VIQRC Level Up Game Manual

Prefix

Changelog

Version 0.2 - June 4, 2026

• Updated Figure SG-1 to correctly show the approximate Robot starting position
• Updated <SG6> and its blue box to provide clarity regarding Plowing
• Updated Figure RSC3-1 to include a Robot in the correct starting position
• Updated the Robot Summary in section 4 to provide clarity
• Revised the definition of Plowing to include another Scoring Object
• Minor typo / formatting fixes

Version 0.1 - April 30, 2026

• Initial Release

Quick Reference Guide

Section 1 - Introduction

About the Game Manual

The VEX IQ Robotics Competition Game Manual is the most authoritative source of information for the VEX IQ Robotics Competition. Contained within this document are all of the rules, boundaries, constraints, and other relevant information you will need to properly understand and play this year’s game.

This manual is:

• A technical reference document for gameplay, Robot construction, and event operation
• A binding set of rules for Teams, coaches, referees, Event Partners, and all other volunteers and participants to adhere to
• The primary source of truth for all things related to the VEX IQ Robotics Competition

This manual is not:

• A strategy guide to score the most points
• An instruction set to build the best Robot
• A replacement for referee training, Event Partner training, or other Event Procedure

How to Read the Game Manual

The rules in this game manual are intended to work together to create a system of constraints. These rules are not intended to be understood independently of one another or in isolation from other information contained in this document. Many situations may require Teams, referees, or other volunteers to use logic from multiple places in the manual to properly form an interpretation. It is critical that the entire manual is read and understood, not just parts.

Information in the game manual is presented in the following ways:

Definitions in Appendix C establish the meaning of a term with regards to this document. Sometimes, these definitions may not perfectly match a more commonly accepted dictionary definition. In that case, the VEX definition takes precedence. If there is no VEX definition for a term, it can be reasonably assumed that a dictionary definition can be used.

General Rules establish the baseline rules for competition that Teams must adhere to at all times. These include, but are not limited to, conduct at an event, roster eligibility, competition integrity, and authority and enforcement.

General Game Rules begin to outline the rules that Teams must follow in every VEX game, not just the rules specific to this season’s game. Many of these rules do not change from year to year, and help prevent the game from devolving into immediate chaos.

Scoring Rules define how points are earned and evaluated.

Specific Game Rules describe what Robots and Drive Team Members may and may not do during a Match, specifically for this season’s game. These rules are subject to change from year to year, depending on how the game is designed and meant to be played.

Robot Rules define how Robots may be built and configured.

Tournament Rules describe how competitions are run, and how Teams are ranked at events.

Some rules also reference Violation Notes that are located in Appendix D. These notes provide additional guidance on enforcement, escalation, or special circumstances. If a rule doesn’t include a cross-reference to Violation Notes, standard Violation definitions apply. See Appendix D for information about rule Violations and penalties.

There are also blue boxes of text placed in some areas of the game manual. These are intended to provide further clarification and guidance in places that the Game Design Committee has deemed may benefit from things being said a different way, or presented slightly differently. Blue Boxes are meant to be supplements to, not replace, rules or definitions.

Game Manual Updates

This manual will have a series of “major” and “minor” updates over the course of the season. Each version is official and must be used in official VIQRC events until the release of the next version, upon which the previous version becomes void.

The latest version of the Game Manual can always be found at: https://link.vex.com/docs/26-27/viqrc/game-manual.

Known major release dates are as follows:

In addition to these known major updates, there may also be unscheduled updates released throughout the season if deemed critical by the Game Design Committee.

Any scheduled or unscheduled updates will always be released on a Thursday, no later than 5:00 PM CST (11:00 PM GMT). These updates will be announced via the VEX Forum, automatically pushed to the VEX IQ Hub app, and shared via VEX Robotics social media & email marketing channels. Once announced, the new version of the Game Manual will be immediately available at the link above.

Generally, Level Up Game Manual updates, scheduled or unscheduled, will include a grace period before the updated rules go into effect for competitions. See the release table above for specific dates. This grace period does not apply to the Version 0.1 Release, which serves as the initial rule set for the season.

Any events that begin before the 7-day grace period has ended must continue using the rules from the previous Game Manual release. This policy ensures fairness and consistency, allowing Teams to adapt their strategies and gameplay accordingly before the changes are enforced in official competitions.

Once a manual update occurs, the previous version will be re-uploaded with an “Obsolete” watermark. Those will be found at https://link.vex.com/docs/26-27/viqrc/game-manual-obsolete and will be available to reference through the rest of the season.

The Game Design Committee reserves the right to enforce critical updates to the Game Manual as effective immediately upon release, if we feel that the changes are critical for competitive integrity, safety, and/or other extenuating circumstances.

Multi-week league events (or similar) that cross over a grace period should use the version of the Game Manual that is in effect at the beginning of each league session. Leagues should update to new versions of the Game Manual between sessions as appropriate.

The Q&A System

When first reviewing a new robotics game, it is natural to have questions about situations which may not be immediately clear. Navigating the Game Manual and seeking out answers to these questions is an important part of learning a new game. In many cases, the answer may just be in a different place than you first thought—or, if there is no rule explicitly prohibiting a gameplay strategy, then that usually means it is legal!

However, if a Team is still unable to find an answer to their question after closely reviewing the relevant rules, then every Team has the opportunity to ask for official rules interpretations in the VEX Robotics Question & Answer System. These questions may be posted by an Adult via the events.vex.com account that is associated with that Team.

All responses in this Q&A system should be treated as official rulings from the VEX Robotics Game Design Committee, and they represent the correct and official interpretation of the VEX Robotics Competition Rules. The Q&A system is the only source besides the Game Manual for official rulings and clarifications, and is functionally an extension of the Game Manual. Q&A rulings are effective immediately upon release.

The VEX IQ Robotics Competition Question & Answer System will open on May 14th, 2026. Before posting on the Q&A system, be sure to review the Q&A Usage Guidelines:

1. The Q&A system is for rules clarifications only.
2. Only registered Teams, certified Event Partners, and certified VIQRC Head Referees can post questions.
3. Read and search this Game Manual before posting.
4. Read and search existing Q&As before posting.
5. Quote the applicable rule from the latest version of this Game Manual in your question.
6. Make a separate post for each question.
7. Use specific and appropriate question titles.
8. Questions will (mostly) be answered in the order they were received.
9. This system is the only source for official rules clarifications.
10. The Game Design Committee cannot and will not overrule a Head Referee’s decision.

If there are any conflicts between the English-language PDF of the Game Manual and other supplemental or translated materials (e.g., referee training materials, the VIQRC Hub app, the game reveal video, a trans- lated game manual, etc.), the most current version of the English-language PDF of the Game Manual takes precedence.

Similarly, it can never be assumed that definitions, rules, or other materials from previous seasons apply to the current game. Q&A responses from previous seasons are not considered official rulings for the current game. Any relevant clarifications that are needed should always be re-asked in the current season’s Q&A.

Hierarchy of Information

There is no rule in this game manual that is more important than another rule. All rules are intended to be enforced with the same vigor.

The following hierarchy applies when determining official rulings while using information from beyond the Game Manual:

1. The most current English-language PDF of this Game Manual
2. Official rulings published in the VEX Robotics Question & Answer (Q&A) system
3. All other supplementary documents, policies and media

The latest version of the game manual supersedes all previous versions once effective (see the Game Manual Updates section, for more information). If discrepancies exist between this manual and other materials (videos, apps, translations, training documents), the latest version of the English-language PDF version of this manual takes precedence.

Section 2 - The Game

VIQRC Level Up - A Primer

VEX IQ Robotics Competition Level Up is played on a 6’x8’ rectangular Field, set up as illustrated in the figures throughout this game manual.

The primary objective of the game is to score Bean Bags into Goals. Higher Goals earn more points. A Robot can only carry one Bean Bag at a time, and most Bean Bags have to travel across the entire Field to reach their Goals. Teams have to decide whether to drive a long path or design their Robot to fit through the narrow shortcuts on the Field.

In Teamwork Matches, an Alliance composed of two Robots works together to score as many points as possible in a 60-second Match.

Teams may also compete in Robot Skills Matches, where one Robot tries to score as many points as possible with a slightly different set of rules. See Section 3 for more information.

Field Overview

The VEX IQ Robotics Competition Level Up Field consists of the following:

• 38 Bean Bags
  • 16 blue Bean Bags
    • 8 that start in the Field
    • 8 that can be introduced through the blue Load Zone
  • 16 red Bean Bags
    • 8 that start in the Field
    • 8 that can be introduced through the red Load Zone
  • 6 yellow Bean Bags
    • 2 Preloads, one for each Team
    • 4 that start in the Field
• Two Pyramid Goals, one red and one blue
• Two L4 Goals
• Two Floor Goals, one red and one blue
• Two Load Zones, one red and one blue
• Two wall structures
• Two Floor barriers

Note: The illustrations in this section of the Game Manual are intended to provide a general visual understanding of the game. Some figures may highlight or change the appearance of certain Field Elements and Scoring Objects to emphasize or clarify intent.

Teams should refer to official Field specifications, found in Appendix A, for exact Field dimensions, a full Field bill of materials, and exact details of Field construction.

Game Design Philosophy - A Letter from the GDC

We as the Game Design Committee want to explain how this game was designed and how we expect it to be played. We will also point out parts of the game we will watch during the season in case changes are needed.

This section is not a list of rules. It is here to help you understand what the game is about and what we as designers had in mind.

Level Up is a game where Robots move around the Field again and again to score. You can only move one Bean Bag at a time. Because of this, Teams will need to score often and move quickly. The game rewards Robots that can repeat actions and follow a plan.

Navigation and Route Choice

The Field is designed to give Teams choices about how their Robot moves.

Some paths are longer but more open and easier to use. Other paths are shorter but tighter and harder to move through. Teams will need to decide which path works best for their Robot.

Robot Design Tradeoffs

The way your Robot is built will affect how it moves on the Field.

Smaller Robots may be able to use shortcuts. Larger Robots may be more stable or easier to control. Teams will need to make choices about what is most important for their design.

There is no one “best” design. Different Robots can succeed in different ways.

Scoring Strategy

There are Goals with different heights and point values on the Level Up Field. This gives Teams choices about how they want to work with their partner and score.

Some Teams may try to score higher points each time. Others may focus on scoring faster. The best strategies will balance how many points you score, how quickly you score, and how often your Robot can repeat the action.

Commitment to Teams

The Game Design Committee will watch how Matches are played during the season. We want to make sure the game stays fun, fair, and interesting!

If needed, we may make updates to keep the focus on movement, scoring, and teamwork.

Have a great season!

- The VEX IQ Robotics Competition Game Design Committee

Scoring

<SC1> All scoring statuses are evaluated after the Match ends, once all Scoring Objects, Field Elements, and Robots on the Field come to rest. See rule <GG12> for more information and Violation details.

