A large part of this years challenge will be shooting the particles for the center vortex. the center vortex freely spins, but will not spin on its own. to score in the center vortex, robots will need to throw the particles about 30 cm high, scoring 15 points in autonomous, and 5 points in driver control. Particles must touch the ground before they are eligible to be scored again, and the alliance whose color vortex was scored in gets the points, regardless of particle color.
Parking & capping center vortex
At the end of autonomous, robots may park on the center vortex base and center vortices, scoring 5 or 10 points if parked partly or fully on, respectively. in the endgame, robots may lift their color cap balls off the ground. If the cap ball is off the ground, they score 10 points. if the cap ball is past the center vortex axis, that alliance scores 20 points. If the center vortex is capped, that alliance earns 40 points.
Corner Vortices
Teams can have up to two particles touching their robot at the start of autonomous, and can score them in corner or center vortices. corner vortices score 5 points in autonomous, and 1 point in driver control. To score in a corner vortex, robots must get the particle up the vortex ramp, but the robot can't break the plane of the vortex bar. Particles must touch the ground before they are eligible to be scored again, and the alliance whose color vortex was scored in gets the points, regardless of particle color.
Beacons
There are beacons for teams to interact with on the edges of the field. The colors are randomized and teams must push their corresponding color to score points. If robots light up beacons with their color, teams earn 20 points, plus an additional particle. Teams score 10 points for every beacon they control at the end of the game.