2025 RCJ Rescue Maze Rule Changes

RoboCupJunior Rescue
1

Dear RCJ Rescue Line Community,

Before reviewing these changes, please take a look at this other post that discusses the RCJ Rescue rule changes that also applies to RCJ Rescue Maze. Here are the specific Maze changes for the 2025 rules:

RULE CHANGES

C.1) Stairs Usage

Stairs may be used to change the level of the floor, similar to a ramp. The maximum incline angle will be the same as it is today.

C.2) Ramp Design

Ramps must NOT have a drop-off immediately following a rise section, creating a peak-like structure, or vice versa.

C.3) Victim and Exit Bonus Identification

The robot must have one dedicated LED or display for identifying victims, which must be clearly visible to the referee. When reaching the exit bonus, the same LED or display must blink for 10 seconds. This LED or display may not be used for any other purposes. The blink interval must be ~1s (0,5s on - 0,5 sec off).

C.4) Speed Bumps, and Debris Changes

We are making the following changes (only applicable outside the Dangerous Zone):

  • Speed bumps are fixed to the floor and have a maximum height of 1 cm.
  • Speed bumps are not allowed to be placed on ramps or stairs.
  • There is no debris.

C.5) Dangerous Zone

Scenario: Within the labyrinth there can be very difficult and dangerous challenges. Fortunately, the area of such a “danger zone” is marked by a red tile at the entrance. Within the danger zone, the robot may face obstacles, speed bumps, stairs, ramps or debris of extreme difficulty, which can compromise the robot’s coordination and smooth completion of the field. Is it worth sending the robot into such an area, or is it better to play it safe? The choice is yours!

Within the field, certain areas will be designated as Dangerous Zone. The Dangerous Zone is surrounded by walls or black tiles and marked with a red tile at the entrance(s).

The Dangerous Zone is an area considered more challenging than the rest of the field, where the following hazards can be found (in addition to any other elements already on the rest of the field):

  • Speed bumps are fixed to the floor and have a maximum height of 2 cm.
  • Speed bumps are allowed to be placed on ramps or stairs.
  • The debris is not fixed to the floor and has a maximum height of 1 cm.
  • The incline of stairs (i.e., the angle of a plate to the horizontal when placed on the stairs) will be less than 30 degrees.

The Dangerous Zone does not block the path for completing the entire map. Therefore, the rest of the field can be completed without entering the Dangerous Zone.

The start position will not be in the Dangerous Zone

Please let us know your feedback as soon as possible as we want to release the official final rules in the upcoming months.

Best,

Diego Garza Rodriguez on behalf of the 2025 RCJ Rescue Committee

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About Maze
Ramp:
“…Ramp points will be awarded for each individual ramp tile instead of for the entire ramp…”
For clarify: So, there are 2 scoring points - 1st inclined tile and the last landing tile ?

“the Ramp in this post …creating a peak-like structure…” Since it did not mention the size for landing area, I think it will important to state the minimize dimension. It is important for the organizer to set it up properly.

Stairs:
" The maximum incline angle will be the same as it is today…’

  • for clarify - “… remains as 25 degrees.” Unless, is it left out on purpose? If it is, I recommend to be 100% clear by saying something like … " maximum incline angle remains the same as the maximum degree for stairs in this document."

The Dangerous Zone:

  • does it mean that this zone can be connected with a ramp?
  • If yes: both starting and exiting for this zone will be the tile before and after the ramp, Correct?
  • If that’s the intention, perhaps it will be good to include in the doc?
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Hi @elizabeth.mabrey,

Answering your questions:

“…Ramp points will be awarded for each individual ramp tile instead of for the entire ramp…”
For clarify: So, there are 2 scoring points - 1st inclined tile and the last landing tile ?

That change is only for Rescue Line and does not apply for Rescue Maze.

“the Ramp in this post …creating a peak-like structure…” Since it did not mention the size for landing area, I think it will important to state the minimize dimension. It is important for the organizer to set it up properly.

It is the same size for the landing area as before, it is the size of a tile. That image is only clarifying that there needs to be an horizontal tile before changing the ramp direction.

Stairs:
" The maximum incline angle will be the same as it is today…’

  • for clarify - “… remains as 25 degrees.” Unless, is it left out on purpose? If it is, I recommend to be 100% clear by saying something like … " maximum incline angle remains the same as the maximum degree for stairs in this document."

Well, we didn’t clarify it here because the stairs have two possible angles. A max angle of 25 degrees outside the danger zone and a max angle of 30 degrees inside the danger zone. Both could be used as a way to change floor levels.

The Dangerous Zone:

  • does it mean that this zone can be connected with a ramp?
  • If yes: both starting and exiting for this zone will be the tile before and after the ramp, Correct?
  • If that’s the intention, perhaps it will be good to include in the doc?

There can be any other element inside the dangerous zone, for example, black tiles, blue tiles, silver tiles, victims, floating walls, obstacles and (but not limited to) ramps. So you don’t need a red tile before and after the ramp, only on the dangerous zone entrances. For example, you can have a dangerous zone that is multiple floors tall and multiple tiles wide. The only thing that the rule is guaranteeing is that there won’t be something like this, an area that you need to go over a dangerous zone to reach another “safer” zone:

image

Thanks,

Diego Garza Rodriguez
2025 Committee