Each VEX IQ season introduces a brand-new challenge. For 2017-18, that challenge was Ringmaster — a game built around collaboration, strategy, and ring-scoring precision.
It's All About Collaboration
VEX IQ competitions are fundamentally team efforts. Two alliances of two teams each work together on the field, trying to outscore the other alliance. The better students understand the rules and field setup, the more effectively they can strategize with their alliance partner — and the more rewarding the experience becomes for everyone involved.
Ringmaster Game Overview
In Ringmaster, teams competed in 60-second matches, working together to score rings on posts and floor goals while clearing starting pegs and releasing the bonus tray.
| Scoring Method | Points |
|---|---|
| Each Ring in a floor goal | 1 |
| Each Ring scored on a Post | 5 |
| Each Ring on a Uniform Post | Double point value |
| Each Emptied Starting Peg | 5 |
| Bonus Tray Released | 20 |
Key Resources
Game Video
The game reveal video was the quickest way for younger students to understand Ringmaster — seeing the field in action made it easier to start strategizing and designing.
Ringmaster One-Pager
A quick-reference summary of the game rules, easy to print and share with students.
Game Manual
The authoritative source for all Ringmaster rules. Dense reading, but essential for teams serious about competing.
Legal Parts Appendix
While teams primarily used parts from their VEX IQ Super Kits, additional parts were allowed. The Legal Parts Appendix listed everything teams could use in their robot design.
Referee Training Videos
Intended for referees, these videos were also valuable for students — seeing how matches were called helped teams avoid rule violations.
Q&A Forum
Official rule clarifications from the VEX Robotics team were posted on the VIQRC Ringmaster Q&A, an invaluable resource as edge cases emerged during the season.
Get Started
Understanding the challenge is step one. From there, teams could start designing, prototyping, and testing — using each tournament as a chance to learn and improve. The Ringmaster season marked one of the most competitive years yet for the Nebraska/Iowa VEX IQ community.