All information was gathered from FIRSTinspres.org
2019 Destination: Deep Space
As usual, the competition places two alliances composed of three teams each against each other in an all out battle of science and technology. This year brings much of the common qualities of FIRST, but now in space! Teams compete against each other to secure cargo in rockets and cargo ships across the field, all while trying to overcome unique engineering obstacles in the newest FIRST challenge: Deep Space.
A stark difference opens up FIRST matches this year, with autonomous being replaced with the all new “sandstorm.” A black curtain is brought down in front of the driver stations to prevent the teams from seeing the field, and must rely on either a traditional pre-programmed autonomous mode or new vision system to operate. Afterward, the Sandstorm curtain is lifted and the 2:15 teleop begins. During the teleop period, robots are tasked with transporting “hatch panels” and cargo to both Rockets and Cargo Ships to gain points and potentially ranking points to advance their place in the rankings. The alliances must place as many hatch panels and cargo in their rockets/cargo ships as possible before time runs out. By the end of the match, if a team’s robot is able to climb to one of three raised platforms in their “HAB Zone” at the end of the field, this can potentially earn them extra ranking points before the next sandstorm arrives.
Written by Smeet, Molly, Jacob, and Olivia, Students on Team 126
As usual, the competition places two alliances composed of three teams each against each other in a competition of science and technology. This year brings much of common qualities of FIRST, but now with a retro theme! Teams must battle against each other to take control of the field and earn points and facing unique engineering challenges, with this year having unique power-ups changing the dynamics of the game.
As last year, teams are greeted with a 15 second autonomous in which the robot controls itself. Robots collect Power Cubes and place them on Plates to control Switches or the Scale, when the Scale or their Switch is tipped in their favor, it is considered owned by that Alliance. Alliances work to have Ownership for as much time as possible, as this is how score is accumulated. A unique piece of this years game is the correlation of time and points, a new aspect for FIRST Robotics. This year is met with three unique power-ups: Force, Levitate, and Boost. These three pieces add to the strategy of the game like never before, and human players need to work together to utilize these pieces to the maximum extent. This year’s end game features the challenge of ascending the Scale to “Face The Boss!” With the rung only being 13 inches long, three robots must try to find a way to ascend!
Written by Smeet, a FIRST team 126 member
2017 Steamworks
“FIRST SteamWorks is the 2017 FIRST Robotics Competition. As the 26th year running, the challenges and twists have increased. For the first time ever, human players will be on the field while the game is in action, protected up on a raised platform. This year, the game’s theme incorporates steampunk elements, which feature gears and the aesthetic themes of Victorian England, along with the Industrial Revolution.
Game writeup written by Kelly, a student on Team 126.
2016 Stronghold
This challenge is set with a medieval castle-theme. The goal of the game is to breach the opponent’s defense, capture the tower by shooting boulders (foam balls) into a goal, surrounding the tower, and scaling it. Robots operate independently for first 15 seconds of the Quest and points are scored by reaching opponents defenses, crossing defenses, and scoring boulders through goals in the opposing tower. Human drivers take control for the final 2 minutes and 15 seconds controlling their robot to defend their castle, retrieve boulders, defeat defenses, score goals from the opponents’ courtyard in tower and, capture and scale the opponent’s tower. During last 20 seconds of the Quest, robots may surround and scale the tower to capture it. When capture is successful, their flag is raised on the opposing tower and even more points are earned.
