Section 5 - The Event

Overview

The VEX IQ Robotics Competition consists of Teamwork Matches, Robot Skills Matches, and optional judging. This section describes how Teamwork Matches and Robot Skills Matches are to be played at a given event.

Awards may be given to top Teams in each format, as applicable. Awards may also be given for overall performance in the judged criteria.

Tournament Rules

<T1> Head Referees have ultimate and final authority on all gameplay and Robot ruling decisions during the competition. Head Referees are the only individuals permitted to explain a rule, Disqualification, or Violation to the Teams in a Teamwork Match.

1. Scorekeeper Referees score the Match, and may serve as observers or advisers for the Head Referees, but may not determine any Violations directly.
2. When issuing a Disqualification or Violation to a Team, the Head Referee should attempt to notify the Team as the Violation occurs, and after the Match must provide the rule number of the specific rule that has been Violated and record the Violation in the Match Anomaly Log.
3. Event Partners may not overrule a Head Referee’s gameplay or Robot decisions.
4. Every Qualification Match and Finals Match must be watched by a certified Head Referee. A Head Referee may only watch one Match at a time; if multiple Matches are happening simultaneously on separate Fields, each Field must have its own Head Referee.
5. At a minimum, every Robot Skills Match must be watched by a trained Scorekeeper Referee, who may only watch one Match at a time. If multiple Robot Skills Matches are happening simultaneously on separate Fields, each Field must have its own Scorekeeper Referee. A certified Head Referee must be available at the event to explain a rule, Disqualification, Violation, or other penalty to Teams in Robot Skills Matches as needed in support of the Scorekeeper Referees at skills Fields.
6. Head Referees must follow the rules in this game manual and the Q&A, and must make rulings consistent with the intent of the game manual and Q&A.
7. Referees are not permitted to review any photo or video Match recordings when determining a score or ruling.

<T2> Head Referees must be qualified. VEX IQ Head Referees must have all of the following qualifications:

1. Be at least 16 years of age.
2. Be approved by the Event Partner.
3. Be a certified VEX IQ Robotics CompetitionHead Referee for the current season.
4. Cannot be the Event Partner or a Judge Advisor for the event.

Caution

Note: Scorekeeper Referees must be at least 15 years of age, and must be approved by the Event Partner.

<T3> The Drive Team Members are permitted to immediately appeal the Head Referee’s ruling. If Drive Team Members wish to dispute a score or ruling, they must stay in the Driver Station until the Head Referee talks with them. The Head Referee may then choose to meet with the Drive Team Members at another location and/or at a later time so that the Head Referee has time to reference materials or resources to help with the decision.

Once the Head Referee announces that their decision has been made final, the issue is over and no more appeals may be made (see rule T1); failure to accept this final decision may be considered a G1 Violation. There is no system or opportunity for an appeal of the Head Referee’s final decision, either at or after the event.

1. Referees are not permitted to review any photo or video Match recordings when determining a score or ruling. Some events may also prohibit Drive Team Members from reviewing photo or video Match recordings while in the Driver Station; this should be announced to all Teams before Matches start.
2. Head Referees are the only individuals permitted to explain a rule, Disqualification, or Violation to the Teams in a Teamwork Match. Teams should never consult other field personnel, including Scorekeeper Referees, regarding a ruling clarification.

Communication and conflict resolution skills are an important life skill for Students to practice and learn. In the VEX IQ Robotics Competition, we expect Students to practice proper conflict resolution using the proper chain of command. Violations of this rule may be considered a Violation of G1

<T4> The Event Partner has ultimate authority regarding all non-gameplay decisions during an event. The Game Manual is intended to provide a set of rules for successfully playing VEX IQ Robotics Competition Level Up; it is not intended to be an exhaustive compilation of guidelines for running a VEX IQ Robotics Competition event. Rules such as, but not limited to, the following examples are at the discretion of the Event Partner and should be treated with the same respect as this Game Manual:

• Venue access
• Pit spaces and access
• Health and safety
• Team registration and/or competition eligibility
• Team conduct away from competition Fields

Caution

This rule exists alongside G1, S1, and G3. Even though there isn’t a rule that says “do not steal from the concession stand,” it would still be within an Event Partner’s authority to remove a thief from the competition.

<T5> Be prepared for minor field variance. Field Element tolerances and Scoring Object positions may vary from nominal by up to ±0.5” [12.7mm], unless otherwise specified. Teams are encouraged to design their Robots accordingly. Please make sure to check Appendix A for more specific nominal dimensions and tolerances.

