Introduction
There’s a lot to know when it comes to FRC games! Here we hope to break down the key elements in a way anyone can understand.
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First things first, you should watch the game video for an overview of what to expect:
> Key Vocabulary
- Alliance – A group of three teams working together during the match (there is red and blue)
- Auto – A period at the start of the game where robots are fully controlled by a previously written program
- Drive Team – A team of 5 students in charge of their team’s performance during the match
- End Game – A period towards the end of the match, robots score final points and/or hang
For more vocabulary, view page 157 of the Game Manual.
> Match Timing
The matches are split into sections. Below is a chart outlining how long each section lasts. More information on Shifts can be found in the “Scoring Through the Hub and Hub Activity Shifts” section below:
There are certain audio cues used to indicate changes happening with the sections:
The Field
There are 6 main elements of the field: Depot, Trench, Outpost, Tower, Bump, and Hub. The field is mirrored, with both the Red and Blue alliance having their own elements. Below is a CAD of the field with each area highlighted:
> Elements of the Field
Outpost
The Outpost is the area for Human Players to give and collect Fuel to and from their alliance robots.
Depot
The Depot is an enclosed area connect to the wall to store Fuel for the robots to collect. The walls around it are slightly raised (~1in).
Tower
The Tower is what robots will climb to get points in Auto and Endgame. There are 3 rungs at increasing heights and supports that can be used to help climb.
Bump
The Bump is on either side of the Hub. Robots can drive over it to reach the other side of the field. It is made up of two ramps, and stands around ~6.5 inches at its highest point.
Trench
The Trench is the other way for robots to reach the other side of the field. It has an arm that extends across the space between the end of the Bump and wall of the field.
Hub
The Hub is the central structure of the field and the game. It is where robots and Human Players can score Fuel. It also deposits Fuel back onto the field through shoots into the Neutral Zone. The Hub also has a net to block any Fuel being shot from a prohibited location.
Scoring
We need to score points to win the game. This is not golf, the team with the highest score wins. There are a couple ways to score in this game, with varying point values. The way teams can score points is through getting Fuel into their Hub (through robot or Human Player) and hanging their robot on the Tower during Endgame or Auto. If a team collects a Penalty, points will be added to the other alliance’s score. There is no way to lose points in this game.
> Fuel
Fuel in the game piece. It is what teams will score with.
> Scoring in the Hub and Hub Activity Shifts
Teams can get Fuel into their Hubs through their robot or Human Player. There is no difference in points from scoring in the Hub between Auto and Teleop. This game has a unqiue twist, each team’s Hub takes turns being “active,” points are only able to scored in an active Hub.
The order of the active shifts is determined by how a team preforms during Auto. The team that scores more points during Auto will have an inactive Hub first, then it switches off between the two. However, the Hub is active for both teams during Auto and the Transition Shift.
> Scoring through Hanging
Teams can score points through hanging their robot on the Tower. Teams can score 15 points for hanging at Level 1 in Auto. During Teleop teams can score 10 points for Level 1, 20 points for Level 2, and 30 points for Level 3. Robots will hang during the Endgame period. In order to hang, robots must be able to fully lift and stay off of the ground, using the Tower rungs and supports.
> Rank Points
Rank points are how a team moves up in the ranking of a competition. There are a couple ways to earn them such as winning a match which provides 3. You do not lose ranking points over the course of the day. The two ways alliances can score rank points through scoring Fuel into their Hub are the Energized (they must score at least 100) and the Supercharged (they must score at least 360). Alliances can also score the Traversal rank point by gaining at least 50 points from the Tower.
> Penalties
Penalties are given to teams who break important rules of the game. Most notably when they put other robots or people at risk. Teams can get Yellow Cards, which follow them for the rest of the day. A team getting two Yellow Cards will result in a Red Card and they will be disqualified. Robots can also be disabled, the team is still techincally in the game but their robot will not be able to move for the rest of the match.
Thank You!
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