1. Referees should avoid contacting or moving Robots and/or Scoring Objects as much as possible while evaluating scoring statuses. If an object must be moved to evaluate the status of another object, its status must be agreed upon by all Teams and the Head Referee, and noted or recorded, before it is moved.

<SC2> All scoring statuses are evaluated visually by a Head Referee, to the best of their ability within the context of a given Match/event.

1. Referees and other event staff are not allowed to review any videos or pictures from the Match. See <T3>.
2. If there is a concern regarding the score of a Match, only the Drive Team Members from that Match, not an Adult, may share their questions with the Head Referee. See <T3>.

<SC3> A Bean Bag is scored in a Floor Goal if it meets all of the following criteria.

1. No part of the Bean Bag is contacting a Robot.
2. The Bean Bag is entirely within the defined area of the Floor Goal (e.g., no part of the Bean Bag is on top of the Field Perimeter or the VEX IQ parts that define the Floor Goal).
3. The Bean Bag is yellow, or matches the color of the Floor Goal.

Figure SC3-1: Bean Bags in the Floor Goal.

• The red Bean Bag would not be considered scored, as it is resting on top of the VEX IQ parts that make up the Floor Goal, and not entirely within the defined area.
• The blue Bean Bag would not be considered scored, as it does not match the color of the Floor Goal.
• The yellow Bean Bag would be considered as scored, as it can be scored in either color Floor Goal, and is entirely within the defined area.

<SC4> A Bean Bag is scored in an L1, L2, or L3 Goal if it meets all of the following criteria:

1. No part of the Bean Bag is contacting a Robot.
2. The Bean Bag is in contact with the horizontal PET sheet that defines the L1, L2, or L3 Goal, or is supported by another Bean Bag that is in contact with that PET sheet.
3. The Bean Bag is not in contact with anything outside the Field.
4. The Bean Bag is yellow, or matches the color of the L1, L2, or L3 Goal.

If a Bean Bag counts as scored in multiple tiers (e.g., stacked on other Bean Bags in L1 and in contact with L2), it should receive the points for the lower tier.

Figure SC4-1: Bean Bags in the Pyramid Goal.

• The blue Bean Bag would not be considered scored, as it does not match the color of the L1 Goal it is resting on.
• The three (3) red Bean Bags would all be considered as scored in the L2 Goal, as they match the color of the Goal, and are all in direct contact with the PET sheet that makes up the Goal, or supported by another Bean Bag in contact with the sheet.
• While the yellow Bean Bag is contacting the PET sheet of the L3 Goal, it would be considered as scored in the L2 Goal, as it also counts as scored in the L2 Goal.

<SC5> A Bean Bag is scored on a L4 Goal if it meets all of the following criteria.

1. No part of the Bean Bag is contacting a Robot.
2. The Bean Bag is in contact with the horizontal PET sheet at the top of the L4 Goal, or is supported by another Bean Bag that is in contact with that PET sheet.
3. The Bean Bag is yellow.

Figure SC5-1: Bean Bags on the L4 Goal.

• Both yellow Bean Bags would be considered as scored, as they are directly touching the PET sheet, or supported by another Bean Bag in contact with the sheet.
• The red Bean Bag would not be considered as scored, as only yellow Bean Bags can be scored on the L4 Goal.

Specific Game Rules

<SG1> Starting a Match. At the beginning of a Match, the Robot must be placed such that it meets all of the following criteria:

1. Fit within an 11” wide x 20” long x 15” high (279mm x 508mm x 381mm) volume, as checked during inspection per <R3>.
2. Positioned within one of the starting positions shown in Figure SG-1.
   1. For Teamwork Challenge Matches, the Team listed as Team 1 (printed Match list), listed as red Team (events.vex.com), or listed first (VEXvia) must place their Robot in the starting position that shares a wall with the blue Pyramid Goal.
   2. For Teamwork Challenge Matches, the Team listed as Team 2 (printed Match list), listed as blue Team (events.vex.com), or listed second (VEXvia) must place their Robot in the starting position that shares a wall with the red Pyramid Goal.
3. Completely stationary (i.e., no motors or other mechanisms in motion) until the Match timer starts. Pre-charging a pneumatic system (e.g., having the Pneumatic Pump running prior to the Match) is the only permitted exception to this rule.
4. The starting configuration of the Robot at the beginning of a Match must be the same as a Robot configuration that was checked during Robot inspection.
   

   This rule has additional Violation notes. See Appendix D.

Figure SG-1: Robots in legal pre-Match starting positions (highlighted in yellow).

<SG2> Horizontal expansion is limited. Once the Match begins, Robots may expand horizontally up to a length of 24”. The Robot can never be larger than 11”x24”, and must always be able to fit within an 11”x24” rectangular horizontal footprint.

Teams should be aware that Robots may incidentally expand horizontally while extending vertically (e.g., mechanisms that arc, swing, or deploy upward). Upon request, Teams must be prepared to demonstrate that their Robot does not exceed the maximum size constraint of 11” x 24” at any point, including while any vertical expansion mechanisms are in use.

Figure SG2-1: A demonstration of how the size of the Robot may change horizontally through the course of a vertical expansion. The Robot on the far left is extended beyond 24”, and would be in Violation of <SG2>.

<SG3> Vertical expansion is unlimited. Once the Match begins, Robots may expand vertically beyond the 15” starting size limit with no limits.

<SG4> Keep Scoring Objects in the Field. Scoring Objects that leave the Field during a Match will not be returned to the Field, and cannot be reintroduced by the Loaders.

1. “Leaving the Field” means that a Scoring Object is outside of the Field Perimeter, no longer in contact with the Floor or Field Elements, and not supported by Robots or Scoring Objects that are still inside the Field.
2. If a Scoring Object is removed from a Robot during a <GG10> interaction, it is considered “out of the Field” as soon as it is no longer in contact with any Robots.
3. If a Scoring Object is on its way out of the Field (as determined by the Head Referee), but is deflected back into the Field by a Drive Team Member, field monitor, ceiling/wall, or other external factor, <SG4> would still apply. This Scoring Object should be considered “out of the Field” and removed by a Head Referee.
4. A Scoring Object that comes to rest on top of the Field Perimeter is still considered to be inside the Field unless it contacts something outside of the Field (e.g., volunteer, Drive Team Member, field monitor, etc.), and cannot be retrieved by a Drive Team Member or volunteer.

<SG5> Each Robot gets one yellow Bean Bag as a Preload. Prior to the start of each Match, each Preload must be placed such that it meets all of the following criteria:

1. Contacting exactly one Robot.
2. Not contacting any Field Elements (excluding the Floor), Goals, or other Scoring Objects.
   

If a Robot is not present for a Teamwork Match, its Preload should be placed in that Team’s Load Zone.

<SG6> Possession is limited to one (1) Bean Bag. Possession and Plowing are limited to one (1) Bean Bag. A Robot cannot have greater-than-momentary Possession of and/or Plow more than one Bean Bag at once. Robots that are interacting with multiple Bean Bags must immediately stop all Robot actions except for attempting to remove the excess Bean Bag(s).

<SG7> Using the Load Zone. Bean Bags may be Loaded one at a time through the Load Zone during the Match, and must meet all of the following criteria.

1. Red and blue Bean Bags may only be Loaded into the Load Zone that matches the color of that Bean Bag.
2. The Bean Bag must be placed in contact with the Floor.
3. The Loader may only put a Bean Bag into a Load Zone if no other Bean Bags are in contact with that Load Zone.
4. A Robot may not contact a Bean Bag in the Load Zone if that Bean Bag is being contacted by a human.
5. Once a Bean Bag is placed into a Load Zone and released, it may no longer be contacted by a Loader unless the Head Referee determines it was misloaded and must be retrieved as described in clause F.
6. If a Bean Bag is introduced improperly (e.g., while another Bean Bag is in contact with the Load Zone), it must be retrieved by the Loader and reintroduced if the Head Referee instructs the Loader to do so.
7. A Loaded Bean Bag must be placed in a stationary position, and must remain in contact with the Floor after it is released by the Loader until it is contacted by a Robot.
8. Bean Bags that begin the Match outside the Field cannot break the plane of the Field Perimeter until the Match begins.
   

Note: Although it is not required, Robots are highly recommended to remain some distance away from the Bean Bag until the Loader’s hand has clearly been removed. This will make clauses D & E abundantly clear to Head Referees.

This rule has additional Violation notes. See Appendix D.

Safety Rules

<S1> Stay safe, don’t damage the Field. If, at any time, the Robot operation or Team actions are deemed unsafe or have damaged any Field Elements or Scoring Objects, the offending Team may be Disabled and/or Disqualified at the Head Referee’s discretion. The Robot will require re-inspection before it may again take the Field.

Drive Team Members may not step onto the Field at any time, including pre-Match setup.

<S2> Students must be accompanied by an Adult. Every Student at a VEX IQ Robotics Competition event must be supervised by a responsible Adult. The Adult must obey all rules and be careful to not violate Student-centered policies, but must be present for the full duration of the event in the case of an emergency. Violations of this rule may result in removal from the event and additional penalties.

<S3> Each Student Team member must have a completed participant release form on file for the event and season. A Student Team member cannot participate in an event without a completed release form on file.

General Rules

<G1> Treat everyone with respect. All Teams and other attendees are expected to conduct themselves in a respectful and professional manner while participating in or attending VEX IQ Robotics Competition events. If a Team or any of its members (Students or anyone else associated with the Team or its members) are disrespectful or uncivil to event staff, volunteers, or fellow competitors, they may be Disqualified from a current or upcoming Match. Team conduct pertaining to <G1> may also impact a Team’s eligibility for judged awards. Repeated or extreme Violations of <G1> could result in a Team being Disqualified from an entire event, depending on the severity of the situation.

1. Event attendees are not allowed to record audio or video of Teams’ discussions with Head Referees or other event staff/volunteers.

<G2> VIQRC is a Student-centered program. Adults should not make decisions about the Team’s/Robot’s build, design, coding, documentation, or gameplay, and should not provide an unfair advantage by providing ‘help’ that is beyond the Students’ independent abilities. Students must be prepared to demonstrate an active understanding of their design, Robot construction, programming, notebook, and strategies to judges or event staff. Students should build, design, and code the Robot with minimal Adult involvement.

If a Team has an engineering notebook, the format, layout, and contents should be created and maintained by Students with minimal Adult involvement; Adults should not transcribe or type notebook entries or code for Students.

Some amount of Adult mentorship, teaching, and/or guidance is an expected and encouraged facet of VEX competitions. No one is born an expert in robotics! However, obstacles should always be viewed as teaching opportunities, not problems for an Adult to solve for the Team.

This rule has additional Violation notes. See Appendix D.

<G3> Use common sense. When reading and applying the various rules in this document, please remember that common sense always applies in the VEX IQ Robotics Competition.

