COACHES TRAINING RESOURCES

CONTACT: Norm Kerman 412/

BASIC RULES (For complete rules, go to the FLL website,

There will be three Rounds in the Competition. Each Team will have approximately 2 hours between each round.

MATERIALS EVERYTHING the team brings to the COMPETITION AREA must be made entirely of LEGO elements in their original factory condition with the following constraints and limitations:

MATERIALS 1.String and tubing may be cut to length. 2.Stickers, paint, tape, glue, oil, etc. are not allowed. 3.Markers may be used for owner identification in hidden areas only.

RCX MATERIALS (LIMITATIONS) 1 – RCX Controller

RCX MATERIALS (LIMITATIONS) 1 – RCX 3 – Rotation Sensor

RCX MATERIALS (LIMITATIONS) 1 – RCX 3 – Rotation Sensor 2 – Touch Sensors

RCX MATERIALS (LIMITATIONS) 1 – RCX 3 – Rotation Sensor 2 – Touch Sensors 2 – Light Sensors

RCX MATERIALS (LIMITATIONS) 1 – RCX 3 – Rotation Sensor 2 – Touch Sensors 2 – Light Sensors 3 – Motors

RCX MATERIALS (LIMITATIONS) 1 – RCX 3 – Rotation Sensor 2 – Touch Sensors 2 – Light Sensors 3 – Motors 1 – Lamp

RCX MATERIALS (LIMITATIONS) 1 – RCX 3 – Rotation Sensor 2 – Touch Sensors 2 – Light Sensors 3 – Motors 1 – Lamp 3 RD Light OR Touch Sensor

NXT MATERIALS (LIMITATIONS) 1 – NXT Controller

NXT MATERIALS (LIMITATIONS) 1 – NXT 2 – Touch Sensors

NXT MATERIALS (LIMITATIONS) 1 – NXT 2 – Touch Sensors 2 – Light Sensors

NXT MATERIALS (LIMITATIONS) 1 – NXT 2 – Touch Sensors 2 – Light Sensors 3 – Motors

NXT MATERIALS (LIMITATIONS) 1 – NXT 2 – Touch Sensors 2 – Light Sensors 3 – Motors 1 – Lamp

NXT MATERIALS (LIMITATIONS) 1 – NXT 2 – Touch Sensors 2 – Light Sensors 3 – Motors 1 – Lamp Rotation Sensor – 3 minus the number of NXT Motors present

NXT MATERIALS (LIMITATIONS) 1 – NXT 2 – Touch Sensors 2 – Light Sensors 3 – Motors 1 – Lamp Rotation Sensor – 3 minus the number of NXT Motors present 1 – Ultrasonic Sensor

BASE BASE is a volume, not an area BASE is the area on the south- center of the mat to a height of 16” (40 cm).

PARTICIPATION 1.Only two team members are allowed right up at the competition table except during repair emergencies 2.Members may rotate in and out at any time

AUTONOMY Robot performance must be Autonomous (Hands Off, Bluetooth Off)

AUTONOMY Touching the robot in Autonomy mode forces it into Preparation mode. You maintain control of any objects involved, BUT THE REFEREE COULD TAKE OBJECTS AWAY, BASED ON DETAILS IN THE MISSION.

AUTONOMY Bluetooth Communications to the NXT or remote control for either the NXT or RCX platforms are not allowed at any time.

AIMING DEVICES Strategic Aiming Devices may be used but the robot is not allowed to make contact with them during starts. REMEMBER: THESE ARE AIMING DEVICES, NOT GUIDING DEVICES

PREPARATION While in Base, the robot may be repaired, reconfigured with attachments, and batteries may be replaced, however, THE CLOCK DOES NOT STOP!

STRAY OBJECTS Any object caused by a robot to be in the way of its performance may be moved by the referee, upon team request, if it can be done without a direct effect on scoring.

STRAY OBJECTS Objects in Scoring Position may be shifted to equivalent Scoring Position, if possible, and worthless objects may be removed from the table.

STARTING POSITION For all starts, every bit of the Robot and any objects in contact with it must be COMPLETELY in Base, with leniency for ‘slight’ overextensions

LOSS OF CONTACT If the Robot is in Autonomy mode and loses contact with any object, that object stays where it is and is considered Stray. For loss of contact in Transition Mode, the team maintains control of the object.

INTERFERENCE Your team’s robot is not allowed to have any effect on the other team’s robot, field or strategy except by directly meeting the scoring requirements of missions in areas that are shared between the two sides by design of the Challenge

ROBOT DAMAGE At any time during the match, the team can recover robot parts that come off as a result of obviously unintentional damage. The team can do this by hand or request help from the referee.

