The tl;dr question is: can I earn the Coopertition point for my and my opponent’s alliance on my own by scoring two ALGAE in the RED PROCESSOR and two ALGAE in the BLUE PROCESSOR?
My read of the rules does not explicitly restrict scoring in your opponent’s PROCESSOR. Open to interpretations.
If it’s not restricted, it’s allowed.
If you put a note in your opponents processor, the automatic sensor will give your opponents 6 points. It isn’t going to distinguish which bot put the algae into the processor. Then your human player will have a chance to shoot it in the barge for 4 points. Best case scenario, you are down 2.
best case scenario I’m up an RP
You can get the co-op bonus, but not an RP. Algae don’t contribute to any RPs at all short of removing them so coral can be scored. The co-op bonus is the first tiebreaker though, so it could in fact help your ranking if your opponents can’t score in the processor.
I don’t think you would get the co-op point if you placed algae in the other alliance’s processor. The criteria for it is
In Qualification MATCHES, if both ALLIANCES score at least 2 ALGAE in their PROCESSOR, all teams earn 1 Coopertition Point
My reading is that the scoring has to be performed by other alliance for it to count for the bonus.
You wouldn’t get co-op but you might get the barge RP depending on how easy it is for the human to score
Scoring in the PROCESSOR is the only automated scoring. It will be impossible to track who scored an ALGA automatically. And it will be a nightmare to unravel the points, coopertition bonus, and the CORAL RP that it can lead to.
The barge ranking point is for parking/climbing. Algae scored in the processor or net don’t count towards it.
this is why I was curious. is it something they would prevent or is it fair game to guarantee the RP for yourself?
You’re right, I misread the manual
They allowed it for the amp last year. Doesn’t mean it’s allowed this year, but there is precedent.
Section 5.5
“Once an ALGAE passes through the PROCESSOR, it rolls past a scoring sensor array and into the opponent’s
PROCESSOR AREA”
The Processor uses a sensor for the co-op point no? So it doesn’t matter which team scores it, and the human player does not need to press a button for co-op so it would automatically do it.
Generally speaking, fair game… but there’s a non-zero chance they try to prevent you from doing it.
I believe this is Q&A worthy.
As it is written now, I think the act of scoring has to be done by each ALLIANCE:
if both ALLIANCES score at least 2 ALGAE in their PROCESSOR
If the rules intended to permit the opposing ALLIANCE from scoring, I would expect the rule to say:
if at least 2 ALGAE are stored in both ALLIANCES’ PROCESSORS.
I agree with @GaryVoshol that reversing the automated scoring will be an annoyance at the least, but also think it would be a fair interpretation of the current rules to restrict this, hence a worthy Q&A.
The co-op bonus makes it easier to achieve the coral RP.
Not only is there precedent for scoring in your opponent’s scoring location, I view the ability to force the co-op as an explicit reaction to the concerns of teams from last year who had their ranking lowered by opponents refusing to press the co-op button.
You are able to but be careful about it because it itself is not worth a ranking point and if you end up losing the match your teamates can give you a red card for throwing the match however if you are guarenteed to win it might be worth it for the easier ranking point. Hope this helps
Your alliance partners do not hand out red cards; the head ref does that. And you’re going to have to justify why referees would consider this a red card offense when they never did last season.
I would be more worried about why the opposing alliance doesn’t want to do co-op.
I think if your opposing alliance doesn’t want to do co-op, it’s probably because they believe they can achieve that RP without it, faster than if they spent the time crossing the field to score the algae. If your alliance doesn’t think they could achieve the Coral RP without Co-op, ignoring Co-op would give you more time to achieve the other RPs.