2011 Game - Logomotion

For its 20^th anniversary, FRC created a FIRST-themed game called Logomotion. Logomotion has two main scoring mechanics: inner tubes and minibots. The inner tubes must be carried across the field and hung on pegs. The minibots deploy in the last ten seconds of the game score by reaching the top of a ten-foot pole. There is also a bonus that can be earned while the robot is operating autonomously (the first 15 seconds of the game).

The main source of points is the inner tubes. To keep with the FIRST logo, the tubes come in three main varieties: red triangles, white circles, and blue squares. To score, robots ferry them across the field and place them on the scoring grid. Robots pick up the pieces at an alliance’s feeding slot. There are four slots, two for each alliance, with one in each corner of the field. After picking up a tube (robots may carry no more than one at a time), the robot must carry it across the field and place it on one of the scoring grids. Each scoring grid is a three by three array of pegs, and each alliance has two. Each of the pegs hold a pair of tubes. Scoring is based on how high the tubes are. A tube on the lowest row is worth one point, a tube on the second row is worth two points, and placing tubes on the highest row yields three points. Points are doubled for any row where an alliance forms the FIRST logo (left to right: triangle, circle, square).

At the start of the game, each robot is given an ubertube (a yellow circle). If it’s placed on a peg within the 15 seconds of autonomous operation, the ubertube, and all other tubes on that peg will have their points doubled. Black lines drawn along the field help to guide autonomous robots to the pegs. Robots are also aided by the Red and Blue zones: seven-foot-deep areas in front of each scoring grid, which the robots of the opposing alliance aren’t allowed to enter.

In the last ten seconds, robots are allowed to deploy their minibots. In an effort to encourage cooperation between the branches of FIRST, the minibots are made from the same parts as FTC robots. Any robot is able can place its minibots on one of their alliances two poles. The minibot must crawl to the top under its own power. The first minibot to the top of the 10-foot pole scores 30 points. The second, third, and fourth score 20, 15, and 10 points, respectively.

The game video condenses all of the mechanics into a three-minute video. In addition to the copy embedded below, NASA hosts a copy.