In the virtual competition, we have witnessed that robots with a miscalibrated vision or localization can have extensive contact with the goalposts or nets. While in the regular tournaments teams would likely ask for a pick-up to reduce damage to their robot, in the virtual competition this slows down the simulation substantially since extensive collision calculations are involved. I would hence like to suggest adding the following rule for both the physical and the virtual tournament (wording is based on the SPL 2021 rule book):
Damage to the Field: A robot that damages the field, or poses a threat to spectator safety, will be
removed from the field for a 30 second removal penalty.
I agree with this rule addition. I believe for simulation we need to specify it a bit more. For example “Had contact with the goalpost for at least 3 of the last 5 seconds”.
Furthermore we could penalize robots that leave the field in simulation (as they are already picked up in real life). This would allow teams that mislocalize to reenter playing.
I agree that it needs to be specified more for the simulation. The picking up of players leaving the field is already implemented, though. I think we applied the rule for incapable robots there and said when they leave the field for 20 seconds (?), then they receive a 30 second removal penalty.
The increased of the simulation time is a real problem!
My thoughts about this:
More rules It is hard for a human-referee keeping an eye on robots away of the active game (where the ball is).
This rule is actually good for the team with the stucked robots at the goal poles. Their robots can enter the game again. (We would have benefited by this rule ;-))
A robot walking against the goal pole is not what I would consider damage to a field.
I don’t see a good way of dealing with stuck robots at goal poles/net without making it to a advantage of the team. But since I think fast simulation is more important, it is a bitter pill we have to take.
Wouldn’t it be possible to introduce this change by using the “incapable player” rule? I think it is arguable that a robot that is stuck inside the net/goal pole (e.g.: being there for more than 5s without a ball close by >3m) is an incapable player.
This way we don’t need a new rule, but still can have the desired virtual referee.
On a side note:
Why does this new rule “Damage to the Field” also covers “threat to spectator safety”. I am also surprised not harming humans isn’t a rule yet.
I have been informed by Jacky, that if we bring hydraulic robot to game and there will be oil leak to field then team can be disqualified from competition. This conversation was at 2018. Currently I don’t find where in rules this point is described. I believe this is important point if we expect any hydraulic robots in future, because currently best motions belongs to Atlas robots which are hydraulic.
Therefore if Damage clause is going to be added we have to differentiate penalty depending on amount of damage.
It is hard for a human-referee keeping an eye on robots away of the active game (where the ball is).