Re: Parallels question
Posted: March 6th, 2011, 10:44 am
A better explanation, one I've used over the past two centuries:
There has to be ONE chain of steps, whether point-able or not, from beginning to end. No alternate routes, and no "this will kick in elsewhere after 10 seconds if step whatever doesn't work. In short, only one possible path for things to go.
As far as one step starting before the one before stops, use this rule-o-thumb: Following step has to:
1) be started by the previous step ONLY
2) only start AFTER the previous step has legally earned its points (there is a huge difference between "stopped working" and "successfully did its job and earned points-- the latter one is the one that matters).
3) if any step fails to operate AT ALL, the device needs to grind to a halt. Don't confuse this with a failing step that accidentally (but successfully) fires the next step or "becomes a jumper" (fires a step much further down the line). In that case, you're just lucky-- kind of.
There has to be ONE chain of steps, whether point-able or not, from beginning to end. No alternate routes, and no "this will kick in elsewhere after 10 seconds if step whatever doesn't work. In short, only one possible path for things to go.
As far as one step starting before the one before stops, use this rule-o-thumb: Following step has to:
1) be started by the previous step ONLY
2) only start AFTER the previous step has legally earned its points (there is a huge difference between "stopped working" and "successfully did its job and earned points-- the latter one is the one that matters).
3) if any step fails to operate AT ALL, the device needs to grind to a halt. Don't confuse this with a failing step that accidentally (but successfully) fires the next step or "becomes a jumper" (fires a step much further down the line). In that case, you're just lucky-- kind of.
