I posted this question once already and did not get a reply.
Section 7 The Game
<G20> Handling MOON ROCKS – MOON ROCKS can be SCORED by ROBOTS or PAYLOAD SPECIALISTS. PAYLOAD SPECIALIST can enter MOON ROCKS into play by launching them over the Alliance Station Wall or over/through the OUTPOST shield. MOON ROCKS can not enter the CRATER by being thrown around the end of the Alliance Station Wall. A violation will cause a PENALTY to be assigned.
<G23> SUPER CELL scoring – During the last 20 seconds of the MATCH, the PAYLOAD SPECIALIST may launch the available SUPER CELLS over the Alliance Station Wall and into the CRATER. The PAYLOAD SPECIALIST can SCORE a SUPER CELL by launching it into a TRAILER. If a SUPER CELL is launched into the CRATER before the last 20 seconds of the MATCH, then two (2) PENALTIES will be assigned.
The question: There is no mention that a Robot can score a Super Cell anywhere in this section-
<G20> says Moon rocks can be scored by Robots or Payload Specialists.
<G23> says a Payload Specialist can score a Super Cell.
Where does it say a Robot can Score a Super Cell???
The rules don’t say you can’t tip your trailer over intentiionally at the start of the game to keep anyone from scoring and take the early penalty, but I’m sure that’s not in the spirit of the rules.
So my question is what was the intent behind <G23> TITLED “Super Cell Scoring”, and why cover only one way to score the Super Cell, if the intent is to allow either method, and then why title <G20> “Moon Rock Handling” yet tell you both methods to score the Moon Rock.
The narration for the game animation says:
“During the last 20 seconds of the match, humans or robots can score bonus points by getting super cells into opposing trailers.”
The game animation says yes, but I think the GDC should confirm this officially.
It would seem to me that it should be possible. My thoughts is that the super cells will end up on the floor for robots to pick up as humans aren’t very likely to make the shot every time. My thoughts would be that a robot is able to pick that up and score it. But like Gary said this would be a good question to ask in the Q&A
Hence the thread title- I already posted 2X- I’m one of the lead mentors, and posted the question 2X (yes using the passwd) but have yet to hear a peep.
I don’t have the rules in front of me, but what I remember is this.
The payload player is given a super cell in exchange for an empty cell.
The empty cells start with the outpost player.
SO, sometime during the match, the outpost player gives an empty cell to a robot, (hence the little opening in the outpost wall) the robot takes it to the payload specialist, and once there, a (judge, ref, etc) takes it and replaces it with a supercell.
Now, since supercells can only be thrown in the last 20 seconds of a match, the chances of a robot collecting a missed supercell AND making it into a trailer is highly unlikely.
So i guess there doesn’t need to be a rule against a robot scoring a supercell, cause there is practically no way it will happen.
This is a common misconception and is incorrect. Each FUELING STATION contains a CELL RACK. At each fueling station there are two SUPER CELLS, hung on one side of the CELL RACK. After a robot delivers an EMPTY CELL to a PAYLOAD SPECIALIST located at one of the FUELING STATIONS, the EMPTY CELL is then placed on the CELL RACK, opposite from one of the SUPER CELLS. A SUPER CELL can only be used/removed from the CELL RACK if there is an EMPTY CELL opposite it (see <G13> and <G22>).
The EMPTY CELL is never physically taken away from the PAYLOAD SPECIALIST. This is important because the PAYLOAD SPECIALIST is not required to exchange the EMPTY CELL for a SUPER CELL (<G22> reads may be exchanged. . .) Thus, the PAYLOAD SPECIALIST may decide to reenter the EMPTY CELL into to the CRATER.
I don’t know if it’s necessary to post twice- they will read all the questions. They have been unusually slow about answering, though, and I’m not sure why that is happening. It’s incredibly frustrating.
To answer your original question though, it doesn’t say anywhere (specifically) that a robot cannot score a supercell. However, it doesn’t say that it can’t either. (Also, I don’t see why a robot wouldn’t be allowed to score a game piece…) I never had any doubts that robots were allowed to score supercells.
I imagine the GDC has hundreds if not thousands of questions to sift through, consolidate, edit, and answer. I don’t know how many GDCers there are on the FIRST forums, and I’m guessing they all have ‘real jobs’ in their lives as well. Our team has posed about a half dozen questions and have seen no response; I’m not too concerned. I believe they’ll get to it when they get to it, and once again the GDC is teacing us a valuable lesson - patience is a virtue.
Don’t rely on the game animation to be your rule explinations, every year we have to explain to our rookie members that most of the robots in the animation break some rule. That animation should only be used to explain the object of the game to a non-competitor.
