Manual revision 09/29/2022
Rules are subject to change. Pay attention to team announcements to make sure you are up to date with the latest versions. If you are unsure about a rule, ask a Mentor for clarifaction.
The 2022 offseason game is designed to be a simple game about scoring 7" yellow foam balls into your teams goal. The game will be played in a one-on-one match style, including 15 seconds of autonomous and 2:15 of teleoperated play.
During the 15 second Autonomous Period, robots follow pre-programmed instructions. Teams score points by: - Crossing from the starting zone to the traversal zone - Scoring balls in the goal
During the remaining 2 minutes 15 seconds, drivers control their robots to score by shooting additional balls into the teams goal.
The team with the most total points at the end of the match wins.
The game field will consist of several zones: - Driver’s stations - Starting zone - Traversal zone - Goal - Human player relay zone - Human player station
A CAD file is available to obtain accurate dimensions of the FIELD elements.
The STARTING ZONE consists of the half of the field closest to the driver stations. Each team has thier own STARTING ZONE, divided down the midline of the field.
The TRAVERSAL ZONE consists of the half of the field further from the driver stations. Each team has thier own TRAVERSAL ZONE, divided down the midline of the field. six (6) BALLS will be dispersed randomly in each half of the TRAVERSAL ZONE at the start of the match.
The Goal is positioned directly opposite the driver station side and hase one goal for each alliance. The diameter of the goal is 18 inches and the center point is 4 feet from the ground.
This area is located directly behind the GOAL of each team, and is where BALLS are scored and returned to play via the Human player station. Each team may have one (1) relayer.
All balls introduced by each team will come throught the human player station ramp. once a ball is scored by a team, the relayer may bring it back to the human player station to be reintroduced. At the start of a match, 3 balls will be in the Human player station for each team.
Twenty-four (24) BALLS are staged as follows: - Six (6) balls on each half of the TRAVERSAL ZONE. These balls will be randomly placed. - Three (3) balls per team in each Human player station. - Up to three (3) balls in each ROBOT. - Any balls not placed in ROBOTS will go to the respective team’s human player station.
Robots may start anywhere within their STARTING ZONE where their BUMPERS are fully contained within thier half.
DRIVERS, COACHES, RELAYERS, and HUMAN PLAYERS must stay at least 3 feet back from all field components except for one (1) individual DRIVER to press the start button on their DRIVER STATION computer.
Once the end of autonomous period is ended by the signal from the DRIVER STATION computers, human DRIVERS may pick up the controls and begin teleoperated play. RELAYERS and HUMAN PLAYERS may start to introduce BALLS into the field.
Point values are as follows:
| Scoring method | During… | Point Value |
|---|---|---|
| Crossing to the TRAVERSAL ZONE | Autonomous | 5 |
| Scoring a BALL in the GOAL | Autonomous | 4 |
| Scoring a BALL in the GOAL | Teleop | 2 |
| Earning a PENALTY | Any | -2 |
| Earning a RED CARD | - | Loss of MATCH |
Each team may have the following drive team members: | Role | Quantity | Qualification |— |— |— | DRIVER | 2 | At least one (1) rookie team member | HUMAN PLAYER | 1 | Any student | RELAYER | 1 | Any student | COACH | 1 | Any vetran team member
BALLS that leave the FIELD are placed back into the FIELD approximately at the point of exit by FIELD STAFF (REFEREES, FTAS, or other staff working around the FIELD) at the earliest safe opportunity.
An ARENA FAULT is not called for MATCHES that accidentally begin with an incorrect number of, incorrectly positioned, or damaged BALLS. Damaged BALLS are not replaced until the next ARENA reset period. DRIVE TEAMS should alert the FIELD STAFF to any missing or damaged BALLS prior to the start of the MATCH. Once the MATCH is over and the Head REFEREE determines that the FIELD is safe for FIELD STAFF and DRIVE TEAMS, humans will be allowed on the field to prepare for the next match.
In addition to the two minutes and thirty seconds (2:30) of game play, each MATCH also has pre- and post-MATCH time for setup and reset of the ARENA. During ARENA reset, the ARENA is cleared of ROBOTS and OPERATOR CONSOLES from the MATCH that just ended. The ROBOTS and OPERATOR CONSOLES for the subsequent MATCH are loaded into the ARENA by DRIVE TEAMS at this time. FIELD STAFF also use this time to reset ARENA elements and BALLS.
