Robotics Education & Competition Foundation
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Official Q&A: VEX IQ Robotics Competition 2024-2025: Rapid Relay

Usage Guidelines All Questions

2323: When is a ball considered in play?


Molly Seward (Event Partner)
24-Nov-2024

<SG4>The field is defined as 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. The Pickup Zone is defined as the area of the Floor underneath the Goal Wall, bound by the Field Perimeter and the yellow PVC pipe that runs the length of the Field. The Pickup Zone refers to the Floor itself; it is not a 3-dimensional volume. See <SG6> With these two definitions in mind in either teamwork or skills: • A robot scores a ball through the goal, it lands in the pick up zone, which is part of the field. • Another ball is still on the field “in play” SO.. • A loader cannot load a ball through the loading station or in rapid load until the ball in the pick up zone is picked up and off the field otherwise there would be 3 balls on the defined field. Is this correct? It would be helpful if committee defines if there is any part of the field that considers a ball out of play.

<SG4> Using the Loading Station. Balls Loaded through the Loading Station must meet the following criteria:

  1. No more than two (2) Balls may be in play at any one time (i.e., the next Ball should not be Loaded until a previous Ball is either scored or leaves the Field). 2083 - Loaders can load new ball immediately after current ball is Scored

    SG4 seems to support that three balls could be on the field if one of those balls is in the pick up zone

Answered by committee
27-Nov-2024

SG4 seems to support that three balls could be on the field if one of those balls is in the pick up zone

This is correct. The third Ball can be Loaded after one of the two Balls in play has been Scored (i.e., has passed completely through the Goal Wall).