Caution

The Field and Field Elements are designed to be assembled and disassembled multiple times each year. Event Partners store and transport Fields between events, and the individuals setting up the Field at one event may differ from those at the next. While every effort will be made to ensure minimal variance, Teams should expect that any Field may be slightly different than another, and prepare accordingly. Just because something works on one Field does not fully guarantee it will work on the next, and is not enough evidence alone to determine if a Field is out of tolerance.

<T6> Fields and Field Elements may be repaired at the Event Partner’s discretion. All competition Fields and other Field Elements at an event must be set up in accordance with the specifications in Appendix A and/or other applicable support materials. Minor aesthetic customizations or repairs are permitted, provided that they do not impact gameplay (see T4).

Examples of permissible modifications include, but are not limited to:

• Replacing a damaged or missing VEX IQ component with an identical part of any color
• Elevating the playing Field off of the floor (common heights are 10” to 24” [254mm to 609.6mm])
• Using off-the-shelf PVC to replace a damaged or missing pipe
• Small markings on Field Elements and Scoring Objects to identify ownership
• Placing Field display monitors outside of the Field walls
• Adding decorations to the outside of the Field walls or risers (e.g., LED lights, sponsor banners)
• Using 0x2 or 0x3 Pins fully inserted into tiles to mark Bean Bag starting locations for field reset. Using colored pins that match the corresponding Bean Bags is recommended but not required
• Repairing a Bean Bag that has been ripped open by sewing it back together
• Using clear packing tape to repair damaged Pyramid Goal or L4 Goal plastic sheets

Modifications that may impact Robot functionality and/or how the game is played are generally not allowed. Examples of prohibited modifications include, but are not limited to:

• Unofficial Field Floor and/or walls, additional structural elements inside of the Field, or unofficial/replica Field Elements
• Significant/large markings on Scoring Objects that could positively or negatively affect Robot sensors

Any specific repairs and/or modifications which pertain to the current season’s game will be documented in this rule and Appendix A, as needed.

<T7> Fields at an event must be consistent with each other. There are many types of permissible aesthetic and/or logistical modifications that may be made to competition Fields at the Event Partner’s discretion (see T6). If an event has multiple Teamwork Match Fields, they must all incorporate the same permissible modifications. If an event has multiple Robot Skills Match Fields, they must all incorporate the same permissible/applicable modifications. For example, if one Teamwork Match Field is elevated, then all Teamwork Match Fields must be elevated to the same height.

Caution

Note: If an event has dedicated Fields for Robot Skills Matches, there is no requirement for them to have the same consistent modifications as the Teamwork Match Fields. See T16 for more details.

<T8> Qualification Matches will occur according to the official Match schedule. This schedule will indicate Alliance partners, Qualification Match times, and, if the event has multiple Fields, which Field each Qualification Match will be played on.

1. Practice Matches may be included in the Match Schedule at some events, but are not required. If Practice Matches are run, every effort must be made to equalize practice time for all Teams.
2. A Qualification Match can only start before its scheduled time if all Teams, Robots, and assigned volunteers are at the Field and ready to play.
3. Any multi-division event must be approved by VEX Robotics prior to the event, and divisions must be assigned in sequential order by Team number.
4. The official Match Schedule is subject to changes at the Event Partner’s discretion. Events should generally wait to generate the Match Schedule until all Teams have checked in and passed Robot inspection, or when it has been confirmed that Teams will not be participating.
5. If a Team must be removed from the Finals Match schedule after Finals Alliances have been formed (see T12B), the Event Partner can use the full-event Disqualification feature in TM to remove that Team from their scheduled Finals Match. Their spot in the Finals Alliance will be filled manually by the Event Partner by the next-highest-ranked Team that is not already in a Finals Alliance. If that Team is unavailable or unwilling to participate, the Event Partner can manually select the next-highest-ranked and available Team. If no replacement Team is available, the remaining half of that Alliance will play alone.

<T9> Each Team will be scheduled Qualification Matches as follows.

1. A Tournament must include a minimum of six Qualification Matches per Team at local qualifying events or eight Qualification Matches per Team at a Championship event.
2. A league must include at least three league ranking sessions, with at least one week between sessions. Each session must include a minimum of two Qualification Matches per Team at that session. The suggested number of Qualification Matches per Team for a standard league ranking session is four. Event Partners may also choose to have Qualification Matches as part of their league finals session.

