BasketBot Challenge (Junior League)

Welcome to the final challenge of the CoderZ Junior League! This article will cover some of the basic explanations for the upcoming BasketBot Challenge which might have not appeared in the Overview Video.

The Contestants:

In the blue ring - your team!

In the red ring - the CoderZ Bot!

The Scene:

Your team and your opponent's EV3 Robot stand each in their ring. Suspended high in the air above and between the two troughs is a raised frame with three platforms: yellow, green and magenta. Steel balls drop down onto these platforms at a continuous, random pace (roughly every 2-4 seconds).

The Objective

Win the game by collecting more balls than your opponent. Tilt the colored platforms to your side to collect balls in your basket.

The Game Rules

Each ball weighs 1kg. Using the water pumps, fill the containers attached to each platform to cause it to tilt it in your direction and tip the balls into your trough.

To fill the containers with liquid, drive the robot to one of the colored buttons, which are constantly changing color!

Pressing the white button in the middle of the ring will freeze the rotating buttons and allow the robot to press them. EV3 has two color sensors (one facing forward and one facing the floor), an ultrasonic sensor, and a touch sensor to help it navigate.

As long as the button is pressed the pump will continue adding liquid to the container; the moment the button is released, the pump stops pouring water and the container starts to empty, causing the platform to tip back to a level position - or even to your opponent's side! 

Every match lasts 90 seconds, or the match might end if all 3 platforms have collapsed. May the code be with you, and may the best bot win!

Tips:

• You can switch between 5 different scene cameras by pressing the 1-5 number keys on the keyboard.
• If you have a low-performance device and are experiencing lag, you might be able to get a boost by switching to lower quality graphics. Do this by opening the  icon at the bottom-right corner of the simulation pane and clicking the "Low Quality" icon
  
• Keep in mind that each platform has a maximum weight capacity of 50kg. If the combined weight of the platform exceeds capacity, the platform will collapse and will not be available for scoring. You can see how much weight each platform is carrying at any given moment in the readout at the bottom-left corner of the screen. You can use this information in your strategy!