<G4> All work must represent the skill level of the Students on the Team. All work must represent the skill level of the Students currently on the Team. Teachers, coaches, mentors, and peers can teach concepts, skills, and processes; demonstrate techniques; ask guiding questions; review/critique the Team’s work; and otherwise advise Team members. All final solutions used in competition (including the Team’s design, Robot, code, strategies, documentation, and ongoing work) must be the work of the Student Team members. Organizations should develop a plan that encourages and empowers Students to make their own decisions (see <G2>).

1. Designs and code provided by VEX Robotics:
   1. Teams may use Robot plans and code (e.g., Hero Bots, VEXcode configurations, etc.) provided by VEX Robotics, but are encouraged to use these Robots, mechanisms, and code only as a starting point that Students modify, improve, or replace as their skills increase.
   2. Plans provided by VEX Robotics are the only legal plans available for use in competition.
2. Robot design and construction:
   1. Teams must avoid academic dishonesty and should not directly copy a Robot or mechanism other than those included in clause A. This includes, but is not limited to, the use of instructions, pictures, videos, notebooks, CAD designs, and/or any other documentation useful to the design process.
   2. Teams may be inspired by designs created by other Teams, and can use an idea from someone else to spark innovation, but are expected to clearly document and give credit to all ideas that are used for inspiration. The Team must describe how they made meaningful changes to the original idea to arrive at a design that is uniquely their own. It should be clear that this final implementation is not an exact copy of ANY other original design.
   3. Teams should demonstrate their design process in their engineering notebook, and provide it if asked to do so by event staff. Failure to demonstrate evidence of iteration, innovation, and/or modification will result in a Violation.
3. Robot code:
   1. Teams may use publicly available example code and/or custom libraries from outside sources. However, Student Team members must understand the resulting code, be able to explain all facets of their competition code, and be capable of independently creating code on a level equivalent to the code used on their Robot if asked to do so.
   2. Teams may not use Large Language Models, or similar forms of artificial intelligence (AI), to create or improve the code used in competition, as the resulting code does not reflect the skill level of the Students on the Team.
4. Engineering notebook:
   1. The Team’s engineering notebook must be the work of the Students on the Team, and cannot be edited, formatted, or revised by anyone other than the Students on the Team.
   2. Teams may not use Large Language Models, or similar forms of AI, to create or improve the content of their engineering notebook.
   3. Teams can be inspired by engineering notebooks and formats from other Teams and/or seasons, but must ensure that all content is original and created by the members of the Team.
5. Collaboration with other Teams:
   1. Teams can collaborate on game analysis, brainstorming, strategy, and other steps of the engineering design process, but the final solutions used/presented at competitions must be the independent work of the Students on each Team.
   2. Robots, code, and/or engineering notebooks that are identical or substantially similar to one another across Teams, whether they’re within the same school/organization/club or from separate organizations, are in Violation of this rule, regardless of whether they compete in the same or different events. Every Team is expected to put in the time, effort, and resources needed to undergo an independent design process and develop their own Robots and code.

This rule has additional Violation notes. See Appendix D.

<G5> Each Student can only belong to one Team. Each Team must include Drive Team Members, Coder(s), Designer(s), and Builder(s). Many also include Strategists and Notebooker(s). No Student may fulfill any of these roles for more than one VEX IQ Robotics Competition Team in a given competition season. Students may have more than one role on the Team (e.g., the Designer may also be the Builder, the Coder, and a Driver).

1. Team members may only move from one Team to another for non-strategic reasons outside of the Team’s control.
   1. Examples of permissible moves may include, but are not limited to, changing schools, conflicts within a Team, or combining/splitting Teams.
   2. Examples of strategic moves in Violation of this rule may include, but are not limited to, one Coder “switching” Teams in order to program multiple Robots, one Student designing multiple Teams’ Robots, or one Student writing the engineering notebook for multiple Teams.
   3. If a Student leaves a Team to join another Team, <G4> still applies to the Students remaining on the previous Team. For example, if a Coder leaves a Team, then that Team’s Robot must still represent the skill level of the Team without that Coder. One way to accomplish this would be to ensure that the Coder teaches or trains a “replacement” Coder in their absence.
   4. Points ii and iii are intended to represent real-world situations that are found in industry engineering. If a vital member of a professional engineering team were to suddenly leave, the remaining members of the team should still be capable of working on / maintaining their project.
2. When a Team qualifies for a championship event (e.g., States, Nationals, Worlds, etc.) the Students on the Team attending the championship event are expected to be the same Students on the Team that was awarded the spot. Students can be added as support to the Team, but may not be added as Builders, Drivers, Coders, or Notebookers for the Team.
   1. An exception is allowed if only one (1) member of the Team is able to attend the event. The Team can make a single substitution of a Driver or Coder for the championship event with another Student, even if that Student has competed on a different Team. This Student will now be a member of this new Team and may not substitute back to the original Team during the season.

Note: Teams cannot “borrow” Students from other Teams to serve as Drive Team Members, Coders, Designers, Builders, or Notebookers. However, Teams can add permanent members throughout the season under the guidelines of this rule.

<G6> There is a difference between accidentally and willfully violating a Robot rule. Any Violation of Robot rules, accidental or intentional, will result in a Team being unable to play until they pass inspection (per <R2D>).

However, Teams who intentionally and/or knowingly circumvent or violate rules to gain an advantage over their fellow competitors are in Violation of the spirit and ethos of the competition.

General Game Rules

<GG1> Drivers drive your Robot, and stay in the Driver Station. During a Match, Robots may only be operated by that Team’s Drivers and/or software running on the Robot’s control system. Each Team may send up to three (3) Drive Team Members to their Driver Station for a Match: two (2) Drivers, and one (1) Loader. Those Drive Team Members must remain in their Driver Station, except when legally interacting with their Robot per <GG10>.

Drive Team Members are the only Team members that are allowed to be in the Driver Station during a Match. Adults (other than event staff) are not permitted to be in the Driver Station during a Match.

1. Drive Team Members are prohibited from any of the following actions during a Match:
   1. Using any sort of communication device in the Driver Station. Non-headphone devices with communication features turned off (e.g., a phone in airplane mode, a walkie talkie turned off, smart glasses with communication features disabled) are allowed. Communication features can be enabled for translation apps during post-Match discussions.
   2. Standing or sitting on any sort of object during a Match, regardless of whether the Field is on the Floor or elevated, except as required by an officially approved accommodation request.
   3. Bringing/using additional materials to simplify the game challenge during a Match (e.g., device to align or add Scoring Objects to the Loader).
   4. To ensure that Drive Team Members are aware of verbal calls during a Match (as an application of rules <T1>, <G1>, <S1>, and <G3>), powered headphones, earbuds, passive earpieces connected to electronic devices, or other personal accessories/devices that transmit audio cannot be worn/used in the Driver Station except as required by an officially approved accommodation request.
2. In Teamwork Matches, one Team in an Alliance is assigned to the red Driver Station and the other Team is assigned to the blue Driver Station, as follows:
   1. The Team listed as Team 1 on a printed Match list, listed as red Team on events.vex.com, or listed first in VEXvia will use the red Driver Station and participate as the red Team in that Match.
   2. The Team listed as Team 2 on a printed Match list, listed as blue Team on events.vex.com, or listed second in VEXvia will use the blue Driver Station and participate as the blue Team in that Match.
3. Individuals who are not Drive Team Members for a Match cannot provide directions, commands, or advice to the Drive Team Members during that Match. They’re welcome to provide cheerful, positive encouragement, but should not affect Match play or strategy.

This rule has additional Violation notes. See Appendix D.

<GG2> A Team’s Robot should attend every Match. The Team’s Robot must be in the Driver Station or on the Field for the Team’s assigned Match, even if the Robot is not functional. If the Robot is not at the Field for the entire duration of the Match, that Team will be considered a “no show” and will receive zero (0) points. The other Team in the Alliance will still play and receive points for the Match.

1. Teams are expected to participate in all scheduled Qualification Matches and, if they’re ranked high enough to be included in a finals Alliance, Finals Matches. Failure to attend scheduled Matches may be considered a Violation of <G1>. Teams that participate in zero Qualification Matches cannot be considered for judged awards.

<GG3> Robots on the field must be ready to play. When a Team puts their Robot on the Field, it must be prepared to play (i.e., battery charged, sized within the starting size constraint, etc.).

1. Robots must be placed on the Field promptly. Repeated failure to do so could result in a Violation of <G1> and/or removal of the Robot from the current Match at the Head Referee’s discretion.
2. If a Robot is delaying the scheduled start of a Match, it may be removed from the Field at the discretion of the Head Referee and Event Partner. The Robot may remain at the Field so that the Team does not get assessed a “no-show” (per <GG2>).
3. If a Robot is not placed on the Field prior to the start of a Match, it cannot be placed on the Field during that Match.

The definition of the word “promptly” as used in clause A is at the discretion of the Event Partner and Head Referee, who will consider event schedule, previous Violations or delays, etc. As a general guideline, five seconds to check Robot alignment would be acceptable, but five minutes to assemble multiple parts together would not.

<GG4> Hands out of the Field. During a Match, Drive Team Members are prohibited from making intentional contact with any Field Element, Robot, or Scoring Object that has been introduced to the Field, except for the allowances in <GG10>, <RSC5>, and <SG7>.

1. Drive Team Members are not permitted to reach into the 3-dimensional volume of the Field Perimeter at any time during the Match, apart from the actions described above. Rule <S1> applies.
2. Any concerns regarding Field Element or Scoring Object starting positions should be raised with the Head Referee prior to the Match. Team members may never adjust Scoring Objects or Field Elements themselves.
3. Transitive contact, such as contact with the Field Perimeter that causes the Field Perimeter to contact Field Elements or objects inside of the Field, could be considered a Violation of this rule.

If a Drive Team Member’s hands extend over the Field and/or Field Perimeter in a way that is safe and doesn’t contact anything in the Field, it’s unlikely to be a Violation. However, Head Referees may still ask Drive Team Members to step back and remain completely outside the Field when necessary (e.g., for safety reasons or to reduce the chances of gameplay interference).

<GG5> Match Replays are allowed, but rare. Match replays (i.e., playing a Match over again from its start) must be agreed upon by both the Event Partner and Head Referee, and will only be issued in the most extreme circumstances. Some examples that may warrant a Match replay are as follows (note that this is not an exhaustive list):

1. Score Affecting “Field fault” issues.
   1. Scoring Objects not being reset before the Match starts.
   2. Field Elements detaching or moving beyond normal tolerances, not a result of Robot interactions.
2. Score Affecting game rule issues.
3. A Field is reset before the score is determined.
4. A Match is run before its scheduled time without a Team.

<GG6> Disqualifications. A Team that is issued a Disqualification in a Qualification Match receives zero points for the Match. The other Team on their Alliance will still receive points for the Match.

