Armadillo Run forum

Kingofthespill's synopsis:

There seemed to be 2 categories, direct shot and over the top.
Ogre clearly won the direct shot group with a suspended launch
approach, and some people used rockets to suspend the catcher.
Peter T. and Bob tied in the over the top group, winning the
competition.

The second contest was a great success with 18 different solutions submitted by 15 participants. You can get all the solutions here:
http://armadillo.metaclassofnil.com/lev ... utions.zip
And I strongly suggest that you do, there are some very interesting approaches in there!

Sadly I can't take a screenshot and describe every solution because of time constraints, so here's a small selection:


Here we have scips' solution for 3210 points. the shooting mechanism is a design that's seen quite often. I also used it until I found a slightly cheaper way. Like many other solutions, this one tries to build the catching part like with other materials, i.e. from triangular "stable" structures.


Ogre's solution is interesting for 2 reasons: His shooting mechanism is very unique - it uses the extension of the rubber to get further tension on the elastic. Also, his catcher uses compressed rubber, a pattern that many of the top solutions followed.


BFC came closest to the winning score with this solution. ($3730) He uses the same shooting mechanism as the top two solutions, but his catch is still of the triangular style employed by many - but very optimized. (I was stuck at this exact score for quite some time with a very different solution )


This is my solution, scoring $3850. This picture doesn't really show much, so here's one in "unfolded" state:

The most interesting part is probably the "hook" that keeps the elongated rubber in place.


Bob reached the exact same score with a slightly more volatile approach, which still shows many similarities. Congratulations! As I can't award a medal to myself (the forum software actually prevents me from doing so ) I declare Bob the official winner and hopefully, host of the next contest.

Thanks to everyone who participated, and special thanks to kingofthespill for hosting the contest. If you want to comment on your own or other peoples solution, feel free to do so here.

Very interesting solutions, good work everyone.

Any chance the next competition map can involve something more exciting than tossing the armadillo with tensioned rubber?

Ogre's solution is interesting for 2 reasons: His shooting mechanism is very unique - it uses the extension of the rubber to get further tension on the elastic. Also, his catcher uses compressed rubber, a pattern that many of the top solutions followed.

Thanks, I was proud of that shooter

I actually thought the undeside catcher ("direct shot" as kingofthespill put it) was going to be a common theme, since it allows for cheaper shooters (I had several two elastic versions before I hit on the one I submitted) But I hadn't hit on the no-elastic catchers that won, that's great and obviously made a slightly more expensive shooter worth it.

Good solutions everyone!!

I didn't use the rubber in the method you did peter because I felt it was being used in a manner it wasn't suppose to be used in. Obviously, rubber isn't suppose to just pierce itself hehe

I must say that I learned a lot of new "tricks" with the level and felt it was very good!

Grats to Bob for the win!!

-BFC

Just confirming that I'm not the only one seeing the armadillo rolling really fast but moving slowly when on the top piece of rubber in PeterT's solution...

BiG D wrote:Just confirming that I'm not the only one seeing the armadillo rolling really fast but moving slowly when on the top piece of rubber in PeterT's solution...

Yes, I think it's a bug related to the high tension of the rubber. This actually made my solution a bit harder to build as I had to catch a faster ball.

Interesting to see so many solutions to the same problem

?? congrats to the winners !!

With some of the solutions using the "rubber in rubber" effect
I think it would be a good idea to decide what is allowed, or
not allowed as there seems to be a growing list of "unintended"
effects appearing.

Hmm, after thinking about it again, Bob's and my solutions are really not quite "clean". They don't use "The Force", but they are also not possible in reality.

Perhaps we should declare BFC to be the main Contest Winner and give Bob some other title?

[edit]
Then again, in the "Contest Rules" thread, it is clearly stated that "Putting objects through other objects that don't propel or explode anything is ok."
This would seem to apply to our solutions.

I am happy that I achieved a good result.
However, as I already mentioned when submitting this solution, I do not really like it. As you can see if you run it, it is a "TweakingMonster". I think PeterT's solution is more elegant.
Talking about strictly legal approaches, BFC wins.

Blah! I just couldn't get my head around that solution at all!

Good level.

I don't see it as the "force" either, but we certainly could change the wording for the next contest. I like accepting the game plus bugs as is, allow people to use everything available, and reward solutions accordingly.

I think the update is going to improve on how materials move/fit through one another, but I think we ought to draw Peter Stock's attention to this quirk. I am curious what he thinks of it, 100 percent legal or what?!

By the way, seeing your catchers prompted me to have one more go at getting my launcher to go over the top. This one works!



Grand total in case you don't want to click the link: $3890. I could've won with that style launcher

OMG Ogre!

Yep, Ogre's launcher puts my solution at 3800 even. Very nice idea and for sure will be useful for future challenges!

I think Bob should remain the winner as the rules do allow that type of solution. I am just a stickler and impose my own set of "right and wrong" rules on myself. I think that 99% of the time you can achieve the same end result without having to bend reality any.

Again, not detracting from anyone's efforts.... Very well done solutions!

-BFC

Actually I have had a question for several days . Did anyone for fun use a rocket launching mechanism and a net to catch the rocket and hold it in place at the goal? I was wondering if it was possible.