[GO Feedback] New Restart Rule is too abusable

[LeroyR]

Describe the bug

At GermanOpen we had runs where every team took two restarts.
While the ~1min time penalty cost teams some points it has the potential to be a organizing nightmare in a larger competition.

If I expect ~80% of runs to use a restart it will be a queuing nightmare.

Teams should be ready to perform instead of using the restart to get additional time to prepare for the task.

[ARTenshi]

Do you think that going back to the initial idea of restarting on the first 30 seconds without stopping the timer to fix small issues like wrong localisation or turning on any hardware and then entering the arena from the front entrance again will help?

[LeroyR]

I saw robots crash into doors and needing atleast 5mins to restart after estop.
We also had robots getting blasted with static discharge while entering, shutting down various hardware.

For these unfortunate issues letting the time run just results in a failed try. Depends what we really want out of this rule and how punishing it should be.

[johaq]

I think the Rule is fine but we need a stricter enforcement.

Teams have to ask for the restart and have to keep an eye on the 30 sec time limit.

Emphasize that this rule is for small fixes (wrong localization, wrong script loaded, microphone turned off) NOT for programming or restarting the robot. If you take the restart and are up next very soon that is not a problem.

We should also emphasize that the test slot time means EVERYBODY is expected to be ready at that time. If the test slot starts at 11:00 and you are the 10th team in the queue I still expect you to be ready at 11:00.

[ARTenshi]

What about allowing a restart within their 5 minutes slot without stopping the timer (this is how it has been done for World Robot Summit)? This will encourage teams to have faster initializations and will avoid this mess of having teams to requeue for the same trial.

[johaq]

I am generally on the "we have to trust the teams" side but I have a problem with having teams type away on the robot inside the arena when the setup is done already.

I also don't want teams wasting 5 mins of my time trying to fix something.

[sunava]

It is to difficult for now - comment it out -> not using in worlds this year as discussed on 07.04