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Official Q&A: VRC 2023-2024: Over Under

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1818: Vex Over Under Match Loading On Raised Fields


9039Z
7-Dec-2023

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We are attending our first signature event next weekend. How you practice directly affects how you play come tournament day. Like most large competitions, signature events, and VEX World Championship, the fields next weekend will be raised above ground. This year the game is highly dependent on introducing field scoring elements from outside of the field by team members. Last year spin-up had some aspect of this, however it was limited and the objects were flat and relatively small. This year is much different. There are significantly more outside field scoring elements, and they are larger.

The Over Under documentation shows field setup illustrations with the tri-balls lined up neatly on each alliance side. For the sake of field re-set time and sanity of match officials and volunteers , many tournaments have provided some form of plastic bins to house alliance match load tri-balls for the match (usually 2 bins per alliance). When raised fields are involved the set-up and access to these bins for the teams have varied. Here are some examples -

Haunted Signature Event - teams were allowed to have an alliance member hold the bins next to match load zone. This requires a dedicated alliance team member to facilitate. Haunted Match Loading - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MiZcQVErxpQ&t=24s

WPI Wave Signature Event - teams were allowed to lean the bins against the field wall next to match load zone. This has the potential to be problematic since you are now leaning up against a field wall. WPI Wave Match Loading - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f-8xTGL40a8&t=28s

Speedway Signature Event - Bin stands or small tables were provided to elevate bins near match load zone. This approach seams to be the most efficient as it places the bins at field height, with no additional support required by a team resource. Speedway match loading - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_9s4Ush55oE&t=47s

Questions- Should there be a standard on how these bins should be positioned and handled by teams to access match load tri-balls during a match, especially when raised fields are being used?

How will match load tri-balls be available to teams at VEX Worlds during matches and Skills competition?

Thank you

Answered by committee
19-Dec-2023

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Additional information about the 2024 VEX World Championship will be provided in the April 2, 2024, scheduled game manual update and in the prerecorded Driver's Meeting that will be released prior to the event.