2015 Recycle Rush
Recycle Rush is a recycling-themed game played by two Alliances of three robots each. Robots score points by stacking totes on scoring platforms, capping those stacks with recycling containers, and properly disposing of pool noodles, representing litter. In keeping with the recycling theme of the game, all game pieces used are reusable or recyclable by teams in their home locations or by FIRST at the end of the season. In the first 15 seconds, the robots operate by themselves (the autonomous period). During this period, robots attempt to earn points by moving themselves, their yellow totes, and their recycling containers into the area between the scoring platforms, called the Auto Zone. In the remaining time, teams on an alliance work together to place as many totes on their white scoring platforms as possible. Alliances earn additional points for recycling containers placed on the scored totes, with containers at greater height earning more points. Alliances also earn points for disposing of their litter in their Landfill Zone near the center of the field, or placing litter in or on scored recycling containers. Alliances that leave litter unprocessed on their side of the field at the end of the match, not in scoring position, will add points to the score of the other Alliance. In addition to this, alliances have the ability to gather coopertition points when they work with the other alliance to get at least four yellow totes on the step simultaneously. Coopertition points are doubled if the alliances arrange at least four of those yellow totes in a single stack on the step.
2014 Aerial Assist
The objective of this game is to score as many balls in goals as possible during a 2:30 minute match. The more Alliances score their ball in their goals, and the more they work together to do it, the more points their alliance receives.
The match begins with one 10-second Autonomous Period where each robot may begin with a ball and attempt to score it in a goal. Alliances earn bonus points for scoring balls in this mode and for any of their robots that move in to their zones. Additionally, each high/low pair of goals will be designated “hot” for five seconds, but the order of which side is first is randomized. For each ball scored in a “hot” goal, the alliance earns additional bonus points.
For the rest of the match, drivers remotely control robots from behind a protective wall. Once all balls in autonomous are scored, only one ball is re-entered in to play, and the Alliances must cycle a single ball as many times as possible for the remainder of the match. With the single ball, they try to maximize their points earned by throwing balls over the truss, catching balls launched over the truss, and scoring in the high and low goals on the far side of the field.
Alliances receive large bonuses for “assists,” which are earned for each robot that has possession of the ball in a zone as the ball moves down the field. Points are awarded for each action per the table below.
2013 Ultimate Assent
This game consists of 2:15 minute matches where robots much score frisbees into goals and climbing a tower at the end of the match. The higher the goal in which the disc is scored, the more points the alliance receives.
The match begins with a 15 second autonomous period in which robots operate independently of driver inputs. Discs scored during this period are worth additional points. For the remainder of the match, drivers control robots and try to maximize their alliance score by scoring as many goals as possible.
The match ends with robots attempting to climb up pyramids located near the middle of the field. Each robot earns points based on how high it climbs.
2012 Rebound Rumble
Rebound Rumble is played by two competing Alliances, each alliance consisting of three robots. They compete to score as many basketballs into their hoops as they can during a 2 minute and 15 second match. The higher the hoop in which the basketball is scored, the more points the alliance receives.
The match begins with a 15-second hybrid period in which robots operate independently of driver inputs. During this Hybrid Period, one robot on each alliance may be controlled using a Microsoft Kinect. Baskets scored during this period are worth extra points. For the remainder of the match, drivers control robots and try to maximize their alliance score by scoring as many baskets as possible.
The match ends with robots attempting to balance on bridges located at the middle of the field. In qualification matches, a robot from each alliance will also try to balance on the white coopertition bridge to score additional ranking points for each alliance.
2011 Logo Motion
The game is played by two competing alliances, each alliance consists of three robots. They compete to hang as many inflated plastic shapes (triangles, circles, and squares) on their grids as they can during a 2 minute and 15 second match. The higher the teams hang their game pieces on their scoring grid, the more points their alliance receives.
The match begins with one 15-second autonomous Period in which robots operate independently of driver inputs and must hang ubertubes to score extra points. For the rest of the match, drivers control robots and try to maximize their alliance score by hanging as many logo pieces as possible. Any logo piece hung on the same peg as an Ubertube receives double points. If teams assemble the logo pieces on their scoring grids to form the FIRST logo (triangle, circle, square, in a horizontal row in that order), the points for the entire row are doubled.
The match ends with robots deploying minibots, small electro-mechanical assemblies that are independent of the host robot, onto vertical poles. The minibots race to the top of the pole to trigger a sensor and earn additional bonus points.
