Team Scoring Element

[Billie Jean]

Answers to questions about the Team Scoring Element.

[Broadway Joe]

[QUOTE=FTC11026;n74955]
Subject: Capstone Requirements

Q: Last years game had very specific requirements for the team marker. This years game has a team capstone but I can't find any requirements in the game manual. I have read through it twice. Are there no requirements or am I overlooking them?QUOTE]

A: The Capstone is a Team Scoring Element. Rules for the Team Scoring Element are found in Game Manual 1 Section 7.4.

[Broadway Joe]

Capstone Dimension

Q: Only going into our second year, we are still struggling to understand the instructions. Could someone please clarify are the dimensions in the manual, for the capstone, for the widest point of the object or the entirety of the object, I.E. a triangle with a 3 inch base, or must the Capstone be a solid minimum size requirement, I.E. rectangle. Thank you for your help.

A: The Capstone does not have to be a solid, 3" x 3" base. The requirement is that if placed in a 3" x 3" x 4" cube, some portion of the Capstone will meet or exceed 3" in both the X and Y dimension. In your example, a triangle with a 3" base and with an apex 3" (or greater) would be legal.

[Air Jordan]

Subject: <TE05> Capstone construction using a Stone or Stone variant

Question: In regards to rule <TE05> "Current season’s Scoring Elements may not be used as the Team Scoring Element." I think this is just a tad vague. Read one way no part of a scoring element can be used, read another a (entire) scoring element can not be used as a Capstone. I'm wondering if we modify a stone from our field, cut it half, shave it down, use pieces of it- tape it back up into a new thing- can that be used as our Capstone?

Answer: No, the Capstone construction described in the question is not allowed. Capstones made from Stones are not allowed per Rule <TE05> (regardless of painting/modifications). Capstones made via 3D printing need to ensure that they are visually distinct from Stones/Skystones. Using the same color and materially the same dimensions would NOT produce a Capstone that is visually distinct.

[Broadway Joe]

Expanding or Contracting Capstone

Q: During the game, is the capstone allowed to expand outside of its maximum size or contract to be smaller than its minimum size? This is assuming the capstone fit the size requirements during robot inspection.

A: The Capstone should be inspected with the Capstone in the configuration as it will be used on the field. The Capstone may be compressed (expanded) when held by the Robot but must expand (collapse) to a legal size when put into play.

[Broadway Joe]

Capstone Quantity

Q: Can a team bring more than one (type, shape, size, color, material, etc.) of Capstone to a tournament as long as they each meet the game sizing criteria and pass inspection? We understand that only one capstone can be played during each match but did not see any rule or update which limited the number of team supplied capstones we could bring and/or use.

A: Yes, Teams may bring multiple Capstones to an event. Only Capstones that pass inspection may be used in a Match.

[Broadway Joe]

Team Scoring Element Dimensions

[FONT=Calibri]Q: At our first QT this season there was quite a bit of confusion regarding our capstone vs acceptable dimensions as specified in TE02. Our capstone is of a rectangular design with dimensions of 4.5”x1.1”x7.8” that will fit inside a volume of 4”x4”x8” space, but will not fit in a space of 4”x3”x3”. It accomplishes this by residing on a 45

A: As long as there is at least one orientation where the Capstone meets both the minimum and maximum dimensions, the Capstone is legal. Angling the Capstone is a perfectly acceptable method for achieving the requirement.

[Broadway Joe]

Flexible Team Scoring Element

Q: One of the teams at our weekend Qualifier brought a Team Scoring Element that was effectively a set of connected Zip-Ties with a loop of masking tape. The Element itself was very flexible, and fits in the minimum required dimensions. However because it's just zip-ties, it requires being forced into that very specific position to meet the dimensions, and if dropped to the field (as it had before) it flexes when getting run over, changing it's shape away from the minimal required dimensions.

Does this still sound like a legal design for the Team Scoring Element?

A: Flexible Team Scoring Elements (TSE) are legal as long as when they are placed on the Field, Foundation, or Skyscraper they are of a legal size. The fact that a TSE is damaged during Game Play should not disallow the TSE providing it is not a game strategy to change the shape of the goal by running it over.