Official Q&A: VRC 2020-2021: Change Up

Please review the Q&A Usage Guidelines before posting, specifically point 3, "Quote the applicable rule from the latest version of the manual in your question."

The definition of Preload reads as follows:

Preload– The Ball, one (1) per Robot, that must be placed on the field such that it satisfies the conditions in <SG1> prior to the start of the Match.

Rule SG1 reads as follows:

><SG1> Starting a Match. Prior to the start of each Match, the Robot must be placed such that it is:

a. Contacting its Home Zone.

b. Not contacting the gray foam field tiles outside of the Alliance’s Home Zone.

c. Not contacting any Balls other than the Preload.

d. Not contacting another Robot.

e. Contacting exactly one (1) Preload.

i. The Preload must be contacting exactly one (1) Robot.

ii. The Preload must be fully within the field perimeter.

iii. The Preload must not be breaking the vertical projection of the Goal, i.e. the Preload must not be inside or above the Goal.

Note: If a Robot is not present for their Match, then their Preload will instead be placed in the center of the gray foam tile that is closest to the double tape line that bisects the Home Zone and is opposite the half of the Home Zone from the placed Robot as shown below.

There is nothing which prohibits placing a Preload on top of a Robot, thus it is legal.

Part "iii" refers to an infinitely high vertical projection of a cylindrical Goal, not a horizontal plane at the top of a Goal. The intent of part "iii" is to prevent Preloads from beginning a Match in a position that is, for all intents and purposes, already Scored with no Robot interaction.