<T10> Teams are ranked by their average Qualification Match scores.

1. When in a Tournament, every Team will be ranked based on the same number of Qualification Matches.
2. For Tournaments that have more than one division, Teams will be ranked among all Teams in their specific division.
3. When in a league, every Team will be ranked based on the number of Matches played. Teams that participate in less than 60% of the total Matches available will be ranked below Teams that participate in at least 60% of the total Matches available (e.g., if the league offers 3 ranking sessions with 4 Qualification Matches per Team, Teams that participate in 8 or more Matches will be ranked higher than Teams who participate in 7 or fewer Matches). Being a no-show to a Match that a Team is scheduled in still constitutes participation for these calculations.
4. A certain number of a Team’s lowest Qualification Match scores will be excluded from the rankings based on the quantity of Qualification Matches each Team plays. Excluded scores do not affect participation for leagues. “No show” Matches, as described in GG2, are not considered lowest scores for the purposes of calculating a Team’s Qualification Match ranking and will never be excluded from the calculation.
5. In some cases, a Team will be asked to play an additional Qualification Match. The extra Match will be identified on the Match Schedule with an asterisk and will not impact the Team’s ranking (or participation for leagues). Teams are reminded that G1 is always in effect and Teams are expected to behave as if the additional Qualification Match counted.

Number of Qualification Matches per Team	Number of excluded Match scores
4-7	1
8-11	2
12-15	3
16+	4

<T11> Qualification Match tiebreakers. In the case of tied scores, Team rankings are determined throughout Qualification Matches by:

1. Removing the Team’s lowest score and comparing the new average score.
2. Removing the Team’s next lowest score and comparing the new average score (on through all scores).
3. If the Teams are still tied, the Teams will be sorted by random electronic draw.

<T12> How Alliances are formed for Teamwork Matches. During each Teamwork Match, two (2) Teams form an Alliance that will play on the Field.

1. Qualification Match Alliances are randomly assigned by the tournament software.
2. Finals Match Alliances are assigned as follows based on Teams’ rankings after all Qualification Matches have concluded (see T10):
   1. The first- and second-ranked Teams form an Alliance.
   2. The third- and fourth-ranked Teams form an Alliance.
   3. And so on, until all Teams participating in Finals Matches (see T13) have formed an Alliance.
3. If a Team must be removed from the Finals Match schedule after Finals Alliances have been formed (see T12B), the Event Partner can use the full-event Disqualification feature in TM to remove that Team from their scheduled Finals Match. Their spot in the Finals Alliance will be filled manually by the Event Partner by the next-highest-ranked Team that is not already in a Finals Alliance. If that Team is unavailable or unwilling to participate, the Event Partner can manually select the next-highest-ranked and available Team. If no replacement Team is available, the remaining half of that Alliance will play alone.

<T13> Teams playing in Finals Matches. The number of Finals Matches, and therefore the number of Teams who will participate in Finals Matches, is determined by the Event Partner. Events that qualify Teams directly to the VEX Robotics World Championship must have a minimum of five Finals Matches per division if there are ten or more Teams in attendance.

<T14> Finals Match Schedule. Finals Matches are played sequentially, starting with the lowest-ranked Alliance. Each Alliance will participate in one Finals Match. The Alliance with the highest Finals Match score is the Teamwork Champions.

1. Alliances are ranked by their Finals Match score. The highest-scoring Alliance is in first place, the second-highest-scoring Alliance is in second place, etc.
2. Ties for first place will result in a series of tiebreaker Finals Matches, starting with the lower-seeded Alliance. The Alliance with the highest tiebreaker Finals Match score will be declared the Teamwork Champions.
   1. If the tiebreaker Finals Match scores are tied, the Alliance with the higher Match Stop Time will be declared the winner.
   2. If the Match Stop Time is also tied, a second series of tiebreaker Finals Matches will be played. If this second series of tiebreaker Finals Match is also tied, then the higher-seeded Alliance will be declared the winner.
3. If there is a tie for a place other than first, the higher-seeded Alliance will receive the higher rank.
4. For Tournaments that have more than one division, each division will have its own set of Finals Matches. The winners of each division will then have an overall event Finals.

