This thread will be used to publish updates to the VIQC Pitching In Game Manual.
Please start a separate thread in this forum for unofficial discussion of any of these changes. For any official questions, please post in the official VIQC Pitching In Q&A .
On June 15th, 2021, Version 0.2 of the VIQC Pitching In Game Manual was released, and the following changes were made:
Rubber bands that are identical in length and thickness to those included in the VEX IQ product line (#32 & #64)
Updated Figure 2 to show the full, correct Starting Positions.
Various small typo corrections.
The next manual update, Version 1.0, will occur on June 29th, 2021.
On June 29th, 2021, Version 1.0 of the VIQC Pitching In Game Manual was released, and the following changes were made:
Teams should be mindful of any non-functional decorations which could risk “distracting” Alliance partner Robots, such as the Vision Sensor or other sensors.
Updated Figure 11 to show the full, correct boundaries of the Low Goal.
Updated Figure 19 to show the Robot more clearly within the height restriction.
The next manual update, Version 1.1, will occur on July 27th, 2021.
On July 27th, 2021, Version 1.1 of the VIQC Pitching In Game Manual was released, and the following changes were made:
Updated LRT4 to change the Starting Positions in Live Remote Tournaments. (See figure 23).
Removed Live Remote Skills.
Various minor typo corrections.
The next manual update, Version 2.0, will occur on August 31st, 2021.
On August 31st, 2021, Version 2.0 of the VIQC Pitching In Game Manual was released, and the following changes were made:
Robots which are not contacting the Floor may control a maximum of two (2) Balls.
In the context of this rule, “control” implies that the Robot is manipulating the Balls, not
simply touching them. For example, if a Ball moves with the Robot either vertically or while turning, then the Robot is “controlling” the Ball. Other synonyms for “control” could be “hold”, “possess”, “support”, “lift”, or “carry”.
There is no restriction on the number of Balls a Robot may control at any other point during the Match. However, a Robot which is controlling more than two (2) Balls must remove any excess Balls from their Robot before leaving contact with the Floor.
If only one Driver is present in the Driver Station, they may drive for the full Match, and a controller switch is not required. It is at the Team’s discretion whether they wish to have one Driver or two. If two Drivers are present in the Driver Station, the controller switch rules in would then apply.
The intent of point “b” in this rule is to provide flexibility for Teams who are unable to meet in a traditional capacity due to local health guidelines. As noted in the definition of “Team”, teamwork is a core tenet of the VEX IQ Challenge, and the two-Student drive team is intended to be a fundamental application of this skill. If a Team has the capacity to include multiple Students, it should also be expected that they will not take advantage of this single-Driver exception for strategic gain.
The next manual update, Version 2.1, will occur on December 7th, 2021.
On October 6th, 2021, Version 2.1 of the VIQC Pitching In Game Manual was released, and the following changes were made:
The next manual update, Version 2.2, will occur on December 7th, 2021.
On December 7th, 2021, Version 2.2 of the VIQC Pitching In Game Manual was released, and the following changes were made:
R9 - Microcontroller. Robots are limited to ONE (1) VEX IQ Robot Brain (1st or 2nd generation).
Note: The Balls on the “right” side of the Field, as depicted in Figure 22 or when viewed from the
“audience side”, are considered in their Starting Corral. There is only one Starting Corral in a Live
Remote Match.
The next manual update, Version 2.3, will occur on February 1st, 2022.
On December 14th, 2021, the VIQC Pitching In Field Appendix was released, and the following changes were made:
On February 1st, 2022, Version 2.3 of the VIQC Pitching In Game Manual was released, and the following changes were made:
For the 2021-2022 season, Teams restricted by local health guidelines may elect to have one Driver in the Driver Station, instead of two. If only one Driver is present in the Driver Station, they may drive for the full Match, and a controller switch is not required. If two Drivers are present in the Driver Station, the controller switch rules in would then apply. It is at the Team’s discretion whether they wish to have one Driver or two; however, taking advantage of this exception for strategic gain is considered a violation of this rule, and may be considered a violation of the RECF Code of Conduct.
Teams that exhibit the following behaviors may be in violation of , and/or the RECF Code of Conduct, and should be prepared to share relevant health guidelines with RECF staff upon request:
-Utilizing two drivers in Qualification matches, but utilizing only one Driver in Finals Matches or Robot Skills Matches.
-Utilizing only one Driver in Matches, but permitting interactions in the pit area between multiple Students similar in nature to interactions that would occur between two Drivers in the Driver Station.
-Meeting outside of the event setting in a manner consistent with interactions that occur between two Drivers in the Driver Station, yet only utilizing one Driver in Matches.
Close calls between a High and Low Hang should always be verified with a height check using a 15-hole VEX IQ part or assembly. If no height check is available, and a Robot is “too close to call” between being above or below the bottom edge of the lower Hanging Bar, Teams should be given the “benefit of the doubt” and the Robot should be scored as a High Hang.
Updated Rule R8 to include #117B Rubber Bands
Updated Rule RSC7 to include G9
The next manual update, Version 3.0, will occur on April 5th, 2022.
On April 5th, 2022, Version 3.0 of the VIQC Pitching In Game Manual was released, and the following changes were made:
Updated Rule G8 to clarify intent for the 2022 VEX Robotics World Championship.
Updated Rule G9 to specify that the 2022 VEX Robotics World Championship will use the “standard” Driver Station layout. (All drivers alongside one 8’ section of the Field, facing the Audience)
Updated Rule T14 to clarify that the Fields at the 2022 VEX Robotics World Championships will be raised 16" off the floor.