Read the motif.
Score the far zone.
An archaeology-themed game of artifacts, patterns, and a randomized obelisk to decode. Here is the game — and the strategy that took us to a regional championship.
How DECODE
is played.
Two alliances of two teams each score purple and green artifacts — ball-shaped game pieces — into their goal, and build patterns on their ramp that match a randomized motif. The match opens with a 30-second autonomous period, where robots read the obelisk and AprilTags to decode the match motif, then continues into driver-controlled play.
A motif is a sequence of three artifact colours — two purple, one green — in one of three orders. Robots hold up to three artifacts at a time, unlock gates to release overflow artifacts back onto the field, and race back to base in the endgame for bonus points.
Three motifs · GPP · PGP · PPG — orientation set by field staff at random.
Where the points are.
Approximate values — always confirm against the current official manual.
Built to own the far zone.
Why we play
the far zone.
A great engineer decides why before how. After studying the rules and scoring, we compared two concepts: a mecanum near-zone auto-aiming turret robot, and a full-field swerve auto-aiming robot. Weighing task coverage, tactical flexibility, structural complexity, and development time — plus our accumulated swerve and multi-DOF experience — we committed to the full-field swerve, fixed-turret design, focused on the far zone.
The far firing zone is less crowded and more open, so it shows off our robot's mobility and scores under high-contact pressure — and it makes us a stronger alliance pick. The mecanum option was simpler and faster, but capped lower and weaker in contact. We chose the higher ceiling.
Every choice, weighed.
| Module | Option | Advantage | Trade-off | Votes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Drivebase | Vector swerve | Low energy loss, high push force, low floor dependence | High machining precision, complex control | 10 |
| Mecanum | Omnidirectional, no turning, extreme agility | More movement loss, drift at speed, fragile | 5 | |
| Intake | Active roller | Fast pickup, can suck in, motor headroom | More motors, can jam, needs alignment | 13 |
| Passive scoop | Zero motors, dead simple, low failure | Slow, relies on chassis push, no stacking | 2 | |
| Shooter | Catapult | Fast launch, energy-efficient | Complex storage, needs reset time | 6 |
| High-speed thrower | Adjustable angle/power, strong rapid-fire, stable arc | High power draw, precise roller gap | 9 |
What we're aiming for.
Plan for what can break.
| Type | Risk | Level | Mitigation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Technical | Program crash or lag in a match | High | Multi-round pre-match testing; manual control backup |
| Hardware | Motor burnout or sensor failure | Medium | Spare critical parts; routine inspection |
| Project mgmt | Unclear ownership, schedule slip | High | Gantt + OneNote shared board; weekly stand-ups |
| Finance | Budget overrun or part delays | Medium | CFO updates the budget weekly; control spend & stock |
| Training | Member absence or skill gaps | High | Scheduled practice; teaching videos for newcomers |
| Logistics | Equipment lost or damaged in transit | High | Pack-out checklist; one person owns transport |
| Safety | Mechanism pinch during tuning | High | Gloves & goggles; keep a safe distance |