1. In Finals Matches, Disqualifications apply to the whole Alliance, not just one Team. An Alliance that receives a Disqualification in a Finals Match will receive zero points.
2. A Team that receives a Disqualification in a Robot Skills Match will receive a score of zero.

<GG7> Time-outs. There are no time-outs in VIQRC Tournaments.

<GG8> Keep your Robot together. Robots may not intentionally detach parts or leave mechanisms on the Field during any Match.

1. Parts that become unintentionally detached from the Robot are no longer considered to be part of the Robot and can be either left on the Field or collected by a Drive Team Member during a Robot reset using <GG10>.

<GG9> Don’t damage the Field. Robot interactions which damage the Field or any Field Elements are prohibited. For the purpose of this rule, “damage” is defined as anything which requires repair in order to begin the next Match, such as causing part of a Goal to detach from the Field.

Teams are responsible for the actions of their Robots at all times, especially when interacting with the Goals. If a Team chooses to repeatedly ram full-speed into a Field Element, it will be hard to convince a Head Referee that any damage caused was “accidental.

This rule has additional Violation notes. See Appendix D.

<GG10> Handling the Robot mid-Match is allowed under certain circumstances. If a Robot goes completely outside the playing Field, gets stuck, tips over, or otherwise requires assistance, the Drive Team Members may retrieve & reset their Robot with the Head Referee’s permission. To do so, the Team must do the following:

1. Signal the Referee by placing their VEX IQ Controller on the ground. The Head Referee may ask the Driver to demonstrate the problem using the Robot controller before approving the Robot reset (e.g., confirming that the Robot is broken, undriveable, or stuck on an obstacle) if the issue with the Robot isn’t obvious.
2. Any Scoring Objects being controlled by the Robot while being handled must be removed from the Field, will not be returned to the Field, and cannot be reintroduced by the Loaders. No other Scoring Objects should be adjusted.
   1. In the context of this rule, “controlled” implies that the Robot was manipulating the Scoring Object, and not simply touching it. For example, if the Scoring Object would move with the Robot either vertically or while turning, then the Robot is “controlling” that Scoring Object.
3. The Robot must be placed back into a legal position that meets the criteria listed in clauses a,b, c, & d of <SG1>. If any Scoring Objects are preventing the Robot from being legally placed, they should be removed from the Field, will not be returned to the Field, and cannot be reintroduced by the Loaders. The Robot does not get a new Preload during this reset.
4. Swapping one set of parts for another, or adding new pieces to a Robot mid-Match during a <GG10> or <RSC5> interaction is considered a Violation of the intent and spirit of this rule. Repairing a Robot, or reattaching parts of the Robot that unintentionally break off during a Match, is allowed.
5. As described in rule <S1>, Students cannot step into the Field at any time during a Match. If the Drive Team Members cannot reach the Robot due to the Robot being in the center of the Field, they may ask the Head Referee to pick up the Robot and hand it to the Drive Team Members for placement according to the conditions above.

This rule has additional Violation notes. See Appendix D.

<GG11> A Team’s two Drivers switch Controllers midway through the Match. In a given Match, up to two (2) Drivers may be in the Driver Station per Team. The two Drivers must switch their controller between thirty-five seconds (0:35 on the Match timer) and twenty-five seconds (0:25 on the Match timer) remaining in the Match.

1. No Driver shall operate a Robot for more than thirty-five (35) seconds.
2. The second Driver may not touch their Team’s controls until the controller is passed to them.
3. Once the controller is passed, the first Driver may no longer touch their Team’s controls.
4. A Driver cannot also be a Loader in the same Teamwork Match.
5. If a drive team for a Match only has two members, one must serve as the Driver until the mid-Match Driver switch. The second Drive Team Member may serve as either the 2nd Driver (after the mid-Match Driver switch) or the Loader for the full Match, but cannot fill both roles. If the 2nd Driver position is unfilled, the Robot’s operation (even prewritten commands) must cease after the first thirty-five (35) seconds of the Match.
6. If only one Drive Team Member is present, the Robot’s operation (even prewritten commands) must cease after the first thirty-five (35) seconds of the Match and the Team will not have a Loader during that Match.

This rule has additional Violation notes. See Appendix D.

<GG12> Don’t start before the timer, and stop moving at the end of the Match. Driver inputs and Robot may not begin before the Match timer starts, and must cease at the end of the Match, when the timer reaches 0:00.

1. Any scoring that takes place after a Match due to Robots continuing to move will not count toward the score.
2. A pre-programmed routine which causes Robot motion to start before the Match or continue after the end of the Match would violate this rule.
3. Any scoring that takes place after the end of a Teamwork Match is a Violation. Scoring that occurs after the end of a Robot Skills Match is not a Violation.

This rule has additional Violation notes. See Appendix D.

<GG13> Ending a Match early. If an Alliance wants to end a Qualification Match or a Finals Match early, both Teams must signal the referee by ceasing all Robot motion and placing their controllers on the ground. The referee will then signal to the Teams that the Match is over and will begin to tally the score. If the Match is a tiebreaker Finals Match for first place, then the Match Stop Time will also be recorded (see <T14B>).

<GG14> Drive Team Members are permitted to appeal the Head Referee’s ruling immediately after a Match. 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.

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 VEX IQ Robotics Competitions, 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>.

Section 3 - Robot Skills Matches

Overview

In Robot Skills Matches, Teams have one minute to score as many points as possible. There are two types of Robot Skills Matches: Driving Skills Matches, which are entirely Driver controlled, and Autonomous Coding Skills Matches, which are autonomous with limited human interaction. Teams are ranked based on their combined score in the two types of Robot Skills Matches.

Robot Skills Matches are optional for all Teams. Teams who do not compete in Robot Skills Matches will not be penalized in Teamwork Matches. However, participation in Robot Skills Matches may impact eligibility for judged awards at the event.

At events that include Teamwork Matches, Teams may only participate in Robot Skills Matches if they also participate in the Qualification Matches. See rule <T15>.

Robot Skills Match Rules

<RSC1> Standard rules apply in most cases. All rules from previous sections apply to the Robot Skills Matches, unless otherwise specified in this section.

Violations of <GG>, <SG>, and <RSC> rules that occur during a Robot Skills Match should only affect the outcome of that Match and should not be considered when determining whether a Violation has been repeated during the event.

<RSC2> Scoring Robot Skills Matches. For each Robot Skills Match, Teams are awarded a score based on the standard scoring rules.

<RSC3> Robot and Field setup for Robot Skills Matches. The Robot and Field are set up the same as for Teamwork Matches, with the following modifications:

1. The layout of Scoring Objects for a Level Up Robot Skills Match differs from the layout for Teamwork Matches, as shown in Figure RSC3-1.
   1. Eight (8) Bean Bags (four red and four blue) begin the Match in the red Driver Station for Loading.
2. The blue Driver Station and Load Zone are not used in Robot Skills Matches.
3. The Robot must be placed in the starting position that shares a wall with the red Pyramid Goal at the beginning of the Match and after the Robot is reset under rule <GG10> or <RSC5>.

Figure RSC3-1: The field layout for a VIQRC Level Up Robot Skills Match.

<RSC4> Loader and Driver differences. All criteria listed in <SG7> apply as written (e.g., a Loader cannot put a Scoring Object into a Load Zone if there’s already a Scoring Object there). Loading is modified as follows:

1. In Driving Skills Matches and Autonomous Coding Skills Matches, any Driver who is not currently driving the Robot may also serve as a Loader (i.e., a Team may have one, two, or three Loaders at any given time).
2. The blue Load Zone is not used in Robot Skills Matches. All Match Loads are Loaded through the red Load Zone in Robot Skills Matches.
3. Drive Team Members must remain in the red Driver Station during Driving Skills Matches, except when legally interacting with their Robot per rule <GG10>.
4. During an Autonomous Coding Skills Match, Drivers may move freely around the Field, and are not restricted to the Driver Station when not handling their Robot under rule <RSC5>. This exception permits Drivers who wish to “stage” Robot handling during an Autonomous Coding Skills Match to do so without excessive running back and forth to the Driver Station.

<RSC5> Handling Robots during an Autonomous Coding Skills Match. A Team may handle their Robot as many times as desired during an Autonomous Coding Skills Match.

1. Upon handling the Robot, it must be immediately brought back to a legal starting position. The Robot does not get a new Preload Scoring Object during this reset.
   1. Drive Team Members may reset or adjust the Robot as desired from this position, including pressing buttons on the Robot brain or activating sensors.
   2. Any Scoring Objects that are Possessed by the Robot while being handled must be removed from the Field, will not be returned to the Field, and cannot be reintroduced by the Loaders. No other Scoring Objects should be moved or adjusted.
   3. As described in rule <S1>, Students cannot step into the Field at any time during a Match. If the Drive Team Members cannot reach the Robot due to the Robot being in the center of the Field, they may ask the Head Referee to pick up the Robot and hand it to the Drive Team Members for placement according to the conditions above.

This rule is an explicit exception to rule <GG4> and the Violation Note for <GG10>, and may be used as part of a Team’s strategy for Autonomous Coding Skills Matches. Driving Skills Matches are still governed by <GG4> & the Violation Note for <GG10>, especially for strategic Violations.

<RSC6> Starting an Autonomous Coding Skills Match. Drivers must start a Robot’s Autonomous Coding Skills Match routine by pressing a button on the Robot brain or manually activating a sensor. Because there is no VEX IQ Controller hand-off, only one Driver is required for an Autonomous Coding Skills Match (though Teams may still have two if desired).

1. Pre-Match sensor calibration is considered part of the standard pre-Match setup time (i.e., the time when the Team would typically be turning on the Robot, moving any mechanisms to their desired legal start position, etc.).
2. Pressing a button on the VEX IQ Controller to begin the routine is not permitted. To avoid any confusion, Teams are advised not to bring controllers to Autonomous Coding Skills Matches.

In accordance with <GG3>, Teams should be mindful of event schedules and set their Robot up as promptly as possible. The definition of “prompt” is at the discretion of the Event Partner and Head Referee, and could depend on things like how much time is left for the Skills Challenge Field(s) to be open, how many Teams are waiting in line, etc. As a general guideline, three seconds to calibrate a Gyro Sensor would be acceptable, but three minutes to debug a program would not.

<RSC7> Autonomous means “no humans.” During an Autonomous Coding Skills Match, Drive Team Members are not permitted to activate any controls on their VEX IQ Controller, and cannot manually trigger sensors (including the Vision Sensor) in any way, even without touching them.

1. Teams cannot use VEX IQ Controllers for any purpose in Autonomous Coding Skills Matches, and are advised not to bring controllers to the Field. If there is a controller at the Field during an Autonomous Coding Skills Match, it should be placed on the Floor outside the Field and remain untouched until after the Match.

