Game Rules - Answer Thread

[Air Jordan]

<GS7> Debris Possession/Control Constraint

GS7 says "Plowing (bumping, moving, touching, etc.) Debris located on the Playing Field floor is allowed and does not count towards the five Debris Possession/Control constraint if the movement of the Debris is not purposeful. Debris will be scattered around the Playing Field and some interaction between Robots and Debris is expected and should not be Penalized, provided that the Robot is not deliberately Controlling the Debris."

Say we have collected 5 pieces of debris and are now moving towards one of our Mountains, and we find 10 pieces of debris lying in our way on the floor at the base of our Mountain. May we push the floor debris out of the way to clear a path to our Mountain if the moving of the floor debris serves no other purpose other than clearing the path? This would require "deliberately Controlling the Debris" by pushing or plowing it, and it would be "purposeful" (to clear the path at base of the Mountain), and thus we would be temporarily "controlling" the 5 pieces of collected debris plus extra debris on the floor. We are hoping this type of purposeful motion would be allowed without resulting in a penalty.

A: The intent of the Game Design Committee is to allow Robots to clear Debris from blocking access to the Mountain without incurring <GS7> Penalties; provided that the Debris is not moved to block the entrance Area of the opposing Alliance's side of the Mountain or to Score in a Floor Goal. The Robot action described in the post is allowed.

[Air Jordan]

&lt;GS7&gt; Debris Possession/Control Constraint

GS7 says "Plowing (bumping, moving, touching, etc.) Debris located on the Playing Field floor is allowed and does not count towards the five Debris Possession/Control constraint if the movement of the Debris is not purposeful. Debris will be scattered around the Playing Field and some interaction between Robots and Debris is expected and should not be Penalized, provided that the Robot is not deliberately Controlling the Debris."

If a team is plowing through debris to get to a Mountain and to drive up the Mountain, and a piece of debris gets plowed up onto the surface of the Mountain as the robot drives onto the Mountain, is this still allowed or is it now a penalty because the plowed debris is no longer on the Playing Field floor?

A: The scenario described in the question does not violate a rule. The intent specified for rule <GS7> in the Game Manual Part 2 states that plowing through Debris is allowed.

[Air Jordan]

&lt;GS7&gt; Debris Possession/Control Constraint

Re GS7: Can you clarify the difference between allowed "Plowing (bumping, moving, touching, etc.) Debris located on the Playing Field floor is allowed... if the movement of the Debris is not purposeful" and disallowed "Controlling: An object is considered to be Controlled by a Robot if the object is following the movement of the Robot. Examples are: pushing an object on the Playing Field floor..."

Q1: To be clear what we are asking about, the following questions arose: Say we possess 4-5 debris elements and want to score them on a Mountain. The only clear path to get to the Mountain has 10-20 or more debris elements on the floor. Can we drive towards the Mountain, possibly pushing some of the floor debris with us with no advantageous purpose?
Q2: Or do we have to be actively plowing them to a side or bumping, moving, or touching them out of the way as we go?
Q3: Say 10-20 elements have collected at the base of 1 Mountain. Can we push them with us as we climb the Mountain if the pushing serves no advantageous purpose for us as we climb the Mountain?
Q4: Can we plow them to the side as we attempt to climb the Mountain?
Q5: Can we inadvertently bump, move, or touch them out of the way as we go?
Q6: Our questions essentially come down to the difference between plowing and pushing, and what types of movement will be declared "purposeful" and what types will not?

A1:Yes, this action is considered plowing and rule <GS7> specifically allows plowing that is not purposeful.

A2: No.

A3: Yes.

A4: Yes, rule <GS7> specifically allows plowing that is not purposeful.

A5: Yes, rule <GS7> specifically allows inadvertent bumping, moving and touching Debris.

A6: Referees will observe Robot actions and use their judgment to determine if the movement of Debris by a Robot is a purposeful (i.e. planned) strategy to Control more than five Debris. In addition to Robot actions, Robot design may play a role in the determination of Controlled versus uncontrolled movement of Debris. For example, Referees are more likely to rule that a Robot with a "U" shape that is likely to trap Debris inside the "U" is intentionally Controlling Debris as it moves through Areas containing Debris. Robots that have a surface that is designed to shed (i.e. discard) Debris is less likely to be viewed as purposefully Controlling Debris as the Robot moves about the Playing Field.

[Air Jordan]

&lt;GS12&gt; Disabled Robot Blocking Access to or In the Opposing Alliance Climbing Area

Given that <GS12> is used, it is understood that our alliance robot may go up an opposing alliance ramp given our ramp is blocked.
Q1: Based on this, do the methods to score change?
Q2: Can you please clarify that our alliance may continue to score only in our alliance color Goals?
Q3: In order to claim the all clear signal, how must the All Clear Signal be rotated? Must it be rotated in the normal direction as if the our alliance ramp were not blocked? Or must it be rotated in the normal direction for the opposing alliance given we must use the opposing alliance's ramp and opposing alliance All Clear Signal? Or does it not matter which direction the All Clear Signal rotates given we are on the opposing alliance's ramp?

