Breakaway is played on a 24’ x 54’ field which is divided into thirds. The sections of the field are divided with bumps. A Breakaway game starts off with a 15 second autonomous mode where robots are self operated, then followed by a 2 minute drivers period operated by human players. Human players are also in play during the 2 minute teleoperated mode.

The primary scoring object is a soccer ball. Teams attempt to earn points by collecting one soccer ball at a time and then scoring it in their goals. To control the balls, they may herd or kick multiple balls at a time. But balls in the robot’s possession must be in contact with the floor. The human player’s role is to quickly return scored balls.

For every ball scored in the goal, each alliance receives 1 point. In the final 20 seconds of the game, robots may attempt to hang above the field. If the robot is not touching the field when hanging by the end of the match, they may receive 2 points, and a robot hanging from another robot receives 3 points.

For a one-page printable description of the game, click here. You can also view the game animation here, courtesy of NASA Robotics.