The first FIRST team update is out.
We’ll find them at: http://www.usfirst.org/community/frc/content.aspx?id=450
FIRSTsearch off the Chiefdelphi portal has been updated.
7.3.6 - “Game Pieces are considered Field Elements”
Many strategies for getting off the floor are cut with this change. Is there any other way of getting 3 robots off the floor now?
Section 4.3.4 - Teams must include the robot and robot controls (Operator Interface, OI power supply, joysticks, etc.) when they pack their crates.
This is a change from last year, isn’t it?
Yes, it is a change. After all the frustrations over ours last year on 1293, I’m sort of glad to see the change.
Based on the first topic of this update my guess is FIRST won’t even consider reversing its decision regarding the batteries.
Sean
Good update…FIRST clarified several concerns for teams
It also raises the question of whether or not a dashboard would have to be packed with the controls. Dashboards tend to be laptops, and laptops tend to be expensive and constantly needed.
Even as is, I would be pretty worried about packing up two USB Chicklets. Those things aren’t cheap, and if anything happened to them it would be nigh impossible to get replacements at the competition.
Darn, no covering of the Vision System targets allowed with the spoiler or any other tubes for that matter. :rolleyes:
Oh wells!
I guess GP does still take precedence over a good strategy. 
Are we allowed to move the alliance teams tubes? Pick it up and move it? Not score or anything. I cant find it in the rules, and it not in the update.
ok ther is no way to get 3 robots off the floor unless your robot can fly while lifting 240 extra lbs
Or jumping, so that you are in the air at the instant the clock expires, which is known by the controller so it can be precisely timed:)
Actually, there is. Convince one of your opponents to deploy his ramp, while trapping him in your home zone. Have your partners climb on top, and then lift you. The 360 pounds on the unfortunate opposing robot will ensure that he stays put, and receives no penalty points.
(Yes, I know that this isn’t remotely likely. And I don’t care.)
In previous years, the score was counted after objects in motion came to rest. 7.1 and <G56> seem to imply otherwise: a jumping robot satisfies the end-of-match conditions for scoring, provided that it is correctly positioned. But be careful how you accomplish this; big springs are probably asking for trouble at inspection.
(As a practical matter, expect this to change. The referees can’t just be guessing who’s 12", and who’s 11.8" off the ground.)
I can’t seem to find it atm in the rules, but I’m assuming that like previous years, the game is scored once all objects (including robots) have come to rest.
Man… just when I think that something is totally impossible, somebody comes out and proves me wrong. Unfortunately, this is a violation of <G35>, but I never would have thought of this way of getting three robots off the ground.
I guess that means teams will have to build a second control panel if they intend to practice driving before comps with a practice bot…(note to self: make sure team knows of this change…)
<G35> A ROBOT may attach to and/or climb onto a ROBOT on its own ALLIANCE. A ROBOT may not attach to and/or climb onto a ROBOT on an opposing ALLIANCE (doing so will be interpreted as an attempt to damage an opposing robot, and may be penalized as such).
<G03> END GAME - The final 15 seconds of the TELEOPERATED PERIOD is called the END GAME. During this period, no ROBOT may be in an opposing ALLIANCE HOME ZONE. The intent of this period is to permit ALLIANCES to attempt to score bonus points without undue interference. An audio signal will sound five seconds before the start of the END GAME period, and again at the start of the END GAME period.
You don’t NEED to get three bots off the floor…you just need 2
even if you needed to get all 3 bots up off the floor, it would be impossible to do as one of them wold still need to have some part still on the floor.
With the revision to <g65>… what i understand is that if your robot is touching a tube (feild element) the bonus points do not count…horrible situation if your a ramp bot. and you cant move more than one tube at the same time, or its a rule violation (herding) so what would you do…by the way, putting tubes all over your opponents home zone sounds like a good strategy. maybe bad GP though
Knocking them down for those who don’t plan on picking them up off the ground and/or can’t also can limit their scoring ability…however, that would be frowned upon.