The F.I.R.S.T robotics competition involves a new challenge every year. This keeps it challenging for both returning and rookie teams. This year, robots can stack and/or move plastic bins into scoring positions. The playing field is made up of two alliance scoring zones at either end of the field and a double sided ramp in the center of the playing field. The game begins with a 10-second period in which human players can come on to the field and stack containers (totes) in their scoring zone anyway they'd like. Then, robots operate in an autonomous mode for 15 seconds in which the robot either depends on programs written before hand, or sensors, but no driver control. There are four robots on the playing field, two robots for each alliance. After the autonomous mode ends, the robots can be operated by the driver (kind of like driving a remote control car, but more complex, and a lot more expensive). Robots can either stack the "totes" in their scoring zone, knock the stack of 19 totes on the platform off into their scoring zone, or sabotage the other team's stacks. When the game is over (2 minutes), the scoring is based on the number of "totes" in your scoring zone (not including the totes in the highest stack), multiplied by the amount of "totes" in your highest stack. For example, if the red alliance has 3 totes in their scoring field, and the tallest stack in their zone contains 4 totes, they get a score of twelve. However, if a robot can make it onto the platform in the middle of the playing field, and stay there until the very end of the match, that alliance gets an extra 25 points. Now hold on a second. This isn't battle bots. To prevent alliances viciously attacking each other, the alliance who wins the round gets 2 times the other alliances score plus their own as qualifying points. So, if alliance A steals all the totes and puts them into their scoring zone, emptying the opponents scoring zone, and somehow keeps Alliance B's robot from getting onto the platform, they win the match. But, since their opponents score is a zero, they get two times that score (zero) plus their own points. This is a lot less then they could have earned. This keeps the students on their toes. Teams now have to consider strategy, and they can't just clobber the other alliance.

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