<RSC8> Skills Stop Time. If a Team wishes to end their Robot Skills Match early, they may elect to record a Skills Stop Time. This is used as a tiebreaker for Robot Skills rankings. A Skills Stop Time does not affect a Team’s score for a given Robot Skills Match. Drivers and field staff must agree prior to the Match on the signal that will be used to end the Match early.

1. Teams who intend to attempt a Skills Stop Time must “opt-in” by verbally confirming with the Scorekeeper Referee prior to the Robot Skills Match. If no notification is given prior to the start of the Match, then the Team forfeits their option to record a Skills Stop Time for that Match and they will receive a default Skills Stop Time of 0.
   1. This conversation should include informing the Scorekeeper Referee which Driver will signal the stop. The Match may only be ended early by a Driver for that Match.
   2. The agreed-upon signal to stop the Match must be both verbal and visual, such as Drivers crossing their arms in an “X” while saying “Stop!” or placing their VEX IQ Controller on the ground while saying “Done!”
   3. It is recommended that the Driver provides the Scorekeeper Referee with a verbal notice that the Team is approaching their intended Skills Stop Time, such as counting out “3-2-1-stop.”
2. The moment when the Match ends early is defined as the moment when the Robot and Scoring Objects have come to a rest and the Driver provides the agreed upon visual and audio signal to the Scorekeeper Referee.
   1. If a Tournament Manager display is being used for field timing, then the Skills Stop Time is the time shown on the display when the Match is ended early (i.e., in 1-second increments).
   2. If a manual timer is being used that counts down to 0 with greater accuracy than 1-second increments, then the time shown on the timer should be rounded up to the nearest second. For example, if the Robot is Disabled and the timer shows 25.2 seconds, then the Skills Stop Time should be recorded as 26.
3. If a Team runs multiple Robot Skills Matches in a row, they must reconfirm their Skills Stop Time choice with the Scorekeeper Referee prior to each Match.
4. Any questions regarding a Skills Stop Time should be reviewed and settled immediately following the Match. <T1> and <T3> apply to Robot Skills Matches.

Section 4 - The Robot

Overview

Every Robot must pass a full inspection before being cleared to participate in the VEX IQ Robotics Competition. This inspection ensures that all Robot rules and regulations are met. Initial inspections will typically take place during Team check-in / practice time. Every Team should use the rules below as a guide to pre-inspect their Robot and ensure that it meets all requirements.

Most of these rules are “hard limits,” such as the maximum number of motors permitted. However, some are “at inspector discretion,” such as determining a mechanism’s potential safety risk. At many events, the lead inspector and the Head Referee are the same person; if they are not, then the volunteer inspector should work with the Head Referee to make any judgment calls. The Head Referee has final authority regarding all Robot rules, since it is ultimately their decision whether a Robot takes the Field for a Match after inspection has concluded (per <R2D> and <R2E>).

Comprehensive lists of legal and illegal VEX IQ Robotics Competition parts can be found in the VEX IQ Robotics Competition Legal Parts and VEX IQ Robotics Competition Illegal Parts supplements. These documents are updated as needed if/when new VEX IQ parts are released, and may not coincide with scheduled Game Manual updates.

Robot Summary

This summary checklist is not a replacement for the full Robot rules. Teams must still understand the rules in this section.

General requirements:

• Each Team can only bring one Robot to a competition <R1>
• The Robot must be designed, built, and coded by that Team’s Student members <G2>
• Robots can’t compete until they’ve passed inspection at the event <R2>
• The Robot has to fit within an 11”x20”x15” volume at the start of the Match <R3>

Required parts:

• One VEX IQ Robot Brain with current VEX IQ firmware <R8>
• Up to six (6) VEX IQ Robot Motors <R9>
• One VEX IQ Robot Battery <R10>
• One VEX IQ Robot Controller <R11>
• VEX IQ Robot components <R12>
• Two License Plates <R4>

Optional parts:

• Non-VEX rubber bands no larger than 7.5” long and 0.25” wide <R14A>
• HEXBUG mechanical and structural parts <R14D>
• VEX GO mechanical and structural parts <R14E>
• Food-safe lubricants used in moderation <R14I>
• Non-functional decorations that aren’t 3D printed <R15>
• VEX IQ pneumatics <R16>

Illegal parts:

• Modified parts (with 4 specific exceptions) <R17>
• Anything that could damage a person, Robot, Field, or game part <R13>
• Tape, stickers, etc. that aren’t a non-functional decoration
• Any part that isn’t specifically made legal by another rule
• Electronics from other VEX product lines
• 3D printed parts or decorations
• Everything listed in the illegal parts appendix

Inspection Rules

<R1> One Robot per Team. Each Team can only bring one Robot to a given event. Though it is expected that Teams will make changes to their Robots at the event, a Team is limited to only one Robot, and a given Robot may only be used by one Team. The VEX IQ system is intended to be a mobile robotics design platform. As such, a VEX IQ Robotics Competition Robot, for the purposes of the VEX IQ Robotics Competition, has the following subsystems:

• Subsystem 1: Mobile robotic base including wheels, tracks, or any other mechanism that allows the Robot to navigate the majority of the flat playing Field surface. For a stationary Robot, the robotic base without wheels would be considered Subsystem 1.
• Subsystem 2: Power and control system that includes a VEX IQ legal battery, a VEX IQ control system, and associated Smart Motors for the mobile robotic base. Also includes the VEX IQ pneumatic air pump and solenoids if used on the Robot.
• Subsystem 3: Additional mechanisms (and associated Smart Motors) that allow manipulation of Scoring Objects or navigation/manipulation of Field Elements.

Given the above definitions, a minimum Robot for use in any VEX IQ Robotics Competition event (including Robot Skills Matches) must consist of subsystems 1 and 2 above. Thus, if you swap out an entire subsystem 1 or 2, you have now created a second Robot and are no longer legal.

1. Teams may not compete with one Robot while a second is being modified or assembled at a competition.
2. Teams may not have an assembled second Robot on hand at a competition that is used to repair or swap parts with the first Robot.
3. Teams may not switch back and forth between multiple Robots during a competition. This includes using different Robots for Robot Skills Matches, Qualification Matches, and/or Finals Matches.
4. Multiple Teams may not use the same Robot. Once a Robot has competed under a given Team number at an event, it is “their” Robot; no other Teams may EVER compete with it.

<R2> Robots must pass inspection. The Team’s Robot must pass inspection before being allowed to participate in any Matches. Noncompliance with any Robot design or construction rule will result in removal from Matches or Disqualification of the Robot at an event until the Robot is brought back into compliance, as described in the following subclauses.

1. Significant changes to a Robot, such as a partial or full swap of Subsystem 3, must be re-inspected before the Robot may compete again.
2. All possible functional Robot configurations must be inspected before being used in competition. This especially pertains to modular or swappable mechanisms (per <R1>) and Match starting configurations/sizes (per <R3>).
3. Teams may be asked to submit to spot inspections by Head Referees. Refusal to submit will result in Disqualification.
4. If a Robot is determined to not be legal before a Match begins and cannot be brought into compliance before the scheduled Match start time, the Robot will be removed from the Field. The Robot may remain at the Field so that the Team does not get assessed a “no-show” (per <GG2>).
5. Robots which have not passed inspection (i.e., that are in Violation of one or more Robot rules) will not be permitted to play in any Matches until they have done so. <GG2> will apply to any Matches that occur until the Robot has passed inspection.
6. If a Robot has passed inspection, but is later found to be in Violation of a Robot rule during or immediately following a Match, then they will be Disqualified from that Match and <R2D>/<GG3> will apply until the Violation is remedied and the Team is re-inspected. This is the only Match that will be affected; any prior Matches that have already been completed will not be revisited. <R2D> will apply until the Violation is remedied and the Team is re-inspected.
7. All inspection rules are to be enforced at the discretion of the Head Referee within a given event. Robot legality at one event does not automatically imply legality at future events. Robots which rely on “edge-case” interpretations of subjective rules, such as whether a decoration is “non-functional” or not, should expect additional scrutiny during inspection.
8. Event staff and volunteers are allowed to contact and/or photograph Robots during inspection and/or at other times as needed.

<R3> Robots must fit within an 11” x 20” x 15” (279.4mm x 508mm x 381.0mm) volume during inspection and at the start of each Match.

1. Teams using more than one possible Robot configuration must tell the inspector(s) and have the Robot inspected in all configurations. Rule <R2C> will apply if a Robot is placed in an uninspected configuration (i.e., will not be permitted to play until re-inspected, but will not be considered a “no-show”).

A Team may NOT have its Robot inspected in one configuration and then place it in an uninspected configuration at the start of a Match.

Figure R3-1: The approximate size limit for a Robot at the start of a Match (highlighted in yellow).

<R4> License Plates. Officially registered Team numbers must be legibly displayed on exactly two Robot License Plates that are mounted on opposing sides of the Robot. Teams may use the official VEX IQ Robotics Competition License Plate (VEX Part Number 228-7401) or a plain paper version of matching size (3.5” x 1.5” / 88.9mm x 38.1mm).

1. License Plates are considered functional components, and must meet the requirements of all other Robot rules.
2. License Plates must be clearly visible at all times. For example, License Plates must not be in a position that would be easily obstructed by a Robot mechanism during standard Match play.
3. Additional License Plates cannot be used on the Robot for any purpose.

This rule has additional Violation notes. See Appendix D.

Figure R4-1: A VEX IQ Robotics Competition License Plate with a VEX IQ Robotics Competition Team number written upon it.

<R5> Let it go after the Match is over. Robots must be designed to permit easy removal of Scoring Objects from their Robot without requiring that the Robot have power or remote control after the Match is over.

<R6> Robots have one Brain. Robots are limited to one VEX IQ Robot Brain. Any other microcontrollers or processing devices are not allowed, even as non-functional decorations.

This includes microcontrollers that are part of other VEX product lines, such as VEX Cortex, VEX EXP, VEXpro, VEX CTE, VEX RCR, VEX V5, VEX GO, or VEX Robotics by HEXBUG*. This also includes devices that are unrelated to VEX, such as Raspberry Pi or Arduino devices.

1. If using a first generation VEX IQ Brain, Robots must use one VEX IQ 900 MHz radio, VEX IQ 2.4 GHz radio, or VEX IQ Smart Radio in conjunction with their VEX IQ Robot Brain. The VEX IQ Brain and VEX IQ Controller may not be physically connected during a Match, and may only communicate through the radio.
2. Additional Robot Brains cannot be used on the Robot (even Robot Brains that are not connected).

<R7> Keep the power button accessible. The on/off button on the VEX IQ Robot Brain must be accessible without moving or lifting the Robot. All screens and/or lights must also be easily visible by competition personnel to assist in diagnosing Robot problems.

This rule is in place to ensure the safety of both competitors and Field staff. In the event that a Robot needs to be quickly powered off—whether due to a malfunction, entanglement, or other safety concern—it is crucial that the power button remains easily accessible. This allows competitors and/or Field personnel to safely Disable the Robot without putting their hands near moving parts or other hazards inside the Robot. Additionally, keeping screens and indicator lights visible helps officials diagnose issues efficiently, minimizing downtime and ensuring a smooth competition experience.

