2013‐2014 FIRST Tech Challenge 
FTC BLOCK PARTY 

Watch Official FTC 6 minutes game video.  

Game Description:
A Team consists of two driver/operators, a coach and a robot. The robot must be built from materials 
specified in the Game Manual and fit within an 18” sizing cube.  But after the match starts it can grow to 
any size.  Each match is played with four randomly selected Teams, two per Alliance. Your Alliance 
partner for one match may be your opponent in another. 

The game is played on a 12‐foot square playing field with a foam tile floor and 1‐foot high walls.  The 
Scoring element is a 2‐inch square yellow Block.  There are 100 Blocks in the Game, which are randomly 
placed in the front and rear Block Zones.  In the center of the field are the Bridge, Pull‐Up Bar and two 
Pendulums, each with four Pendulum Goals.  Below the Pendulums are the Floor Scoring areas.  Each 
Alliance has a raisable Flag in the corner of the Field. 

Tape stripes can help guide the robots and separate the two Alliances.  And the red and blue Alliance 
Stations are located just outside the Playing Field.  The four robots are placed on the Field, touching the 
walls in their respective Alliance Zones.  Teams may pre‐load one block into each Robot.  Then two 
Infrared Beacons are randomly placed under the Pendulum Goals; one for each Alliance.   
Each Match begins with a 30‐Second Autonomous Period, followed by a 2‐minute Driver‐Controlled 
Period, which includes a 30‐second End Game.  During the Autonomous Period a Block scored in a 
Pendulum Goal is worth 20 points, or 40 points if it's above an Infrared Beacon.  Blocks scored in the Low 
Goal count 5 points each.  If a Robot parks partially on the Bridge it counts 10 points, and if it's fully on 
the Bridge, it counts 20 Points. 

When the Driver‐Controlled Period begins, Low Goal Blocks count 1 point each.  Blocks scored in the 
Inner Pendulum Goals count 2 points, or 3 points for the Outer Goals. 
During the End Game, robots may continue to score Blocks, and if your Pendulum is balanced at the end 
of the Match, you get a 50% bonus added to your Block score.  If you can raise your Alliance Flag, it 
counts 20 points in the low position, or 35 points in the high position.  And finally, if your robot can hang 
above the Bridge, it's worth 50 points. 

There are a number of Penalties to help keep the game exciting but fair.  For example, robots may not 
possess or control more than four Blocks at any time.  Your robot may not interfere with an opposing 
Alliance’s robot trying to hang.   And during the End Game your robot may not block access to the Flag 
Zone.”