<R16> ?... Starting vs. Playing configuration

<R16>
Once the MATCH has started, the ROBOT may assume a PLAYING CONFIGURATION that is different from the STARTING CONFIGURATION. The ROBOT must be designed such that the PLAYING CONFIGURATION of the ROBOT shall not exceed the dimensions specified in Rule <R11>.

Is this a typo? This is saying that the dimensions do not change at all during the match and that we cannot have arms that extend out of the the 28x60x38 box at all during the match…

What they mean is that you can start smaller than the box allowed and extend as you wish as long as you stay withing those bounds.

This appears to be their intent. Welcome to unlearning what you thought you knew. :smiley:

Wetzel

That’s definitely not how I read it.

It sounds to me like we are not allowed to exceed the starting envelope this year.

Thats almost putting all scoring responsibilities on the human player. I mean, if you made a really small robot, i guess you could score against other robots, but yea.

Wow this is gonna be interesting…

agreed.
what i mean is that you can never extend beyond those limits, but you may extend while staying within it.

I’m guessing this is because of the increased potential for collisions due to the low friction surface…will need to wait and see what the official word is…I’m sure that there will be those asking for clarification on this…

No your robot can still score. You just have to build a cannon, or catapult or something to launch the moon rocks, that stays inside the dimensions.

well, it will be more difficult to score, the robots arnt going to be moving much. I mean with two robots, they were having trouble moving, with six… cant wait to see the first match.

So probably the more reliable method of scoring is going to end up being the human player.

Anyone get a time on how long it took those two robots to cross the field? Or maybe how long it took them to start up? I mean its all in how you drive it but yea…

I always hoped for an ice game, this is nearly close enough.

The first thing I thought of when I read that rule was “Oh, 2006 all over again, guess we can rule out the arms!”