Thank you.
FTC 7104

A1: No, rule <GS12> does not specify changes to methods of Scoring.

A2: Robots are allowed to place Scoring Elements into any Goal. Points are awarded to Alliances based on the Goal, not the Alliance of the Robot that placed Scoring Elements into the Goal. For example, all Debris Inside the Blue Alliance Mountain Goals are Scored for the Blue Alliance, regardless of which Alliance Robot placed Debris into the Blue Alliance Mountain Goals. See sections 1.5.2.2, 1.5.3.1, and 1.5.3.3 for justification of this answer.

A3: Rule <GS12> does not change how referees Score the All Clear Signal. The first baton that rotates into an approximate vertical orientation during the End Game earns twenty points for the Alliance indicated by the color of the baton. See section 1.5.4.2 to learn how the All Clear Signal is Scored by referees.

[Air Jordan]

&lt;G18&gt; Removing Game Elements from the Playing Field and Section 1.5.5 Post Match

What happens to blocks that end up behind/under the mountain or out of the arena?

A: Debris that exits the Playing Field will be returned to the Playing Field by field personnel at the earliest safe and convenient opportunity as stated in rule <G18>. Debris behind/under the Mountain will remain in place for the remainder of the Match. At the conclusion of a Match, the volunteer field reset crew will collect all Debris and prepare the Playing Field for the next Match as stated in section 1.5.5.

[Air Jordan]

&lt;GS9&gt; Blocking Access

If a team goes to score in their own high basket and is unintentionally blocking access to the opposing alliances middle basket, what penalties if any are assessed?

A: If an opposing Alliance Robot is actively attempting to access their Alliance's blocked Mountain Goal, the action described is a violation of rule <GS9>. A Major Penalty will be assessed and additional Major Penalties will be assessed for every five seconds that the condition persists.

No Penalty is assessed if an opposing Alliance Robot is not attempting to access their Alliance's blocked Mountain Goal.

[Air Jordan]

&lt;GS10&gt; Ingress into an Opposing Alliance Climbing Area

If a team is going to score in a goal during the driver-controlled period and is lined up straight on with the goals, and while in the act of scoring, drives up both sides of the ramp a couple inches, but not blocking access to either ramp, what penalties may be enforced?

A: The action described violates rule <GS10> because it is not an Inadvertent entry into an opposing Alliance's Mountain Climbing Area. A Minor Penalty will be assessed.

[Air Jordan]

&lt;GS5&gt; Autonomous Period Robot Keep Out Area

Is a team allowed to block a team from scoring climbers in autonomous after the first 10 second period?

A: Yes, Robots may enter the opposing Alliance's Area of the Playing Field after the first ten seconds of the Autonomous Period as stated in rule <GS5>. There is no rule that specifically disallows blocking Robots from placing Climbers into a Shelter.

[Air Jordan]

&lt;GS14&gt; Releasing Climbers

Q1: What would happen if a team releases one side trigger and all of the climbers fall down the zip line? Do they get points for all three or just one?
Q2: Are points awarded for the other two climbers if their respective triggers are engaged later, even though no climbers are released by engaging the triggers?

A1: Applying rule <GS14> to the scenario, the Alliance will be awarded twenty points for releasing one Climber because the two additional Climbers were not released by their respective Triggers.

A2: Yes, as described in rule <GS14>.

[Air Jordan]

&lt;GS10&gt; Ingress into an Opposing Alliance Climbing Area

This question was recently asked and answered:

If a team is going to score in a goal during the driver-controlled period and is lined up straight on with the goals, and while in the act of scoring, drives up both sides of the ramp a couple inches, but not blocking access to either ramp, what penalties may be enforced?

A: The action described violates rule <GS10> because it is not an Inadvertent entry into an opposing Alliance's Mountain Climbing Area. A Minor Penalty will be assessed.

Q1: Wouldn't this only occur if they were scoring in the low goal?
Q2: Doesn't your drive train have to be above the 2" white gaffers tape mark on the bottom of the mountain to be able to score in the mid & high goals and to release the mid & high climbers?

A1: Yes, because scoring from the specified location on the Playing Field into the Mid and High Zone Goals isn't allowed by rule <GS13>. The <GS10> penalty consequence specified in the answer to the question posted by FTC6451 is not affected by which Goal the Robot is attempting to place Debris into.

A2: Yes, per rule <GS13>. Debris placed into the Mid and High Zone Goals from the specified location of the Robot will not count towards the Alliance's Score.