<R8> Firmware. Teams must use VEXos version 2.2.1 or newer on Gen1 Brains, or VEXos version 1.0.8 or newer on Gen2 Brains. The latest firmware can be found at https://link.vex.com/firmware. Custom firmware modifications are not permitted.

1. The minimum version requirement is subject to change over the course of the season.
2. When the minimum version is updated, Teams have a two week (14 calendar day) grace period from the time the minimum version is changed to update their firmware to the latest minimum version.
3. VEX Robotics reserves the right to deem any firmware update critical, and remove the allowable grace period.

<R9> Motors. Robots may use up to six VEX IQ Smart Motors.

1. Additional motors cannot be used on the Robot (even motors that aren’t connected).

<R10> Batteries. The only allowable sources of electrical power for a VEX IQ Robotics Competition Robot are one VEX IQ Robot Battery (first or second generation) or six AA batteries via the Robot AA Battery Holder (228-3493).

1. Additional batteries cannot be used on the Robot (even batteries that aren’t connected).
2. Teams are permitted to have an external power source (such as a rechargeable battery pack) plugged into their VEX IQ Controller during a Match, provided that this power source is connected safely and does not violate any other rules (such as <GG1>)

Note: Although it is legal, the Robot AA Battery Holder (228-3493) is not recommended for use in the VEX IQ Robotics Competition.

<R11> One Controller per Robot. No more than one VEX IQ Controller may control a single Robot.

1. No physical or electrical modification of the Controller is allowed under any circumstances.
   1. Attachments which assist the Drivers in holding or manipulating buttons/joysticks on the IQ Controller (including 3D-printed controller attachments) are permitted, provided that they do not involve direct physical or electrical modification of the Controller itself.
2. No other methods of controlling the Robot (light, sound, etc.) are permissible.
   1. Using sensor feedback to augment Driver control (such as motor encoders or the Vision Sensor) is permitted.
   2. See <RSC5>, <RSC6>, and <RSC7> for more information about operating the Robot during Autonomous Coding Skills Matches.

<R12> Robots are built from the VEX IQ product line. Robots may be built ONLY from official Robot components from the VEX IQ product line, unless otherwise specifically noted within these rules.

1. Official VEX IQ products are ONLY available from VEX Robotics. To determine whether or not a product is “official” and legal for competition use, consult the following sources:
   1. VEX IQ Robotics Competition Legal Parts Appendix
   2. VEX IQ Robotics Competition Illegal Parts Appendix
   3. www.vexiq.com
2. If an inspector or Head Referee questions whether something is an official VEX IQ component, the Team will be required to provide documentation that proves the component’s source. Such documentation may include receipts, part numbers, or other printed documentation.
3. Only VEX IQ components specifically designed for use in Robot construction are allowed. Using additional components outside their typical purpose is against the intent of the rule (i.e., please don’t try using VEX IQ apparel, Team or event support materials, packaging, Field Elements, or other non-Robot products on a VEX IQ Robotics Competition Robot).
4. Official robotics components from the VEX IQ product line that have been discontinued are still legal for Robot use. However, Teams must be aware of <R12B>.
5. Additional VEX IQ products that are released during the season are legal for use, unless otherwise noted on their product pages.
6. VEX IQ Smart Cables may only be used for connecting legal electronic devices to the VEX IQ Robot Brain.
   

Note: A comprehensive list of legal VEX IQ parts can be found in the VEX IQ Robotics Competition Legal Parts Appendix, at https://link.vex.com/docs/viqrc/legal-parts. This Appendix is updated as needed if/when new VEX IQ parts are released, and may not coincide with scheduled Game Manual updates.

<R13> Prohibited items. The following types of mechanisms and components are NOT allowed:

1. Those that could potentially damage Field Elements or Scoring Objects.
2. Those that could potentially damage or entangle other Robots.
3. Tape and/or any other material that adheres to or changes a legal part, other than for labeling hardware as permitted by <R14H> or non-functional decorations as permitted by <R15>.
4. Products from the VEX 123, VEX V5, VEX CTE, VEX EXP, Cortex, or VEXpro product lines, unless specifically allowed by a clause of <R14>.
5. Electrical components from the VEX Robotics by HEXBUG* product line.
6. Electrical components from the VEX GO product line.
7. 3D printed parts for any purpose, including License Plates, License Plate holders, and non-functional decorations.
8. Additional illegal parts are listed in the VEX IQ Robotics Competition Illegal Parts Appendix, at https://link.vex.com/docs/viqrc/illegal-parts. This Appendix is updated as needed, and may not coincide with scheduled Game Manual updates.

<R14> Legal Non-VEX IQ components. Robots are allowed to use the following additional components from sources other than VEX Robotics:

1. Rubber bands no larger than 7.5” long and 0.25” wide.
2. ⅛” metal shafts from the VEX V5 product line.
3. Other products from the VEX V5 product line that are also cross-listed as part of the VEX IQ product line are legal. A “cross-listed” product is one which can be found in both the VEX IQ and VEX V5 sections of the VEX Robotics website.
4. Mechanical/structural components from the VEX Robotics by HEXBUG* product line are legal for Robot construction.
5. Mechanical/structural components from the VEX GO product line are legal for Robot construction.
6. Aerosol-based cooling/freeze spray may be used to assist in cooling motors. Teams using freeze spray or similar products in ways that may reasonably be deemed unsafe could be subject to <S1> Violations.
7. Cleaners, disinfectants, and/or sanitizers may be used to assist in cleaning Robots, parts, components, etc. VEX Robotics recommends these procedures for cleaning/disinfecting/sanitizing Robot parts.
8. A limited amount of tape is allowed for the sole purpose of labeling motors, Robot Brains, and/or controllers.
9. Food-safe lubricants (grease, oils, or other lubricants) may be used on Robots, provided they are used in moderation and can not contaminate the Field, other Robots, Field Elements, and/or Scoring Objects.

<R15> Decorations are allowed. Teams may add non-functional decorations, provided that they do not affect Robot performance in any significant way or affect the outcome of the Match. These decorations must be in the spirit of the competition. Inspectors and Head Referees will have final say in what is considered “non-functional.” Unless otherwise specified below, non-functional decorations are governed by all standard Robot rules.

1. Decorations must be in the spirit of an educational competition.
2. To be considered “non-functional,” any decorations must be backed by legal materials that provide the same functionality. For example, a giant decal cannot be used to prevent Scoring Objects from falling out of the Robot unless it is backed by VEX IQ material. A simple way to check this is to determine if removing the decoration would impact the performance of the Robot in any way.
3. The use of non-toxic paint is considered a legal non-functional decoration. However, any paint used as an adhesive or to impact how tightly parts fit together would be classified as functional.
   

   Teams should be mindful of any non-functional decorations which could risk “distracting” an Alliance partner Robot’s Vision Sensor or other sensors.

<R16> Pneumatics. Robots using parts from the VEX IQ Pneumatics Kit (228-8795) must satisfy all of the following criteria:

1. No more than two Air Tanks, including any that aren’t connected.
2. No more than one Air Pump, including any that aren’t connected.
3. No additional parts that are not included in the VEX IQ Pneumatics Kit (e.g., unofficial tubing or fittings).
4. Teams may not use other elements for the purposes of storing or generating air pressure, and cannot use Pneumatic Cylinders or additional tubing solely for additional air storage. Robots are limited to the air pressure stored in two Air Tanks, as well as the normal working air pressure contained in any Pneumatic Cylinders and tubing on the Robot.
5. Teams can only use Pneumatic Cylinders and/or tubing as part of an actual pneumatic system (e.g., Air Tanks and/or an Air Pump).

There is no limit on the number of Pneumatic Cylinders or Pneumatic Solenoids that may be used, provided that no other rules are violated. There are no restrictions on running the Air Pump prior to (or during) Matches.

<R17> Modifications of parts. Parts may NOT be modified unless specifically listed as an exception in this rule. Examples of illegal modifications include, but are not limited to, bending, cutting, sanding, gluing, lubricating, taping, and melting. The following exceptions are the only legal modifications of parts:

1. Cutting metal VEX IQ or VEX V5 shafts to custom lengths.
2. Bending parts which are intended to be flexible, such as string, rubber bands, or thin plastic sheets.
3. Cutting VEX IQ pneumatic tubing to custom lengths.
4. Tying knots to shorten or connect string or rubber bands.

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 VIQRC Head Referee for the current season.
4. Cannot be the Event Partner or a Judge Advisor for the event.

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 VIQRC 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

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.

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)

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.

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.

<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:

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>.

Appendix A - Field Overview

Appendix B - Simplified Edition

Using this Appendix

Hey, Students!

Welcome to the VEX IQ Robotics Competition. We’re excited to see you play Level Up! We know that learning new things can be hard, and that the game manual can feel like a lot. That’s why we’re here to help.

You and your teammates can start here and work together to learn about the Field, how to earn points, the basic rules, and different ways to play the game.

This section does not include all of the rules. You will still need to learn them all! After you understand everything here, and before your first event, go to the official game manual to make sure you know all the rules.

We hope you have fun, make new friends, and work together to build your best Robot. Have an awesome season!

Hi, Adults!

This unofficial version of the VEX IQ Robotics Competition manual is a print-friendly resource for you and your Teams to help introduce Students to this season’s game, Level Up.

It’s very important to note that this is NOT a replacement for reading the official manual in its entirety. We encourage you to use this Appendix to support Team members who may be overwhelmed by the full game manual, and use it to aid in building a basic understanding of the game. Once Students are comfortable with this appendix and the rules outlined here, you should transition them to reading and using the full game manual, where they will gain a full-depth comprehension of the VEX IQ Robotics Competition.

We hope that you’ll find this guide helpful and that more Students feel welcomed, supported, and empowered to join your Teams.

Your Robotics friends,

The VEX Robotics Competition Game Design Committee

Important Rules

It is important to follow all of the rules in Level Up. This applies to both Students and Adults. The choices that Students and Adults make work together, so everyone should follow the rules.

Treat everyone with respect. <G1>

• Be kind and do your best. This is one of the most important parts of VEX IQ.
• Be respectful. It’s okay for Students and Adults to disagree, but it’s never okay to be disrespectful.
• Be a good sport. Think about how your actions affect others.
• Include everyone. Alliances should always work together to make a plan. You cannot tell another Team how they must play.

VIQRC is a Student-centered program. <G2>

• The Student-Centered Policy is very important because VEX IQ is a competition for Students.
• This means that the Students come up with the ideas, build the Robots, write the code, fix problems, and compete.
• Adults can teach, but cannot do the work on the Robots, code, engineering notebook, or strategies. They can give tips, but not answers.
• Students should speak up in a respectful way if an Adult is doing too much. Give a reminder that Student Centered is a rule all the time and everywhere with VEX IQ Robotics Competitions.

