ROBOT that extends a blocking device in front of the center goal will be disqualified. Transient conditions that may cause a diagonal dimension of the robot to momentarily exceed the 60” height restriction – such as during a tipover or when climbing onto the ALLIANCE PLATFORM – are not subject to this rule. The one exception to the height restriction is provided in rule <R13> (flag rule).

Empahsis mine. Since <R13> provides the exception, lets go take a look!

Originally Posted by <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.

Ah ha! The flagpole receptacle needs to be mounted such that the flag is 12" taller then the rest of the robot, but less than 6 feet from the ground. So if you make a 5 foot tall robot, the flag MUST be mounted so that the top of the flagpole is at 6 feet. Since the flag is exempt from the height rule, you will not be penalized for it being above 6 feet. No penalty, block away!

Wetzel

[Cory]

Originally Posted by Wetzel

You need to read ALL the rules COMPLETELY to understand them.


Empahsis mine. Since <R13> provides the exception, lets go take a look!

Ah ha! The flagpole receptacle needs to be mounted such that the flag is 12" taller then the rest of the robot, but less than 6 feet from the ground. So if you make a 5 foot tall robot, the flag MUST be mounted so that the top of the flagpole is at 6 feet. Since the flag is exempt from the height rule, you will not be penalized for it being above 6 feet. No penalty, block away!

Wetzel

Wetzel, while the rules you've quoted definitely show that you won't be penalized for your flag going over 5 feet (something we've already known), they don't help any to determine whether or not you receive a penalty for blocking balls with it (something I still think is pure fantasy, and not even worth the time everyone has spent here thinking about it).

If people are actually worried about this, it obviously needs to be submitted to the Q&A forums to receive a definitive answer.