<T15> Skills Match Schedule. Teams play Robot Skills Matches on a first-come, first-served basis. Each Team will get the opportunity to play exactly three Driving Skills Matches and three Autonomous Coding Skills Matches at each Tournament and/or League Session.

Teams should review the event agenda and their Match Schedule to determine when the best possible time is to complete their Robot Skills Matches. If the Robot Skills Match area closes before a Team has completed all six Robot Skills Matches, but it is determined that there was adequate time given, then the Team will automatically forfeit those unused Matches.

1. Robot Skills Matches are only available to Teams who participate in Qualification Matches, unless the event is an approved Skills-Only Event. Teams who participate in Qualification Matches during a specific League Ranking Session are the only Teams who can participate in Robot Skills Matches at that session.
2. Skills scores recorded by ineligible Teams will be deleted from Tournament Manager before the event is finalized on events.vex.com.

<T16> There is no requirement that Robot Skills Match fields have the same consistent modifications as the Teamwork fields. For example, there is no requirement that Robot Skills Match Fields are elevated to the same height as Teamwork Match Fields.

In order to use non-conforming Teamwork Match Fields for Robot Skills Matches (e.g. during lunch), the following steps should be taken:

• Teams must be informed that the Teamwork Match Fields may have some differences from the Robot Skills Match Fields (e.g., they might be elevated).
• Teams must be given an opportunity to select which type of Field they want to use, i.e. they cannot be required to use a Teamwork Field for any Robot Skills Match.

<T17> Skills Rankings at events. Teams will be ranked at an event based on the following scores and tiebreakers:

1. Sum of highest Autonomous Coding Skills Match score and highest Driving Skills Match Score.
2. Highest Autonomous Coding Skills Match score.
3. Second-highest Autonomous Coding Skills Match score.
4. Second-highest Driving Skills Match score.
5. Highest sum of Skills Stop Times from a Team’s highest Autonomous Coding Skills Match and highest Driving Skills Match (i.e., the Matches in point 1).
6. Highest Skills Stop Time from a Team’s highest Autonomous Coding Skills Match (i.e., the Match in point 2).
7. Third-highest Autonomous Coding Skills Match score.
8. Third-highest Driving Skills Match score.
9. If the tie cannot be broken after all above criteria (i.e., both Teams have the exact same scores and Skills Stop Times for each Autonomous Coding Skills Match and Driving Skills Match), then the following ordered criteria will be used to determine which Team had the “best” Autonomous Coding Skills Match:
   1. Points for Bean Bags on the L4 Goal.
   2. Points for Bean Bags in the L3 Goal.
   3. Points for Bean Bags in the L2 Goal.
10. If the tie still cannot be broken, the same process in the step above will be applied to the Teams’ highest Driving Skills Matches.
11. If the tie still isn’t broken, the Event Partner may choose to allow Teams to have one more deciding Match, or both Teams may be declared the winner.

<T18> Skills Rankings globally. Teams are ranked based on their Robot Skills scores from Tournaments and Leagues that upload results to events.vex.com, according to the following tiebreakers.

1. Highest Robot Skills score (combined Autonomous Coding Skills Match and Driving Skills Match Score from a single event).
2. Highest Autonomous Coding Skills Match score (from any event).
3. Highest sum of Skills Stop Times from the Robot Skills Matches used for point 1.
4. Highest Skills Stop Time from the Autonomous Coding Skills Match used for point 2.
5. Highest Driving Skills Match score (from any event).
6. Highest Skills Stop Time from the Driving Skills Match score used in point 5.
7. Earliest posting of the highest Autonomous Coding Skills Match score. The first Team to post a score ranks ahead of other Teams that post the same score at a later time, all else being equal.
8. Earliest posting of the highest Driving Skills Match score. The first Team to post a score ranks ahead of other Teams that post the same score at a later time, all else being equal.

<T19> Robot Skills at League Events. At league events in which Teams may submit Robot Skills Challenge scores across multiple sessions, the Robot Skills scores (combined highest Autonomous Coding Skills Match and Driving Skills Match scores) used for rankings will be calculated from Matches within the same session.

For example, consider the following scores for a hypothetical Team across two league event sessions:

	Autonomous Coding Skills Match	Driving Skills Match	Robot Skills Score
Session 1	25	45	70
Session 2	30	42	72

This Team would have a Robot Skills score of 72 for this event’s rankings, and their scores from Session 2 would be used for the event and global tiebreakers listed in T17 and T18.