LEGO® MINDSTORMS® NXT: Mars Base Command

Setting the Rules

A good challenge must have rules. But you don’t want to have so many rules that the challenge is no longer fun. You’ll want to start with the basics: Define the challenge area so that players know where their robots can move and where they cannot. Define a time limit, but don’t make it too short; give the players and their robots just a bit more time than you think necessary (you’ll often be able to determine a time limit based on your own testing with your test robot).

Points are useful for various tasks. Make certain that every robot gets at least some points for just making an attempt at a challenge. This is especially important for younger competitors who need to be encouraged to refine their robots and find new ways to ...