Velocity Vortex // 2016-2017
Every year, a new game is released to continually challenge new and old teams alike in order to keep the playing field as level as possible. In 2016, Velocity Vortex was announced as the official game for the FTC season.
Autonomous Period
Click to enlarge (credit FTC team 4634)
Robots have a 30 second period to drive and complete tasks without the aid of humans - which means no driver control. The robots must drive off of programming and on board sensors only. Robots can do the following to score points during autonomous:
Trigger beacon buttons to capture a beacon (30 points each)
Knock cap ball off of the center vortex onto the floor (5 points)
Shoot and score Particles (waffle balls colored red or blue) in to the center vortex (15 points per ball)
Score a particle in to the corner vortex marked as your team's color (5 points per ball)
Park on the center or corner vortex (5 points for partial parking, 10 for full parking)
After the autonomous period ends, each team will receive an extra particle depending on how many beacons are turned to that team's color. Then, the 2 minute driver controlled period begins.
Driver controlled period
Click to enlarge - what a cap ball looks like on the center vortex
Below is a list of actions that a robot can complete to earn points:
Shoot a particle in to the center vortex (5 points each)
Score a particle in a corner vortex (1 point each)
Have a captured beacon by the end of the game (10 points per beacon)
During the last 30 seconds of the driver controller period, end game begins. This allows teams to cap the "cap ball" on top of their team's vortex to earn 40 points. If a robot holds the cap ball above the ground but does not score it, that team earns 10 points unless the ball is held above the center vortex's cross bar where it earns 20 points.
To watch a video demonstration, click below.
Season Review
League Meet 0 | No Rankings ✓
League Meet One | 1st Place ✓
League Meet Two | 2nd Place ✓
League Meet Three | 1st Place ✓
League Championship | Finalist Alliance Captain ✓
State Qualifier (Delta Division) | Finalist Alliance ✓
State (Tech Division) | Finalist Alliance ✓
Regionals ✗
Worlds ✗
Awards
LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP:
CONNECT AWARD
3RD PLACE INSPIRE AWARD
STATE QUALIFIER
CONNECT AWARD
SECOND PLACE MOTIVATE AWARD
THIRD PLACE THINK AWARD