Quick Summary: The FTC 2025–2026 DECODE™ season challenges teams to collect, shoot, and align artifacts while managing gates and overflow scoring. Success will depend on smart robot design, consistent intake and shooting, and reliable endgame performance. The Studica Robotics FTC Starter Kit and FTC Starter Bot provide teams with a strong foundation to build upon. This FTC robot kit is competition-ready and designed to grow with your strategy.
About FIRST® & FTC
FIRST® (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) is a global robotics community dedicated to igniting a passion for innovation in young people. Through mentor-guided, hands-on programs, students explore engineering, programming, and robotics while building technical skills, confidence, teamwork, and communication abilities. More than just robotics, FIRST creates an inclusive and creative learning environment that empowers students to become future leaders and innovators. With programs for every age and experience level, including FIRST LEGO League (FLL), FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC), and FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC), students gain the tools and inspiration to shape a brighter future.
FTC unites students and mentors to design, code, build, and compete with robots in exciting, fast-paced challenges. Aimed at students with some robotics experience, FTC serves as a bridge between beginner programs and the more advanced FIRST Robotics Competition. Yet FTC is about much more than building robots. It empowers young people with the skills, confidence, and mindset to solve real-world problems and grow as global citizens. Rooted in Gracious Professionalism® and the FIRST Core Values of Coopertition®, discovery, innovation, inclusion, and fun, FTC inspires purpose, resilience, and a drive to create a brighter future.
FTC DECODE 2025-2026 Game Overview
Part of the FIRST® AGE℠ presented by Qualcomm season, DECODE™ presented by RTX, is the official FTC game for the 2025–2026 season. The game is rooted in an archaeology-inspired theme, where teams investigate the power of the world’s artifacts and unlock mysteries using STEM skills and collaboration.
What’s New in the FTC DECODE Game?
Robots must now:
🎯 Shoot Artifacts (ball-shaped game pieces) into goals with speed and accuracy.
🎯 Unlock Gates to release overflow artifacts back into the field.
🎯 Read Obelisk and AprilTags for patterns and advanced scoring opportunities.
🎯 Assist Alliance Partners during the endgame for bonus points.
This year emphasizes dynamic scoring, gate management, and strategic endgame play, a shift from last season’s INTO THE DEEP game.
FTC Starter Bot: Baseline Robot for DECODE
The FTC Starter Bot from Studica Robotics serves as the baseline robot for the DECODE season. Designed to help every team get competition-ready, it comes equipped to handle intake, shooting, gate actuation, and endgame parking. By starting with a fully functional design, teams save valuable time and can focus on strategy, driver practice, and coding rather than troubleshooting basic mechanisms.
The Studica Starterbot created with the FTC Starter Kit also encourages innovation, giving students a strong foundation to customize launchers, intakes, or storage systems to match their unique approach. Along the way, students gain hands-on experience iterating on a working robot, building both technical skills and confidence.
FTC Starter Kit & Starter Bot Features
The FTC Starter Bot from Studica Robotics is ready to help your team succeed!
✅ Effortless Integration and Compatibility – With Studica Robotics, you can take advantage our unique hole pattern that allows you to connect parts in multiple configurations that is compatible with other build systems.
✅ Strong, Lightweight, and Safe – Built from 3mm-thick 6061-T6 aluminum, our channel components are engineered for durability. Each piece is precision-deburred, polished, and anodized to deliver both strength and safety for robotics and automation projects.
✅ New HEX Components, Shafts, and Hubs – Deliver extreme power transmission with internally threaded ends—perfect for creating dead axles, using as standoffs, or easily attaching components with screws or bolts.
✅ Upgraded Maverick HEX Shaft Motors – With planetary gearboxes in multiple ratios that are specifically designed for FTC teams.
✅ Wide Selection of Components – From channel and brackets to motors, wheels, and more, everything you need to build complex robotics projects.
Studica Robotics also offers metal gears and pulleys that deliver durable, robust performance, along with the FTC Starter Bot Resource Guide. Additionally, FTC teams in the USA can apply for a 25% FIRST team discount. With these tools, teams can start strong and adapt their robots to the challenges of DECODE.
