Steps 1, 2, and 3 are covered by Rule 33, Loss and Chaos (although you might not have though to look there!) This rule talks about what happens when the robot does something out on the field, and/or leaves stuff behind.
33 - LOSS AND CHAOS (This rule doesn’t involve a hand-touch.)
• Anything your AUTONOMOUS ROBOT does to your field outside Base (good or bad) stays that way, unless the ROBOTchanges it. "Accidents," "mistakes," and "failures" are the same thing in engineering!
• Cargo the robot loses contact with is left wherever it comes to rest. If it goes off the table, the ref keeps it.
In other words, anything the robot does (except the few things that are prohibited) stays as is, unless the robot changes it. So the answer is that all of Steps 1, 2, and 3 are allowable.
For Step 4, it is important to read the scoring conditions for each of the missions. None of the missions that involve delivering items to the Red region have the special requirement "touching". All that they require is "in". Brian has done a great job discussing that each individual item needs to be "in", and also in noting that the Junk Penalty would probably apply in this scenario. It's up to the team to decide if incurring a 5 or 13 point penalty is worth the benefits of being able to deliver all the items with a single container, or whether they'd like to modify their strategy to avoid a penalty.
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> On Oct 22, 2013, at 2:47 PM, Rick Fontanilla <
[log in to unmask]> wrote:
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> For clarification,
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> I think Brian answers steps 3 and 4.
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> But what is interesting is steps 1 and 2. Can we leave an object out in the middle of the field to be used as a collection device? Typically we bring all the items to base and place them in the container there, but by placing the container centrally located on the field will shorten the back and forth distance.
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> In the past, we have used containers and detachable pieces and left them on the mat, with no penalty. It can become an obstacle if your robot cannot pinpoint its exact location.
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> Rick
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> Ro-Bricks and SuperComputers
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> On 2013-10-22 14:12, Bdh612-ess wrote:
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> What "in" means has been such a common question this season, Lol! I wonder why it's been this year and hasn't been in the past.
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> Rule 37 - IN
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> Red is "in," "into," or has "reached" Blue if any bit of Red is directly over or under Blue.
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> To be "in" an area is to penetrate the volume over that area.
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> Barely "in" is considered "in" unless "completely "in" is required.
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> Red can be "in" Blue without touching Blue.
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> Objects are ruled on independent of each other, and independent of their transports/containers.
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> "Outside" is the opposite of "in" and means completely out.
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>
> So, if a basket with important stuff in it is pushed to the red zone, then each of the important items would be "in" if it meets the criteria of rule 37. None of the items need be touching the mat as that is not mentioned in rule 37.
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> One area to be careful of however is that while the entire basket would be considered "in" if even the front part is "in", each scoring item must meet the "in" definition on its own. i.e. if the front half "has penetrated the volume" any scoring items in the front half would count as in, but any in the back half would not.
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> Also, a basket pushed by the robot (and not joined with the robot as per rule 10, "Robot") would be a strategic object subject to the penalty (Rule 12, "Strategic objects").
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> Brian
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> Sent from my iPhone
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> On Oct 22, 2013, at 1:39 PM, Naren Botlaguduru <
[log in to unmask]> wrote:
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> First of all thanks to every one on this list for answering questions. A great help for all Rookie Coaches.
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> Here is the question my team came up with.
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> A Basket is created and pushed out to some where on the mat during first run. - Can we leave the basket on the mat?
> Drop all water, person, motorcycle, loops onto this basket during first or 2nd run.
> At the end push the basket to the RedZone.
> Does this count as all of those items in Basket count as in Red Zone and score or do they need to be on the mat by themselve
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> Thanks in Advance for your help.
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>
> Thx
> Naren
> Idea Stormers
>