Tournament Rules - Answers

[Billie Jean]

Find answers to questions about Tournament Rules here.

[Billie Jean]

Subject: Rule <T14> Clarification

Q: <T14> Teams will receive a minimum of five minutes (5:00) between consecutive matches.

When does the time for the 5 minutes begin and end? Does it start once the buzzer hits 0 on the match you are playing on when you remove the robot? Does it end when you are asked to place you robot on the field?

A: The 5 minute minimum is built into the schedule and referred to as cycle time. The 5 minutes begins when a match has ended, and ends at the start of the next match. The 5 minutes does include robot setup on the field, as well as robot placement prior to the start of the next match.

[Billie Jean]

Subject: Pre-Match Robot Initialization and Placement

Q: In finals matches, there are often times when teams must place their robot on the field, and there is a long gap between when the ftas have the teams initialize. Would it be legal for a team to place their robot on the field in the landing zone, exit the field until the fta allows the team to initialize, and then re enter the field, latch the robot and then hit init?

A: Drive teams may not delay setting up their robots for a match once they have been directed to move from the on-deck queue to a competition playing field. At this time, drive teams are expected to completely prepare their robots to start a match following the guidelines described in the Game Manual Parts 1 and 2.

Field personnel will make every effort to minimize the length of time robots are set up on the playing field waiting for the match to start. Keep in mind that unexpected delays may occur after drive teams have been called to a playing field due to action on another playing field, playing field repair, robot setup problems, etc. Teams should factor this into their robot design, battery capacity/charge state, etc., the potential for match start delays after robot placement.

[Billie Jean]

Subject: Stool for Drive Coach

Q: Our drive coach is quite short (~4'9"). This makes it difficult for her to see the field and impossible for her to see over our driver and operator (who aren't even that tall, they're both ~5'7").

In order to help her see and level the playing field (so to speak), we got her a short (~12") step stool. As we see it, this doesn't provide any sort of competitive advantage because she remains relatively short (~5'9"), certainly shorter than many other drivers at the competition. In fact, we see it as an accessibility device: a simple, non-obtrusive way to enable everyone to participate in FIRST without providing a competitive advantage to anyone.

Is our drive coach allowed to have her stool in the Alliance Station during matches, provided that it doesn't interfere with tournament operations?

A: This is considered a safety hazard to the driver, other teams competing on the field, as well as a safety/trip hazard for the field personnel and is not allowed.

[Billie Jean]

Subject: College Student Eligibility

Q: We have a student who is 15 years old, but he is studying at College. We want to know if he can participate as student in the competition. Thank you!

A: Only students that are in middle school or high school (grades 7 -12) are eligible to participate in FIRST Tech Challenge.

[Billie Jean]

Subject: Alliance Strategy Question

Q: When affiliated teams attend the same event, there are times where those teams may strategize for one team to lose to keep their own alliance score (and the score of each team competing on the alliance) low so that the other affiliated team can advance. What is FIRST's stance on alliance partners working against their own alliance?

A: Working against your own alliance partner to obtain a competitive advantage is against the spirit of Gracious Professionalism. Not only does it put their alliance partner at a disadvantage, but it diminishes the experience of the team who is purposely losing for the purposes of letting another team be successful and advance to the next level of competition.

It is the intent of FIRST Tech Challenge and the Game Design Committee to encourage Gracious Professionalism at every event. Remember that the same team you compete against in one match may be your alliance partner in another match. Verified actions such as stated above may result in the application of rule <T1>, Egregious Behavior.

[Billie Jean]

Subject: Challenging Match Score

Q: Our team questioned a qualification match score within three matches following the disputed match. The student asked why the blue score changed from the live score to when the scores were posted. The student was advised that something was missed by the scoring referee during live scoring, and was added to the score when the official score was posted.

We realized a few matches after that our score should have been higher than posted on the same match, however it was past the three matches to dispute and we couldn't show proof that our score should have been higher. What evidence can a team provide refs for a scoring issue? Would notes that other students take be worthy?

Thanks!

A: Teams are allowed to take their own notes during a match to help them keep track of their own scoring achievements throughout the competition. They can bring their own notes to with them to the question match, however it is up to the Head Referee and the Scoring Referee(s) to discuss and ultimately determine if anything was missed during a match. Questions about a qualification match score must be brought to the question box within the allotted times outlined in the Game Manual Part 1, rule <T3>.

[Billie Jean]

Subject: Switching Alliance Stations

Q: When we are paired with an alliance, we are assigned a side of the field, such as RED 1 or RED 2. Can we talk to our alliance partner and switch sides o the field if necessary? So for example, if we were originally assigned to BLUE 2, but we want the side of the field with the crater in it, can we switch to BLUE 1?

Any help is appreciated.
Thanks.

A: Teams are required to stand in the alliance station as designated by the match schedule, which is generated by the scoring system. The scoring system uses an algorithm that not only randomizes your alliance partners and red or blue, it also is designed to randomize which teams stand in which alliance station (as in, station 1 or station 2). The scoring system will, as equally as possible, ensure that each team is stationed in both station 1 and station 2, regardless of which alliance a team is assigned.

[Broadway Joe]

Multiple Team Markers

Q: Is it legal for a team to have two separate team markers? Only one team marker would be used at a time. However, they would need to be different depending on what autonomous program is run. Both legal team markers would be brought to queuing and then depending on what auto is run the appropriate one would be pre-loaded into the robot and brought to the field per usual.

A: There is no rule against bringing multiple Team Markers to an event. However, both must be inspected and only one may be used at a time.

[Billie Jean]

Subject: Competing with Two Robots

Q: In Game Manual 1, rule T7 c says a second robot cannot be used at concurrent tournaments, however we've seen teams discussing online using second robots at their next level events and at world's. Is this the correct reading of that rule, that teams cannot build a second robot that improves on the one they use at earlier competition events? That is my team's understanding.

A: Your interpretation of the rule is correct. Teams should use one robot during the season and make changes to the robot during the season as needed/appropriate.

EDIT 2-13-2019
We would like to apologize for the previous response to the proposed question. Although the rule can be interpreted as not using a second robot whatsoever, FIRST has reviewed the ruling and would like to revise the answer previously posted. This edit serves as the official answer, and the previous response will remain as a reference.

Rule <T7> was created to ensure that teams entered a single robot into a tournament and to compete with that robot throughout the entire tournament. Teams cannot use a second robot at a tournament, nor can they use two different robots at concurrent tournaments. However, if a team were to build a secondary robot that was to be used at a different competition on a different date, this would be considered a legal and allowed strategy.

[Pierluigi Collina]

Subject: Alliance Station Positions During Elimination Matches

Q: Does the scoring software assign positions to teams for the elimination rounds too? the 01-31-2019 post explains what happens in the qualifying rounds

A: No. See Pre-Match #12 for the the information that has been posted for teams on what is allowed during elimination matches.