Safety is always paramount, and each rule below is intended to establish norms that will mitigate injury risk to all participants.
Coaches and Adult Mentors have the final decision authority for all safety-related issues within the venue.
A break in any of the following rules will result in a PENALTY of minus two (-2) points per infraction.
Balls may only be introduced into the field via the human player station.
No more than three (3) BALLS at a time. ROBOTS may not have greater-than-momentary CONTROL of more than three (3) BALLS at a time, either directly or transitively through other objects.
Keep BALLS in bounds. ROBOTS may not intentionally eject BALLS from the FIELD other than through the GOAL.
BALLS: use as directed. ROBOTS may not deliberately use BALLS in an attempt to ease or amplify the challenge associated with FIELD elements.
No hoarding: A team may never have more than six (6) balls between thier Human player relay zone and Human player station
Damaging other ROBOTS, not allowed. Regardless of intent, a ROBOT may not initiate direct contact inside the vertical projection of an opponent ROBOT’S FRAME PERIMETER that damages or functionally impairs the opponent ROBOT.
No pinning. A ROBOT is PINNING if it is preventing the movement of an opponent ROBOT by contact, either direct or transitive (such as against a FIELD element). (If egregious, Red Card)
Don’t tear others down to lift yourself up. ROBOT actions that appear to be deliberate to a REFEREE and that cause damage or inhibition via attaching, tipping, or entangling to an opponent ROBOT are not allowed.
Stay out of other ROBOTS. A ROBOT with a COMPONENT(S) outside its FRAME PERIMETER, other than BUMPERS, may not initiate direct contact with an opponent ROBOT inside the vertical projection of its FRAME PERIMETER using that COMPONENT.
Asking other teams to throw a MATCH – not cool. A team may not encourage another team to play beneath its ability. (Red Card)
Don’t expect to gain by doing others harm. Strategies clearly aimed at forcing the opponent team to violate a rule are not in the spirit of FIRST Robotics Competition and not allowed. Rule violations forced in this manner will not result in an assignment of a penalty to the targeted team.
You can’t bring/use anything you want. The only equipment that may be brought to the ARENA and used by DRIVE TEAMS during a MATCH is listed below. Regardless if equipment fits criteria below, it may not be employed in a way that breaks any other rules, introduces a safety hazard, blocks visibility for FIELD STAFF or audience members, or jams or interferes with the remote sensing capabilities of another team or the FIELD. - the OPERATOR CONSOLE, - non-powered signaling devices, - reasonable decorative items, - special clothing and/or equipment required due to a disability, - devices used solely for planning or tracking strategy, - devices used solely to record gameplay, - non-powered Personal Protective Equipment (examples include, but aren’t limited to, gloves, eye protection, and hearing protection)
Items brought to the ARENA under the above allowances beyond the OPERATOR CONSOLE must meet all of the following conditions: - do not connect or attach to the OPERATOR CONSOLE, FIELD, or ARENA - do not connect or attach to another ALLIANCE member (other than items in category G) - do not communicate with anything or anyone outside of the ARENA - do not include any form of enabled wireless electronic communication - do not in any way affect the outcome of a MATCH, other than by allowing the DRIVE TEAM to plan or track strategy for the purposes of communication of that strategy to other ALLIANCE members or - use items allowed to communicate with the ROBOT.
Any additional ROBOT construction rules will default to rules as listed in FIRST 2020 INFINTE RECHARGE manual section 9.
The 2022 offseason competition has the following additional device restrictions:
A ROBOT may have no more than: - One (1) powered CIM motor per drivetrain side. - Five (5) Talon SRX motor controllers. - One (1) Spark MAX motor controllers. - One (1) CIM motor not connected to the drive train.
A ROBOT may have no less than: - Three (3) Talon SRX motor controllers, connected to motors. - One (1) Spark MAX motor controllers, connected to a motor.
A ROBOT may not have ANY: - CTRE Falcon 500 motor/motor controller combos.