Day 1.1: Game Manual Breakdown

Game Manual Download

Important

ONLY THE OFFICIAL GAME MANUAL OR FIRST Q&A CAN BE USED FOR RULE CLARIFICATIONS DURING THE SEASON

Groups

# Section Name Group Mentor
1 Introduction Read after meeting
2 FIRST Season Overview Read after meeting
3 Game Sponsor Recognition Read after meeting
4 Game Overview (~1pg) Everyone
5 Arena (~30pgs)
Skip FMS section
Focus on Field Zones
Element Names
Focus on Game Zone Locations
Focus on Important Dimensions
1 Blake
7 Game rules Robots (~10pgs) 1 Blake
8 Game Rules Humans (10pgs)
2 Eli
9 Robot construction (~30pgs)
focus on starting config (9.1)
2 Eli
6 Match Play (~10 pgs) 3 Tayler

Research questions

Important

When recording answers cite section/subsection/paragraph (e.g. 5.1 paragraph 2) where the information was found

What are point values?

  • Are points time based or quantity based?
  • Are there limits/restrictions when scoring can occur?
  • Are there limits/restrictions on how many points can be scored?
  • Are there ranking points?

Robot Constraints

  • What are robot size constraints?
  • What are robot weight limits?

Zones (boundaries)

  • Where are Protected Zones?
  • What are their penalty points?
  • Where are Scoring Zones?
  • Where are Non-scoring Zones? (illegal to score)
  • How many robots are allowed in each zone?
  • Where do robots start match?
  • Where are robots during auto?
  • Where are robots during tele-op? (Full vs Half Field Cycles)
  • Where do robots end in the match?

Scoring Elements (aka Game Pieces)

  • How many scoring elements can the robot hold?
  • Are they alliance dependent?
  • Is the scoring element fragile?
  • Is the scoring element compressible?
  • How are scoring elements introduced to the field?
  • Do they start on field?
  • Are they recieved via a human player?
  • How many does the human player have?
  • Can the human play hold multiple at once?
  • Are there multiple human player stations with scoring elements?
  • What are scoring elements scored into? (field elements)
  • Are there multiple field elements to score into?
  • Do these scoring locations give different point values
  • Are they recycled back to the field or do they leave the field forever

Arena

  • Does the arena change match to match? (Ex Scoring location or layout)
  • Is the arena mirrored, or rotated?
  • Can robots access both sides of the field?
  • Is field the flat or does it have any raised ground?
  • Are there obstructions for scoring or driving (e.g. overhangs, driving under things)
  • Where are the scoring locations?
  • How many scoring locations per alliance?
  • Is scoring location shared with opposing alliance?
  • Are there quantity limits on how many scoring elements can be scored in a field element/scoring location?
  • Is the field dynamic, does anything move or swing?
  • What are the field elements' names and quantities
  • Names
  • Key images
  • rough dimensions
  • Relative scale to robot (robot w/bumpers is 34x34 inches)
  • Where are the human players?
  • How many human players are allowed on the Arena?
  • Where are the drivers relative to scoring, and collecting?
  • What locations can robots get scoring elements from?
  • Are their vision obscructions?
  • Where are the april tags?

Extra notes

  • Any other important information not covered by the questions above

Extra questions

  • Any questions on rules that come up during reading
  • Any clarifications needed on how the rules are written
  • Any questions that need to be sent to FIRST Q&A

Manual Breakdown steps

Reading

Tip

Just read title of evergreen rules

  1. Break into groups
    1. 3 groups, 2 mentors per group
    2. Different manual sections
    3. Give each group a copy of the research questions
  2. Within groups
    1. Designate scribe
    2. Read each paragraph aloud
    3. For each paragraph, discuss with group if any research questions were answered, or if you want to add any extra notes at bottom
    4. Record answers to questions
    5. Record any questions about the manual/rules that come up

Presenting

  1. Regroup as whole team
  2. 2 presenters for each group come up
  3. Mentors ask 1 research question at a time
    1. Presenters state their answers to questions regardless of group
    2. Create master list of answers to research questions
    3. Repeat for next question
    4. Any presenter can add additonal comments to a question, as well as provide their answer if already answered
  4. Review master list of analysis questions and fill gaps/come back to anything we skipped
  5. Each individual group presents extra notes/questions
    1. Create master list of extra notes
    2. Create master list of questions to ask FIRST Q&A