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Official Q&A: VRC 2022-2023: Spin Up

Usage Guidelines All Questions

<SG9> and <SC5> Disc and Endgame Clarification

32792B
20-Aug-2022

In the Vex season, Tipping Point, goals that exited the field intentionally or not, were not placed back into the field during the remaining 30 seconds in the match. While Tipping points rules do not apply to this current season, is this true of the discs (During the endgame of the match discs that exit the field, intentionally or not are not placed back in)?

Furthermore, <SC5> subsection C states, "The field tiles located in the Low Goals do not count towards Cover points (i.e., they will not be Covered by either Alliance)." If a robot were to deploy an endgame mechanism, such as a string, and said string were to deploy and touch a few tiles, then contact the "low goal region", would the string be in direct violation of this rule, and therefore not receive any points for the tiles covered, or would the tiles not in the low goal count toward the endgame bonus, neglecting the fact that the string is touching the low goal area?

While the manual mentions <SG9>, Keep Discs in the field, there is no clarification on other non-Field element objects. My questions are:

  1. If in the endgame, a team were to deploy a string, and said string would NOT contact any tiles (except for the ones the rest of the robot was touching) but would go over the wall of the field, and NOT contact the ground outside the field, would the robot receive any violations?

  2. If in the endgame, a team were to deploy a string, and said string would NOT contact any tiles (except for the ones the rest of the robot was touching) but would go over the wall of the field, and WOULD contact the ground outside the field, would the robot receive any violations?

  3. If in the endgame, a team were to deploy a string, and said string WOULD contact multiple field tiles, but would go over the wall of the field, and would NOT contact the ground outside the field, would the robot receive any violations?

  4. If in the endgame, a team were to deploy a string, and said string WOULD contact multiple field tiles, but would go over the wall of the field, and WOULD contact the ground outside the field, would the robot receive any violations?

Thank you for your time.

SC5   SG9   Field Specifications  
Answered by committee

The final section of this answer has been updated to reflect changes to <S2> and <SG4> in the November 1 Game Manual update.

Please review the Q&A Usage Guidelines before posting, specifically point 4, "Make a separate post for each question.". In the future, this question is an example of one that should have been multiple posts - one for the Disc question, a second for the Endgame Low Goal question, and a third for the Endgame out-of-bounds questions.

In the Vex season, Tipping Point, goals that exited the field intentionally or not, were not placed back into the field during the remaining 30 seconds in the match. While Tipping points rules do not apply to this current season, is this true of the discs (During the endgame of the match discs that exit the field, intentionally or not are not placed back in)?

No. The only comment in the Game Manual that refers to when a Disc will be returned to the field is SG9-b, quoted here with a portion bolded for reference:

b. Discs that leave the field during Match play, whether intentionally or unintentionally, will be returned to the field at a location nearest the point at which they exited. Referees will return the Discs to the field when it is deemed safe to do so, at the leisure of the referee.

In most circumstances, referees should be able to re-introduce a Disc if it exits the field during the Endgame. However, circumstances may also exist where a Disc does not get re-introduced, such as if it is shot wide by a Robot with 1 second left. Teams should be prepared for both possibilities.

Furthermore, <SC5> subsection C states, "The field tiles located in the Low Goals do not count towards Cover points (i.e., they will not be Covered by either Alliance)." If a robot were to deploy an endgame mechanism, such as a string, and said string were to deploy and touch a few tiles, then contact the "low goal region", would the string be in direct violation of this rule, and therefore not receive any points for the tiles covered, or would the tiles not in the low goal count toward the endgame bonus, neglecting the fact that the string is touching the low goal area?

The only rule which applies to Low Goals during the Endgame is SC5-c, as quoted in your question. Contact with the Low Goal tiles can be effectively ignored; it does not have any bearing on other tiles being Covered by the same Robot.

While the manual mentions <SG9>, Keep Discs in the field, there is no clarification on other non-Field element objects. My questions are:

[questions 1-4 snipped for brevity]

All four of these hypothetical scenarios would be governed by the November 1 update to rules <S2> and <SG4>.

As a consistent means to ensure the safety of participants, spectators, and event venues, the November 1 Game Manual update included the following additions to rules <S2> & <SG4>:

A Robot which comes in contact with anything outside of the field during the Endgame period or due to an early expansion, including the floor or the outside face of the Field Perimeter, will automatically receive a Disqualification for that Match. This interaction will be exempted from rule <G14>, and Teams will be responsible for the effects of their own Endgame expansions, although <G1> will still apply.