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Tech Challenge Game Manual Part 2 – Remote Events | 19
Section 4 – The Game Revision 1.3: 11/24/2020
<G22> Drive Team Contact with the Playing Field or Robot – During a Match, the Drive Team is prohibited
from making contact with the Playing Field, the Robot, or any Game Element (except for allowed Human Player
activities). The first instance of contact will result in a warning, with any following instances resulting in a Minor
Penalty. Contact with the Playing Field, a Game Element, or a Robot for safety reasons will not result in a
warning or Penalty.
<G23> Drive Team Coach Driver Station Control – During the Driver-Controlled Period, a Robot must be
remotely operated only by the Drivers using the Gamepads connected to the Team’s Driver Station and/or by
software running on the on-board Robot control system. The first instance of Coach controlling a Robot (for
example, operating a Gamepad) will result in a warning, with any following instances resulting in a Major
Penalty. During the Driver-Controlled Period, the Drive Team Coach and/or Drivers are allowed to hold the
Team’s Driver Station Android device and interact with it to select an Op Mode, view information displayed on
the screen, and initialize, start, stop, and reset the Robot.
<G24> Robot Deliberately Detaching Parts – A Robot may not deliberately detach parts during a Match or
leave mechanisms on the Playing Field unless permitted by a Game-Specific rule. Possessed or Controlled
Scoring Elements are not considered to be a part of the Robot for the purpose of this rule. The consequence of
deliberately detaching a part is a Minor Penalty per occurrence. A Robot will receive a Minor Penalty each time
gameplay is affected by the deliberately detached component or mechanism. Robot parts that are released but
remain connected by a tether are considered detached for the purposes of this rule.
<G25> Robot Grasping Game Elements – A Robot may not grab, grasp and/or attach to any Game Element,
or structure other than Scoring Elements, unless specifically allowed by Game-Specific rule(s) listed in section
4.6.3. The first instance will result in a warning with any following violations during the tournament resulting in a
Major Penalty.
<G26> Destruction, Damage, Tipping, etc. – Robot actions aimed at the destruction, damage, tipping over, or
entanglement of Game Elements are not in the spirit of the FIRST Tech Challenge and are not allowed unless
permitted by Game-Specific rules. Some tipping, entanglement, and damage may occur as a part of normal
gameplay. If the tipping, entanglement, or damage is ruled to be deliberate or chronic, the Team will receive a
Major Penalty.
<G27> Removing Game Elements from the Playing Field – A Robot may not deliberately remove Game
Elements from the Playing Field during a Match. Game Elements that Inadvertently fall Outside the Playing
Field will be returned to the Playing Field by Field Personnel at the earliest safe and convenient opportunity at
a non-Scoring location approximately where it left the field. Game Elements removed from the Playing Field in
an attempt to Score are also not subject to this Penalty. A Team that deliberately removes Game Elements
from the Playing Field will incur a Minor Penalty per Game Element removed from the Playing Field. Game-
Specific rules listed in section 4.6.3 that address the removal of specified Scoring Elements from the Playing
Field take precedence over this general game rule.
<G29> Illegal Usage of Game Elements – A Robot may not deliberately use Game Elements to ease or
amplify the difficulty of any Scoring or game activity. A Major Penalty will be assessed for violations of this rule.