This is the first year our team will be going to the US Nationals in Omaha, NE. What is the format of toss up games played there? We know that one variation would be the one on one toss up game but we have no clue about what else will be up. Can anyone tell us something about this?
Are you talking about the US Open? The format for the Open is the same as any other large tournament, with Middle and High school divisions, skills, etc. The US National tournament is held in Hawaii this year.
The Hawaii one is the International VEX Summer Games. I am talking about the CREATE US Open Robotics Championship - VEX High School Division which is at Omaha, Nebraska from 3rd april to 5th april
You’ll need to elaborate if you want a better answer. The game Toss Up will be the exact same scoring, rules, etc.
The format of the tournament will vary slightly. Although I don’t know about this year, there were two divisions last year.
Skills will be the same rules, You’ll probably be able to do skills, judging, inspection, and setting up the day before the actual matches start.
For the US Open in Omaha this coming April there is going to be 4/5 divisions, which is more than in the past. The first division is Create Jr. which is for elementary age kids. The second division is Vex Toss Up Middle School, which is identical to what we have all been doing this year, but for Middle School only. The third division is Vex Toss UP High School, same rules and game as all year. The fourth division, is Vex Toss Up Open, which is the same game as we have been playing, but with some minor modifications. First off, the robots do not have to be all Vex parts, you can use 3D printed parts, you can fabricate out of alum., weld, glue, etc., you can upgrade to 3 batteries with 2 power ex-panders, you can use a different processor (Arduino for example) and pretty much anything goes. To compete in this division, you will have to get the Open Control device which allows the computers to turn the robots on and off. The game has been modified slightly to accommodate this new control system. The rules have also been slightly increased to limit the no. of pneumatic cylinders to control cost. If anyone is interested in more info on the open division, pm me and I will email you info put out by the Create foundation. You can visit the info at robot events, only use the CREATE tab in stead of the VEX Middle/High School tab and there will be info there. I am not sure of what the fifth division is, or even if there is one. I kind of remember hearing about it, but that is all. Keep in mind that this open division is not really VRC and any modifications to VRC robots would have to be undone to then compete in a VRC tournament.
Thank u… That really clears a lot of doubts we had.
I was unaware there was an Open division with different rules.
My bad for any confusion from my original post.
400X - Not a problem. What you said was accurate for the VEX divisions of the Open, there is just an additional division for those who want to pursue that avenue. In any case, it is going to be a great time, looks to be a very competitive tournament with a lot of good teams, plus for those who have not seen the open robotics format, very interesting to watch and investigate.
Correct me if I’m wrong, but I remember hearing about a division with 1 minute of driver control, then an Autonomous period, then more driver control.
@ Vex Vortex That is the Open Division
The open competition has 10 seconds of driver control in the beginning, designed for the systems to connect, since powering on and off is controlled by the “orb”, which replaces the competition control system.
My main problem with the open right now is that a power expander is required to play due to increased power draw and a really high brown out number. We were unable to drive over the bump, for example, because it would drop our connection every time the motors drew that much torque.
As far as the regular toss up, there will be at least one high school division, though there were two last year.
Ok, I didn’t realize that was the Open Division. Thanks, that makes sense now.