How do you play Level Up

Level Up is a game where two Robots work together to place Bean Bags on Goals to score points. During a Match, both Robots earn points. These points are added together to get a Teamwork Challenge score. Teams are ranked based on their scores in Teamwork Matches. The top Teams compete in Finals Matches to find a Teamwork Champion.

Teams can also play in Robot Skills Matches to see how well their Robot works on its own. There are two types: Driving Skills Matches (you control the Robot) and Autonomous Coding Skills Matches (the Robot runs using code written by Students).

Game Pieces and Goals

Bean Bags

• There are 38 Bean Bags in each Match. Bean Bags can be red, blue, or yellow.
• Some Bean Bags start on the Field, some are put into the Field by Loaders, and each Robot can start with a Preload <SG5>.

The three types of Bean Bags.

Goals

• There are three (3) types of Goals: Floor Goal, Pyramid Goal and L4 Goal.

How to Earn Points

Robots score Bean Bags in the Floor Goal <SC3>

• Bean Bags must be fully inside the Floor Goal and not touching any VEX IQ parts on the Floor.
• Bean Bags must match the color of the Floor Goal, or be yellow to score points

Robots score Bean Bags on the Pyramid Goal <SC4>

• Bean Bags must be resting on the Pyramid Goal or another Bean Bag. They cannot touch Robots, or anything outside of the Field.
• Bean Bags must match the color of the Pyramid Goal, or be yellow to score points

Robots score Bean Bags on the L4 Goal <SC5>

• Bean Bags must be resting on the L4 Goal or another Bean Bag, and not touching any Robots
• Bean Bags must be yellow to score points

Robot Rules

Before the Match starts, Robots cannot be bigger than 11” by 20” and cannot be taller than 15”. After the Match starts, Robots may grow bigger and taller by following rules <SG2> and <SG3>.

Your Robot has to be designed, built, and coded by the Students on your Team, not by Adults <R2>, using only VEX IQ parts <R12>.

Drive Team

Three Students make up the Drive Team for each Match:

• Driver 1 - Drives the Robot for the first 30 seconds <GG11>
• Driver 2 - Drives the Robot for the last 30 seconds
• Loader - Places Bean Bags into the Field during the Match <SG7>

Your Team can use different people in these roles each Match, but all must be members of your Team. <G5> and <GG11>

Matches and Referees

• Drive Team Members should know who the Head Referee is each Match. <T1>
• Robots must stop moving at the end of the Match <GG12> and can end the Match early. <GG13>
• Scores are added at the end of the Match. The Head Referee or Scorekeeper Referee will share them with the Drive Team Members. <SC1>
• Only Drive Team Members can talk to the Head Referee about a Match. They must do this right after the Match without Team Adults. <SC2>
• The Head Referee makes the final decision. Students may respectfully ask questions, but may not argue after the decision is made. <T3>

Appendix C - Glossary of Terms

Adult - Anyone who is not a Student or another defined term (e.g., Head Referee).

Alliance - A pre-assigned grouping of two Teams that are paired together during a given Teamwork Match.

Alliance Score - Points scored in a Teamwork Match that are awarded to both Teams.

Autonomous Coding Skills Match - see Match.

Autonomous Period - A time period during which Robots operate and react only to sensor inputs and/or commands pre-programmed by the Students into the Robot control system.

Bean Bag - see Scoring Object.

Builder - Any Student Team member who helps build the Robot. Adults are permitted to teach Builders associated concepts, but should never work on the Robot.

Coder - Any Student Team member who contributes to the code that is downloaded onto the Robot. Adults are permitted to teach Coders associated concepts, but should never work on the code that goes on the Robot.

Designer - Any Student Team member who helps design the Robot to be built for competition. Adults are permitted to teach Designers associated concepts, but should never work on the design of the Robot.

Disablement - A penalty applied to a Team for a safety Violation. During a Disablement, a Team is no longer allowed to operate their Robot, and the Drivers will be asked to place their controller down. A Disablement is not the same as a Disqualification.

Disqualification - A penalty applied to a Team for a Major Violation (see <GG6> for more details). If a Team receives a Disqualification in a Match, the Head Referee will notify the Team of their Violation at the end of the Match. At the Head Referee’s discretion, repeated Violations and/or Disqualifications for a single Team may lead to its Disqualification for the entire event.

Driver - A Student Team member who stands in the Driver Station and is responsible for operating and controlling that Team’s Robot during defined segments of a Match. Up to two Team members may fulfill this role in a given Match (see <GG1>), and there is no requirement that the same Students serve as Drivers in multiple Matches.

Driver Controlled Period - A time period during which Drivers operate their Robot using a VEX IQ controller.

Driver Station - A region beside the Field where the Drivers must remain during their Match unless legally interacting with their Robot. The Driver Stations are represented by the red and blue lines in Figure FO-3.

Drive Team Members - The two Drivers and one Loader who participate in a given Match as representatives of their Team. No Student may fill more than one role on a Drive Team in the same Match.

• Driver 1 - Drives the Robot until the mid-Match Driver switch (see <GG11>)
• Driver 2 - Drives the Robot after the mid-Match Driver switch (see <GG11>)
• Loader - Introduces Scoring Objects into the Field for the whole Match

Driving Skills Match - see Match.

Event Partner - The volunteer VEX IQ Robotics Competition Tournament coordinator who serves as an overall manager for the volunteers, venue, event materials, and all other event considerations.

Field - 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.

Field Element - The Field Perimeter, Floor, PVC pipes, and VEX IQ pieces which comprise and/or are attached to the Field.

Field Perimeter - The outer part of the Field, made up of four (4) outside corners and twenty-four (24) straight sections.

Finals Match - see Match.

Floor - The interior flat part of the playing Field, made up of the forty-eight (48) Field tiles that are within the Field Perimeter.

Game Design Committee (GDC) - The creators of VIQRC Level Up, and authors of this Game Manual. The Game Design Committee is the only official source for rules clarifications and Q&A responses; see Section 1.

Goal - A location inside the Field where Scoring Objects can be placed to earn points. There are multiple types of Goal in VIQRC Level Up:

• Floor Goal - A segment of the Floor on the short end of the Field. Each Floor Goal is bordered by the inside of the Field Perimeter and the inside edges of the VEX IQ pieces connected to the Floor. Each Floor Goal has a color, red or blue, determined by its VEX IQ pieces.
• Pyramid Goal - A three-tiered structure in a corner of the Field, which includes three Goals of graduating size. Each Pyramid Goal includes a set of horizontal grey PET sheets marked as L1, L2, or L3. Each Pyramid Goal has a color, red or blue, determined by the color of its vertical PET sheets.
  • L1 Goal - The lowest Goal in a Pyramid Goal, labeled as L1 on its horizontal PET sheet.
  • L2 Goal - The middle Goal in a Pyramid Goal, labeled as L2 on its horizontal PET sheet.
  • L3 Goal - The upper Goal in a Pyramid Goal, labeled as L3 on its horizontal PET sheet; includes a backstop aligned with the long side of the Field.
• L4 Goal - A vertical structure built from PVC pipe and VEX IQ pieces, which includes a horizontal PET sheet labeled as L4. L4 Goals do not have a defined color.

Head Referee - A certified impartial volunteer responsible for enforcing the rules in this manual as written. Head Referees are the only people who may discuss ruling interpretations or scoring questions with Teams at an event. Large events (e.g., Signature Events, World Championships, etc.) might include multiple Head Referees at the Event Partner’s discretion.

License Plate - A physical component on the Robot that displays the Team’s VEX IQ Robotics Competition number. Each License Plate must have a length and height of 3.5” x 1.5” (88.9mm x 38.1mm) and must not exceed a width of 0.25” (6.35mm) per <R4>.

Load - The act of legally introducing a Scoring Object into the Field. See <SG7>.

Load Zone - A segment of the Floor on a short end of the Field. Each Load Zone is bordered by the inside of the Field Perimeter and the inside edges of the VEX IQ pieces connected to the Floor. Each Floor Goal has a color, red or blue, determined by its VEX IQ pieces. The Load Zone is intended to receive Scoring Objects from a human Loader.

Match - A set time period, consisting of Autonomous Periods and/or Driver Controlled Periods, during which Teams play a defined version of Level Up to earn points. See Sections 2 & 3.

Match types:

• Autonomous Coding Skills Match - A Robot Skills Match in which a single Robot operates during a one minute Autonomous Period. There is no Driver Controlled Period. Teams can elect to end an Autonomous Coding Skills Match early if they wish to record a Skills Stop Time.
• Driving Skills Match - A Robot Skills Match in which one Team operates their Robot during a one minute Driver Controlled Period. There is no Autonomous Period. Teams can elect to end a Driving Skills Match early as described in rule <RSC8> if they wish to record a Skills Stop Time.
• Finals Match - A Teamwork Match used to determine the Teamwork Champions. See rule <T14>.
• Practice Match - A non-scored Match used to provide time for Teams to get acquainted with the official playing Field and procedures. Head Referees should not record or track standard gameplay Violations that occur during Practice Matches. Egregious Violations may be recorded and tracked at the discretion of the Head Referee.
• Qualification Match - A Teamwork Match that is used to determine Teams’ rankings for Finals Matches.
• Robot Skills Match - A Driving Skills Match or Autonomous Coding Skills Match.
• Teamwork Match - A Match that consists of a two-Team Alliance that works together to score points in a one-minute Match. Qualification Matches, Finals Matches, and optional Practice Matches are Teamwork Matches.

Match Load - A Scoring Object that begins the Match in a Driver Station and which may be introduced by a Loader during the Match. See <SG7> for more information.

Match Schedule - A list of Matches that is generated at the start of an event. The Match Schedule includes the predetermined, randomly-paired Alliances that will be competing in each Qualification Match, and the expected start times for these Matches. The Match Schedule may be subject to change at the Event Partner’s discretion.

Match Stop Time - The time remaining (i.e., displayed on the timer or audience display) in a tiebreaker Finals Match (which only occurs for 1st place) when an Alliance ends the Match early by placing their controllers on the ground. The Match Stop Time is rounded down to the nearest even number. For example, if controllers are set down when the displayed time is 13 seconds, the Match Stop Time is recorded as 12 seconds. If an Alliance does not finish the Match early, they receive a default Match Stop Time of 0 seconds.

Notebooker - Any Student Team member who contributes to the Team’s engineering notebook or associated documentation. Adults are permitted to teach Notebookers associated concepts, but should never work on the engineering notebook or other documentation.

Plowing - A Robot / Scoring Object status. A Robot is considered to be Plowing a Scoring Object if the Robot is intentionally moving it in a preferred direction with a flat or convex face of the Robot or with another Scoring Object.

