The Playing Field
The layout of the contest table is shown in Figures 1 and 2. All
measurements are guaranteed to be accurate to within 1/4 inches
of the actual dimensions, though the only official measurements are
those of the actual tables. The tables may also have seams, where
sections of the table physically meet. Make sure your robot is
capable of facing the imperfections of the board.
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Figure 1 |
The surface base has
a wall which runs around its perimeter. The board is
divided into three regions---a white side on the right, a black side on
the left, and a central strip. On either side of the central strip
are troughs. In the middle of the central strip lies a square platform.
The robots begin on either side of the platform on the central
strip. The patterns on the central strip assist the robot in
determining which side it is on.
The balls located at various points on the table are 4 inches in diameter
and consist of dense plastic.
One feature of the table that is not shown in the diagrams is a device
that drops two more balls throughout the length of the match. At 20
seconds and again at 40 seconds into the round, if the central ball
has been disturbed, another ball will be released from above onto
the platform.
Scoring
- Each match lasts 60 seconds, during which time the robots attempt
to score points. When time has expired, the robot with the most
points wins.
- No human intervention is allowed during the match.
- Robots must conform to all requirements listed in the course notes.
The score that each robot receives is determined by the final state of
the contest table after the match has been played. The robot that has
the most balls on its side wins the match. Balls left in the central
strip do not count toward the score of either robot, regardless of the
color of the table beneath them.
In the case that there is a tie, robots which at any point did
something during the match that directly improved their score instead
of preventing the opposing robot from scoring receive a win, and those
that did not receive a loss. Thus, in a tied situation, a double-win,
double-loss, and a single win are all possible outcomes.
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