Rules
2017 STEMley Cup Championship Rule Changes
For a downloadable PDF of the rule changes, click here: STEMley 2017 Rule Changes
- 125 pound maximum weight (honour system), allows teams to modify/upgrade their 2017 robot.
- G13 – robot contact in the retrieval zone. Violation: FOUL. If extended or repeated, TECH FOUL.
This is intended to maintain the penalty for blocking or interfering with gear retrieval, but remove the incentive to push a robot into the zone to draw the penalty. (Thanks to IRI for this rule) - Draft order 1-8, 8-1, 8-1 (until we run out of teams). No back-ups. Any three robots can play any match. Alliance captains determine who plays and driver station placement. The intent is to allow all attending teams the chance to participate in the playoff round.
- Tie-breaker in finals – if the match score of each alliance is equal, the match is replayed.
- Presto-fuel: similar to “presto-logs” from Back to the Future, STEMley’s “presto-fuel”, when added to the boiler of the same colour, makes the fire burn hotter and kicks up the pressure in that boiler. When added to a boiler of the opposite colour, the presto-fuel will dampen the flames.
One red presto-fuel begins each match behind the red alliance’s retrieval zone wall. One blue presto-fuel begins each match behind the blue alliance’s retrieval zone wall. The presto-fuel may only be introduced through the return loading station or over the alliance wall by a human player during the last 30 seconds of the match. Presto-fuel may only be scored into a boiler by the action of a robot, not by humans.
The scoring condition requires the presto-fuel to have been processed by or be inside a boiler five seconds after the end of match. Each presto-fuel counted as scored into the boiler of the same colour adds 25% to the final pressure (kPa) points for that alliance. However, if a presto-fuel of the opposite colour is added to a boiler then the final pressure for that boiler is reduced by 25%. Adjustments are made by the scorekeeper prior to the official scores being posted.
Example #1: in a qualification round match the red alliance scores the red presto-fuel in their low efficiency boiler with ten seconds left in the match. The red alliance completes the match with an unadjusted pressure total (as reported by the automatic scoring system) for the match of 37 kPa. Their adjusted pressure is then calculated by the scorekeeper as 46 kPa.
adjusted pressure = INT [37 x (100% + 25%)] = 46 kPa
The result of the calculation of pressure for the purpose of presto-fuel is always rounded down. Note that, in this case, the presto-fuel multiplier causes the red alliance to exceed 40 kPa and the alliance therefore also gets credit for reaching the 40 kPa threshold.
Example #2: in a playoff round match the red alliance launches the red presto-fuel towards the blue alliance’s (their opponents’) high efficiency boiler with one second left in the match. The fuel enters the top of the boiler two seconds after the match timer reaches zero. The blue alliance completes the match with an unadjusted pressure total for the match of 43 kPa. Blue’s adjusted pressure is then 32 kPa.
adjusted pressure = INT [43 x (100% + 25%)] = 32 kPa
Note that, in this case, the presto-fuel multiplier causes the blue alliance to drop below 40 kPa and the blue alliance therefore does not get the bonus for reaching the 40 kPa threshold.
A presto-fuel introduced by an alliance prior to 30 seconds remaining in the match will behave and be counted only as a regular fuel and one foul will be applied (5 points credited towards the opposing alliance’s total score).
- Presto-gear: when added to the airship of the same colour, cranks up the rpm of the airship’s rotor.
One red presto-gear begins each match behind the red alliance’s retrieval zone wall. One blue presto-gear begins each match behind the blue alliance’s retrieval zone wall. The presto-gear may only be introduced through the return loading station by a human player during the last 30 seconds of the match.The scoring condition requires the presto-gear to be fully supported solely by the airship (peg, pilot, or gear shelf) when the match timer reaches zero. A presto-gear supported even partially by a robot of the same colour will not be counted as scored. If the presto-gear is successfully scored, the alliance receives credit for one additional touchpad activation (“ready for take off”) to a maximum of three. If all three touchpads are otherwise activated (including any resulting from a G20 foul) then the alliance receives no additional benefit from the presto-gear.
A presto-gear may be used as any other gear to create a gear set on the airship.
A presto-gear introduced by an alliance prior to 30 seconds remaining will behave and be counted only as a regular gear and one foul will be applied (5 points credited towards the opposing alliance’s total score).
A presto-gear in the possession of the opposing alliance counts as a regular gear and may be scored as any other gear.
The intent of the presto changes is to add some STEMley-specific excitement to the STEAMWORKS endgame.