Possession - A Robot / Bean Bag status. A Robot is considered to be Possessing a Bean Bag if a change in the Robot’s direction would result in controlled movement of the Bean Bag. This typically requires at least one of the following to be true:

1. The Bean Bag is fully supported by the Robot.
2. The Robot is moving the Bean Bag in a preferred direction with a concave face of the Robot (or inside of a concave angle formed by multiple mechanisms/faces of the Robot).

Practice Match - see Match.

Preload - A Scoring Object that begins the Match in contact with a Robot. See <SG5>.

Qualification Match - see Match.

Robot - A machine that has passed inspection, designed by Student Team members to execute one or more tasks autonomously and/or by remote control from Drivers.

Robot Skills Match - see Match.

Scorekeeper Referee - An impartial volunteer responsible for tallying scores at the end of a Match. Scorekeeper Referees do not make ruling interpretations, and should redirect any Team questions regarding rules or scores to the Head Referee.

Scoring Object - An object that can be placed in a Goal during a Match. There is one type of Scoring Object in VIQRC Level Up:

• Bean Bag - A blue, red, or yellow rectangular, pellet filled fabric pouch, measuring approximately 3 inches by 4 inches, and weighing approximately 40 grams.
  • Blue Bean Bags can be scored in the blue Floor Goal or the blue Pyramid Goal.
  • Red Bean Bags can be scored in the red Floor Goal or the red Pyramid Goal.
  • Yellow Bean Bags can be scored in any Goal.

Skills Stop Time - The time remaining in a Robot Skills Match when a Team ends the Match early. See <RSC8> for more details.

Strategist - Any Student Team member who contributes to the Match strategies used to score points during a Teamwork Match or Robot Skills Match, including assessing the impact of other Teams’ performance and strategies on the Team’s strategy (e.g., scouting). Adults are permitted to teach Strategists associated concepts, but should never create or dictate a Team’s Match strategy.

Student - Anyone born after May 1, 2011 (i.e., who will be 15 or younger at VEX Worlds 2027). Eligibility may also be granted based on a disability that has delayed education by at least one year. Students are the individuals who design, build, repair, and program the Robot with minimal Adult assistance.

• Elementary School Student – Any Student born after May 1, 2014 (i.e., who will be 12 or younger at VEX Worlds 2027). Elementary School Students may “play up” and compete as Middle School Students.
• Middle School Student - Any eligible Student that is not an Elementary School Student.

Team - Three or more Students make up a Team. In the context of this game manual, Student Team members fill multiple roles related to Robot design, build, coding, strategy, and documentation. See <G2>, <G4>, <G5> for more information. Adults may not fulfill any of these roles. See Appendix E for more information about Team classifications and Student roles.

Teamwork Champions - The two Teams in the Alliance with the highest Finals Match score. See rule <T14>.

Teamwork Match - see Match.

Tournament - A competition event that includes scored Matches, and which is run by an Event Partner.

Violation - The act of breaking a rule in the game manual. See Appendix D for additional information on Violations and penalties.

• Minor Violation - A Violation which does not result in a Disqualification.
• Major Violation - A Violation which results in a Disqualification.
• Score Affecting - A Violation which improves an Alliance’s score at the end of a Match.

Appendix D - Rule Violations

This appendix is intended to provide additional guidance regarding rule Violations within the VEX IQ Robotics Competition, and offer further explanation on how Violations may be interpreted and enforced during Matches. It is designed to promote consistency in officiating and to help Teams better understand how actions on the Field may impact scoring, Match outcomes, and referee decisions.

All Violation notes to denote special circumstances or provide additional clarifications have been consolidated into this section such that they may be easily referenced. If no Violation notes are found in a given rule, then it should be assumed that the below “default” definitions apply.

This appendix does not supersede any existing rule, but instead serves as a secondary resource to aid in their application.

Violation - The act of breaking a rule in the Game Manual.

• Minor Violation - A Violation which does not result in a Disqualification.
  • Accidental, momentary, or otherwise non-Score Affecting Violations are usually Minor Violations.
  • Minor Violations usually result in a verbal notification from the Head Referee during the Match, which should serve to inform the Team that a rule is being Violated before it escalates to a Major Violation.
• Major Violation - A Violation which results in a Disqualification.
  • Unless otherwise noted in a rule, all Score Affecting Violations are Major Violations.
  • If noted in the rule, egregious or strategic Violations or intentional actions that result in Violations may also be Major Violations.
  • Multiple Minor Violations within a Match or Tournament may escalate to a Major Violation at the Head Referee’s discretion or as specified in a rule. Minor Violations carry over into Finals Matches unless otherwise specified within a rule.
• Score Affecting - A Violation which improves an Alliance’s score at the end of a Match.
  • Multiple Violations within a Match can cumulatively become Score Affecting.
  • When evaluating whether a Violation was Score Affecting, Head Referees will focus primarily on any Robot actions that were directly related to the Violation.
  • Determining whether a Violation was Score Affecting can only be done once the Match is complete and the scores have been calculated.
  • To determine whether a Violation may have been Score Affecting, check whether the Violation directly contributed to increasing the score of the Match. If it did not increase the Alliance’s score, then the Violation was not Score Affecting, and it was very likely a Minor Violation.

Violations of <GG>, <SG>, and <RSC> rules that occur during a Robot Skills Match should only affect the outcome of that Match and should not be considered when determining whether a Violation has been repeated during the event.

Violation Notes by Rule

Specific Game Rules

<SG1>

1. The Match will not begin with any conditions in this rule unmet. If a Robot cannot meet these conditions in a timely manner, the Robot will be removed from the Field and rules <R2D> and <GG3> will apply until the situation is corrected. In most cases, they will not receive a Disqualification, but should receive a Minor Violation and will not be permitted to play in the Match.

<SG7>

1. Teams are responsible for their own actions. Violations that involve a Loader and Robot from opposite Teams will be given to both Teams.
2. It is expected that most Violations of this rule will be accidental. In accidental cases that end up being Score Affecting (e.g., an illegally-Loaded Scoring Object is scored in a Goal), the first occurrence during a Qualification Match may be treated as a Minor Violation and a “final notice” that any future Violation will result in Disqualification for the Match.
3. Any Score Affecting Violation during a Finals Match (accidental and intentional) must be treated as a Major Violation.
4. Repeated, intentional, or egregious Violations may escalate to a Major Violation at the Head Referee’s discretion. One example of an egregious Violation would be placing a Scoring Object directly onto a Robot without ever contacting the Load Zone.

General Rules

<G1>

1. Any Violation of <G1> may be considered a Major Violation and should be addressed on a case-by-case basis. Teams at risk of a <G1> Major Violation due to multiple disrespectful or uncivil behaviors will usually receive a “final warning”, although the Head Referee is not required to provide one).

<G2>

1. Potential Violations of this rule will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. By definition, all Violations of this rule become Score Affecting as soon as a Robot which was built or programmed by an Adult scores points in a Match.
   

<G4>

1. Teams believed to be in Violation of this rule should be reported to the Judge Advisor, Head Referee, or Event Partner for further investigation in coordination with VEX Robotics. Based on the investigation the Team may be removed from further Matches, have their Robot Skills Match scores removed, and/or be removed from consideration from judged awards.
2. Violations of this rule will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis, as noted in <G1> and <G2>.

General Game Rules

<GG1>

1. Major Violations of this rule are not required to be Score Affecting, and could invoke Violations of other rules, such as <G1>, <G2>, or <G4>.
   

<GG9>

1. In most cases, accidental Field damage should only be considered a Minor Violation.
2. Egregious, intentional, or repeated accidental/Minor Violations may escalate to a Major Violation at the Head Referee’s discretion.
   

<GG10>

1. This rule is intended to allow Teams to fix damaged Robots or help get their Robots “out of trouble.” Strategically exploiting this rule may be considered a Minor Violation or Major Violation at the Head Referee’s discretion.
   

<GG11>

1. At a minimum, any Violation of this rule is considered a Minor Violation. Whether it escalates to a Major Violation or not is dependent upon the Head Referee’s judgment regarding prior Violations and any Score Affecting actions that were a direct result of the Violation, such as the first Driver scoring additional points after 35 seconds of driving or a Driver also serving as a Loader in the same Match.

<GG12>

1. Because scoring that happens after the Match is not counted, all Violations of <GG12> should be recorded as Minor Violations.
2. If a Team receives three Minor Violations within the same event, all future <GG12> Violations at that event will be considered Major Violations and Disqualifications.
3. This count does not reset for any reason within an event (e.g., Teamwork Matches vs Finals Matches, one of the Team’s “dropped score” Matches, etc.), but does not include Violations that occur in Robot Skills Matches or Practice Matches.

Robot Rules

<R4>

1. A Team that circumvents a Robot rule for a competitive advantage should receive an immediate Disqualification for the current Match.

Appendix E - Team Classifications and Student Roles

Three or more Students make up a Team. To participate in an official VEX IQ Robotics Competition event, a Team must first register on events.vex.com and receive a VEX IQ Robotics Competition Team number. A Team’s unique number identifies their organization and their Team within that organization. Each Team must design and build their own Robot, create their own code, develop their own strategies to play the game, and maintain their own engineering notebook if they choose to use one.

• A Team is classified as an Elementary School Team if all members are Elementary School Students.
• A Team is classified as a Middle School Team if any member is a Middle School Student, or if the Team is made up of Elementary School Students who declare themselves as “playing up” as Middle School Students by registering their Team as a Middle School Team.
• Once a Team has competed in an event as a Middle School Team, that Team may not change to an Elementary School Team for the remainder of the season. If a Team mistakenly registers as an Elementary School Team but is ineligible for that age group, their registration may be revised mid-season with the assistance of VEX Robotics; all prior qualifications for the season will be lost.
• Teams may be associated with schools, community/youth organizations, or a group of neighborhood Students.

In the context of this Game Manual, Student Team members fill multiple roles related to Robot design, build, coding, strategy, and documentation. See <G2>, <G4>, <G5> for more information. Adults may not fulfill any of these roles.

• Designer - Any Student Team member who helps design the Robot to be built for competition. Adults are permitted to teach Designers associated concepts, but should never work on the design of the Robot.
• Builder - Any Student Team member who helps build the Robot. Adults are permitted to teach Builders associated concepts, but should never work on the Robot.
• Coder - Any Student Team member who contributes to the computer code that is downloaded onto the Robot. Adults are permitted to teach Coders associated concepts, but should never work on the code that goes on the Robot.
• Strategist - Any Student Team member who contributes to the Match strategies used to score points during a Teamwork Match or Robot Skills Match, including assessing the impact of other Teams’ performance and strategies on the Team’s strategy (e.g., scouting). Adults are permitted to teach Strategists associated concepts, but should never create or dictate a Team’s Match strategy.
• Notebooker - Any Student Team member who contributes to the Team’s engineering notebook or associated documentation. Adults are permitted to teach Notebookers associated concepts, but should never work on the engineering notebook or other documentation.