Answered: SG4 question - repositioning and match affecting

VEX Robotics Competition Discussion VRC > Previous Games
1

In preparation for being a referee for upcoming competitions I have a question concerning SG4.

If a robot is repositioned during autonomous and it leaves the alliance starting tile without being in a legal starting position how should the referee handle the following situations:

  1. A red robot (Red1) is repositioned during autonomous but a wheel is clearly on the grey tile before it leaves. If the robot moves to the bridge and knocks a large ball into the goal zone thus scoring 5 pts. Should a DQ exist as per rules? (please watch this example of a robot being repositioned in a sample run Vex Toss Up 15pt Autonomous Routine (Middle Zone) - YouTube)
    1a. What if the act of knocking the ball into a scoring position results in the team winning the autonomous bonus. This “could” be a match affecting action. I believe that the act of moving a scoring object from a non-scoring position to a scored position is “match affecting” and the robot should be DQ’d. Do you agree?
    1b. We have been instructed in the past that DQ’s take place at the end of the match. Should the referee not say anything about the DQ until the end of the match?
    1c. If the final score of the match is 44 to 38 (or anything within 9 points) with red winning and if match affecting action is determined then Red1 would be DQ’d. Should not Red2 also be DQ’d since the score was gained through illegal methods?

  2. A red robot (red1) holding three bucky balls is repositioned during autonomous. During the violent movement of the robot (the human interaction with the robot) one of the balls is ejected from the robot and rolls into the middle zone (or perhaps the goal zone).
    2a. I believe the mere movement of the ball from a non-scoring position to a scoring position results in “match affecting” action and should result in a DQ. Should the robot be DQ’d?
    2b. Since DQs take place at the end of the match should the referee wait until the end of the match to make the announcement?

I believe that “match affecting” actions also result in “tournament affecting” actions for some teams. In the actions mentioned above, I have seen blue teams losing even if one of the red teams became DQ’d. This results in blue teams having fewer WP’s and Red teams having more SP’s than earned. Draft position during alliance selection is affected and the entire tournament becomes affected.

I believe that if a robot is going to be DQ’d at the end of a match and the referee can make that call (especially during a break in the action like that which occurs between autonomous and driver control), then the robot should be disabled as soon as the determination if made. By disabling the robot it would not continue to affect the match nor the tournament.

2

Please take a look at this previous Q&A entry for more insight on “Match Affecting” situations.

Please see above.

This is correct. This gives the referees ample time to evaluate and discuss their decision with the other referees.

No, absolutely not. There is no provision for this anywhere in the rules.

We cannot issue blanket rulings on snapshots of hypothetical situations. From what you have described, this sounds like a violation of <SG4>. For more information on “match affecting” actions, please see the above linked thread.

Yes.