BreakAway is a soccer game played
by robots. But like any other game dreamed
up by FIRST, it is no ordinary soccer
game. Three robots play on a side. A side
is called an alliance because it is made
up of three robotics teams. Up to twelve
soccer balls can be on the field at any given
time. Each side has not one, but two, goals
to defend. As if that is not enough of a
challenge, the playing field has towers,
tunnels and big speed bumps. And as the game
ends, robots may attempt climbing and hanging
to gain extra points.
At the beginning of each match is a 15 second
autonomous period where the robot is functioning
purely from programming and sensors rather
than on human input. Directly after autonomous
mode is the tele-operated mode which lasts
for two minutes. During this period, each robot
has three operators (Driver, Operator, Coach)
who remotely control their team's robot
during the match. What each robot can do, and
how it plays the game, is left up to the team.
Three teams form an alliance for each match.
Two alliances, a red and a blue, compete in
a match. Since each robot is unique, the teams
in an alliance need to collectively strategize
on how best to play the game. They assess the
combined strengths and weakness of their robots
versus the robots in the opposing alliance.
Complicating matters, the make up of the alliances
changes with each match until the finals, so
teams are very busy learning about each other's
robots.
The object of this game is to score as many
points as possible with the various methods
you have available: scoring the balls through
your goals, hanging from your alliance's tower
(elevated), and hanging from another robot
that is also hanging from the tower (suspended).
Scoring balls gives you one point, being elevated
gives you two points, and being suspended gives
you three points. However, you are only able
to hang from the tower during the last 20 seconds
of the match. Great teamwork is necessary to
ensure that at least one robot of your alliance
is going to hang from the tower.
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The 27 by 54-foot field is equally divided
into three zones: red zone, blue zone, and
midfield. There are two bumps that divide these
zones, each a foot tall and with each of their
faces a foot in length. There is an 18-inch
high tunnel in the middle of these bumps which
allows the robots to go to other zones without
having to traverse over them. Above these tunnels
are seven-foot high towers. The balls are set
up in this fashion before the start of the
match: three balls in your opponent's zone,
two in the midfield, and one ball in your alliance
zone.
Courtesy of FIRST |
BreakAway Posters
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Skunkworks
Robotics created these posters that
explain the BreakAway game and lists
dates for our local regionals. Available
as a PDF in three sizes. Feel free
to print out the posters and use them
in your school, business or on your
web site.
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