[Air Jordan]

&lt;GS14&gt; Releasing Climbers

Q1: Do the climbers need to be released in a specific order?

(For these examples climber 1 represents the low release, climber 2 the mid release and climber 3 the high release)

Q2: Scenario 1: Climber 1 is not released but 2 and 3 are. They aren't able to slide down the cable to the bottom because climber 1 hasn't been released yet. Do you receive a score of 40 points for the 2 climbers released even though they didn't slide down or is it 0 points since climber 1 is blocking them from sliding down?

Q3: Scenario 2: Climber 1 is not released but 2 and 3 are. However, the release for the 3rd climber and the paddle that the robot pushes for the 3rd climber have both fallen back into a non released position through the shaking of the mountain during game play. From looking at the climbers you can see that climber 3 has fallen down the cord a little bit and is resting against the back of climber 2. Will we receive 40 points total for climber 2 & 3, 20 points since the release and paddle don't appear engaged, or 0 points because climber 1 hasn't been released and therefore all 3 climbers haven't fallen?

A1: Climbers are not required to be released in a specific order. Referees will record the state of the Climbers at the conclusion of the Driver-Controlled Period as described in rule <G12>.

A2: Climbers released in accordance with rule <GS14> will be recorded as Scored by the referees. This scenario is addressed in the Game Manual with rule <GS14>a. If Triggers were used to release Climbers 2 and 3, both Climbers would be recorded as Scored.

A3: Climbers released in accordance with rule <GS14> will be recorded as Scored by the referees. This scenario is addressed in the Game Manual with rules <GS14>a. and <GS14>b. If Triggers were used to release Climbers 2 and 3, both Climbers would be recorded as Scored.

[Air Jordan]

Message from the Game Design Committee

The FIRST RES-Q Game Manual Part 2 contains 49 game rules plus detailed descriptions of Scoring and game play. The Game Design Committee recognizes that this is a lot for teams to learn and consequently, early in the season we answered many Q&A forum questions from teams that were clearly addressed in the Game Manual. If teams continue to ask basic questions, the Q&A forum will become very long and with length, it becomes less likely that the Game Design Committee's thoughtful answers will be read by everyone. A byproduct of a forum with a lot of posts is questions that do enhance everyone's understanding of the game will be lost in the noise of the questions about topics that are already clearly addressed in the Game Manual.

Even though I helped write the game rules and I have read the Game Manual many times, I still take the time to review the relevant sections of the Game Manual and the Q&A forum before answering every question submitted to the forum. Please follow my example, and search the Q&A forum and the Game Manual for the answer to a question prior to submitting the question to the Q&A forum. Thank you.

[Air Jordan]

Robot Driving into the Playing Field Wall to &quot;Square Up&quot;

We were wondering if you could square up against a wall by driving into it at low speed for like 5 seconds. Would that be against the rules and considered ramming into wall? This was allowed in FLL, but we are rookie FTC, hence the question.
Alternately, we could use some sensors, but if allowed, kids are thinking of doing that.

A: Robots may use the Playing Field perimeter wall to "square up" because there is no rule in the Game Manual that prohibits this action. Keep in mind the Playing Field damage rule, <S1>, while designing your Robot's "square up" maneuver.

[Air Jordan]

&lt;GS13&gt; Mountain Scoring Constraints - Illegal Scoring in an Opposing Alliance Goal

Q: If a red team robot scores debris in a blue mountain goal, it would normally count for the blue team, but what if they score it illegally, i.e., scoring in the mid goal without being completely on the mountain? Would the debris count for the blue team or not? Consider that the blue team might have been able to legally score in the goal except for the illegal debris taking up space in the goal.

A: Debris illegally Scored by the Red Alliance into the Blue Alliance Mountain Goal will count as Scored for the Blue Alliance if the Debris remains in the Goal at the conclusion of the Match. The intent of rule <GS13> is to require Robots to climb onto the Mountain to earn points for their Alliance when completing the Mountain Scoring achievements specified in the rule.

The offending team will be warned about intentional rule violations and subsequent violations could earn a Major Penalty and possible Disqualification as described in the Egregious Behavior rule, <G25>.

[Air Jordan]

Section 1.5.3.4 Driver-Controlled Period - Parking on a Mountain

Q: When going up the mountain, do we gain cumulative points as we go up, or is our highest location the only set of points we will receive during the driving period?

A: Section 1.5.3.4 in the Game Manual Part 2 clearly states that Robots earn points based on where they are Parked On the Mountain at the end of the Driver-Controlled Period. The locations of the Robot prior to the end of the Driver-Controlled Period do not earn points that contribute to the Alliance's Match Score.

The same principle is applied to the Autonomous Period. Section 1.5.2.3 in the Game Manual Part 2 states that Robots earn points based on where they are Parked On the Mountain at the end of the Autonomous Period.