Q&A

Game Manual ver. 1.1 Rule SG5

I appreciate the clarification for what happens to the preload of an absent team in a Teamwork Match. The line reads: "If a Robot is not present for a Teamwork Match, its Preload should be placed in that Team’s Load Zone."

Question: who should be the one determining where in the Load Zone this should be and what orientation? The Head Ref? The alliance team that did show up?

Or a standard position as defined for the event (or standard for all events via the game manual.)

Or random drop (similar to the Full Volume supply zone)

I haven't seen it yet this season, but would like a pre-emptive clarification - are robots expected to be inspected with or without a preload pin? If without, can a preload pin legally extend beyond the starting dimensions 11x20x15"? For example, part of the pin sticking above 15" or outside of the 11x20 dimensions?

<SG1> and point a) state:

Prior to the start of each Match, the Robot must be placed such that it meets all of the following critera: a. No larger than 18" (457.2mm) long by 18" (457.2mm) wide by 18" (457.2mm) tall.

<SG5> states that each Robot gets one Block as a Preload.

Suppose a Team arrives at a Match with a Robot that fits within the 18" x 18" x 18" starting size, but then in the process of placing the Preload Block in their Robot, a mechanism on the robot expands outside the stated starting size of 18" x 18" x 18". Should the Head Referee begin the Match with the Robot in this configuration since it came to the field within the legal starting size but only expanded due to the Preload, or should the Team be asked to adjust the Preload so that it causes the Robot to get back inside the 18" x 18" x 18" box before starting the Match?

Thank you for your time!

<SG5>

Hi,

Just wondering, if I am red, and have the red pre-load facing the red scoring zone, can I drop the preload on the red corner as soon as the game begins, and therefore get 11points within 1 second or so?

TIA

<SG5>When starting with a Preload, in teamwork, or skills challenges. Can the Preload be started in the air above the starting goal as long as all other starting requirements are met.

Example If using the hero bot Huey or other similar robot with a claw and lift. Can it start with the pin raised above the goal before the match begins.

Must their be a pin pre-loaded at start of the match?<SG5>

Our robot has an empty area between two spinners, and we plan to rapid load a ball on the floor in this empty area, as soon as the autonomous match starts. We will make sure that the ball does not touch any parts of the robot when we load, and the ball will be picked up by the robot's intake. It does not seem to us that this violates any rules, but we want to double check this is legal.

With the Game Manual update to version 3.0, rolling a ball during the rapid load process is no longer permitted. However, many teams continue to use the long intake rack for rapid loading. We would like clarification on the legality of the following scenario: If the robot remains stationary, places the ball down, and then uses the intake to collect the ball, does this violate SG5, which states that 'Balls may never be in contact with both a Robot and a human Loader at the same time'? Alternatively, should the robot move back and forth to ensure the ball does not simultaneously contact both the loader and the robot? For reference, in this video (https://www.youtube.com/live/Aq0K4jyupWc?si=iaQdwdozdCGhbNCH), at 58:24, a team performs a rapid load using the long intake while keeping the robot stationary. Is this considered a legal load? Additionally, at 1:59:04, another team moves the robot back and forth to load the ball, seemingly to comply with SG5. Could you clarify which method aligns with the current rules?

<SG5>

We have seen the video where loader forcefully roll the rapid loading ball into the robot which leads to above 1000 points in skills. We have also seen more gental version of that on most of the competitions and online resources. especially, when the second ball is loaded into the robot. We understand all these loading is a violation of updated rule 3.0. But under time pressure, we are not quite sure what situation of the rapid loading ball after being loaded on the field by a loader would be considered as stationary especially giving the fact the rule aknowledges the ball could roll or move after the loader releases his/her hand from the ball. I don't have a good example, but attached is a video (starting from 17 seconds) which shows a reasonable loading into robot, the ball is primarily moved by the motor on the robot, is this loading skill would be considered as a violation under the updated rule 3.0?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TaaXSEce-QI

For the Rapid Load revision in 3.0 (SG5b, SG5d and SG5) - can you please confirm it applies to all gameplay? Alliance AND Skills (driver and autonomous) rapid loading? Thanks!

<SG5>

Can I please get a clarification on the loading of the balls for autonomous programming?

Revised <SG5b>, <SG5d> and Note 2 of <SG5> to state that Rapid Load Balls must be placed by a Loader in a stationary position, and may not be rolled or bounced into a Robot

So according to this the balls cannot be rolled to the intake. So can the balls be placed directly in front of the intake by a human loader from outside the field in a continuous method for the robot to intake the balls and shoot from one position on the field?

<SG5>

There is lot of inconsistency observed regarding the ball feeding rule during several events we participated till now. In one of the event there were 3 fields and we found the inconsistency between the fields as well. To make sure that the rule is clear to all. we captured 3 videos in which we could feed the robot during autonomous or 2nd half of manual skill event. I have already seen the similar questions asked earlier but there was no video was shared.. since video will be very easy to explain I am attaching the videos here. Pls let me know which video method of feeding the robot is allowed?<SG5>

1. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1inScGSUQzxlHN37YzURaMpy6BQsJeV9G/view?usp=drivesdk
2. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1VPIXpNWXvthacCDxdSRjVxsGmASwdGlv/view?usp=drivesdk
3. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1D2eyEmjFpWQe1U5zlrM6uL7NeGJq917M/view?usp=drivesdk

Here is the another video reference of 71638 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WoO0y_FWusQ which is similar to (1) video case. This clarification is very important to all the teams as this impact the scoring the way drivers feed the robot.

