Answered: Autonomous strategy/rule

TeamViper · May 26, 2011, 6:46am

Is it legal to reposition your robot repeatedly during autonomous, and is it legal to only put in (say) one sphere in the robot, then later in autonomous put a second preload in the robot? And, is it illigal to reposition your robot after autonomous?

Karthik · June 1, 2011, 10:17am

Yes, provided you stay within the rules specified in <SG5> of the VEX Gateway Game Manual.

VEX Gateway Game Manual:

<SG5> During the Autonomous Period, Drivers and Coaches may handle their own Robot while the Robot is in contact with their own Alliance Starting Tile. During contact with the Robot, the Drivers or Coaches may not intentionally manipulate or modify the position of any Scoring Objects (aside from any which are being loaded into the Robot), either by direct hand contact or indirect contact via the Robot. Drivers or Coaches also may not change the configuration of the Robot other than in the act of fixing the Robot (i.e. it is okay to reposition the robot relative to the field, but it is not okay to manually lift up the Robot’s arm).

The intent of this rule is to allow teams to fix Robots that are unable to move, to load Match Loads into the Robot, to reposition and/or reorient Robots, and to activate additional autonomous modes by interacting with the Robot via sensors or buttons.

The intent of this rule is not to allow teams to manipulate their Robot in such a way that they are controlling the Robot via human contact or creating motions that lead to scoring.

Yes, but once again you must stay fully within rule <SG8> along with all other Game Rules.

Not necessarily. There are allowances for the handling of Robots after the Autonomous Period specified in <SG6>. Please note, <SG6> allows for teams to make repairs to Robots which were unable to move at the start of the Match. It is not the intent to allow teams to reposition Robots for strategic purposes.