Practicing Using V5 Virtual Driving Skills – Global Robotics & Science Foundation

VEX V5 Robotics Competition Virtual Driving Skills lets you connect a VEX V5 Controller to your computer for practice Driving Skills matches. This article covers the available practice options and settings.

Note: Virtual Driving Skills is only available when using a Chrome browser.

Playing a Virtual Driving Skills Practice Match

Access Virtual Driving Skills for the VEX V5 Robotics Competition here.

Before beginning, ensure that your VEX V5 Controller is connected to Virtual Driving Skills and that you have your Virtual Skills Key ready.

The V5 Virtual Driving Skills page showing a green controller connected status in the upper left corner, four drive mode options in the upper right corner, and the Driving Skills Practice Override field below with the Hero Bot in the starting location with a Preload, with buttons to control the interface around the field.

Once you have logged in using your Virtual Skills Key and connected your VEX V5 Controller, the Virtual Driving Skills Practice Match is ready to play. The Controller Status will show green and display Connected in the upper-left corner, and the Hero Bot will be in the starting position.

A close up view of the lower left hand corner of the Driving Skills Practice window, with the Play button, a white rightfacing triangle, highlighted between the location and refresh buttons..

To start the match, press the Play button in the bottom-left corner.

The Driving Skills Practice window with a large 2 in the center showing the countdown to the start of the match.

A countdown will appear in the center of the screen, allowing you to prepare to start driving using your controller.

A close up view of the upper right hand corner of the Driving Skills Practice window showing the remaining time in the match. The time reads 1 minute at the start of the match.

During the match, the time remaining is shown in the upper-right corner of the window.

A close up view of the upper left hand corner of the Driving Skills Window showing the score update in real time as the match is played. The score reads 5 points.

During the match, your score will update in the upper-left corner.

The same lower left corner buttons, now showing a stop sign in place of the Play button.

To end the match before time runs out, select the Stop button in the bottom-left corner.

The end of match screen showing the Practice Results for the Team Number and Registered Team Name. The Score reads 5 points. The Retry button at the bottom of the screen is highlighted.

At the end of the match, your team name and final score will be displayed. Select Retry to close this window and reset the field. Select the X in the upper-left corner to close the window without resetting the field.

A close up view of the lower left hand corner of the Driving Skills window showing the Reset button, a white circular arrow. The Reset button is located beneath the Play button.

The Reset button in the bottom-left corner can also be used to reset the field layout.

Selecting a Drive Mode

The upper right side of the Driving Skills Practice Window showing the Drive Mode selection area in a red box. Tank Drive is currently selected, and the Left Arcade, Right Arcade, and Split arcade options are shown in a row.

You will see Drive Mode selection options above the Virtual Driving Skills Practice Window.

A close up view of the Drive Mode options, showing Tank Drive selected. The other three options are to the right and read Left Arcade, Right Arcade, and Split Arcade.

The selected Drive Mode will show the name in dark blue and have a blue line around the icon.

Select the name of the Drive Mode to change your configuration.

Each Drive Mode changes how your controller joysticks control the robot's Drivetrain movement.

Tank Drive — The left joystick controls the left motor, and the right joystick controls the right motor.
Left Arcade — All movement (forward, reverse, left, and right) is controlled with the left joystick.
Right Arcade — All movement (forward, reverse, left, and right) is controlled with the right joystick.
Split Arcade — The left joystick controls forward and reverse movement, while the right joystick controls left and right turns.

Additional Settings

Camera Options

Four camera options on Virtual Driving skills are highlighted. Driver station icon, orbit camera icon, top down icon and chase icon

Camera options for the field are located in the lower-right corner of the Virtual Driving Skills Practice Window.

Driver Station Icon — Changes the camera to the driver's perspective.
Orbit Camera Icon — Provides an overview of the entire field.
Top Down Icon — Positions the camera directly above the field.
Chase Icon — Follows the robot from behind.

Robot Configuration

To change the robot's velocities and motor button mappings, scroll down to the Robot Configuration section.

The Hero Bot Flex shown with arrows extending forward beneath the claw between the front two wheels and backward centered between the rear wheels, with Drive Motors and a slider and text box to adjust the Max Velocity Limit from 0 to 100%.

The Drive Motors section allows you to adjust the Hero Bot's maximum velocity with the slider or by entering a specific value in the text box.

Flex's Claw with a dual ended arrow indication the direction it opens and closes. Beneath it reads Claw Motor with velocity limit sliders and a text box, and Controller mapping with drop down options for Claw Close and Claw Open.

The Claw Motor section lets you set the maximum velocity for the Claw Motor and assign controller buttons for Claw controls.

Adjust the velocity using the slider or by typing a value in the text box.

Change the controller buttons by selecting the dropdown menus beside Claw Close and Claw Open to choose your preferred buttons.

Flex with the arm raised, and a dual ended arrow indicating the direction of raising and lowering the arm. Beneath it reads Arm Motor with velocity limit sliders and text box and controller mapping with drop downs for Arm Up and Arm Down.

The Arm Motor section lets you set the maximum velocity for the Arm Motor and assign controller buttons for Arm controls.

Adjust the velocity using the slider or by typing a value in the text box.

Change the controller buttons by selecting the dropdown menus beside Arm Up and Arm Down to choose your preferred buttons.

Match Loads

You can add Pins and Cups to the Loader on the field using the Match Load buttons.

The Match Loads section of the right hand side of the Driving Skills Practice Window showing buttons for pins and cups in different orientations.

Select the Pin or Cup in your desired color and orientation to add it to the Load Zone. You can add one Pin (in either red/yellow or blue/yellow) and one Cup (in either clear or covered orientation) at a time.

A screenshot of the Field with a Red/Yellow Pin inside a Cup in the Loader in the Red Load Zone.

Once selected, the Pin and/or Cup will be added to the Loader in the Load Zone corresponding to the color selected. You will not be able to add an additional Match Load until that one is picked up.