During the last thirty (30) seconds, Robots may not contact the opposing Alliance’s Platform.
Violations of this rule which do not interfere with gameplay… will result in the opposing Alliance receiving credit for one additional Elevated Robot at the end of the Match.
Rule G18 states:
Scores will be calculated for all Matches immediately after the Match ends, once all Scoring Objects, Field Elements, and Robots on the field come to rest.
My question is, if a robot contacts the opposing alliance’s platform after the last 30 seconds (due to momentum), would the alliance receive an additional 30 points?
Sorry that I didn’t make my point clear. Rule SG3 states that During the last 30 seconds. Would this after the match time count as during the last 30 seconds?
I’ve seen cases where the momentum of a robot carries it into the opposing platform where it then comes to rest, resulting in a DQ. I’ve not seen cases where the momentum causes a “glancing blow” to the platform that would result in 30 points. However, you do seem to have a case to make taking the rules at their literal values that such a glancing blow, occurring with literally no time on the clock, does not occur in the “last 30 seconds”. If you were to present such a case to me as a ref, I’d probably be inclined to agree.
That said, don’t put yourself in a position where the referee can decide your fate.
Possible definition 1:
The last 30 seconds doesn’t start when the timer has 30 seconds left, it is 30 seconds from the end of the match, meaning that when the robots are still moving, the end of the 30 seconds is moving too, but it will always be 30 seconds exactly. (It is a penalty)
Possible definition 2:
The last 30 seconds are when the clock is between 30 seconds - 0 seconds, meaning the last 30 seconds are always the same, and end when the clock does. (No penalty)
Possible definition 3:
The last 30 seconds start when the clock hits 30 seconds and ends at the end of the match, meaning that the 30 seconds can be a bit longer. (It is a penalty)
While I don’t disagree, I don’t think this is an implausible scenario to encounter. I’d rather the GDC focus on answering more pressing questions that have major impact on gameplay such as: Tipping the Opponent's Platform is Illegal? : Robot Events , though I fear how the GDC will rule on this question.
Putting your robot near the enemy platform at the end of the match invites the referee to decide the outcome of the match. Really, no good can come from being near it at the end. Back away from the Platform of DQs…
How would the refs, know when 30 seconds hits then?
When this happened to us, it was actually an alliance partner who wouldn’t listen to us. That ended up touching an unbalanced platform at the end of the match.
As a referee, you have the timer buzz at 30 seconds - so any action you deem the team initiated from that point to the time all is scored is fair game. Your eyes can not be everywhere, but you do know the teams know the danger period starts with that timer mark. I agree have a go at Q&A. Hope we do not add to referee cognitive overload as a result
Haha this would allow for some fun shenanigans. Design your bot to drive in circles for 30 seconds passively using bands, and now your partner can wait til the last few seconds of driver control to tip the opponent’s platform.
The key to your answer, in my opinion, is the phrase “once all . . . come to rest”. If your robot is still moving at the time that the match timer hits zero, then any violation that it commits before coming to rest still counts.
This is actually potentially better for you (unless it was in Elimination Rounds). Your alliance partner would be DQed rather than awarding the opponent 30 points. In theory, 3 teams could all collect 2 WPs from the match. If it was during Elimination Rounds, than a DQ for one team is a DQ for the Alliance and you go down with their ship…
The alliance that won would get 2 wp and the alliance that lost get 0 wp, no matter what alliance had someone DQed In qualification, the only thing that changes is it is as if the team that got DQed never played that round
