2022-2023 Event: Power Play

The Rules

During the later half of 2022 and the earlier half of 2023, the FIRST Tech Challenge scenario was Power Play, sponsored by Raytheon Technologies. Although the full rule video can be found here, which goes deeper into the rules and also lists ways that can lead to penalties, a brief description of the main goal has been provided in this page.

When the match begins with the 30-second autonomous period, robots can unload a pre-loaded cone as well as any cones they load from the cone stack onto one of the 25 junctions of varying heights, each one worth a certain amount of points depending on its height. For each cone placed on a junction, the number of points granted by that junction will be granted again. If robots are parked in certain taped-off regions of the field, they can end points at the end of the autonomous period.

After this is the tele-op, or as it's called in the video, driver-controlled period. Robots can continue to be driven to place cones on the junctions, and whatever color cone is at the top of a junction grants its alliance "ownership" of that junction and awards a few points, but they will be given to the other alliance if they take ownership of the junction. This is also present in autonomous, and the points lock in after both periods of the game. However if there is a direct, uninterrupted path, or circuit, between the two corners of the field taped off with the same color, using their corresponding alliance's junctions, a large point bonus is awarded, but these points will be deducted if the circuit is broken.

The last 30 seconds of the tele-op period are known as "endgame", where more ways to score points are added. Teams can now place their beacons on the field, and when placed on a junction, grant more points than an ordinary cone, give ownership of the junction, and prevent the other alliance from scoring on that specific junction. However, some robots are unable to pick them up if they fall on their side, and each alliance has only two of them. Again, parking in the same selection of areas as autonomous will score points at the end of the game.

Our Performance

As a team, we attended the Miami University and Wapakoneta High School Qualifiers, and our performances for our first competition were actually very good.

In the Miami University Qualifier, we placed 2nd in the qualification matches, out of 23 teams, being one of only two teams to win every single match. We also won the first match of the semi-finals, although we did not win the other two. We did not receive any awards during this match.

In the Wapakoneta High School Qualifier, we weren't so lucky with alliance selections. Our robot was generally quite dependable, but we placed 16th out of 24 teams, in the bottom half, and we were not chosen for the semifinals. However, we received 3rd place for the Control Award (sponsored by Arm Inc.) and 2nd place for the Think Award, both of which are good awards to be recognized for, especially for a new team.