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Official Q&A: VRC 2018-2019: Turning Point

Usage Guidelines All Questions

76: Center Platform Defensive Strategy


60172S
13-Sep-2018

Hello I am wondering if the following is legal, If one of our teams designs a lever system to tip another robot off of the center platform while the other team is located on the center platform?

Answered by Game Design Committee

It is impossible to issue a blanket ruling on a hypothetical robot design. Please see <R3>, quoted here for reference:

<R3> The following types of mechanisms and components are NOT allowed:

a. Those that could potentially damage playing field components.

b. Those that could potentially damage other competing robots.

c. Those that pose an unnecessary risk of entanglement.

A device that was solely designed to tip over opponent robots would likely be considered a violation of R3b and/or R3c.

It sounds like you're attempting to extend <G12>, which states that incidental tipping on the Center Platform is permitted, to Robot design. It's important to remember that <R3> and <G12> exist independently of each other. Please see the following similar Q&A's for more detail:

https://www.robotevents.com/VRC/2018-2019/QA/15

https://www.robotevents.com/VRC/2018-2019/QA/21

As well as the relevant Referee Training video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yl22vJlLF5w