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

Usage Guidelines All Questions

The "handling" window

David Sankey (Event Partner)
4-Feb-2020

Howdy! I do have one more clarifying question.

< RSC5 > A Team may handle their Robot as many times as desired during a Programming Skills Match. a. Upon handling the Robot, it must be immediately brought back to any legal Starting Position.

Example:

Two students are working together to reset the bot and elements. One student starts by hitting a bumper, which makes the arm fall and the bot drops the cube onto the floor. That students grabs the cube and places it in a non-scored position. The second student grabs the bot and places it in a legal starting position. Once the element and bot are in place, the students then start the bot again by hitting a bumper.

Questions: Would the first student simply hitting the bumper start the "handling" process? Can the cubes still be reset if the bot drops the cube on the floor after the student hits the bumper? Can the students grab the cubes before they grab the bot? (I'm looking at the word "immediately.")

RSC5  
Answered by Game Design Committee

The full text of RSC5 is quoted below for reference:

<RSC5> A Team may handle their Robot as many times as desired during a Programming Skills Match.

a. Upon handling the Robot, it must be immediately brought back to any legal Starting Position.\

i. Driver may reset or adjust the Robot as desired from this position, including pressing buttons on the Robot Brain or activating sensors.

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.

c. Any Game Object in the Starting Position may be moved out of the Starting Position and gently placed into a non-Scored position by the Team.

d. During a Programming Skills Match, Drivers may move freely around the Field, and are not restricted to the Driver Station when not handling their Robot.

i. An intent of this exception is to permit Drivers who wish to “stage” Robot handling during a Programming Skills Match to do so without excessive running back and forth to the Driver Station.

Note: This rule only applies to Programming Skills Matches. Driving Skills Matches are still governed by <G17>, especially for strategic violations.

Would the first student simply hitting the bumper start the "handling" process?

Yes, any physical contact between a Driver and a Robot should be considered the beginning of an RSC5/G17 "handle".

Can the cubes still be reset if the bot drops the cube on the floor after the student hits the bumper?

Yes, as long as the Game Object was "being controlled by the Robot" at the time of the handling, per RSC5-b.

Can the students grab the cubes before they grab the bot? (I'm looking at the word "immediately.")

Yes, as long as the Game Object was "being controlled by the Robot" at the time of the handling, per RSC5-b.