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Official Q&A: VIQC 2019-2020: Squared Away

Usage Guidelines All Questions

434: Questions about element resets in programming...

David Sankey (Event Partner)
26-Nov-2019

https://www.robotevents.com/VIQC/2019-2020/QA/392

The above ruling has spurred a few questions in my mind...

< RSC5 > A Team may handle their Robot as many times as desired during a Programming Skills Match. b. Any Game Objects being controlled by the Robot while being handled must be removed from the Robot and gently placed in a non-Scored position by the Team.

  1. When a team resets a controlled cube to a non-scored position, can they place the cube on top of balls?
  2. In the process of placing the cube on top of a ball, can the students use the cube to move the ball?
  3. Can the students place the cube on top of a stack of preset balls?
  4. Does the cube need to be in place before the bot starts again in the case that two students are working together?
  5. Can the cube, after being removed from the robot, be placed back on the robot?
  6. When a blue or red cube is placed on the opposite side of the field, can it be placed between the other cube and the wall? It seems like there is enough room, but the students may move the other cube a little bit in the process.
RSC5  
Answered by Game Design Committee
  1. When a team resets a controlled cube to a non-scored position, can they place the cube on top of balls?

No, this is not legal. This would be considered a Scored position (assuming that the Balls underneath the Cube would then be considered Scored).

  1. In the process of placing the cube on top of a ball, can the students use the cube to move the ball?

No, this would be considered a violation of G9 and is not legal.

  1. Can the students place the cube on top of a stack of preset balls?

The answer to this is the same as the answer to your first question.

  1. Does the cube need to be in place before the bot starts again in the case that two students are working together?

If a Team is resetting their Robot, and therefore completing the four tasks listed in G17a-d, all four criteria must be met before the Robot is considered "reset" and can begin moving again. Therefore, the answer to your direct question is "yes".

  1. Can the cube, after being removed from the robot, be placed back on the robot?

No, this is not within the intent of G17-c. (if it were, then there would be no need to remove the Game Object from the Robot in the first place)

  1. When a blue or red cube is placed on the opposite side of the field, can it be placed between the other cube and the wall? It seems like there is enough room, but the students may move the other cube a little bit in the process.

It is impossible to issue a blanket ruling that would encompass all hypothetical states of the field / Cubes. That said, any interaction between a Driver and a Game Element (that is not being reset per G17) would be considered a violation of G9.