Compare "Appendix C - Glossary of Terms": v1.0 → v2.1
Adult - Anyone who is not a Student or another defined term (e.g., Head Referee).
Alliance - A pre-assigned grouping of two Teams that are paired together during a given Teamwork Match.
Alliance Score - Points scored in a Teamwork Match that are awarded to both Teams.
Autonomous Coding Skills Match - see Match.
Autonomous Period - A time period during which Robots operate and react only to sensor inputs and/or commands pre-programmed by the Students into the Robot control system.
Bean Bag - see Scoring Object.
Builder - Any Student Team member who helps build the Robot. Adults are permitted to teach Builders associated concepts, but should never work on the Robot.
Coder - Any Student Team member who contributes to the code that is downloaded onto the Robot. Adults are permitted to teach Coders associated concepts, but should never work on the code that goes on the Robot.
Designer - Any Student Team member who helps design the Robot to be built for competition. Adults are permitted to teach Designers associated concepts, but should never work on the design of the Robot.
Disablement - A penalty applied to a Team for a safety Violation. During a Disablement, a Team is no longer allowed to operate their Robot, and the Drivers will be asked to place their controller down. A Disablement is not the same as a Disqualification.
Disqualification - A penalty applied to a Team for a Major Violation (see GG6 for more details). If a Team receives a Disqualification in a Match, the Head Referee will notify the Team of their Violation at the end of the Match. At the Head Referee’s discretion, repeated Violations and/or Disqualifications for a single Team may lead to its Disqualification for the entire event.
Driver - A Student Team member who stands in the Driver Station and is responsible for operating and controlling that Team’s Robot during defined segments of a Match. Up to two Team members may fulfill this role in a given Match (see GG1), and there is no requirement that the same Students serve as Drivers in multiple Matches.
Driver Controlled Period - A time period during which Drivers operate their Robot using a VEX IQ controller.
Driver Station - A region beside the Field where the Drivers must remain during their Match unless legally interacting with their Robot. The Driver Stations are represented by the red and blue lines in Figure FO-3.
Removed: Version 1.0 (Old)
Drive Team Members - The two Drivers and one Loader who participate in a given Match as representatives of their Team. No Student may fill more than one role on a Drive Team in the same Match.
Added: Version 2.1 (New)
Drive Team Members - The Students who serve as Drivers and/or Loaders for their Team in a given Match.
Driving Skills Match - see Match.
Event Partner - The volunteer VEX IQ Robotics Competition Tournament coordinator who serves as an overall manager for the volunteers, venue, event materials, and all other event considerations.
Field - The entire playing Field, being six (6) Field tiles wide by eight (8) Field tiles long (totaling forty-eight (48) Field tiles), including the Field Perimeter.
Field Element - The Field Perimeter, Floor, PVC pipes, and VEX IQ pieces which comprise and/or are attached to the Field.
Field Perimeter - The outer part of the Field, made up of four (4) outside corners and twenty-four (24) straight sections.
Finals Match - see Match.
Floor - The interior flat part of the playing Field, made up of the forty-eight (48) Field tiles that are within the Field Perimeter.
Removed: Version 1.0 (Old)
Game Design Committee (GDC) - The creators of VEX IQ Level Up, and authors of this Game Manual. The Game Design Committee is the only official source for rules clarifications and Q&A responses; see Section 1.
Goal - A location inside the Field where Scoring Objects can be placed to earn points. There are multiple types of Goal in VEX IQ Level Up:
-
Floor Goal - A segment of the Floor on the short end of the Field. Each Floor Goal is bordered by the inside of the Field Perimeter and the inside edges of the VEX IQ pieces connected to the Floor. Each Floor Goal has a color, red or blue, determined by its VEX IQ pieces.
Added: Version 2.1 (New)
Game Design Committee (GDC) - The creators of VEX IQ Robotics Competition Level Up, and authors of this Game Manual. The Game Design Committee is the only official source for rules clarifications and Q&A responses; see Section 1.
Goal - A location inside the Field where Scoring Objects can be placed to earn points. There are multiple types of Goal in VEX IQ Robotics Competition Level Up:
- Floor Goal - An infinitely tall three-dimensional volume that is bounded by the outside edge of the red/blue IQ beams connected to the Floor, the outside edge of the Field Perimeter, the inside edge of the gray IQ beam connected to the Floor, and the vertical face of the adjacent L1 Goal. (See Figure G-1.) Each Floor Goal has a color, red or blue, determined by the color of the VEX IQ parts within its boundaries.
- Pyramid Goal - A three-level structure in a corner of the Field. Each Pyramid Goal consists of three Goals of graduating size, designated by horizontal gray surfaces marked as L1, L2, or L3. Each Pyramid Goal has a color, red or blue, determined by the color of its vertical surfaces.
