Goal – The Alliance-colored, netted structure on either side of the field, one red and one blue, into which Triballs can be scored for points. As a Field Element, the term “Goal” refers to the net and all supporting structures / hardware (e.g. PVC pipes and plastic bases). For the purposes of scoring, the “Goal” refers specifically to the three-dimensional volume bounded by a vertical projection of the outermost PVC pipes onto the field and below the surface of the net.
Figure 16: A Goal. The three-dimensional outer scoring boundaries are highlighted in green.
Looking particularly at the last section of this definition: For the purposes of scoring, the “Goal” refers specifically to the three-dimensional volume bounded by a vertical projection of the outermost PVC pipes onto the field and below the surface of the net.
The scoring boundaries in the first linked image do not exactly line up with the wording, as the boundaries are not angled with the net to keep with the below the net verbiage. This is inconsequential in the case of scoring as it is clearly stated scoring is under the net.
However taking this into the confines of SG8
<SG8>Stay out of your opponent’s Goal unless they are Double-Zoned. During the time when an Alliance meets the definition of Double-Zoning, opposing Robots are permitted to “break the plane” of the Double-Zoning Alliance’s Goal, such as to remove Triballs.
Particularly in autonomous robots score their alliance triball within the opponents goal. Scoring this can be challenging without breaking the plane of the goal resulting in SG8 violations being frequent and furthermore with the somewhat contradictory goal bounds only being for the purposes of scoring interpretations for breaking the plane of the goal these range from:
1: Going under the goal (this is a clear violation when considering the spirit of the rules) - second image
2: Going above the goal such as a mechansim for intaking triballs riding up the goal as the bot approaches- Third image
3: Going above the total height of the goal presented in the goal bounding image - fourth image
From these cases multiple questions arise:
- Should the plane of the goal be treated as an infinite vertical projection, where case three would be a violation?
- Should robots interacting above the goal be a violation at all such as a robot which has a roller for grabbing the triballs rolling up the top side of the net, designed in a way in which it avoids entanglement as it pushes the triball in?
- Should there be any lenience on violations of SG8 in autonomous where robots minorly break the plane under the goal in the attempt to add triballs to the opponents goal? I expect that robots should be designed with this rule in mind but we still see violations in this way frequently.
Many of these issues have been argued within our region with conflicting rulings made at the mall of America and Haunted signature events (not to disparage any referees at these events, they do an amazing job) which has led tod a desire for greater clarity so that our region can stay consistent.
Thanks