2010 Breakaway
Two sets of three teams will compete on the playing field, which is divided into three zones. The goal is to get soccer balls into your goal (one point for each goal), while defending against scores from your opponents. In the end, alliances get extra points for every robot not touching the field by either hanging from a tower (two points) or hanging from another robot (three points)
One of the unique features of the playing fields to be used in this year’s games is an 18-by-36-inch tunnel under the main platform, which the robots will be able to use to gain quick access to the opposite side of the field (if they dare).
2009 Lunacy
In the 2009 game, Lunacy, robots are designed to pick up 9″ game balls and score them in trailers hitched to their opponents’ robots for points during a 2 minute and 15 second match. Additional points are awarded for scoring a special game ball, the Super Cell, in the opponents’ trailers during the last 20 seconds of the match. Lunacy is played on a low-friction floor, which means teams must contend with the laws of physics.
2008 FIRST Overdrive
In this game, students’ robots are designed to race around a track knocking down 40″ inflated Trackballs and moving them around the track, passing them either over or under a 6’6″ overpass. Extra points are scored by robots positioning the Trackballs back on the overpass before the end of the 2 minute and 15 second match.
2007 Rack ‘N’ Roll
In the 2007 game, Rack ‘N’ Roll, students’ robots are designed to hang inflated colored tubes on pegs configured in rows and columns on a 10-foot high center “rack” structure. Extra points are scored by robots being in their home zone and lifted more than 4” off the floor by another robot before the end of the 2 minute and 15 second match.
2006 Aim High
In the 2006 game, “Aim High,” students’ robots are designed to launch balls into goals while human players enter balls into play and score points by throwing/pushing balls into corner goals. Extra points are scored by robots racing back to their end zones and climbing the ramp to the platform before the end of the 2 minute and 10 second match.
2005 Triple Play
The game for the 2005 season is played on a 27′ wide by 52′ long playing field with the 9 goals configured in 3 x 3 matrix, similar to tic-tac-toe. The robots will attempt to place the red and blue game tetras in or on one or more of the nine goals to score points and “claim ownership” of the goals.
2004 FIRST Frenzy: Raising the Bar:
The game for the 2004 season requires robots to collect and pass 13” balls to the human player to then shoot them into fixed and moveable goals. There are three 30” balls on the playing field that can be placed on top of any goal by a robot, which will double the point value in the goal. Additionally, robots may attempt to “hang’ from a 10’ bar.
2003 Stack Attack:
The game for the 2003 season requires robots to collect and stack plastic storage containers on their side of the playing field. The location of the robots and containers and the height of the stacks at the end of the match determine each team’s score for the round.
2002 Zone Zeal
Each 2 minute match begins with the 24’ x 48’ field broken up into 5 zones and set up as follows. Four robots start on the playing field and are paired in alliances of 2. There are 2 robots at diagonally opposite corners, 10 soccer balls in each driver station area, 20 soccer balls centered along each side of the field, and 3 moveable goals weighing approximately 130 lbs each in the center zone. The strategies are endless, but the basic objectives are simple. Robots race around the playing field trying to gather balls,
place them into goals, place the goals in their scoring zone, and return their robot to their starting zone before the 2 minutes have elapsed.
2001 Diabolical Dynamics:
Four teams, paired in two alliances, will compete in each match. An alliance scores points by placing balls in their goal, and by positioning their robots in designated areas at the end of each match. At the start of a match each alliance has seven yellow balls and one black ball in their station. In addition, there are fifteen yellow balls and two black balls on the far side of the field which may be scored by either alliance.Four teams work together as one alliance to try to achieve as high a score as possible in each match. Points are scored by placing balls in their goal, and by positioning their robots and goals in designated areas at the end of each match. At the start of each match, the alliance station contains twenty small balls. In addition there are twenty small balls and four large balls on the far side of the field which may be used to score points.
