FTC.ND (FIRST Tech Challenge)

DECODE (2025-2026)

North Dakota website

ages 12-18

Robot maximum size is 18 inch size cube before start.

Robot can expand horizontally to 20 by 42 inches after start.

Contact: Lee Gullingsrud <dakotaftc@gmail.com>

ND FTC Program Delivery Partner

FIRST – A Global Robotics Community

Email questions must include

the Team Number in the Subject:

Contact: Mike Holman <mike.holman@bismarckstate.edu> 701-224-5591

Judges & Points Knowledge

Contact: Noah Weber <noah.weber@doosan.com> 701-220-6885

Design Knowledge

FTC DECODE Manual

Awards – page 33

Event Rules – page 25

Field – page 55

Game Details – page 53

Game Rules – page 55

Match Periods – page 69

Robot Construction Rules – page 57

Robot Sign Rules – page 64

Scoring – page 73

Scoring Elements – page 71

Scoring Patterns – page 75

Tournament – page 135

Violations – page 78

Match Overview – page 69

pre-MATCH setup

AUTO – controlled by program (30 seconds)

Transition period (8 seconds)

TELOP – controlled by human (2 minutes)

post-MATCH reset

Safety and Penalties

Safety

Human Player cannot break the vertical plane of the Playing Field Perimeter while a Robot is in the Wing

.

Penalties

Penalties can add points to the Opponent’s points

Gracious Professionalism

Helping another team.

Equal opportunity

No one left behind

Having fun!!!

One Team

Two Driver Operators

One Human Player

One Coach

One Robot

Two Teams Join to Form an Alliance

The teams for the alliances are chosen randomly

One Alliance Team color is Red

The other Alliance Team color is Blue

For Every Match

The Red Alliance Team competes with the Blue Alliance Team

One Alliance Team

Two Driver Operators from each Team

Four Driver Operators total

One Human Player from one Team

One Human Player total

One Coach from each Team

Two Coaches total

One Robot from each Team

Two Robots total

Robot Parts

Brains, Motors, Sensors, Extrusions, Wheels, and Cables

——— Teams are allowed to build their own parts. ———

Virtual Robot Simulators

See NDAcademy.FoxPing.com for basic electronic fundamentals

.