“NORMAL CONFIGURATION – The physical configuration and orientation of the ROBOT when the MATCH is started. This is the state of the ROBOT immediately before being enabled by the Field Management System, before the ROBOT takes any actions, deploys any mechanisms, or moves away from the starting location. This configuration is static, and does not change during a single MATCH (although it may change from MATCH to MATCH).”
<R10> Normal Configuration is 28" x 38" x 60"
I pulled this definition because I am confused by this definition. The red section makes me think that the point is like in the 2008 game and 2007 games where as long as you started in the box, you could expand past it. However, I do not know if the blue section makes it so that we can’t extend past where we start, like in 2009.
Or does <R10> mean that we can expand slightly as long as at the most we are within the Normal Configuration size?
I am waiting to post this on the official forums, but if someone can give me some direction it would greatly aid our designs, which can be reliant on this.
So, what is happening is this: as long as you are in the box, and not extending past your frame perimeter except as allowed in <G30>, you are OK. If you exit the box vertically or the frame perimeter horizontally, you are in violation of <G30>, unless you are in one of the exceptions.
<G30>, for reference:
<G30> ROBOT Volume – During a MATCH, no part of the ROBOT shall extend outside the vertical projection of the FRAME PERIMETER, except as follows:
a. BALL Interaction Volume – Solely for the purposes of interacting with a BALL, MECHANISMS that are below the BUMPER ZONE may extend up to the BUMPER PERIMETER, for a period not exceeding two seconds. After returning inside the FRAMER PERIMETER, such MECHANISMS are not permitted to re-extend beyond the FRAME PERIMETER for at least two seconds.
b. ROBOT Righting Volume - ROBOTS attempting to right themselves or their ALLIANCE partners may expand up to the FINALE CONFIGURATION maximum volume while, and only while, performing the righting operation. While beyond the NORMAL CONFIGURATION volume and righting, ROBOTS may not actively interact with BALLS or opponent ROBOTS.
c. TOWER Contact ROBOT Volume - During a MATCH, ROBOTS in contact with their ALLIANCE TOWER may extend beyond their NORMAL CONFIGURATION volume but may not exceed the FINALE CONFIGURATION maximum volume.
d. FINALE ROBOT Volume - During the FINALE, ROBOTS may extend up to the limits of the FINALE CONFIGURATION maximum volume.
e. BUMPERS may extend outside the FRAME PERIMETER, within the constraints defined in Rule <R07>.
Violation: PENALTY and YELLOW CARD.
According to the GDC you can’t shrink to pass through a tunnel most likely because of the constraints of Normal Configuration. An example of “Normal Configuration” is - your robot is 28" x 38" x 16" tall at the beginning of the match. It can only expand in height if it’s touching your alliance tower and cannot expand beyond the Normal Configuration size limits. If you leave your tower by choice or force you must return to your normal configuration…28" x 38" x 16".
Additionally, this means you cannot “shrink” to lower your center of gravity.
Thes rules as i’ve seen as of most recently, say you are not allowed to raise or lower something such as a ramp. during normal congfiguration. This seems to put a damper in teams that were designing something that had to retract to go under the tunnel.
According to the GDC, you are correct. That is probably NOT what the people who worded the question they were responding to really wanted to ask, though. Nothing says you can’t shrink within the limits of the normal configuration, except one Q&A. I expect that clarification will come soon.