- L1 Goal - The lowest Goal in a Pyramid Goal; labeled as L1 on its surface.
- L2 Goal - The middle Goal in a Pyramid Goal, labeled as L2 on its surface.
- L3 Goal - The highest Goal in a Pyramid Goal, labeled as L3 on its surface; includes a backstop aligned with the long side of the Field.
- L4 Goal - The horizontal gray surface labeled as L4, located at the top of a vertical structure built from PVC pipe and VEX IQ pieces. L4 Goals do not have a defined color.
Removed: Version 1.0 (Old)
Added: Version 2.1 (New)
Figure G-1: The blue Floor Goal (highlighted in green).
Figure G-2: The red Pyramid Goal, including a red L1 Goal, red L2 Goal, and red L3 Goal.
Figure G-3: An L4 Goal.
Head Referee - A certified impartial volunteer responsible for enforcing the rules in this manual as written. Head Referees are the only people who may discuss ruling interpretations or scoring questions with Teams at an event. Large events (e.g., Signature Events, World Championships, etc.) might include multiple Head Referees at the Event Partner’s discretion.
License Plate - A physical component on the Robot that displays the Team’s VEX IQ Robotics Competition number. Each License Plate must have a length and height of 3.5” x 1.5” (88.9mm x 38.1mm) and must not exceed a width of 0.25” (6.35mm) per R4.
Load - The act of legally introducing a Scoring Object into the Field. See SG7.
Removed: Version 1.0 (Old)
Load Zone - A segment of the Floor on a short end of the Field. Each Load Zone is bordered by the inside of the Field Perimeter and the inside edges of the VEX IQ pieces connected to the Floor. Each Floor Goal has a color, red or blue, determined by its VEX IQ pieces. The Load Zone is intended to receive Scoring Objects from a human Loader.
Figure LZ-1: The red Load Zone (highlighted in green).
Added: Version 2.1 (New)
Load Zone - An area bounded by the outside edge of the red/blue IQ beams connected to the Floor, the inside edge of the gray IQ beam connected to the Floor, and the inside edges of the Field Perimeter. Each Load Zone has a color, red or blue, determined by the color of the VEX IQ parts within its boundaries. The Load Zone is intended to receive Scoring Objects from a human Loader.
Match - A set time period, consisting of Autonomous Periods and/or Driver Controlled Periods, during which Teams play a defined version of Level Up to earn points. See Sections 2 & 3.
Match types:
- Autonomous Coding Skills Match - A Robot Skills Match in which a single Robot operates during a one minute Autonomous Period. There is no Driver Controlled Period. Teams can elect to end an Autonomous Coding Skills Match early if they wish to record a Skills Stop Time.
- Driving Skills Match - A Robot Skills Match in which one Team operates their Robot during a one minute Driver Controlled Period. There is no Autonomous Period. Teams can elect to end a Driving Skills Match early as described in rule RSC8 if they wish to record a Skills Stop Time.
- Finals Match - A Teamwork Match used to determine the Teamwork Champions. See rule T14.
- Practice Match - A non-scored Match used to provide time for Teams to get acquainted with the official playing Field and procedures. Head Referees should not record or track standard gameplay Violations that occur during Practice Matches. Egregious Violations may be recorded and tracked at the discretion of the Head Referee.
- Qualification Match - A Teamwork Match that is used to determine Teams’ rankings for Finals Matches.
- Robot Skills Match - A Driving Skills Match or Autonomous Coding Skills Match.
- Teamwork Match - A Match that consists of a two-Team Alliance that works together to score points in a one-minute Match. Qualification Matches, Finals Matches, and optional Practice Matches are Teamwork Matches.
| Match Type | Participants | Autonomous Period (m:ss) | Driver Controlled Period (m:ss) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Teamwork Match | One Alliance, on one Field, made up of two Teams, each with one Robot | None | 1:00 |
| Driving Skills Match | One Team, with one Robot | None | 1:00 |
| Autonomous Coding Skills Match | One Team, with one Robot | 1:00 | None |
Match Load - A Scoring Object that begins the Match in a Driver Station and which may be introduced by a Loader during the Match. See SG7 for more information.
Match Schedule - A list of Matches that is generated at the start of an event. The Match Schedule includes the predetermined, randomly-paired Alliances that will be competing in each Qualification Match, and the expected start times for these Matches. The Match Schedule may be subject to change at the Event Partner’s discretion.
Removed: Version 1.0 (Old)
Figure MS-1: An example of a Qualification Match Schedule.
