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

Elevated – A Robot status. A Robot is considered Elevated at the end of the Match if it meets the follow- ing criteria:

1. The Robot is contacting at least one of the following: a. One or more of their Alliance’s Elevation Bars b. The Barrier c. An Alliance partner Robot which meets the requirements of points 1-3 in this definition
2. The Robot is not contacting any Field Elements other than those listed in point 1. This includes gray field tiles, the field perimeter, Goals, the opposing Alliance’s Elevation Bar, etc. a. Contact with (or Possession of) Triballs is irrelevant when determining a Robot’s Elevated status.
3. The Robot is not contacting the yellow Elevation Bar Cap

Barrier – The black structure, made up of 2” Schedule 40 PVC pipe (with a 2.375” outer diameter) PVC pipe and associated connectors/hardware, that sits in the middle of the field. For some rules, the Barrier is divided into one Long Barrier and two Short Barriers, but it is usually referred to collectively as just “the Barrier.”

<SG11> Elevated Robots are protected. During the last 30 seconds of the Match, Robots may not contact the following:

• The opposing Alliance’s Elevation Bars
• Opponent Robots who are contacting their Elevation Bars
• Opponent Robots who meet the definition of Elevated

<G14> Offensive Robots get the “benefit of the doubt.” In a case where Head Referees are forced to make a judgment call regarding a destructive interaction between a defensive and offensive Robot, or an interaction which results in a questionable Violation, referees will err on the side of the offensive Robot.

<G15> You can’t force an opponent into a penalty. Intentional strategies that cause an opponent to break a rule are not permitted, and will not result in a Violation for the opposing Alliance.

With 35 seconds to go, a blue robot elevates itself by only contacting the long and short barriers, the blue robot is very close to, but not touching, the red elevation bars. The robot is therefore considered elevated as per the definitions of the barrier and elevated and is therefore protected by <SG11> in the last 30 seconds,

With 25 seconds left, a red robot begins an attempt to climb the red elevation bar. The red robot is in contact with the red elevation bar, so is protected by <SG11> when it hits the blue robot, which is elevated, so is protected by <SG11>

In the following cases, how should the referees interpret <SG11>, <G14> and <G15> when deciding on appropriate ruling:

1. The red robot contacts the blue robot with no elevation change from the red robot
2. The red robot contacts the blue robot, elevates and falls due to the positioning of the blue robot
3. The red robot contacts the blue robot, causing the blue robot to no longer be elevated either from falling or contacting the elevation pole