A video has started making the rounds that shows a team getting 484 points during a driving skills match and 532 points for autonomous. For "1016 skills points"

The team's strategy relies on forcefully rolling the ball from starting zone 2 into the intake on the robot, which is positioned just at the edge of the starting zone 2.

This seems to violate <SG5>d:

Rapid Load Balls may only be removed from the Starting Zone by a Robot action (e.g., picked up by an intake, pushed by a moving Robot, etc.). Rapid Load Balls cannot be bounced or rolled out of that Starting Zone by a Loader).

The primary force removing the ball from the starting zone is the force applied by the loader, not the robot mechanism. If the robot was not present the ball would clearly be capable of travelling much further than the distance to the goal, and without the loader rolling the ball, the robot would have a much more difficult time removing the ball from the starting zone, if it would even be capable of doing so.

Q&A 2367 states:

A motor-driven, moving part of the Robot could be considered a Robot action. Removing a Rapid Load Ball from the Starting Zone with a moving part of the Robot would generally not be a Violation of SG5.

But it's not clear in this video how much the motor is contributing to the removal of the ball vs the action of the loader.

<SG5> Note 2 seems to further indicate that this type of loading is not acceptable:

Note 2: Although it is not required, placing the Ball gently down onto the Field without any additional motion is highly recommended. Unorthodox strategies, such as “tossing” or “rolling” the Ball, will not receive any “benefit of the doubt” if the Head Referee cannot clearly confirm that all criteria have been met (especially clauses “B” and “D”).

Is this method of loading allowed? As a head ref I would like to be able to make a fair and correct ruling if a team uses this strategy in one of my competitions.

<SG5> Q&A 2137 addresses <RSC4> Rapid Loading differences during Skills Matches (Autonomous and Driving) and states that the balls must be removed from the zone they are introduced into (Zone 2) by robot action. Does this apply to Elimination and Qualification matches as well or is it legal to introduce a Ball in one starting zone and have the robot remove it from another starting zone (i.e., introduce the ball into Starting Zone 2 and roll it into Starting Zone 1 where, by robot action, it is removed from Starting Zone 1)?

For rule <SG5> Loading During the Rapid Load Period, it states that loaders "have the option to introduce Balls directly onto the Starting Zone (i.e. without using the Loading Station)." Please clarify that the teams can rapid load into EITHER starting Zone 1 or 2, or just starting Zone 2. Rapid Loading from Starting Zone 1 seems to give a decided advantage in terms of proximity to the Goals so I just wanted to verify WHERE teams can rapid load during the Rapid Load period, from Starting Zone 1, 2, or either. Thank you for your guidance.

<SG5>

Dear VEX IQ, Due to the rule SG5 d, the rapid load ball can only be remove from the loading zone by the robot. Here is some situation:

1. The ball is placed by the loader, and a rolling roller intake the ball.
2. The ball is placed by the loader, a one way gate go through it, and pull back the ball which let the ball roll toward the robot itself
3. The ball is roll by the loader, but it touch some part of the robot that is not moving, for example a plastic sheet and leave the load zone
4. The ball is roll by the loader, but it touch some part of the robot that is not moving but can be move, for example a roller unconnecting to the motor and leave the load zone
5. The ball is roll by the loader, but it touch some part of the robot that is moving(connecting to the motor) and leave the load zone

Please clarify the situation above

Thank you, by 5491M

SG1-b states that to start a match a robot can be touching 1 preload and SG1-c states that they can not be touching any other robots. My question is can both robots be touching the same preload?

Scenario that I have seen is where robot 1 had no autonomous and robot 2 could complete all steps to get AWP by themselves minus robot 1 breaking the plane of the starting line. So they lined both robots up with both touching one preload. Robot 2 started the autonomous by more less pushing robot 1 off the line by pushing the preload that both robots were touching and then robot 2 went and completed the other 3 steps to get AWP. Is this allowed or a rule violation?<SG1><SG5>

At a recent event, a robot started a match with their preload ring touching the top of the field perimeter wall, as pictured in the link below. https://imgur.com/a/G60BP15 The preload ring meets all of the criteria for <SG5> , as the ring is touching one alliance robot, not contacting the same robot as another preload, and is not touching a scoring element. Would this placement of the preload ring be legal if it is touching or is being supported by the top of the field perimeter wall? Are there any concerns in this scenario for <SG4> ?

Thank you for your time.

<SG5>

There is a previous question which discusses that during last 15 seconds (Rapid load) of an alliance matches team can choose to use the loading station instead of starting zones, can the team then pass the balls to get the passing points instead of gaining 1 point per goal?

Let's say team has knocked off 4 switches and in the last 15 seconds of rapid load time loading station is used. Each ball can be passed and then scored to get 12 points per goal instead of 1 point per goal?

Please also point out any rule that is covering this scenario?

If you load a ball through the Loading Station during the Rapid Load Period, are you still eligible to score points by passing with the ball the ball that was loaded through the Loading Station?