Match Stop Time - The time remaining (i.e., displayed on the timer or audience display) in a tiebreaker Finals Match (which only occurs for 1st place) when an Alliance ends the Match early by placing their controllers on the ground. The Match Stop Time is rounded down to the nearest even number. For example, if controllers are set down when the displayed time is 13 seconds, the Match Stop Time is recorded as 12 seconds. If an Alliance does not finish the Match early, they receive a default Match Stop Time of 0 seconds.
Notebooker - Any Student Team member who contributes to the Team’s engineering notebook or associated documentation. Adults are permitted to teach Notebookers associated concepts, but should never work on the engineering notebook or other documentation.
Removed: Version 1.0 (Old)
Plowing- A Robot / Scoring Object status. A Robot is considered to be Plowing a Scoring Object if the Robot is intentionally moving it in a preferred direction with a flat or convex face of the Robot or with another Scoring Object.
Possession - A Robot / Bean Bag status. A Robot is considered to be Possessing a Bean Bag if a change in the Robot’s direction would result in controlled movement of the Bean Bag. This typically requires at least one of the following to be true:
Added: Version 2.1 (New)
Plowing- A Robot / Scoring Object status. A Robot is considered to be Plowing a Scoring Object if the Robot is intentionally moving it in a preferred direction across the Floor without Possessing the Scoring Object.
Possession - A Robot / Scoring Object status. A Scoring Object is considered Possessed by a Robot if the Scoring Object is fully supported by the Robot, or if the Robot’s movement in all directions would result in maintained control of the Scoring Object (i.e., the Scoring Object moves along with the Robot as the Robot turns and moves forward, backward, left, and right).
The difference between Possession and Plowing is analogous to the difference between the terms “controlling” and “moving”.
Practice Match - see Match.
Preload - A Scoring Object that begins the Match in contact with a Robot. See SG5.
Qualification Match - see Match.
Robot - A machine that has passed inspection, designed by Student Team members to execute one or more tasks autonomously and/or by remote control from Drivers.
Robot Skills Match - see Match.
Scorekeeper Referee - An impartial volunteer responsible for tallying scores at the end of a Match. Scorekeeper Referees do not make ruling interpretations, and should redirect any Team questions regarding rules or scores to the Head Referee.
Removed: Version 1.0 (Old)
Scoring Object - An object that can be placed in a Goal during a Match. There is one type of Scoring Object in VEX IQ Level Up:
Added: Version 2.1 (New)
Scoring Object - An object that can be placed in a Goal during a Match. There is one type of Scoring Object in VEX IQ Robotics Competition Level Up:
- Bean Bag - A blue, red, or yellow rectangular, pellet filled fabric pouch, measuring approximately 3 inches by 4 inches, and weighing approximately 40 grams.
- Blue Bean Bags can be scored in the blue Floor Goal or the blue Pyramid Goal.
- Red Bean Bags can be scored in the red Floor Goal or the red Pyramid Goal.
- Yellow Bean Bags can be scored in any Goal.
Removed: Version 1.0 (Old)
Figure SO-1: Blue, red, and yellow Bean Bags
Skills Stop Time - The time remaining in a Robot Skills Match when a Team ends the Match early. See RSC8 for more details.
Strategist - Any Student Team member who contributes to the Match strategies used to score points during a Teamwork Match or Robot Skills Match, including assessing the impact of other Teams’ performance and strategies on the Team’s strategy (e.g., scouting). Adults are permitted to teach Strategists associated concepts, but should never create or dictate a Team’s Match strategy.
Removed: Version 1.0 (Old)
Student - Anyone born after May 1, 2011 (i.e., who will be 15 or younger at VEX Worlds 2027). Eligibility may also be granted based on a disability that has delayed education by at least one year. Students are the individuals who design, build, repair, and program the Robot with minimal Adult assistance.
Added: Version 2.1 (New)
Student - A person that meets the Student Eligibility Policy requirements for their respective competition program and level.
Team - Three or more Students make up a Team. In the context of this game manual, Student Team members fill multiple roles related to Robot design, build, coding, strategy, and documentation. See G2, G4, G5 for more information. Adults may not fulfill any of these roles. See Appendix E for more information about Team classifications and Student roles.
Teamwork Champions - The two Teams in the Alliance with the highest Finals Match score. See rule T14.
Teamwork Match - see Match.
Tournament - A competition event that includes scored Matches, and which is run by an Event Partner.
Violation - The act of breaking a rule in the game manual. See Appendix D for additional information on Violations and penalties.
- Minor Violation - A Violation which does not result in a Disqualification.
- Major Violation - A Violation which results in a Disqualification.
- Score Affecting - A Violation which improves an Alliance’s score at the end of a Match.