RE: More school rules

["Derek Hall" <derek@micromouse.me.uk>]

How about adding a gutter down the sides. Then you get the best of both
worlds.

Derek

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-micromouse@cs.rhul.ac.uk [mailto:owner-micromouse@cs.rhul.ac.uk]
On Behalf Of Jerry Niman
Sent: 03 August 2004 08:23
To: micromouse@cs.rhul.ac.uk; schoolsmicromouse@mmu.ac.uk
Subject: Re: More school rules

I think the situation is different in a Rat Race.

The rodents are supposed to follow a white line with 175mm between the edge
of the white
line and the edge of the track.

With all the mice  that have entered Formula 1 since 2001, even the mighty
Verminator, it
has been very obvious if they have left the white line and 'followed' the
saftey barrier
at the edge of the track instead. (The original IEE track had barriers, only
the MMU track
in 2003 did not.)

If senior MicroMouse, the mouse is supposed to follow the walls, so a touch
would eb less
obvious.

The advantage of a safety barrier is that it allows the track to be
elevated, which is
far better from the spectators point of view, without introducing the risk
of mice falling
off and damaging themselves, as almost happened in 2003. The other danger of
a track on
the floor is that people will walk on it.

I don't really think that Judges would struggle to spot a 'touch', so I
think the
barriers should stay. besides - it would spoil my track having to take them
off!

Jerry


Jerry Niman                                    Tel    +44 (0)161-247 1474
Head of Information Systems                    Email  J.Niman@mmu.ac.uk
the Manchester Metropolitan University         Mobile +44 (0)7770 638104


>>> duncan@swallow.co.uk 02 Aug 04 21:49:57 >>>
Hi Everyone,

	Jerry proposed that the rule about falling off the edge of the
Ratrace 
course be modified as follows:

	"1.4. Rats falling off the edge of the course or touching the safety

barriers at the edge of the course (if fitted) before the finish line will 
be disqualified and the other mouse declared the winner of the run."

	This is to allow side walls to be fitted to stop mice falling off
the 
course if it is elevated off the floor.

	The problem is that the "falling off" idea was put in to avoid
judges 
having to decide whether the mouse had touched the wall. This is the same 
problem as the "contact" problem with wall followers and could cause lots 
of unhappiness with the judges' decisions. I favour keeping the "drop off" 
edges.

	Regards,

	Duncan