At the end of the two minute match, points are awarded as follows: the alliance will receive one point for each small ball in the goal and not in contact with a robot, and ten points for each large ball in the goal and not in contact with a robot. Each alliance will receive ten points for each robot that is in the End Zone. An additional ten points will be added if the stretcher is in the End Zone. The alliance doubles its score if the bridge is balanced. The alliance multiplies its score by a factor of up to three by ending the match before the two minute time limit. Each team receives the alliance score. A team multiplies its’ score by 1.1 if its large ball is on top of a goal. Scores are rounded up to the nearest whole point after applying all applicable multipliers.
2000 Co-opertition FIRST:
Four teams, paired in two alliances, will compete in each match. An alliance scores points by placing balls in their goal, and by positioning their robots in designated areas at the end of each match. At the start of a match each alliance has seven yellow balls and one black ball in their station. In addition, there are fifteen yellow balls and two black balls on the far side of the field which may be scored by either alliance.
1999 Double Trouble
Points are scored by positioning “floppies,” robots, and the “puck” on the playing field. Floppies are light weight, pillow-like objects with Velcro-loop material located in the center and around the perimeter. Each alliance has ten color coded floppies located on the playing field and at the player stations.
At the end of each two minute match, points are awarded as follows: Each two-team alliance will receive one point for each of its floppies that is at least 2” over and not touching the playing field surface, and less than eight feet above the surface if the playing field. Each alliance will receive three points for each of its floppies eight feet or higher over the surface of the playing field. Any robot that climbs onto the puck will multiply its alliance’s score by three.
1998 Ladder Logic:
In two minutes matches, the three robots and human players score points by placing the balls onto the side goals or into the central goal. The balls are color-coded to identify team ownership. A human player, located outside the perimeter of the field, is allowed to hand balls to the robot or throw balls directly at the goals.
1997 Toroid Terror:
In two minute matches, the three robots and human players score points by placing the inner tubes onto pegs in the goal, or around the top of the goal. The tubes are color coded to identify team ownership. Human players are not allowed onto the field, but they may hand tubes to the robots or throw tubes directly onto the goal.
1996 Hexagon Havoc:
In two minute matches, the three robots, with their human partners, score points by placing the balls in the central goal. The balls may be carried, pushed or thrown into the goal by the robots. The human players are not allowed on the playing field as they are seat-belted down at their stations, but they may score points by throwing ball(s) into the central goal. Points are awarded for balls located in the central goal at the conclusion of each two minute match.
1995 Ramp N’ Roll:
In two minute matches, three robots race down a 30-foot raceway, over a speed bump just wide enough for two to pass through, to retrieve their 24” and 30” vinyl balls. To score, they must carry the ball(s) back up the raceway and push or shoot the ball over a nine-foot field goal from either the playing floor or a raised platform area, all the while trying to keep their opponents from scoring. Teams may score more than once with each ball – the smaller ball is worth two points and the larger ball is worth three points.
1994 Tower Power:
Contestants attempt to place as many of their soccer balls possible inside one of two goals. In each match, three-team alliances compete to place 12 balls of their team color inside either the high goal, worth 3 points, or in the low goal, worth one point per ball. The winner is the team that has the highest total point value of soccer balls within the two goals at the end of the two minute match. In the case of a tie, the team with more balls in the upper goal wins.
1993 Rug Rage:
Four contestants vie in a round to see who can collect the highest point value total of tennis balls, return to home base, and defend their cache successfully. Each round is two minutes long. The game is played on a 16’ X 16’ square playing arena covered with 1-1/2” layer of whole corn kernels.
1992 Maize Craze
Contestants attempt to collect balls from either the playing field or their opponents’ goals, place them in their own goals, and defend them. There are five large air-filled kick balls each worth five points, and twenty smaller water-filled balls worth one point each. The winner is the team with the highest total point value of balls within their foal at the conclusion of a two minute match. In the case of a tie, the team with the most large balls wins. If still a tie, the team which collected their balls first wins.
FIRST robotics Team 126 