FIELD PARTS The team may not handle Mission Models outside of Base. Changes in the field are never restored by hand for the sake of giving the team “more tries”.

REVERSIBLE ACTION If something happens that’s not allowed, the referee reverses (undoes) it so it has no impact on scoring and reminds the team that it’s not allowed.

REVERSIBLE ACTION Note that the Robot is allowed to make mistakes, mess up the field, etc., so these actions are not necessarily reversed.

SCORING The score is determined at the end of the match, by the condition of the field at that time only. This means that points are not given for accomplishments that the robot accidentally trashes before the match ends.

SCORING At the end of each match, the referee and a designated team member look at the field together and come to an agreement about what points were given or missed, and why, and to be sure that no one is walking away with Mission Models.

BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT In situations that are too close to call, like when a split-second or the thickness of a line is a factor, the team gets the benefit of the doubt. THE LINE IS ALWAYS IN THE TEAM’S FAVOR

ALLOWABLE SOFTWARE The robot must be programmed using LEGO Software as supplied in LEGO sets only (any platform, any release) Syntax-Based languages are not allowed!

FULL DISCLOSURE All official answers given to teams through Challenge support are subject to public posting in Q&A, including questions about ALLOWABLE strategies.

FULL DISCLOSURE If a strategy is questionable for you, chances are that it will be questionable for the referees too, and guarding it until the tournament is risky.

PRECEDENCE When there is a conflict between a mission and a rule, the mission takes precedence. BUT- The current Q&A page on the web takes OVERALL precedence

COACHES MEETING If a question does come up right before the tournament, your last chance to ask it is at the Coaches Meeting the morning of the tournament. The referees and coaches meet to identify and settle any differences before the matches start.

COACHES MEETING For the rest of the day, the referee’s calls are final when the team leaves the competition table.

MISSIONS

THERE ARE FOURTEEN MISSIONS IN THE CHALLENGE

THE COMPLETE BOARD WITH ALL MISSION MODELS IN PLACE

BASE AND PARKING LOT With all materials to be found in Parking Lot at the start of a match Base Parking Lot with all materials

ROOF SOLAR PANEL Move the Roof Solar Panel ONTO the roof of the house

ON / ONTO (For Objects as Targets) The Object must be able to support all the weight of the object when any/all other supports are removed as proven or estimated by the referee.

ROOF SOLAR PANEL No penalty for knocking over The Old Lady

ROOF SOLAR PANEL - 1 Solar Panel supported by roof 15 points

ROOF SOLAR PANEL -2 Solar Panel supported by dormer This is Acceptable 15 points

PERSONAL VEHICLE CHOICE Move the hydrogen car TO the white property or all-black driveway of the house and move the red truck TO the Parking Lot or the Farm The car must be moved from Base even though it is stored in the Parking Lot

IN / INTO / TO (For Areas as Targets) ANY bit of the object just needs to barely cross over the other edge of the target REMEMBER: The line is always in the team’s favor

PERSONAL VEHICLE CHOICE Truck moved to Base (After car has successfully been moved to house) 25 points + 30 points

PERSONAL VEHICLE CHOICE Truck moved to Farm (After car has successfully been moved to house) 25 points + Another Possible 25 Points

HYDRO-DAM Place the Dam so it is TOUCHING both banks of any river section EAST of the Base

TOUCHING (For Any Target) The object itself must be making direct contact with the Target. COMPLETELY Every bit of the object must meet the condition

HYDRO-DAM Dam TOUCHING both banks of The river NORTH of Base 0 POINTS

HYDRO-DAM Dam TOUCHING both banks of river section EAST of Base 25 POINTS

HYDRO-DAM No houses being TOUCHED by Dam or Upstream Flood 0 POINTS DEDUCTED

HYDRO-DAM House TOUCHED by Dam and Upstream Flood TOUCHING House 10 POINT DEDUCTION Dam touching house Flood touching house

WIND TURBINE Place Wind Turbines so they are TOUCHING any white area NOT Directly outside Base Areas directly outside Base

WIND TURBINE Turbines in areas directly outside Base 0 POINTS

WIND TURBINE Wind Turbines in areas NOT directly outside Base 15 POINTS EACH

Grid Connection GRID CONNECTION Place the Power Lines so they are TOUCHING the white of the Power Plant property and the white of adjoining communities

Grid Connection GRID CONNECTION Communities connected to the Power Plant property are worth 5 POINTS each. Each community that is, in turn TOUCHING a SCORING Hydro-Dam or Wind Turbine is worth an ADDITIONAL 5 POINTS

SOLAR POWERED SATELLITE Lower the Satellite’s Panel The location of the Satellite is EXACTLY in the middle of the long side of the board

SOLAR POWERED SATELLITE Be the first team to lower one of the Satellites panels and get 15 POINTS for lowering the panel and 5 POINTS for being first

SOLAR POWERED SATELLITE Both teams receive 15 POINTS for Lowering the panel, but only one Team receives the extra 5 POINTS For being first.

