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Official Q&A: VRC 2023-2024: Over Under

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<R9> Do robot license plates have to be on opposing sides?


92782A
29-Oct-2023

<R9> states that "Team numbers must be displayed on a minimum of two sides of the Robot using License Plates." However, the VRC inspection checklist states that License Plates must be displayed on at least two opposing sides of the robot. Given that the Game Manual should take precedence, are license plates required to be installed on opposing sides of a robot? Furthermore, does the top of a robot count as a side?

Context: We put one of our license plates on a visible, rotating surface that faces either upwards or forwards. The other license plate faced backwards, and so per the Game Manual, we met the requirement for the License Plates to face different sides. Before an Elimination Match, our opponents pointed out that per the checklist, we should not have passed inspection because our plates did not always face opposing sides. The referees told us to re-situate both license plates before we could start the match.

R9  
Answered by committee
13-Nov-2023

Thank you for this question. In general, you are correct - the Game Manual takes precedence over other supporting materials.

In this case, rule <R9>'s red box contains the following clarification:

The intent of this rule is to make it immediately apparent to Head Referees which Alliance and which Team each Robot belongs to, at all times.

The easiest way to meet this intent is to place the License Plates on two opposing sides of the Robot. (if placed on adjacent sides, there would be orientations in which the Head Referee could not see them)

We will be sure to clarify this further in an upcoming Game Manual update.