Overview

Competition Control is the event management software from the Robotics Education & Competition Foundation (REC Foundation) for robotics and drone competitions. It runs the whole event from one computer at the venue. Volunteers connect tablets, laptops, and TVs to that computer over the local network to check in and inspect teams, queue and score matches, run alliance selection and eliminations, assign awards, and drive the audience and field displays.

This page explains what you need, walks a new Event Partner through a first event from download to wrap-up, and links to every section of the guide.

What you need

• A host computer. One Windows, macOS, or Linux computer runs the event and stores its data. It needs internet access to sign in and to install updates. Once an event is open, it runs without internet.
• An RECF account. You sign in once on the host computer with your RECF account to activate Competition Control.
• A local network. The venue's wifi, a travel router, or a laptop hotspot all work. Client devices only need to reach the host computer, not the internet.
• Client devices. Any tablet, phone, laptop, or TV with a modern browser on the same network. Nothing is installed on them.

How the pieces fit together

The host computer stores the event in a single event file and serves the interface to every other device. Each client device is authorized with a role (for example Scorekeeper or Check-In), and the role decides which pages that device can see and what it can change. Devices with the Display role show audience and field screens, and you control what they show by assigning them to a display group.

Everything a volunteer does on a client device is saved on the host computer immediately. Client devices hold no event data of their own, so you can swap or replace one at any time.

Your first event

Follow these phases in order. Each step links to the page with the full instructions.

Before event day

1. Download Competition Control from the download page and install it on the host computer. See Host computer setup.
2. Open Competition Control and click Sign In. Sign in with your RECF account while you still have internet.
3. Click Start Event, choose where to save the event file, and let the event open in a new window.
4. Work through the Event Setup steps in order: General, Fields, Teams, Awards, Schedule, Matches, and Sponsors. If your event is part of a league, the League step appears after Fields. See Leagues.
5. Run a practice event on the same computer. Create a throwaway event file, connect a spare tablet, queue and score a few matches, and then close it. This is the best way to learn the flow without pressure.

Setting up at the venue

1. Start Competition Control on the host computer and click Open Event to open the event file you prepared. See Host computer setup.
2. Connect the host computer to the venue network and plug it in. Turn off sleep.
3. Open the Devices page on the host computer and note the Server address.
4. On each tablet, laptop, and TV, open a browser and go to that address. Authorize each device with the right role. See Adding client devices and Roles and permissions.
5. Assign each Display device to a display group so it starts showing content. See Displays and Display screens.

Running qualification matches

1. As teams arrive, mark them present and record inspection. See Check-in and inspection.
2. Queue matches to fields and run the field timer. See Queue.
3. Score each match and save it. Rankings update as soon as a score is saved. See Scoring matches and Rankings.
4. For programs with solo runs, record them from the solo fields. See Solo matches.
5. Record any rule violations against a team or a match. See Violations.

Alliance selection and eliminations

1. When qualification matches are complete, run alliance selection if your program uses it. See Alliance selection.
2. Generate the bracket and run elimination matches the same way you ran qualifications. See Eliminations.

Wrapping up

1. Assign award winners and lock in the final results on the Finalize page. See Finalize and awards.
2. Build the award ceremony slides and print the scripts. See Award ceremony.
3. Print or save any reports you need to hand out or keep. See Reports.
4. Keep the event file. It is the complete record of the event, and it stays on the host computer.

Note

This version of Competition Control does not publish results to RECF. The event file and any reports you print are the record of the event. Keep the event file after the event and follow your program's current process for reporting results.

Guide contents

Getting Started

• Getting started (this page)
• Host computer setup
• Adding client devices

Event Setup

• Event setup
• Fields
• Leagues
• Teams
• Awards
• Schedule
• Matches
• Sponsors

Running Events

• Check-in and inspection
• Queue
• Scoring matches
• Solo matches
• Violations
• Rankings
• Alliance selection
• Eliminations
• Finalize and awards
• Award ceremony

Displays

• Displays
• Display screens

Reports

• Reports

Reference

• Settings and Overview
• Roles and permissions
• Glossary

If you run into trouble at any point, the Support page explains how to reach the team.