Sandy Beach behind House WAVE TURBINE Bring your own team-designed Wave Turbine and move it to the ocean directly west of the Sandy Beach. Your turbine must consist of at least 2 pieces that move independently 25 POINTS

COAL MINING Get the loaded Rail Car to roll down the Railroad tracks Stopper

COAL MINING Only if and when the loaded Rail Car TOUCHES the stoppers at the end, the team is allowed to retrieve it TO Base

COAL MINING Loaded Coal Car moved to Base by hand 10 POINTS

OIL DRILLING Move ALL the Oil Barrels, including the Red One, OFF the Oil Platform

OFF (For Areas and Objects) None of the objects weight is being supported in any direction

OIL DRILLING ALL the Oil Barrels, including the Red One, moved OFF the Oil Platform 10 POINTS

CORN HARVEST AND PROCESSING Move ALL the Corn, including the Red one, TO Base

CORN HARVEST AND PROCESSING The Corn in Base is worth 25 POINTS only if at least one Oil Barrel is moved TO The Farm Remember the Red Truck, with three Red Oil Barrels we moved to the Farm, earlier

URANIUM MINING Move all the Uranium, including the Red one, OUT of the Farm

OUT (For Areas and Containers) Not one bit of the object is IN. Note: OUT ALWAYS means completely OUT

URANIUM MINING All of the Uranium is COMPLETELY OUT of the Farm 15 POINTS

TREE PLANTING Move trees TO any area north of the Main River

TREE PLANTING The Main River is defined as that River that runs from the east Wall to the Ocean Ocean Main River East Wall

TREE PLANTING 10 POINTS for each Tree moved north of th Main River (30 POINTS here)

POWER PLANT SUPPLY Move Fuel to the Power Plant Property 10 POINTS for each Tree, up to Two

POWER PLANT SUPPLY Only 20 POINTS for the Trees. Third or Fourth Tree must score as Planted

POWER PLANT SUPPLY Move at least half of the original Black Coal load to the Power Plant 10 POINTS 11 pieces of Coal (but only 10 are required)

POWER PLANT SUPPLY 0 POINTS Only 9 Pieces of Coal Less than half – No Credit

POWER PLANT SUPPLY Move the GREEN Uranium TO the Power Plant Property 10 POINTS EACH

POWER PLANT SUPPPLY Move WHITE Oil Barrels to the Power Plant Property 5 POINTS EACH

POWER PLANT SUPPLY There must be NO Red Fuel Models IN the Power Plant Area for the Mission To count 0 POINTS

POWER PLANT SUPPLY There must be NO Red Fuel Models IN the Power Plant Area for the Mission To count 0 POINTS Red Barrel IN Power Plant Property

POWER PLANT SUPPLY There must be NO Red Fuel Models IN the Power Plant Area for the Mission To count 0 POINTS Red Coal IN Power Plant Property

OIL BARRELS Oil Barrels of either color are worth 10 POINTS EACH in Base or the Parking Lot. If ANY Oil Barrel is TOUCHING any Water or Property with a house, there is a 40 POINT DEDUCTION Oil Barrels on a Property with a House

OIL BARRELS Oil Barrels of either color are worth 10 POINTS EACH in Base or the Parking Lot. If ANY Oil Barrel is TOUCHING any Water or Property with a house, there is a 40 POINT DEDUCTION Oil Barrel in a Swimming Pool (It is water, after all)

OIL BARRELS Oil Barrels of either color are worth 10 POINTS EACH in Base or the Parking Lot. If ANY Oil Barrel is TOUCHING any Water or Property with a house, there is a 40 POINT DEDUCTION Oil Barrel in a the river

RULES FOR THE PARKING LOT 1.The Parking Lot is a storage area with respect to the Housekeeping Rule 2. The Team is allowed to move object to and from the Parking Lot by hand for storage only 3. The Robot is allowed to enter and exit the Parking Lot 4. The Robot is not allowed to make contact with any scoring object or any strategic object

RULES FOR THE PARKING LOT 5. At the start of the match, all objects in base will be stored in the Parking Lot 6. Any object to be delivered for points must be moved into Base, by hand, prior to the Robot taking control of it

FAIRNESS BONUS A Fairness Bonus is applied to the non- perfect raw scores earned by teams who are still using the RCX platform so that similar amounts of effort are reflected by similar scores as follows: 1.Every 5 raw points, up to 100, are worth 8 points 2.Raw scores from 105 to 325 get 60 points added 3.Raw scores from 330 to 395 are replaced by scores of 386 to 399 respectively