<G14> Clarification

[abennett5139]

I’ve seen a lot of different people say two vastly different things about <G14> and I am wondering what the rule actually states involving defense.

<G14> states
<G14> No Trapping for more than 5 seconds. A Robot may not Trap an opposing Robot for more
than five (5) seconds during the Driver Controlled Period. A Trap is officially over once the Trapping
Robot has moved away and the Robots are separated by at least two (2) feet (approximately one [1]
foam tile). After ending a Trap, a Robot may not Trap the same Robot again for a duration of five (5)
seconds; if a Team does Trap the same Robot again, the count will resume from where it left off
when the Trapping Robot initially backed off.

People have been saying that the time resets once the defensive robot has back off 2 feet and waited 5 seconds. How I read the rule it says for the entire driver control period you can only pin each opponent robot for a maximum of 5 seconds, and it never states that the count resets. This would make sense in the ethos of vex to not allow teams to pin 5 seconds, off 5 seconds, and back again over and over again the whole match because vex wants an offensive game.

So is there information that I am not seeing why are people saying the count resets?

[abennett5139]

And I plan on getting my instructor to post on the Q&A, but I was wondering how the community read the rule.

[1375Mentor]

It definitely means mean that after 5 seconds you can trap again. You can play the entire match trap for 5 seconds back away for 5 seconds and so on if you want.

[abennett5139]

@1375Mentor

It definitely means mean that after 5 seconds you can trap again. You can play the entire match trap for 5 seconds back away for 5 seconds and so on if you want.

Where are you getting that because in the rule it never states that the timer resets only that the timer resumes?

[1375Mentor]

@abennett5139

Where are you getting that because in the rule it never states that the timer resets only that the timer resumes?

Well first, It says the robot must back away for 5 seconds, not the rest of the match. If your interpretation was correct they would have been very explicit in saying the robot may not trap/pin that opposing robot for the rest of the match. It does not say that. Also, this is how the rule was interpreted last year.

[lacsap]

@abennett5139

So is there information that I am not seeing why are people saying the count resets?

Here:

<G14> No Trapping for more than 5 seconds. A Robot may not Trap an opposing Robot for more
than five (5) seconds during the Driver Controlled Period. A Trap is officially over once the Trapping
Robot has moved away and the Robots are separated by at least two (2) feet (approximately one [1]
foam tile). After ending a Trap, a Robot may not Trap the same Robot again for a duration of five (5)
seconds; if a Team does Trap the same Robot again, the count will resume from where it left off
when the Trapping Robot initially backed off.

So Trapping may occur again if the robot moved two tiles away and waited at least five seconds…

[abennett5139]

@1375Mentor

Well first, It says the robot must back away for 5 seconds, not the rest of the match. If your interpretation was correct they would have been very explicit in saying the robot may not trap/pin that opposing robot for the rest of the match. It does not say that. Also, this is how the rule was interpreted last year.

But it also states in the first sentence of the rule that you can not trap for more than 5 seconds in the driver control period, stating to me that it is a finite amount of seconds for the whole driver control period.

[1375Mentor]

@abennett5139

But it also states in the first sentence of the rule that you can not trap for more than 5 seconds in the driver control period, stating to me that it is a finite amount of seconds for the whole driver control period.

They mean more than 5 consecutive seconds not 5 seconds for an entire match.

[lacsap]

@abennett5139

But it also states in the first sentence of the rule that you can not trap for more than 5 seconds in the driver control period, stating to me that it is a finite amount of seconds for the whole driver control period.

First sentences permits trapping up to five seconds, beyond that it is a violation of G14.

Given all the clauses afterwards, it is consistent interpretation.

[abennett5139]

@1375Mentor @lacsap I guess it makes sense I’m just not convinced because I don’t see where it resets, but that’s probably me just being stubborn lol. And if I think about it what would purely defensive robots do the rest of the match. I just don’t see in the rule where it says it resets after they wait 5 seconds and back off 2 feet.

[Adam_T]

See if this portion of the referee video clears things up. See if you think that they explain things with the intention that the “trapping timer” resets after 5 seconds

VRC Turning Point Referee Training Chapter 8: Trapping and Pinning

[meepmeepme]

What does it mean to trap? If they can still move, does it count?

[lacsap]

@meepmeepme

What does it mean to trap? If they can still moce, does it count?

Generally, restricting a robot’s movement to one tile distance or pinning robot to field elements is considered trapping. The robot needs to try to move to get in order for it to be considered trapping. Not moving and yelling at referee that you are trapped when you can move does not constitute trapping.