Contest #4 results

[PeterT]

This time around we only had 9 participants sending in solutions, probably due to the relative complexity of the level compared to earlier contests. However, these few participants send in a plethora of inventive solutions, resulting in a variety that clearly exceeds what we saw previously.

Due to the size of the level and the complexity of the mechanisms involved, screenshots won't really do the solutions justice. So, by all means, get them and watch them all!

Download all the solutions here


Here is a (very) short description of how the contest played out:

The 2 main challenges of the level were lifting the ball in the beginning and at the end. The latter had the added difficulty of doing so a long time after the start of the level, necessitating either the use of an (expensive) timer, or some kind of clever mechanism triggered by the Armadillo.
The lifting in itself could also be accomplished in various ways, either by shooting with tensioned rubber or elastic, lifts made from cloth or even metal bars or scoops, and of course with rockets.

In the end, familiar names dominated the 2300+ field: Ogre, Bob, kingofthespill and I managed to reach these elusive heights. I won both the force and no-force category, the former with $2508 left, and the latter with $2422. A screenshot of the winning solution follows.



Thanks to BFC for providing this challenging level and to all those who sent in solutions for participating!

[Ogre]

Great solutions from everyone as usual!

Aesthetically, I like my $2102 solution the best of the three I submitted. It's clean and simple, but it's got a timer and compressed rubber for the end, so it couldn't win. The first pulley I built to replace it, with a timer to start it going, actually wound up costing exactly $2102 as well. That was disheartening Coming up with a way to not use the timer took a while, but it was worth it, I can see using that technique again.

I tried a few opening lifts without tension, but never got one working (except for the force entry of course). After I got my tensioned rope and flinger combo working, I sort of gave up on anything better. I knew it was better than any compressed rubber solution at least, but only slightly.

But that metal pulley is a great device, Peter, I'm sure that one will show up again too.

Also, I think whoever submitted "TheBurden" should win some sort of prize. I don't know what, but that was entertaining.

[PeterT]

Yes, that solution of yours is beautiful, I love how the small piece of cloth causes the huge jump.

Also, thanks for the comments on the metal pulley - I had the idea for the longest time but was sure it wouldn't work, but then I just tried it. Admittedly, it took a lot of experimentation to work out the best shape and location for the "wheel".

[Kelsonk]

Amazing. Good job everyone.

[Bob]

Congratulations PeterT
It would be interesting to combine the best parts from all solutions and see what score can be reached.

[Skrying]

Also, I think whoever submitted "TheBurden" should win some sort of prize. I don't know what, but that was entertaining.

I submitted The Burden. My main joy with Armadillo run is experimenting with things, I've come across many little bugs and as such I find it entertaining to see how lots of weight can effect the 'dillo. I've made a custom level where I've used the pushing through rubber as a launch.

As always, great solutions, things I'd never think of. Its always awesome to see what everyone has come up with. Amazing work, and a real congrats to anyone who completed the level, it was tough, but I found it very entertaining.

[dudiobugtron]

Woah! I'm amazed you got that metal-bar thing at the end to work, I tried for ages and it never worked for me

I never though of having a flexible 'pulley' though (referring to the swivel point as a 'pulley', possible innacurately!)

[kingofthespill]

Congratulations Peter (I tried and couldn't get metal rides to turn around like that!), and amazing ideas all around. I especially like dudiobugtron's rocket journey, and Kelsonk's long ribbon ride was surprising.

I see I went down a tricky road, using an oscillating pulley block to make my counterweights as light as possible. Definitely not recommended.

One thing that came up is using the "force" in small ways, like Bob's 2404 tensioned catcher and my "Bit of Force" launcher. I guess we ought to discuss that more .

[Ogre]

Yes, that solution of yours is beautiful, I love how the small piece of cloth causes the huge jump.

That was pretty lucky. I had a metal ramp and a more elaborate lead up to the end launcher at first. Replacing the top with rope and cloth was one of the first optimizations, and that particular configuration with the tiny bit of cloth was only about the second or third try. It immediately let me cut the ramp at the bottom from three sheets to two.

I'm impressed with kingofthespill's bouncer at the bottom of that jump. I tried a single rope and cloth very briefly, but decided it needed too much precision to pursue it further, so used the more elaborate one I ended up with. I did a test build with that style bouncer, looks like I could've gotten up to $2344 or so with a whole lot of patience.


[BFC]

Congratulations Peter! Great solutions by everyone and I hope we apply our knowledge in the next round

Looking forward to # 5!

-BFC

[BioDroid]

I tried the same thing as Skryting, but i dint get it to work. (well i sorta gave up when i used too much of the budget)

This bug is something I know from fps games (EA battlefield series). It was used to get inside static objects such as buildings and vehicles etc to avoid beeing seen and still be able to fire. You did this by pressing yourself between two objects and "bounce" inside the wall. It was offcoursed banned in competive scene but exploiters were often seen on public servers.

[Jonny]

Congrats to Peter and everyone else who submitted working solutions. Unfortunately I didn't get a chance to enter this one There are some great ideas here, especially for completing it without timers or tension. I'm almost glad I didn't get started on it; the patience required to tweak a level of this length (and with all this rubber) is probably beyond me.

Looking forward to the next one...

[dudiobugtron]

Just watched them all - my favourite 'device' is those two metal bars which take the cloth basket off the armadillo - so elegant! (I think it was Kelsonk's earlier solution). The tweak without it is cheaper though sadly.

[DaveH]

There's some lovely solutions there.

Did anyone notice that some of the solutions (including PeterT's winning one) contain a little bit of "The Force" right at the beginning when there's a bit of cloth under the Armadillo and it 'bounces' out of the rubber? I think you're on dodgy ground there Peter - if you were playing a 'fixed' version of the game where you couldn't place the links in another object then you'd have to re-work your starting basket (for a higher price)

Dave.

[BFC]

Good catch Dave. Just noticed that quite a few folks have a little yoda action going on to get the 'Dillo in the basket. I should have looked more closely!

I tweaked bob's 2398 to where it doesn't have this problem and maintains his same score so that one in particular could be fixed to avoid the pesky force issue. The others actually rely on the force effect to get the 'Dillo into the basket.

I'm sure that everyone didn't even think about it being the force either.. I've made this same error in previous levels and clearly I missed seeing it when previewing the solutions.

Personally I say to let it be on this one and we'll just have to be more diligent in the future. It's a bug that really really needs fixing.

-BFC