As VEX grows , going from 2 vs 2 to 3 vs 3 will definitely help give teams more matches / event.
FIRST Robotics made this transition in 2005 and has never looked back.
How would the VEX GDC transition to 3 vs 3 matches ? (Bigger Field, Smaller Robots ? )
Lyncas you are back!!! Yay!!
I doubt they will ever go from the 2V2 to 3V3 without major changes in games and field sizes. It’s pretty busy now with 4 robots in a 12x12 area. But, since you are an event partner, how about doing some demonstration matches with this game to see what it would look like?
I would imagine 3v3 in Starstruck as being so crazy… 2 robots are already too cluttered for the field, especially with this year’s stars and cubes. Getting 3 robots to work must require some very good coordination and alliances.
3 vs 3 clawbots would fit just fine or perhaps 4 vs 4 vexIQ bots on a VRC field? In all seriousness that’s an entirely new competition, not a VRC enhancement. Way too many existing teams, schools and event hosts already entrenched in the existing 2 vs 2 setup. FIRST supply the FRC fields so making changes was a bit easier. I’m sure the RECF would like to see a more affordable FRC variant though and that seems more likely than 3 vs 3 VRC.
A bigger field would be needed.
The competition would have to be specialized for 3v3 robots rather than 2v2 robots. And everyone would either have to buy field expansion kits or buy new fields completely.
I think the vex field is already really cramped for 4 robots at once. (And it doesn’t help that it’s been spit down the middle this year) And I also think that it’s entirely feasible and possible, here’s how:
-First off, it wouldn’t be this season
-Second, Vex launches a new 20 X 20 (Or some other multiple of 4, I think 20 works well) field in the near future, 2 years maybe
-As the new field dimensions are still a multiple of 4, instead of making teams buy entirely new fields, they can buy field expansion kits, consisting of 8 side panels priced much lower than the cost of a full field, maybe around $400, making user adoption a breeze
I think this is an absolute must for vex as it continues to grow. I also think 3 team alliances would bring more strategy and and cooperation within alliances. I also think the bigger field will make games more interesting. You can only put so many things into a 12 X 12 field. This is something I wanted to ask for a long time but I didn’t think it would gain enough support. I am super relieved that more people feel the same way.
I think the current format is great 2 vs 2. Why should we put it back on the VRC/REC to change the format, fields sizes, robot sizes, when all the event host has to do is add more matches to the event. Or maybe more organizations in your area can step up and host an event. That’s how those 2 issues should be addressed.
Agreed, RECF will definitely use their existing field perimeter 4 foot pieces.
Rectangle fields will be more likely than square.
24 x 12 is still reasonable for most venues.
The game could be divided into halves and most teams would still be able to practice on a 12x12 field at their shop.
I’m not sure that treating VEX like FRC is the right way to go about this. When it comes to running homeschool/independent teams, space is always a consideration, and many teams like to have the full field to scrimmage against each-other, or practice skills runs. At lots of schools that have events with 2-3 fields, it becomes harder to allocate space for larger fields. I personally think the 12x12 fields are the perfect size for robots that are the current size of VEX robots.
How about a VEX Mini competition? 3 12" robots per alliance instead of 2 18" ones
To fill the same area as 2 18" robots the robots could be 15" (14.69). Or to be the same volume as 2 18" cubes the robots could be 16"(15.7).
Could be pretty interesting have the same size field with several smaller robots.