The Game:

HotShot! is played on a 12’x12’ square field with two off-field scoring goals as shown on the diagram above. Two alliances – one “red” and one “blue” – composed of two teams each, compete in matches consisting of a 30-second autonomous period followed by a two-minute driver-controlled period. The object of the game is to score more points than your opponent’s alliance. Points are earned by releasing the balls from the Ball Chutes in autonomous mode, by shooting balls into the goals in the center of the field (high or low) in both autonomous and driver-controlled periods, and shooting balls into the off-field goals during the last 30 seconds of the match. Balls scored in the autonomous period will be counted once at the end of the autonomous period and again at the end of the driver-controlled period, if they remain in the goal.

The Details:

There are a total of seventy-six (76), 2.875-inch diameter, plastic balls available at the start of the match. Eight balls are given to each alliance to pre-load onto their robots in any way they choose. Sixty balls are loaded into Ball Chutes at the corners of the field – fifteen per chute. One Bonus Ball is available to each team, but may only be introduced onto the field in the last thirty seconds of the match. Each robot will start on the field in assigned starting positions and will have to trigger a mechanism to release the balls located in the Ball Chutes.

The center scoring area has two goals – a low goal and a high goal that spins around. The low goal is the base for the high goal and is divided into a red side and a blue side. The high goal is a basket-like structure with a 9-inch diameter hole into which balls are scored. Each basket is identified by a red or blue goal face. The bottom of the hole is 30 inches from the field mat and there is an Infrared beacon and a 3-inch color panel below the hole that can be used by the robots for targeting. The off-field scoring goals are two baskets that measure 15”w x 23”d x 15”h and are placed 4 feet away from the front side of the playing field. Balls can be shot into these goals only in the last 30 seconds of the match.

End Game:

The last 30 seconds of the match comprises the End Game. During the End Game, teams can shoot balls into the off-field
goals. Team Coaches may introduce the 4 yellow Bonus Balls into the field by placing them into the Ball Chutes. Robots may then try to score these special balls into any of the three goals
to double the point value of all the balls in that particular goal.