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FTC DECODE Scoring & Ranking Points Explained:
| Category | Details | Points / Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 🎯Artifacts | Robots start with 18 artifacts (5″ balls: 12 purple, 6 green). Collect and classify into Alliance Goals. | 3 pts per classified artifact (Teleop), 3 pts (Autonomous) |
| 🎯Overflow | When a Goal’s ramp fills, extra artifacts spill back onto the field for additional scoring opportunities. | 1 pt per overflow artifact |
| 🎯Gates | Robots trigger gates to release artifacts efficiently. | Contributes to cycle efficiency; no direct points |
| 🎯Pattern Alignment | Arrange artifacts in motifs during Autonomous or Teleop. | 2 pts per pattern (Autonomous), additional points possible in Teleop |
| 🎯Endgame | Park in Base Zone; assist alliance partners. | 5–10 pts; alliance bonus if both robots succeed |
| 🎯Ranking Points (RPs) | Determine qualification seeding. Earned via multiple methods: | • Win RP: 3 (victory), 1 (tie) • Movement RP: via Launch Line/Base points • Goal RP: surpass classification thresholds • Pattern RP: hit motif benchmarks |
💡 Tip: Focus on consistent intake and shooting first, then layer on gates, patterns, and endgame maneuvers for optimal points and RPs.
FTC Game Strategy Tips for DECODE
It’s always best to begin with the end in mind. These questions will help your team build a strong foundational strategy for a successful season. Once you complete them, you can start planning your robot’s design.
💡 Begin with Strategic Brainstorming…
Building a solid FTC game strategy begins with deciding how to score and what to prioritize. Use the chart above as a handy resource.
✅ In what ways can points be scored?
✅ What are some current methods for scoring (Starter Bots from Kickoff)?
✅ Are there other game elements that require manipulation?
✅ What elements of the game should be focused on? Make a ranked list of objectives based on your team’s skill level and resources. Example priority order:
- Consistent artifact intake + shooting (core scoring).
- Simple, reliable autonomous routine (early points).
- Gate opening (to release more artifacts).
- Endgame parking (bonus points).
- Pattern scoring (for advanced teams who can build consistency).
💡 FTC Robot Design Tips for DECODE
When brainstorming your FTC robot design for DECODE, consider:
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Robots can hold up to 3 artifacts at a time. Discuss how you want to handle this:
- Do you prefer a pushing design to move artifacts into the loading zone?
- Or a floor intake to collect directly from the field?
- How will you store artifacts inside the robot: linear conveyor, carousel, or hopper?
- What kind of launcher will you use: single flywheel, dual-wheel, or servo flicker?
- Reminder: Don’t forget to design within the 18-inch cube size restriction.
- Overflow Management:
- When artifacts spill back onto the field, how will you quickly collect them without jams?
- Consider a wide intake or side “wings” to guide them in.
- Gate Interaction:
- Will your robot simply bump it open, or do you want a servo-actuated arm for more reliability?
- Do you want to hold the gate open while your alliance partner collects artifacts?
- How can you make the gate actuator durable enough to handle repeated matches?
💡 Bonus Tip: Start with intake, shooting, and parking. Then add advanced features like gates and patterns once your base robot is reliable.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ):
What is the FTC Starter Bot?
The FTC Starter Bot is a ready-to-build robot design created with the Studica Robotics FTC Starter Kit. It’s designed to meet the needs of the DECODE 2025–2026 season, with intake, shooting, gate actuation, and basic autonomous capabilities.
How does the FTC Starter Bot help new teams?
It gives teams a reliable baseline robot with proven scoring ability. In FTC robotics, consistency is critical, and the StarterBot provides a foundation that can be customized and expanded as the season progresses.
What comes in the FTC Starter Kit from Studica Robotics?
This FTC robot kit includes a rugged aluminum build system, upgraded Maverick motors with planetary gearboxes, the new 6mm Hex system, electronics, wheels, and structural components needed to construct a competitive starterbot.
Can the FTC Starter Bot score all elements in DECODE?
Out of the box, it can intake, shoot artifacts, actuate the gate, and park in the endgame. With team modifications, it can also pursue advanced autonomous routines and pattern alignment scoring.
Where can I find instructions and code for the FTC Starter Bot?
Studica Robotics provides STEP files, build instructions, wiring guides, and example code to help your team get started quickly.
Final Thoughts: FTC DECODE & the Starter Bot
The DECODE season is all about balancing strategy, scoring, and teamwork. Starting with a reliable FTC Starter Bot means your team can focus on what really matters: driver practice, coding, and competition strategy, instead of worrying whether your robot will even move. Whether you’re brand new to FTC robotics or a veteran team looking for a dependable baseline, the Studica Robotics FTC Starter Kit and FTC Starter Bot provide the essential FTC robot kit to take on DECODE with confidence. We hope your season is filled with adventure, innovation, discovery, and most of all FUN! Good luck to you!
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