Every year at the end of VEX Worlds held in April, the new game is revealed, and this year’s game is: In the Zone. This game is played on a 12’× 12’ square field with two alliances, blue and red, with each alliance composed of two teams. The teams compete in matches consisting of a fifteen second autonomous period, followed by a one minute and forty-five second driver control period. The object of the game is to attain a higher score than the opposing alliance by Stacking Cones on Goals, Scoring Mobile Goals in Goal Zones, having the Highest Stack, and Parking Robots.
2017-2018 In The Zone
The field is comprised of two colored Scoring Zones at two corners of the field which are denoted by a tape line and PVC pipes. Each alliance also has a sheet steel Loader attached to the field perimeter near their alliance station for Match loads (12 cones per alliance). Plastic Cones and alliance specific Mobile Goals are placed across the field. There are eighty Cones that can be stacked on ten goals (5 per Alliance) during a Match. Each Robot (smaller than 18”×18”×18”) begins a match on one of their alliance starting tiles. Each alliance has three zones in which they can place their Goals. A bonus is awarded to the alliance that has the most total points at the end of the autonomous period.
Although, the team with the most amount of points wins the match, it is not just about one match; every match counts at a tournament. At each tournament, each team plays four to seven matches and, by the end of the day, the top eight ranked teams choose partners, forming alliances to compete in the elimination tournament. The alliances compete against one another, and they must win two rounds to move forward into quarter finals, semi-finals or finals. Eventually there are four alliances competing against one another in the semi-finals, and then the two winning alliances compete. The priority for most teams at each tournament is to competein finals or semi-finals or win an award which would qualify them for Provincials.